The best ecommerce platform for SEO is one that offers robust features and tools specifically designed to help improve search engine rankings. They drive organic traffic to your online store and raise the sales more effectively.
Some of the top ecommerce platforms with strong SEO capabilities include Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Wix, and Squarespace.
When choosing an ecommerce platform for SEO, look for features like customizable URLs and meta tags and descriptions. Also prioritize image optimization, structured data, mobile-friendliness, and integration with Google Analytics.
You can have the best products to sell and a very well-made eStore to sell on. But if the store isn’t visible to the potential customers (those looking for the products similar to yours), the sales opportunities would be next to none. So you need your eCommerce website to appear on the top of the SERPs (search engine result pages). That’s where eCommerce SEO comes in.
But can develop and customize more SEO-friendly eCommerce websites more fundamentally? What is the best eCommerce platform for SEO? Well, our eCommerce experts have researched extensively and come up with some unique insights on this query. So let’s dive in.
Why is SEO Important for eCommerce Websites?
SEO is a crucial part of eCommerce website development and sustenance. It ensures a higher ranking for your website on the search pages for Google and other search engines. That is crucial for a number of reasons:
Increased Traffic: By ranking higher in search results for relevant keywords, your eCommerce store becomes more visible to potential customers. That translates to more people landing on your site, giving you a larger pool of interested buyers.
Targeted Traffic: SEO allows you to target specific keywords that people are searching for when looking for products you sell. So you’re attracting qualified leads who are already interested in what you offer. That is better than random visitors who may not be ready to buy.
Cost-effective Customer Acquisition: Compared to paid advertising, SEO is a more organic and long-term approach to attracting customers. Once your website is optimized, it continues to generate traffic without needing constant financial investment.
Trust and Credibility: High search rankings are seen as a mark of trust and credibility by potential customers. When people see your eCommerce store appearing at the top of search results, it improves your brand’s reliability and trustworthiness.
Competitive Advantage: In today’s competitive eCommerce landscape, SEO is essential for standing out from the crowd. By implementing effective SEO strategies, you can gain a significant edge over competitors who haven’t optimized their online stores.
Overall, SEO can be an excellent investment for any eCommerce website. This strategic approach can help gain more quality potential customers, increasing the conversions and sales more effectively.
Features to Look for in an eCommerce Platform for SEO
When choosing an eCommerce platform, SEO capabilities should be a major consideration. Here are some key features to look for to ensure your online store is search engine friendly.
Editable Meta Tags and Titles: You should be able to easily edit product titles, meta descriptions, and page titles to include relevant keywords.
Clean URLs: The platform should generate user-friendly URLs that include relevant keywords and avoid complex structures.
Image Optimization: Look for features that allow you to optimize image alt tags and file names with relevant keywords.
Content Management System (CMS): A built-in CMS allows you to create SEO-friendly product descriptions, blog posts, and landing pages. That improves your content strategy.
Mobile-friendliness: Your eCommerce platform should ensure your store is responsive and optimized for mobile devices, a crucial ranking factor.
Fast Loading Speeds: Page loading speed is a major SEO factor. Choose an eCommerce platform known for fast loading speeds to improve user experience and search rankings.
Clean Code: The platform should have well-structured, clean code that search engines can easily crawl and index.
Sitemap Generation: The platform should be able to automatically generate and update your sitemap, which helps search engines understand your website structure.
301 Redirects: A platform that allows you to easily implement 301 redirects is essential for managing changes to your website structure and avoiding SEO penalties.
Structured Data Markup: The ability to add structured data markup allows you to provide rich snippets of information to search engines. That improves the click-through rates.
Integration with SEO Tools: Look for a platform that integrates with popular SEO tools like Google Search Console. They help track your SEO performance and identify areas for improvement.
You can create an eCommerce website with WordPress. It’s an excellent platform for creating SEO-friendly eStores. But you will need to implement some optimization strategies as well. For that, you can consult with our eCommerce development company. We have a team of skilled SEO experts who can help improve the traffic and sales on your store effectively.
Now, let’s focus on the SEO-friendly eCommerce platforms. Which is the best one?
Best eCommerce Platforms for SEO
As you already know, there are several platforms for creating outstanding eCommerce websites. And if you want your store to have good-quality traffic, SEO is crucial. So here are the top eCommerce platforms with SEO in focus.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a popular open-source eCommerce plugin for WordPress websites. Because it’s open-source, WooCommerce is free to use. But there are costs associated with website hosting, domain registration, and potentially themes and plugins.
WooCommerce offers a high degree of customization, giving you better control over the look and feel of your store. There’s also a wide range of SEO plugins available to help you optimize your website.
However, WooCommerce requires some technical knowledge to set up and maintain, and there are security considerations to keep in mind. Managing updates and plugins can also be time-consuming.
Pros: Open-source and free to use (though there are hosting and other fees). WooCommerce is also highly customizable, with a wide range of plugins for SEO and other functionalities.
Cons: Requires some technical knowledge to set up and maintain, security considerations, can be time-consuming to manage updates and plugins.
Pricing: WooCommerce itself is free. But you’ll need to pay for WordPress hosting and potentially additional SEO plugins.
Shopify
Shopify is a popular choice for beginners and established businesses alike due to its ease of use and wide range of features. Shopify offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to add products, manage orders, and set up your store. Their app store provides a wealth of SEO tools to help you optimize your product listings and overall store content.
Additionally, Shopify has a built-in blogging platform that allows you to create SEO-friendly content to attract more visitors to your store. However, Shopify offers less flexibility in customization compared to some other platforms, and their pricing structure includes transaction fees on lower plans, while apps can add to your overall costs.
Pros: Easy to use, user-friendly interface, extensive app store with many SEO tools, built-in blogging platform, mobile-responsive themes.
Cons: Limited customization compared to some platforms, transaction fees on lower plans, apps can add up in cost.
Pricing: Shopify offers a variety of plans starting from $29 per month, with transaction fees applicable on lower tiers.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a robust platform that’s well-suited for businesses that sell a large volume of products or have complex product catalogs. It offers a variety of built-in SEO tools to help you optimize your store. That includes product page optimization features and the ability to manage meta descriptions and title tags. They also provide mobile-responsive themes and good customer support.
However, BigCommerce has a steeper learning curve than Shopify and their pricing plans are typically higher.
Pros: Scalable, handles large product volumes well, built-in SEO tools, mobile-responsive themes, good customer support.
Cons: Steeper learning curve than Shopify, higher pricing plans.
Pricing: BigCommerce plans start from $29 per month.
Squarespace
Squarespace is a popular website builder that also offers eCommerce functionality. It’s known for its ease of use and beautiful templates. They also include some built-in SEO features. That makes it a good option for beginners who want a user-friendly platform with basic SEO capabilities.
However, Squarespace offers limited customization compared to other platforms, and it may not be ideal for businesses with complex product catalogs.
Pros: Easy to use, drag-and-drop interface, beautiful templates, built-in SEO features.
Cons: Limited customization compared to other platforms, not ideal for complex product catalogs, transaction fees.
Pricing: Squarespace plans start from $16 per month.
Wix
Wix is another user-friendly website builder with eCommerce capabilities. It offers a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to create a website, even with no coding experience. Their pricing plans are also affordable, making Wix a good option for beginners on a budget.
However, Wix offers limited SEO functionality compared to other platforms on this list, and it’s not the best choice for large or complex stores. It also offers less flexibility and customization than some other options.
Pros: Very user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface, affordable pricing plans, good for beginners.
Cons: Limited SEO functionality compared to other platforms, not suitable for large or complex stores, less flexibility and customization.
Pricing: Wix plans start from $16 per month with additional features available at higher tiers.
Although all of the above-mentioned eCommerce platforms are suitable for SEO, choose one depending on your specific needs and technical expertise. Consider the features you need, your budget, and your comfort level with managing a technical platform before making your decision. You can also consult with our eCommerce development experts to understand which one of these platforms is best, based on your requirements.
FAQs on the Best eCommerce Platforms for SEO
Q1. Can switching to a new ecommerce platform affect my SEO rankings?
Yes, switching to a new ecommerce platform can potentially affect your SEO rankings. It is important to carefully plan and execute the migration process to minimize any negative impact on your search rankings.
Q2. How can I optimize my ecommerce platform for SEO?
To optimize your ecommerce platform for SEO, focus on creating high-quality, relevant content, using relevant keywords, optimizing your website’s speed and performance, building quality backlinks, and regularly monitoring and analyzing your SEO efforts.
Q3. How important is SEO for an ecommerce website?
SEO is crucial for an ecommerce website as it helps your products and brand get discovered by potential customers through search engines, ultimately leading to increased traffic and sales.
Conclusion
Selecting the right eCommerce platform is a critical decision that lays the groundwork for your online store’s success. By prioritizing SEO capabilities during your selection process, you’ll empower yourself to attract organic traffic, improve brand visibility, and ultimately drive sales.
If you’re a beginner, a user-friendly platform like Shopify with a good range of built-in features might be ideal. But if you have a larger store or require advanced SEO control, BigCommerce or WooCommerce could be strong options.So, need help with optimizing your eStore for SEO? Then consult with our experts today!
Ankur Shah is a tech-savvy expert specializing in eCommerce solutions. With a deep understanding of WooCommerce and Shopify, he helps businesses optimize their online stores for success. Whether it's implementing new features or troubleshooting issues, Ankur is your go-to guy for all things eCommerce.