Is my website/online store suitable for SEO? Have you ever worked with a website like mine? Which e-commerce platform should I choose? What's your experience with SEO for stores based on [insert any engine name here]?
Such questions aren't uncommon. Nor do we feel embarrassed. After all, we have a team of over a dozen SEO specialists with extensive experience, who have already placed many websites in the top 10. Out of curiosity, we recently compiled a working list of CMSs we've worked with – over 50 different ones. The list is constantly growing as we begin working with new clients, and not everyone chooses the popular WordPress or PrestaShop.
Is this diversity of CMSes a good trend?
From the perspective of a client ordering a website for their company, this is definitely the case, as such a wide selection allows them to find a solution that best meets their needs, expectations, and budget. Of course, we assume this is a conscious choice and one they're happy with, and not the result of exploiting their ignorance and pushing something on someone who isn't particularly knowledgeable about websites.
From an SEO perspective, we manage this diversity because we're professionals. Logical thinking, experience, and consultations within our department are essential. Google searches don't bother us, and you can also find great educational videos on YouTube . Of course, we have our preferences and a personal ranking of SEO-friendly solutions, but as long as a given CMS allows us to make the necessary changes for effective SEO, there's no reason to complain.
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The problem isn't the interface (backends can be more or less intuitive) or its aesthetic appeal (or lack thereof), but rather the ability to make and save the desired changes. It's worth considering that website engines can often be modified to meet your expectations, and what appears easy to work with on paper may not necessarily be so in practice. Every SEO specialist has probably encountered the situation where they begin working on a website that promises to be very user-friendly. However, during their work, they discover that certain features, such as the ability to add content to categories, are blocked. The access they have to the website doesn't allow for the desired modifications and problem-solving on their own. It's important to emphasize that this isn't a case where the SEO specialist doesn't know what to do – they know, but are unable to do so due to technical reasons. In such cases, the only option left is to contact the client and discuss further steps. Sometimes, for various reasons, the client is unwilling or unable to make such a change, and then a crucial step in website optimization can't be completed. This is detrimental to the effectiveness of the entire positioning process and the achieved keyword positions.
The table below presents a set of core technologies we're familiar with. If you're working on one of these platforms and wondering if "we can do it," yes, we can. 🙂
Do we advise on choosing a CMS?
We certainly don't recommend specific companies as website builders. This is due to practical reasons, for example, we don't have comprehensive knowledge of the model and pace of work of each company providing this type of service, contract details, pricing, flexibility and adaptability to client needs, the scope of services provided, etc.
If our clients are considering changing their website, our account managers are happy to help and advise on what to look for. For example, if the website is for a local service business , it's worth determining whether the company's offerings and pricing change frequently. If the website and its content aren't expected to change (or will change very rarely), it may be worth forgoing a CMS and opting for a static HTML page. This approach has its advantages, including website security. It's crucial to understand how confident the people who will be working with the website daily (updating offers, introducing new products, etc.) are in technical and operational matters, and whether they have any experience with specific CMSs. There are many elements to consider, and it's worth discussing them honestly so you don't end up complaining about your website every time you log in to the CMS.
From an SEO specialist's perspective, it's crucial that the website or store engine allows for specific modifications. Below, we've compiled a list of suggestions for a brand-new online store—the result of consultations between the account manager and the SEO specialist. The goal was to create a simple set of guidelines on what to pay attention to—what elements the store should include. This list was later developed based on the client's specific requirements and the specifics of their industry. Some of the recommendations on the list are related to specific actions taken during the development phase (redirecting to avoid duplicate homepages, creating user-friendly URLs, etc.).
Working list of recommendations:
– there should be space for text on the home page (it can be at the bottom of the page, but it is better at the top); the text on the home page supports the positioning process ;
– the website should be available at one address (with or without www), without a duplicate home page (e.g. with index.php);
– the website should have friendly addresses (as much as the store engine allows), it is worth entering keywords in the URL addresses (if they are already selected at the stage of building the website, at least pre-selected);
– URLs should be lowercase;
– as far as the website engine allows, URLs should be created unique and not the result of using filters;
– in the case of product categories, there should be space for unique text
– category description; – products should have unique descriptions (which are not copies, e.g. from the manufacturer) and they should be visible immediately, not hidden under tabs;
– structured data should be implemented on product cards, you can use a tester to check if they are implemented correctly;
– the speed of the website is important – you should test it using the PageSpeed Insight tool and implement any recommended changes;
– a very good solution is a blog on the website (it should be a category, not on a subdomain), in the entries published on the blog it is worth including links to the categories or products that are presented in these entries (so-called internal linking);
– it is obvious to adapt the store to the requirements of correct display on mobile devices;
– you should ensure that the website can be indexed by web robots: the content of the robots.txt file, meta robots, canonicals;
– the sitemap.xml file with current content is important;
– the website must be able to connect analytical tools, e.g. Google Search Console or Google Analytics;
– the website must be able to implement unique meta tags for individual subpages and for the main page.
Are there any hopeless cases?
To rephrase the above cases: have there ever been situations where we encountered a website that was completely unsuitable for SEO ? Yes, but these are very rare. Problems have arisen, for example, with websites built on builders, which had the following problems:
- removing/redirecting duplicates,
- inability to set friendly subpage addresses,
- inability to implement meta tag optimization.
In this situation, there was nothing left to do but inform the client that they needed to switch to a website that would allow for effective SEO and suspend the SEO contract until the new website was implemented. This clear statement of the matter did not provoke a negative reaction from clients; they appreciated the honest approach.
It's also worth noting that determining whether a given website will have technical SEO issues is often only possible after obtaining access to it, i.e., after signing the SEO contract . A website issue visible at the initial evaluation stage, such as unfriendly URLs, doesn't automatically mean it's an insurmountable problem.
Have more questions? We'd be happy to answer! Drop us a line!
Summary
The above article covers the following topics:
- advantages and challenges resulting from the diversity of CMSs,
- CMS system selection criteria,
- the importance of consultation when creating a website and the technical requirements necessary for effective SEO optimization.
