/SEO
Question
Is SEO actually worth it for dropshipping or should I just focus on ads?
Posted by •12/16/2025
Trying to figure out where to spend my time. I've read that SEO takes 6-12 months to see results but dropshipping products come and go.
Doesn't it seem pointless to spend 6 months ranking for a product that might be dead by then?
But I also hate being dependent on ads. When my ad account got restricted for "review" last month I had literally zero sales for a week.
For those doing SEO in dropshipping:
- How long did it take to see meaningful traffic?
- What kind of products work for SEO?
- Is it worth it or should I accept ads are just the game?
Doesn't it seem pointless to spend 6 months ranking for a product that might be dead by then?
But I also hate being dependent on ads. When my ad account got restricted for "review" last month I had literally zero sales for a week.
For those doing SEO in dropshipping:
- How long did it take to see meaningful traffic?
- What kind of products work for SEO?
- Is it worth it or should I accept ads are just the game?
3 Replies
•12/16/2025
Both perspectives are helpful. Sounds like the answer is "depends on your product type and timeline."
My current products are somewhat trendy so probably not great for SEO. But I'm thinking of adding an evergreen category specifically to build organic traffic on the side.
Follow-up question: for the blog content approach, do you hire writers or write everything yourself? I'm not a great writer and 15+ posts sounds daunting.
My current products are somewhat trendy so probably not great for SEO. But I'm thinking of adding an evergreen category specifically to build organic traffic on the side.
Follow-up question: for the blog content approach, do you hire writers or write everything yourself? I'm not a great writer and 15+ posts sounds daunting.
•12/16/2025
I wrote all mine myself, but I'm not precious about quality. They don't need to be literary masterpieces.
My process:
1. Find a question people ask (Google "how to [your niche] reddit" to find real questions)
2. Answer it directly in 500-1000 words
3. Include one relevant product mention naturally
4. Add basic on-page SEO (keyword in title, a few times in body, meta description)
Each post takes me 1-2 hours. I did one per day for two weeks, then one per week after that. Not daunting when you break it down.
You can also use AI to help with drafts and then edit for your voice. Or hire cheap writers on Fiverr for first drafts. The key is the posts should actually help people - Google rewards useful content.
Don't overthink it. A mediocre helpful post that exists beats a perfect post you never write.
My process:
1. Find a question people ask (Google "how to [your niche] reddit" to find real questions)
2. Answer it directly in 500-1000 words
3. Include one relevant product mention naturally
4. Add basic on-page SEO (keyword in title, a few times in body, meta description)
Each post takes me 1-2 hours. I did one per day for two weeks, then one per week after that. Not daunting when you break it down.
You can also use AI to help with drafts and then edit for your voice. Or hire cheap writers on Fiverr for first drafts. The key is the posts should actually help people - Google rewards useful content.
Don't overthink it. A mediocre helpful post that exists beats a perfect post you never write.
•12/16/2025
Counter perspective: I tried SEO for 4 months, wrote 20+ articles, and got basically nowhere.
My issue: I was competing against established sites with 10+ years of domain authority. My brand new dropshipping store with zero backlinks wasn't going to outrank them no matter how good my content was.
SEO works when:
- You target low-competition long-tail keywords
- You're willing to play the very long game
- You have a niche where established competitors aren't already dominant
For most people starting out, I think ads are the faster path to learning. Get sales, get feedback, understand your customer. THEN maybe add SEO as a secondary channel once you have a real business.
Doing SEO first when you're not even sure you have a viable product feels like building a highway before knowing where you're driving.
My issue: I was competing against established sites with 10+ years of domain authority. My brand new dropshipping store with zero backlinks wasn't going to outrank them no matter how good my content was.
SEO works when:
- You target low-competition long-tail keywords
- You're willing to play the very long game
- You have a niche where established competitors aren't already dominant
For most people starting out, I think ads are the faster path to learning. Get sales, get feedback, understand your customer. THEN maybe add SEO as a secondary channel once you have a real business.
Doing SEO first when you're not even sure you have a viable product feels like building a highway before knowing where you're driving.
•12/16/2025
SEO for dropshipping is worth it IF you understand the tradeoffs.
You're right that trendy/viral products and SEO don't mix. If you're selling whatever's hot on TikTok this month, forget SEO.
But for "evergreen" products - stuff people always need and always search for - SEO is incredible. Think:
- Solutions to ongoing problems (back pain, sleep issues, organization)
- Hobby equipment (gardening, crafts, fishing)
- Home improvement basics
My timeline:
- Month 1-2: Created 15 "how to" blog posts around my niche
- Month 3-4: Started seeing trickle of organic traffic (50-100/day)
- Month 5-6: Traffic doubled, started getting organic sales
- Month 8+: Organic now brings 40% of my revenue, completely free
The key is: the blog posts aren't about products. They're about PROBLEMS. "How to reduce back pain when working from home" → ranks for searches → people read → some buy my ergonomic products.
It's a different game than ads. Slower start, but compounds over time and nobody can take it away from you with an account ban.
You're right that trendy/viral products and SEO don't mix. If you're selling whatever's hot on TikTok this month, forget SEO.
But for "evergreen" products - stuff people always need and always search for - SEO is incredible. Think:
- Solutions to ongoing problems (back pain, sleep issues, organization)
- Hobby equipment (gardening, crafts, fishing)
- Home improvement basics
My timeline:
- Month 1-2: Created 15 "how to" blog posts around my niche
- Month 3-4: Started seeing trickle of organic traffic (50-100/day)
- Month 5-6: Traffic doubled, started getting organic sales
- Month 8+: Organic now brings 40% of my revenue, completely free
The key is: the blog posts aren't about products. They're about PROBLEMS. "How to reduce back pain when working from home" → ranks for searches → people read → some buy my ergonomic products.
It's a different game than ads. Slower start, but compounds over time and nobody can take it away from you with an account ban.