10 Things to Consider When Selecting the Best Ecommerce Platform for SEO

How can you choose the best ecommerce platform for SEO? Here are some tips on how to select the best SEO-friendly platform.

Search engine optimization used to be easy. You selected a keyword and away you went. Now Google uses a sophisticated algorithm that considers around 200 factors when ranking pages.

This means you need to make some careful decisions when it comes to using an SEO strategy. Picking the right keywords and creating great content is only half the battle.

Another thing you should consider is what ecommerce platform you’re using. Different platforms have different features that can help you execute your SEO strategy.

If you haven’t considered these 10 factors, you may not have the best ecommerce platform for SEO. If you’re thinking about a new platform or website, it’s time to compare the competition. This guide will tell you exactly what you’re looking for.

 

1. The Best Ecommerce Platform for SEO Allows You to Edit Page Titles

Keywords may not be as important as they once were, but that doesn’t mean they don’t play a role in your SEO efforts.

Google still considers keywords for websites and pages in its ranking factors. What’s more, the algorithm emphasizes where those keywords are on the page.

One of the most important places for your keywords to be is the page title. Pages with keywords in the title tend to rank higher than those without.

If your ecommerce platform won’t allow you to edit individual page titles, it is not SEO friendly.

2. You Want a Platform That Allows for Keywords in URLs

Another feature you want your ecommerce platform to offer you is custom URLs. Why do you need this feature? It allows you to create keyword-rich URLs.

This is also important when it comes to improving your ranking in search engine page results. Most auto-generated URLs don’t contain any sign of what the page is about. Many are strings of numbers, which are difficult for people and search engines alike.

The best SEO websites use URLs that tell the user and the search engine immediately what the page is about.

3. You Have a Need for Speed

The best ecommerce platform for SEO is going to load lightning-fast. Speed is an important factor in your SERP ranking, and you don’t want your chosen platform slowing you down.

Google and other search engines rank websites based on how fast they load. Loading speed is important for delivering a good customer experience. The faster the site loads, the better the experience for the user.

When you’re designing your website, you can take certain steps to make your site load faster. You should also consider mobile-friendliness. Your platform plays a huge role in how quickly your site can be delivered, so always consider the speed.

4. Sitemaps and Easy Navigation Can Help You Rank

An SEO friendly website is a website that’s easy to navigate. Your primary navigation links should be text, not images. You should also be able to control navigation by editing menus right down to the individual link.

A sitemap is another useful feature. A search engine can index the sitemap, which helps it check how easy it is to navigate your site. The best ecommerce platform for SEO should automatically generate an XML sitemap.

5. Custom Landing Pages Give You More Leeway

How much can you customize your landing pages with your current ecommerce platform? If the answer is not much, it might be time to switch.

Landing pages are crucial for generating more leads for your business. The more you can customize them, the more you can tailor them to specific segments of your audience.

6. You Must Have a Blog Function

You’re likely convinced you need to be blogging for your business. A good blog has many benefits, including:

  • Building trust with your audience
  • Sharing useful information
  • Building your reputation as an expert
  • Boosting your SEO efforts
  • Helping your customers find answers to their questions

Almost every SEO friendly website out there has a built-in blogging function. You want to be sure you’ve picked a platform that will support your blogging efforts.

7. Design Marries Form and Function

On the best ecommerce platform for SEO, design is a huge consideration. You want your site to entice people to visit. You also want it to give a good impression when visitors arrive.

The most beautiful site will only hold attention for so long though. If your site isn’t easy to navigate, people will give up looking. If your site prioritizes design over content, it’s not going to be useful or SEO friendly.

Look for a platform that uses design to emphasize content. Good design draws attention to your quality content, highlighting it for users. You can learn more about great website design at www.microdinc.com/website-ecommerce.

8. Make it Shareable

This is the golden age of social media, and everything on your website should be shareable. You want to make it easy for people to share blogs, product pages, and more. SEO friendly websites create a frictionless social sharing experience.

Look for platforms that allow you to enable sharing with the click of a button. The easier it is, the more people will share your content with their friends, family, and followers.

9. You Want Full Control of Meta descriptions

Meta descriptions are an important part of your SEO friendly pages. They’re often what search engines pull to create the snippet that comes up on the results page.

If you don’t specify a meta description, the search engine robots will grab a snippet of text from the page. This often looks unprofessional, and it gives users a poor impression of your site. An ecommerce platform that gives you granular control of metadescriptions is a must.

10. Get Analytical with the Right Tools

Finally, any ecommerce platform you choose should give you the tools you need to improve your SEO. Some platforms come with Google Analytics built right in. Others will offer even more robust, custom tools.

Analytics provide insight into what you’re doing and how you could improve. Without them, you’re guessing at what you need to do to improve SEO on your site.

Get a Hand Finding the Right Platform

Choosing the best ecommerce platform for SEO can be a tall task. By making sure you look for these 10 features, you’ll be well on your way to picking the right one.

Not sure your website is reaching its performance potential? Take a look around the blog for more SEO tips and tricks for your website.

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Tags: GoogleSEO