Shopify SEO vs BigCommerce SEO: Which Platform Offers the Best SEO Capabilities? Choosing between Shopify and BigCommerce for your e-commerce store is often a decision based on functionality and flexibility. SEO is a critical factor for online store visibility and customer acquisition, making it essential to understand how each platform supports SEO efforts. This guide compares the SEO capabilities of Shopify and BigCommerce to help you determine which may be better suited for your needs.

Introduction: SEO’s Importance in E-commerce

Both Shopify and BigCommerce are popular platforms, each with distinct SEO features. For online stores, effective SEO means greater organic traffic, more visibility, and ultimately, increased sales. Choosing a platform with strong SEO capabilities is essential for long-term success.

Section 1: SEO Features Comparison

Shopify:

• URL Structure: Shopify’s URL structure is mostly fixed, which can lead to less flexible URLs for product pages and collections. For instance, URLs often contain “/products/” and “/collections/,” which can’t be removed, potentially limiting SEO customization.
• Meta Tags and Titles: Shopify allows customization of meta titles and descriptions for individual product and collection pages. The editor is straightforward, making it easy for beginners to use.
• Sitemaps: Shopify automatically generates sitemaps for all stores, which is useful for search engine indexing.

BigCommerce:

• URL Structure: BigCommerce offers a more flexible URL structure, giving users greater control over creating SEO-friendly URLs without additional terms.
• Meta Tags and Titles: BigCommerce provides the same level of customization for meta tags as Shopify, allowing businesses to optimize individual pages.
• Sitemaps: BigCommerce also automatically generates sitemaps and even allows XML sitemap customization, offering a bit more flexibility for advanced users.

Section 2: Customization and Control

Both Shopify and BigCommerce allow users to optimize essential SEO elements, but the flexibility of control differs:

• Product Descriptions: Both platforms offer straightforward editors for adding keyword-rich product descriptions and headers, though BigCommerce’s backend has a more extensive set of SEO-specific features.
• Schema Markup: BigCommerce has built-in support for advanced schema markup, which helps products display rich snippets in search results. Shopify allows schema markup but often requires more customization or third-party apps to implement it as seamlessly.

Section 3: SEO Plugins and Extensions

Each platform has a unique ecosystem for SEO plugins and extensions that help automate or enhance SEO efforts:

• Shopify Plugins: Popular SEO tools include Plug In SEO and SEO Manager, which help users improve on-page SEO, audit site performance, and fix common SEO issues. Shopify also integrates with Google Search Console and Analytics.
• BigCommerce Plugins: BigCommerce offers native integrations with Yoast SEO, a powerful SEO plugin traditionally associated with WordPress, along with other tools like FavSEO. These plugins assist with advanced SEO tasks like keyword analysis, content optimization, and meta-tag generation.

Section 4: Performance and Page Speed

Page speed is crucial for both user experience and search engine rankings. Here’s how each platform performs:

• Shopify: Shopify hosts all stores on a global Content Delivery Network (CDN), improving load times for users across various locations. However, Shopify’s theme files can sometimes slow down page load times, depending on the complexity of the store setup and the use of third-party apps.
• BigCommerce: BigCommerce is known for its robust server infrastructure and fast load speeds. Like Shopify, it leverages a CDN but typically provides faster out-of-the-box page speeds due to streamlined code and fewer mandatory apps, which is advantageous for mobile SEO.

Conclusion: Choosing the Best Platform for SEO

Both Shopify and BigCommerce offer strong SEO capabilities but cater to different needs. Shopify is highly accessible and straightforward, with a vast app ecosystem to expand SEO functionalities. However, its fixed URL structure can be limiting for advanced SEO strategies.

BigCommerce, on the other hand, provides more flexibility with its URL structure, advanced schema support, and better out-of-the-box page speeds. For businesses that prioritize SEO customization and performance, BigCommerce may have a slight edge.

In summary:

• Shopify: Best for beginners or stores requiring ease of use and a vast plugin selection.
• BigCommerce: Better for stores looking for advanced SEO control, flexibility, and high-speed performance without heavy customization.

For SEO-focused businesses, the choice may ultimately depend on your store’s complexity, technical needs, and the importance of SEO in your overall growth strategy.