When it comes to elements that make for a successful eCommerce strategy, getting traffic to the site is high on that list. However, what we see is that many eCommerce platforms think of SEO as an afterthought. That makes some fundamental elements of a strong SEO strategy very difficult. ZiftrShop understands the importance of search engine optimization and ensures that it is incorporated every step of the way. 

Here are 5 advantages of ZiftShop when it comes to building a strong SEO strategy:

1. No Plugins Needed. So often in the eCommerce software space, the platform is built up through plugins. This can provide some advantages, but it often leaves challenges with integrations and flexibility. With ZiftrShop, SEO features like updating page titles, descriptions, schema and slugs are built right into the platform. This native functionality greatly improves the ability to make changes and know they will work.

2. Page Speed. Everyone knows how important page speed is from a consumer standpoint, as well as a ranking factor. We’ve seen our customers experience a massive decrease (40%) in page load times when migrating to ZiftrShop. According to a study by Google and Deloitte, every 0.1 seconds that your page speed improves can increase your conversion rate by 8%. We also know that every 10 points of page speed equals an increase in ranking by a tenth of a position, according to Google’s Page Speed Insights. 

3. Redirect Management. Managing SEO often involves demoting older urls / slugs and promoting new ones in their place. Without an easy way to identify pages that have been redirected, it can be difficult to navigate through lots of pages as the site grows. This is a challenge with many other eCommerce systems, but ZiftShop has a simple way to navigate redirects vs. actual pages. This allows you to quickly filter through thousands of pages and make quick SEO changes.

4. Ability to Edit the Sitemap. To deliver a high-quality SEO strategy, you need to have tight control over the pages that search engines navigate and index on your website. The XML sitemap is the key to making this happen. With other platforms, the XML sitemap is totally locked down. By locking down the sitemap, brands aren’t able to make critical changes to ensure the right pages are being listed and crawled. Flexibility is a key overall benefit of the ZiftrShop platform, and this is just one critical example of that benefit. 

5. API-First Architecture. The fact that every aspect of the ZiftrShop platform is available through the API is a massive accelerant to all aspects of a business’s eCommerce strategy. In fact, according to Gartner, by 2023, 50% of new commerce capabilities will be incorporated as API-centric SaaS services. For SEO, this means the ability to plug in various CMS platforms, get data in/out or integrate with third-party platforms like BrightEdge. 

Getting traffic to your website is key. An average of 33% of total traffic comes from organic search, and depending on the vertical, it can be as much as 50%. We understand the importance of organic traffic and take it seriously as we think about our roadmap and continue to build the limitless feature set of ZiftrShop.