Which eCommerce Platform is Best for SEO? Top Picks

Which ecommerce platform is best for SEO?

1. WooCommerce 

WooCommerce is an open-source, free, and search engine-friendly ecommerce platform that works with WordPress (although you will have to pay for an SSL certificate, domain name, and hosting). You must install the WooCommerce plugin after installing WordPress in order to include e-commerce functionality on your website. To increase your website's capabilities, you may then add more modules and plugins.

Features:

●       Customizable URLs for SEO optimization

●       Inbuilt blogging features

●       Access to robots.txt files

●       Ability to edit names, meta descriptions, and other SEO components on product and category pages

●       Support for digital and physical goods

Pros:

●       Free to use

●       Outstanding SEO management

●       A sizable developer community for assistance

●       Adaptable to selling both digital and physical items

Cons:

●       Requires multiple plugins for advanced functionalities

●       Issues with plugin compatibility

●       Hosting costs can add up

●       Steep learning curve for beginners

Pricing: Basic hosting packages usually cost $5 to $25 per month, while premium themes and plugins cost $30 to $200 each.

2. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is an easy-to-use e-commerce platform that starts at $39 per month and serves companies of all sizes. It has integrated SEO techniques to improve the user experience and visibility of your website.

Features:

●       Customizable URL structure

●       Built-in 301 redirects

●       Mobile-responsive templates

●       Image optimization for faster load times

●       No transaction fees, even with third-party payment gateways

Pros:

●       Rich set of features available on base plan

●       Supports multiple currencies

●       No transaction fees

●       Powerful integrated SEO tools

●       Real-time shipping estimates on all plans

Cons:

●       Occasional page load speed irregularities

●       Free templates are hard to modify

●       Built-in blog lacks features like RSS feeds

Pricing: BigCommerce's monthly prices range from $39 to $399.

3. Volusion

Volusion is an e-commerce platform aimed at small and medium-sized businesses. It helps set up and manage online stores and includes tools for sales, customer data, and product management.

Features:

●       Drag-and-drop store builder

●       Secure payment processing

●       Integrated marketing tools

●       Order tracking and inventory management

●       Customizable product pages

●       Analytics and performance reporting

●       Integration with tools like Google Analytics, Facebook, PayPal, Amazon, and eBay

Pros:

●       Versatile design templates

●       Built-in analytics

●       Customizable product pages

Cons:

●       Limited advanced SEO tools

●       Some users report slower page loads

Pricing: Volusion plans range from $35 to $299 per month, depending on product limits and bandwidth.

 4. PrestaShop

PrestaShop is an open-source e-commerce platform ideal for businesses seeking a customized online store with robust product and order management tools.

Features:

●       Highly customizable storefront

●       Advanced product catalog management

●       Integrated order management system

●       Flexible pricing, discounts, and product variants

●       Multilingual and multi-currency support

Pros:

●       Global accessibility with language and currency support

●       Highly customizable

●       Suitable for complex setups and large inventories

Cons:

●       Some modules may be outdated or need updates

●       Setup may require technical expertise

Pricing: Pricing starts at $26/month.

5. Shopify

Shopify is one of the most popular ecommerce platforms, known for its simplicity and ease of use. It supports businesses of all sizes and offers tools to enhance SEO.

Key Features:

●       Custom title tags, meta descriptions, and URLs

●       Editable image alt text

●       Blogging features to support SEO

Pros:

●       User-friendly interface

●       Wide range of plugins

Cons:

●       Cannot edit robots.txt files

●       URL customization is limited

Pricing: Monthly plans range from $39 to $399.

 6. Squarespace

Squarespace is an easy-to-use ecommerce platform with a drag-and-drop builder and features like appointment booking and subscription services.

Standout Features:

●       Custom URLs

●       Automatic redirects

●       Mobile-responsive design

●       Integrated blogging

●       Direct content sharing

Pros:

●       Built-in blogging for SEO

●       Mobile-responsive design

●       Free domain with annual plans

●       Supports digital and physical products

Cons:

●       Lacks autosave and undo features

●       Limited product management options

Pricing: Starts at $23/month with annual discount. Advanced features cost up to $49/month.

7. Magento (Adobe Commerce)

With its enormous product catalogs and sophisticated SEO needs, Magento is a powerful and highly flexible eCommerce platform that is perfect for big organizations. It is the ideal option for enterprise-level websites as it gives total control over SEO settings.

Features:

●       Completely customizable SEO parameters

●       XML sitemaps and rich snippets are supported.

●       advanced technical SEO skills

●       Modifiable URL structure

Pros:

●       Unrestricted technical SEO customization

●       The ability to oversee large product catalogs

●       Strong SEO base for businesses

Cons:

●       needs a development staff to keep up with

●       High setup and hosting expenses

Pricing:

●       The price of Magento varies greatly according to whether you choose the free Magento Open Source version or the enterprise-level Adobe Commerce solution; the Open Source version is free, but you will have to pay for development, hosting, and security costs.

●        Depending on adaptations, annual prices for enterprise-level enterprises might range from $22,000 to more.

8. Wix eCommerce

Wix SEO Wiz is a feature-rich eCommerce platform that is simple enough for even novices to use and has strong SEO capabilities. Solopreneurs and small enterprises looking for a simple SEO solution will find it to be the best choice.

Features:

●       Easy SEO setup with detailed instructions

●       Automated optimization for mobile

●       Structured data integration (schema markup)

●       Adaptable meta tags and URLs

Pros:

●       Simple-to-use SEO resources for novices

●       No coding is necessary.

●       Reasonably priced plans

Cons:

●       Restricted authority over sophisticated SEO features

●       Less adaptability than sites like WordPress or Magento

Pricing:

●       With plans starting at just $27 a month, this is an excellent option for those on a limited budget.  

9. Shift4Shop

An eCommerce platform with a wealth of features, Shift4Shop sets itself apart by offering a free plan to US-based businesses that utilize Shift4's payment processing. It's a fantastic choice for startups or small businesses looking to reduce costs without sacrificing functionality because of this. The platform combines robust SEO tools with user-friendliness to help new stores get seen and compete in search engine results. 

Features:

●       For US merchants, the Free Plan For companies that use Shift4 Payments, this special deal offers hosting and other necessary capabilities without charging monthly costs.

●       Make clean, keyword-rich URLs with ease for improved search engine presence and product page optimization.

●       Mobile-responsive themes improve your online store's performance and appearance on all platforms, which raises your ranks in Google's mobile-first index.

Pros:

●       Plan Free for US companies: considerable financial savings by offering a fully functional eCommerce solution free of monthly charges.

●       You don't need any additional tools or third-party plugins to use all the SEO tools you require.

●       Customizable Design feature gives businesses the freedom to choose the theme and layout of their store so that it complements their branding.

●       Robust Security ensures safe payment processing and fosters consumer confidence, both of which are critical for online retailers.

Cons:

●       Only US-based companies that use Shift4 Payments are eligible for the Limited Free Plan, which restricts its availability to other areas.

●       It may take some time for new users to become accustomed to the platform's interface because it may appear daunting.

Pricing

●       Plans start from $29/month

Ecommerce Platforms overview

Top Features to Consider in Ecommerce Platforms  

Selecting an eCommerce platform with robust SEO features is essential for the expansion of your website. The following are important considerations to make when determining which platform-specific SEO-friendly features should be given priority:

 Improved Site Speed

●       Both user experience and search engine rankings depend heavily on speed. According to research, a page that takes 1–10 seconds to open may raise bounce rates by about 123%, which suggests that slow-loading websites may annoy consumers and increase their likelihood of leaving.

●       Select an eCommerce platform with optimal server response times and fast hosting options to increase site performance. Performance may also be increased by methods like image scaling, code minification, browser caching, and CDN integration.

Canonical URLs for Clarity

●       Setting up 301 redirects for out-of-date connections on well-known eCommerce platforms and developing canonical URLs can help you make sure search engines are focused on the right page.

●       This tactic increases link equity and reduces the possibility of duplicate content, which boosts your SEO.

●       Without using canonical tags, duplicate pages might be unintentionally indexed by search engines, lowering the ranking of your website.

Flexible HTML Customization

●       Effective SEO requires control over HTML elements. Top eCommerce platforms provide customization possibilities for meta titles, descriptions, and other crucial elements.

●        By incorporating pertinent keywords, raising click-through rates, and coordinating page content with your brand's narrative, you may improve your SEO efforts.

Advanced Indexing Control

●       Managing which pages search engines should or shouldn't display in their results is made possible by indexing control. When it comes to concealing duplicate information, out-of-stock items, or pages with little value, this capability is quite helpful.

●       You may customize your site's exposure without sacrificing user experience by using the comprehensive indexing control features that a good eCommerce platform should provide.

Sitemap Generation

●       For search engines to navigate your website, sitemaps are essential.

●       The best eCommerce systems make sure that your site's pages are accessible to individuals with accessibility needs and that search engines can find them by making sitemap creation easier.

Mobile Optimization for Better Reach

●       Your website will be flexible to different screen sizes, have clear information, load quickly, and be simple to use using a top-tier eCommerce platform.

●       Mobile optimization is crucial since there are more than six billion smartphone users globally. Making mobile responsiveness a top priority will increase user engagement and broaden your potential customer base.

Benefits of Ecommerce Platforms for SEO

Increased Visibility

●       SEO solutions for eCommerce platforms help potential customers find your company and products more easily by raising your website's search engine rating.

An improved user experience

●       Fast page loads, an easy-to-use interface, and a user-friendly design all contribute to a satisfying purchasing experience, which raises your website's search engine ranking. 

Enhanced Product Discoverability

●       Customers may more easily locate your items in search engine results by optimizing product pages with keywords and schema markup.

Better Site Administration

●       Customizable URLs and meta descriptions are examples of built-in SEO features that make managing SEO for your whole shop easier and save time.

Long-Term Growth

●       Your need for sponsored ads will decrease as your website's organic traffic increases consistently as it moves up in search engine rankings.

Higher Conversion Rates

●       By employing SEO to attract more relevant visitors, you raise the possibility that those visits will convert to paying customers.

Common SEO Challenges for E-commerce Sites

Typical SEO issues for eCommerce websites include the following:

Duplicate Content

●       Search engines will penalize you for utilizing multiple product descriptions if you don't have unique language for each one.

Faceted Navigation

●       Creating numerous URLs with the same information is possible by filtering goods based on parameters such as size or color. The use of canonical tags helps avoid this problem.

Thin Content

●       Search engines may assign a poor quality rating to pages that have few product descriptions. Rankings are raised by including insightful, in-depth material.

Site Architecture Problems

●        It might be difficult for search engines to index every page of large eCommerce websites due to insufficient site architecture. Internal linking and appropriate website organization may resolve this problem.

Factors to Consider Before Selecting the Best eCommerce Platform For SEO

While there are many factors to take into account when selecting the best eCommerce platform for your business, SEO optimization and overall functionality are particularly crucial. If you meet these criteria, your online store will be scalable, search engine optimized, easy to use, and fully furnished with marketing tools.

SEO Friendly Features

An essential consideration when selecting an eCommerce platform is SEO optimization. The platform should let you personalize key components like:

●       Individualized Meta Descriptions: Click-through rates can be significantly impacted by a well-written meta description. Ensure that every page or product on the website has a unique meta description.

●       Distinct Page Titles: Use targeted keywords in your page titles to increase your chances of appearing higher in search results, if your website lets you rename your pages. In search engine results, the meta description is shown underneath the page title.

●        Customizable URLs: URLs are yet another important SEO component. Being able to change the URLs of specific goods or categories may help you stay clear of duplicate material and make sure your website is search engine friendly.

●       Blog Integration: You may post material about your items directly on platforms that have blogging capabilities built in. Increasing your search engine rankings and drawing in organic visitors are two benefits of content marketing. Excellent blog entries concerning your sector or goods will help your website become even more SEO-optimized.

●       Automatic XML Sitemaps:  An eCommerce platform that automatically creates XML sitemaps makes sure that search engines can quickly crawl your website and index newly added or modified pages.

Scalability for Growth

●       Your company should expand together with your eCommerce platform.

●       A platform that can manage more traffic, a wider selection of items, and even international sales will be necessary as your store grows.

●       Select a platform that offers a limitless number of goods and adaptable hosting choices (like cloud hosting).

●       It should also be able to handle large traffic levels without experiencing any problems with performance. Since scalability is crucial if you want to expand your business significantly or go worldwide, BigCommerce and Shopify Plus are the greatest platforms for managing larger enterprises.

Easy to Use

●       User-friendly eCommerce systems are essential for companies without a designated technical team because they enable you to manage your business, update your products, and optimize your content for search engines without knowing how to code.

●       Platforms with integrated SEO tools, user-friendly dashboards, and drag-and-drop editors are good choices for novices who want to make changes; Magento, however, could require more technical know-how.

Integration with Marketing Tools

●       A successful eCommerce platform, which is more than just a store, serves as the cornerstone of your whole strategy for digital marketing.

●       Select email marketing, social media, and Google Analytics integration-friendly solutions. These relationships eventually enhance your SEO efforts and boost sales by streamlining your marketing processes and assisting with performance tracking.

●       Further features that some systems offer, such abandoned cart recovery, might significantly increase conversion rates.  

Cost-Effectiveness

●       Price is important, but so is the total cost of ownership (TCO), which includes monthly membership fees, transaction fees, and costs for additional services or add-ons.

●       Although certain systems could be cheap initially, extra expenses for bandwidth, storage, or plugins can mount up rapidly.

●       Remember to factor in any expenses by estimating the number of sales you anticipate. As your business grows, BigCommerce's no-transaction fee strategy, for instance, may result in cost savings.

Social Media Sharing

●       When incorporated into product pages, social sharing buttons may greatly increase visibility. Consumers are able to inform their networks about their items, increasing brand awareness and traffic.

●       Social signals may eventually lead to improved SEO performance as search engines acknowledge them as a ranking factor. 

How to Choose the Best Ecommerce Platform for Your Needs

Make sure the e-commerce platform you choose for your company satisfies your requirements for both SEO and general functioning by taking into account the following important factors:

Evaluate the needs of your business

●       SEO is important, but there are other factors to take into account. Figure out what more your company needs to do, such order fulfillment, inventory control, and shipping.

●       Take into account the marketing options you would want to have from the platform as well. For example, combining social networking, email marketing tools, and analytics.

Determine the Level of Control You Need

●       More control over technical features like batch uploading and canonical tags is available on some platforms. However, giving yourself too much power might be daunting if you're new to online businesses.

●       Because a hosted platform takes care of the technical aspects, it could be a preferable choice if you lack the requisite skills or have a tight budget. However, if you like greater control and are at ease with technical matters, an open-source platform could be more suitable for you.

Consider Your Existing Website Infrastructure:

●       If you have a development team or someone you can trust to help with maintenance and adjustments, a self-hosted platform can be a wonderful option. 

●       A hosted platform will be simpler to administer if you lack a developer because it handles technical duties.

Align the Platform with Your SEO Strategy

●       Consider your SEO goals. Are you seeking for more sophisticated SEO tools like customizable meta tags or URL architectures, or is content marketing your first priority?

●       If you want to increase your SEO over time, be sure the platform can grow with your business even though platforms like Shopify include built-in blogging capabilities for content marketing. Later platform changes might be expensive and have an effect on your SEO results.

Balance Cost and Growth

●       A startup should avoid overspending on a platform. But you should also be careful not to pick one that won't expand with your company.

●       Choose a platform that provides the capabilities and flexibility you want as your business grows.

●       Choosing one that promotes your future development as well as your current demands is essential.

●       You may select the e-commerce platform that best suits your company's present and future requirements while making sure it complements your SEO and expansion plan by taking these things into account.

Trends In Ecommerce Platforms For SEO

The following are some major eCommerce platform trends that are influencing SEO tactics:

Artificial Intelligence-Powered SEO Insights

●       Numerous platforms are using AI to give companies automated SEO suggestions.

●        By making recommendations for optimal keywords, meta tags, and content strategies, these tools help companies—even those with little experience in SEO—increase their online presence.

Schema Markup Automation

●       More and more platforms now come with built-in schema markup functionality.’

●       Higher search rankings and better SEO performance result from search engines being able to comprehend product information better.

Voice Search Optimization

●        As voice search grows in popularity, platforms are changing to make their content more conversational query focused.

●        Tools for focusing on voice-specific searches are currently available from certain eCommerce providers.

Environmentally Friendly SEO methods

●       Some platforms are launching methods to draw attention to environmentally friendly products, such as unique tags for sustainable goods, in response to the rising customer demand for sustainability.

●        Businesses may better serve consumers that care about the environment due to this trend.

Headless eCommerce for SEO Flexibility

●       Because headless commerce solutions provide organizations more flexibility, they are becoming more and more popular.

●       They are perfect for growing online shops since they provide a personalized front-end experience while yet having solid SEO underpinnings.

Additional Tips for Maximizing SEO

●       Regular Content Updates
 Refresh blogs, landing pages, and product descriptions to stay relevant.

●       High‑Quality Images
 Compress images and add clear alt text to boost load times and accessibility.

●       Technical Optimization
 Minimize extraneous code, leverage reliable hosting, and implement caching.

●       Internal Linking
 Use contextual, relevant links to improve user engagement and help search engines crawl your site.

●       Data‑Driven Decisions
 Monitor analytics to identify areas for improvement and track the impact of your SEO efforts.

Conclusion

In short, choosing the right e‑commerce platform and keeping it optimized will help your store get found, bring in more shoppers, and boost sales over time.

Shopify stands out as the best platform to go with thanks to its ease of use, built‑in SEO tools, and scalable infrastructure.

If you’d rather leave the technical details and SEO work to experts, our Ecomx Agency team is here to help. We build, optimize, and grow Shopify stores (and more) so you can focus on your products and customers.