SEO is a major aspect of running a successful ecommerce store so you need a platform that can give you the tools and features to implement your strategies effectively.
Without SEO, your store may struggle to gain visibility on search engines and have limited traffic. This, in turn, could impact your ROI and make the initial investment not worthwhile.
To avoid this, I have selected five excellent ecommerce platforms that all have fantastic SEO features for you to use. This includes platforms suitable for anything from solo entrepreneurs to enterprise-level businesses.
Shopify
Shopify is an incredibly popular ecommerce platform and has some brilliant ecommerce SEO services. This is undoubtedly the easiest platform to use and I recommend it for first-time shop builders who may not have great experience with web development.
The basic plan is reasonable and you can easily integrate Google Analytics to take your SEO strategies to the next level. Shopify also benefits from a wide range of plugins to improve SEO such as customer ratings, social share buttons, and SEO tools like YOAST SEO.
You can easily create a blog for your store too which can include optimized content, and Shopify can work with multiple sales channels like Instagram Shopping and Facebook Shopping.
Pros
- It is one of the easiest ecommerce platforms to use.
- You can easily integrate Google Analytics.
- Great support to integrate SEO blogs into your store.
- Large plugin library to improve store functionality.
Cons
- The Robots.txt file cannot be edited.
- The Shopify URL hierarchy is rigid and you can’t edit URLs for search engines.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a cost-effective option and suitable for any size of business. The first thing to note is that it is a WordPress plugin so ideally you need familiarity with this platform too.
This plugin is extensive and gives you great control and flexibility to implement your SEO. To start, the site design and pages are SEO-friendly and it’s easy to use other plugins like YOAST SEO to optimize your on-page content.
You can quickly make changes to things like META tags and URLs, and WooCommerce has a decent blogging tool too, so you can implement SEO content marketing strategies. There is a free version of WooCommerce available with limitations and the premium subscription is reasonable too.
Pros
- The stores have excellent customization options.
- You can add varied functionality with the huge plugin library.
- It has various SEO-ready features like 301 redirects and URL customization.
Cons
- It has a steeper learning curve if you aren’t familiar with WordPress.
- It can be time-consuming to find and install plugins.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce excels at customer experience and it has some brilliant features so users can easily find what they need and navigate your products quickly.
This is a standalone platform that doesn’t require anything like WordPress, and it has several plans ranging from the Standard package for smaller businesses to the Pro package for enterprise-level companies.
I like the SEO tool that is built-in to BigCommerce and this means you don’t need a host of separate tools to improve basic SEO. However, if you want more, BigCommerce does have a large library of third-party plugins too.
You can easily optimize your web pages and product pages too, and the interface is relatively user-friendly.
Pros
- It offers excellent flexibility in terms of store features.
- You can benefit from various SEO-friendly features.
- It allows you to give a superb customer shopping experience.
Cons
- It is known to have slower page loading times.
- The cost can soon increase for additional features.
Squarespace
Squarespace is another top option for beginners like Shopify and smaller businesses due to its graphical interface and (for the most part) simple tools.
While the builder can seem a little basic, it has some brilliant social media integration options which can help with SEO, and you can use the YOAST SEO plugin too for on-page content optimization.
Squarespace is also possibly the best in terms of sleek and stylish website design and you can easily make a store that looks fantastic and works seamlessly on mobile devices which Google loves. An optimized blog can also be added to your Squarespace online store too.
Pros
- You can easily incorporate SEO blogs into your store.
- It has an excellent mobile-responsive design.
- Great support with a large community of developers and businesses.
Cons
- The UI can be frustrating at times.
- Not as suitable for larger websites or enterprise businesses.
Magento
Adobe Commerce or Magento as it was once known is my last pick and this solution is aimed at larger businesses that have more funds but ultimately want to create a fully customized online store. This platform requires coding knowledge and it is definitely not for first-time store owners.
If you want the ultimate in control so you can manage every aspect of your store’s SEO optimization then this is the best option. You essentially have a barebones site that you then develop on using the detailed API and versatile underlying architecture.
Pros
- Your Magento store is completely customizable with no constraints.
- It is easy to make your store SEO-friendly.
Cons
- It does require coding knowledge so it is not for the uninitiated.
- Relatively expensive compared to other platforms.
Select the Right Ecommerce Platform for Your Business and SEO Strategy
Competitors can be a trove of information and you can look at what they are doing to see what is and isn’t working in your industry. You can never plagiarise and rip their ads, but you can use various tools to analyze competitor keywords for example.
Knowing what your competitors are doing can help improve your own ads but also show you niches that they have missed where you could gain more customers or build new audiences.
Ad testing
Google Ads has a split testing feature where you can quickly test multiple iterations of the same ad. You could change aspects of the ads like headlines, titles, text, and images and then run split tests.
This is another core component of PPC management and it allows you to see which versions of your ads are the most effective.
What are the Benefits of Managed PPC?
So now you understand what PPC management involves, why should you care? There are many benefits to managed PPC and using a Google Ads marketing agency and I have listed them below:
Improved PPC ROI
Ultimately, managed PPC affects your bottom line. If you can manage your paid advertising and create better ads, you will hopefully get better end results with more conversions.
It means that the money you invest in PPC marketing is worthwhile and you can use the profits to grow your business further.
Better cost control
If you create Google Ads without any knowledge and research, your money will be uncontrolled and potentially wasted.
In contrast, managed PPC means everything is ultra-focused and targeted. This should mean that every dollar spent is worthwhile and your marketing budget is being used effectively.
Improved business focus
Part of PPC management involves keyword research and utilizing customer data. This data can be used in other areas of your business like website SEO and email marketing. As a result, you can improve your business focus as all your different marketing strategies will be working in tandem and using the same data.
PPC Management Allows Your Business to Grow Without Hindrance
Without effective PPC management, your online marketing strategies will likely be ineffective and you will not get the best ROI. You need to control and monitor your PPC campaigns closely to make sure they are targeting the right customers, maximizing the potential of your keywords, and achieving your marketing goals.
While it is possible to perform PPC management in-house, it could be beneficial to look at the services of a PPC manager from a third-party company. Working with a PPC manager allows you to let them take the reigns and maximize your marketing while you concentrate your business efforts elsewhere.
