Ecommerce Marketing
How to Choose the Best eCommerce Platform for SEO in 2024
Choosing the right eCommerce platform is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your online business. Not only does it affect your store’s functionality and user experience, but it also plays a critical role in your search engine optimisation (SEO) efforts. After all, what’s the point of having an amazing online store if no one can find it? In 2024, with SEO evolving rapidly, it’s more crucial than ever to pick a platform that supports your SEO goals.
In this article, we’ll explore how to choose the best eCommerce platform for SEO in 2024. We’ll break down the key SEO features to look for, compare popular platforms, and offer practical advice to help you make an informed decision. Whether you’re launching a new store or considering a switch, this guide will help you find the platform that fits your needs.
Key Topics
Why SEO Matters When Choosing an eCommerce Platform
Let’s start with the basics—why should SEO be a top consideration when choosing an eCommerce platform?
The Role of SEO in eCommerce Success
SEO is the process of optimising your website to rank higher in search engine results, which in turn drives organic (unpaid) traffic to your site. For eCcommerce businesses, SEO is a game-changer. It’s a cost-effective way to attract potential customers who are already searching for products like yours. Unlike paid advertising, which requires ongoing investment, SEO provides long-term benefits that can continue to pay off well into the future.
Good SEO practices help your site appear in relevant search queries, which means more visibility, more traffic, and ultimately, more sales. However, not all eCommerce platforms are created equal when it comes to SEO. Some make it easy to implement SEO best practices, while others are more restrictive. This is why choosing the right platform is so important.
How Your eCommerce Platform Affects SEO
Your eCommerce platform acts as the foundation of your online store. It influences everything from site structure and load times to mobile responsiveness and metadata control—all of which are critical factors in SEO. A platform that offers robust SEO features will make it easier to optimise your site and keep up with the latest SEO trends.
On the flip side, a platform that lacks essential SEO tools or is difficult to manage can hinder your efforts and make it challenging to compete in search engine rankings. Therefore, selecting an eCommerce platform that supports your SEO strategy is essential for your online success.
Key SEO Features to Look for in an eCommerce Platform
Now that we understand why SEO is so important, let’s dive into the key features you should look for in an eCommerce platform. These features will help ensure your site is optimised for search engines and positioned to drive organic traffic.
1. Site Speed and Performance
Why It Matters:
Site speed is a crucial ranking factor in Google’s algorithm. A slow-loading site can frustrate users and lead to higher bounce rates, both of which can negatively impact your SEO. In 2024, site speed will continue to be a critical component of SEO, especially with the increasing focus on user experience.
What to Look For:
Choose a platform that offers fast loading times, efficient caching mechanisms, and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to distribute content more quickly. Platforms that are built with performance in mind will help ensure your site loads quickly on all devices.
2. Mobile-Friendliness
Why It Matters:
With more than half of all web traffic coming from mobile devices, Google has shifted to mobile-first indexing. This means that Google primarily uses the mobile version of your site for indexing and ranking. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, it’s likely to rank lower in search results.
What to Look For:
Ensure the platform offers responsive design options that automatically adjust your site’s layout for different screen sizes. Additionally, check that it supports mobile-friendly features like touch-friendly navigation and mobile-optimized checkout processes.
3. Custom URL Structures
Why It Matters:
SEO-friendly URLs are clean, descriptive, and easy for both users and search engines to understand. A well-structured URL can help improve click-through rates and ensure your pages are properly indexed by search engines.
What to Look For:
The ability to create custom URLs that are short, include relevant keywords, and avoid unnecessary parameters (like “?product_id=123”) is essential. Look for a platform that allows you to easily edit URLs and maintain a consistent structure across your site.
4. Metadata Control
Why It Matters:
Metadata, including title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags (H1, H2, etc.), plays a significant role in how your content is perceived by search engines. Properly optimised metadata can improve your site’s visibility in search results and increase click-through rates.
What to Look For:
Your eCommerce platform should allow you to easily edit title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags for all pages, including product and category pages. Look for platforms that support custom metadata settings without the need for coding.
5. Built-In SEO Tools
Why It Matters:
Having built-in SEO tools can simplify the process of optimising your site and ensure you’re following best practices. These tools can help you with everything from keyword research to on-page optimisation, making it easier to manage your SEO efforts in one place.
What to Look For:
Platforms that offer built-in SEO tools or integrations with popular SEO plugins are ideal. Look for features like automatic sitemap generation, SEO audits, keyword optimisation, and integrations with Google Analytics and Search Console.
6. Schema Markup Support
Why It Matters:
Schema markup (structured data) helps search engines understand the content on your pages and can enhance your search listings with rich snippets. This can lead to higher click-through rates and more traffic to your site.
What to Look For:
Your platform should support schema markup for product pages, reviews, FAQs, and other key elements. Look for platforms that allow you to easily implement and manage structured data, either through built-in features or plugins.
7. Indexing and Crawlability
Why It Matters:
If search engines can’t crawl and index your site effectively, your pages won’t appear in search results. Ensuring your site is easy to crawl and index is fundamental to good SEO.
What to Look For:
Choose a platform that allows you to create an XML sitemap, manage your robots.txt file, and set canonical tags to avoid duplicate content issues. It’s also helpful if the platform provides tools to monitor and resolve indexing issues.
8. Blogging Capabilities
Why It Matters:
Content marketing is a key component of SEO, and having a blog is one of the best ways to regularly publish fresh, relevant content. A blog allows you to target long-tail keywords, answer customer questions, and build authority in your niche.
What to Look For:
Look for a platform with built-in blogging capabilities or seamless integration with a content management system (CMS) like WordPress. Ensure it supports SEO best practices, such as custom metadata, category tagging, and internal linking.
9. SSL Support
Why It Matters:
Google gives preference to secure sites, so having an SSL certificate (which enables HTTPS) is a must for any eCommerce site. SSL not only boosts your SEO but also protects your customers’ data, building trust and credibility.
What to Look For:
Ensure the platform provides easy access to SSL certificates and supports HTTPS across your entire site. Some platforms include SSL as part of their package, while others may require you to purchase and install it separately.
Top eCommerce Platforms for SEO in 2024
With a clear understanding of what to look for in an eCommerce platform, let’s explore some of the top contenders in 2024. We’ll compare their SEO capabilities, ease of use, and overall performance to help you decide which one is the best fit for your business.
1. Shopify
Shopify is one of the most popular eCommerce platforms, known for its user-friendly interface and extensive app ecosystem. It’s a great choice for small to medium-sized businesses looking to get up and running quickly.
SEO Features:
- Speed and Performance: Shopify is optimised for speed, with built-in caching and a global CDN to ensure fast load times.
- Mobile-Friendliness: All Shopify themes are responsive, ensuring your store looks great on any device.
- Custom URLs: Shopify allows for some URL customisation, though there are limitations (e.g., it automatically adds “/collections/” to category URLs).
- Metadata Control: You can easily edit title tags, meta descriptions, and alt text for images. Built-In SEO Tools: Shopify includes basic SEO tools, such as automatic sitemap generation and integrations with Google Analytics and Search Console.
- Schema Markup: Limited support out of the box, but can be enhanced with apps or custom coding.
- Indexing and Crawlability: Shopify handles most indexing issues automatically, and you can manage robots.txt via apps.
- Blogging: Shopify includes a built-in blogging platform, though it’s not as robust as WordPress. SSL Support: Shopify includes a free SSL certificate for all stores.
Best For:
Small to medium-sized businesses that need an easy-to-use platform with solid SEO capabilities.
2. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin that turns your WordPress site into a fully functional eCommerce store. It’s highly customisable and ideal for businesses that want complete control over their site.
SEO Features:
- Speed and Performance: Performance depends on your hosting provider, but with the right setup, WooCommerce can be very fast.
- Mobile-Friendliness: WordPress themes are responsive, and WooCommerce integrates seamlessly with them.
- Custom URLs: WooCommerce offers complete control over URLs, allowing you to create SEO-friendly structures.
- Metadata Control: Full control over metadata through SEO plugins like Yoast SEO.
- Built-In SEO Tools: WooCommerce itself is limited in SEO tools, but WordPress’s extensive plugin ecosystem (like Yoast) offers powerful SEO capabilities.
- Schema Markup: Easily added through plugins like Yoast SEO or Schema Pro.
Indexing and Crawlability: You have full control over your XML sitemap, robots.txt, and canonical tags with plugins. - Blogging: WordPress is the gold standard for blogging, making WooCommerce a top choice for SEO content-driven eCommerce sites.
- SSL Support: SSL is managed through your hosting provider, with many offering free SSL certificates.
Best For:
Businesses with the technical expertise to manage their own site or those who want maximum customisation and control over SEO.
3. Magento (Adobe Commerce)
Magento, now known as Adobe Commerce, is a powerful eCommerce platform designed for large enterprises with complex needs. It’s highly scalable and offers advanced features for businesses with large product catalogs and high traffic.
SEO Features:
- Speed and Performance: Magento is designed for scalability, but requires robust hosting and optimisation to perform well.
- Mobile-Friendliness: Magento supports responsive design, ensuring a seamless experience across devices.
- Custom URLs: Full control over URL structures, allowing for highly SEO-friendly URLs.
- Metadata Control: Extensive metadata control, including automated meta templates for large catalogs.
- Built-In SEO Tools: Advanced SEO features out of the box, including automated sitemaps, metadata templates, and URL rewrites.
- Schema Markup: Supports structured data, with the ability to customise and expand as needed.
- Indexing and Crawlability: Powerful tools for managing sitemaps, robots.txt, and indexing issues, ideal for large sites.
- Blogging: Magento doesn’t have a built-in blog, but it can be integrated with a CMS like WordPress.
- SSL Support: SSL is required and can be managed through your hosting provider.
Best For:
Large enterprises with complex needs, large product catalogs, and the resources to manage a powerful platform.
4. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a hosted eCommerce platform known for its scalability and robust feature set. It’s a great choice for businesses that need a platform that can grow with them.
SEO Features:
- Speed and Performance: BigCommerce is optimised for speed, with built-in CDN and server-side optimisations.
- Mobile-Friendliness: All BigCommerce themes are responsive and mobile-friendly.
- Custom URLs: Offers flexible URL structures that are SEO-friendly.
- Metadata Control: Easy to edit title tags, meta descriptions, and alt text.
- Built-In SEO Tools: Includes automatic sitemaps, SEO audits, and integrations with Google Analytics and Search Console.
- Schema Markup: Limited support out of the box but can be extended with custom coding.
- Indexing and Crawlability: Offers tools for managing indexing, including robots.txt and canonical tags.
- Blogging: Includes a built-in blogging platform, but it’s not as robust as WordPress.
SSL Support: BigCommerce includes a free SSL certificate for all stores.
Best For:
Large enterprises with complex needs, large product catalogs, and the resources to manage a powerful platform.
5. Wix
Wix is a website builder that offers a drag-and-drop interface, making it easy for beginners to create and manage a website. While primarily known for its ease of use, Wix has made significant improvements in its SEO capabilities.
SEO Features:
- Speed and Performance: Wix has improved its performance over the years, offering decent site speed, though it may not match platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce.
Mobile-Friendliness: Wix offers mobile-responsive templates, ensuring your site looks good on any device. - Custom URLs: Wix allows for basic URL customisation, though not as flexible as other platforms.
- Metadata Control: Wix provides control over title tags, meta descriptions, and alt text, making it easy to optimise each page.
- Built-In SEO Tools: Wix includes an SEO Wiz tool that guides users through basic SEO setups, like metadata optimisation and sitemap generation.
- Schema Markup: Limited support for structured data, requiring custom code for more advanced implementations.
- Indexing and Crawlability: Basic tools for managing indexing, though somewhat limited compared to more advanced platforms.
- Blogging: Wix offers a built-in blogging platform, which is user-friendly but lacks some of the advanced features found in WordPress.
- SSL Support: SSL is included for all Wix sites.
Best For:
Small businesses, beginners, or creatives who need an easy-to-use platform with basic SEO features.
How to Choose the Right Platform Based on Your Business Needs
Now that we’ve covered the top eCommerce platforms, how do you choose the right one for your business? Here are some scenarios to help guide your decision.
For Small Businesses
If you’re a small business or a startup with a limited budget, ease of use and affordability are likely your top priorities. Shopify and WooCommerce are both excellent choices, depending on your level of technical expertise. Shopify offers a more straightforward setup, while WooCommerce provides greater flexibility if you’re comfortable with WordPress. Wix and Weebly are also good options if you need a simple, easy-to-use platform with basic SEO features.
For Large Enterprises
If you’re running a large enterprise with a complex product catalog and high traffic, you’ll need a platform that can handle scale and provide advanced SEO features. Magento (Adobe Commerce) is the gold standard for large enterprises, offering powerful SEO tools and the ability to customise every aspect of your site. BigCommerce is also a strong contender for growing businesses with complex needs.
For Niche Markets
For niche markets or businesses with specific SEO requirements, WooCommerce is a great choice due to its flexibility and the vast number of plugins available. This allows you to tailor your site’s SEO to meet your exact needs, whether you’re targeting a specific industry or market segment.
For Content-Driven Businesses
If content marketing is a core part of your strategy, WooCommerce on WordPress is hard to beat. The combination of WordPress’s blogging capabilities and WooCommerce’s eCommerce features provides a powerful platform for content-driven SEO. Wix and Weebly also offer user-friendly blogging tools, though they lack the advanced features of WordPress.
For Growing Businesses
If you’re planning to scale your business, BigCommerce offers a robust feature set that can grow with you. Its built-in SEO tools and scalability make it a strong choice for businesses that anticipate rapid growth.
Future-Proofing Your eCommerce Platform
As you make your decision, it’s important to think about the future. SEO is constantly evolving, and the platform you choose should be able to adapt to new trends and technologies.
Emerging SEO Trends in 2024
In 2024, we’re seeing several trends that will continue to shape SEO:
- Voice Search: With the rise of voice-activated devices, optimising for voice search is becoming increasingly important. Look for platforms that support conversational search queries and long-tail keywords.
- AI-Driven SEO: Artificial intelligence is playing a bigger role in SEO, from content creation to predictive analytics. Ensure your platform can integrate with AI tools and technologies.
- Sustainability and Ethical Practices: Consumers are becoming more conscious of sustainability and ethics. Platforms that support eco-friendly practices, like carbon-neutral hosting, may gain an SEO advantage.
Ensuring Your Platform Can Adapt
Choose a platform that’s not only robust today but also has a track record of evolving with the industry. Look for platforms with regular updates, active development communities, and strong customer support to help you stay ahead of the curve.
Making the Right Choice for SEO Success
Choosing the best eCommerce platform for SEO in 2024 isn’t just about finding the most popular option—it’s about finding the platform that best aligns with your business needs and goals. Whether you’re looking for ease of use, scalability, or advanced SEO features, there’s a platform out there that’s right for you.
Remember, your eCommerce platform is the foundation of your online store, and the right choice can significantly impact your SEO success. Take the time to evaluate your options, consider your business’s unique needs, and don’t be afraid to seek expert advice if needed.
So, what’s your next step? Evaluate your current platform, explore your options, and choose the eCommerce platform that will help you achieve SEO success in 2024 and beyond. If you need help making this decision or want personalised advice, we’re here to help—just reach out, and let’s make your eCommerce site a success!
