When you’re running a successful online store, it’s easy to focus on visuals, product ranges, and checkout flows, but if your customers can’t find you on Google, it doesn’t count for much.

That’s where SEO comes in. 

Search engine optimisation isn’t just a marketing add-on. It should be a core factor in choosing your eCommerce platform. The right setup can make all the difference between ranking on page one or getting lost in the digital crowd. 

Common SEO headaches include painfully slow load times, clunky templates that resist customisation, platforms that don’t play nicely with Google’s indexing, or blog features so basic they limit your content strategy. These issues can significantly hinder your visibility and traffic growth, especially in competitive markets. 

This guide is here to help. 

We want to answer the question: Which eCommerce platform is best for SEO?

We’ll take a look at some of the top platforms you can use for your online store, breaking down their strengths and weaknesses from a search performance perspective. 

Whether you’re launching a start-up, scaling a small business, or switching platforms to boost your rankings, this post is for you. 

Let’s help you find a platform that supports your growth, not one that’s going to silently affect it. 

What makes eCommerce platforms SEO friendly? 

Not all eCommerce platforms are built with search visibility in mind. If you want to grow your store organically, you’ll want a platform that doesn’t just look good but gives you the tools to be found. Here’s what to look for when searching for which eCommerce platform is best for SEO. 

Page speed and performance 

Slow loading product pages? Say goodbye to impatient shoppers and Google. Your platform should prioritise speed with optimised code, fast servers, and the ability to use things like image compression or CDNs. 

Mobile responsiveness 

Google now indexes mobile versions of websites first. If your store isn’t easy to browse on a phone or tablet, you’re likely to slip in rankings. Choose a platform that’s built to adapt to all screen sizes with no pinching or sideways scrolling needed. 

Customisable meta titles and URLs

You should be able to write your meta titles and descriptions, tweak your IRLs, and make sure every page says exactly what you want it to say, both to the search engines and to people. 

Structured data and schema support 

Rich results (like star ratings, prices, and availability) can make your listings stand out in Google. That only happens if your platform supports structured data or allows you to add schema markup. Bonus points if it does it automatically. 

Blogging and content flexibility 

Yes, even eCommerce sites need content. Whether it’s buying guides, how-tos, or product spotlights, a built-in blog or CMS will help you target long-tail keywords and build your authority in your niche. 

Indexing control 

You should be able to control what gets indexed and what doesn’t. Features like editable robots.txt, custom canonical tags, and noindex options let you guide search engines the right way, so they don’t get lost in filters, tag pages, or duplicate content. 

Integrations with SEO tools 

Make life easier by choosing a platform that integrates with tools like Google Search Console, GA4, and third-party options like Yoast, Ahrefs, or SEMrush. You want to be able to analyse how your store is performing and know what needs to be fixed. 

What to think about for your online shop 

Having great products and a sleek design is just the start in your search for which is the best eCommerce platform for SEO. Whether you’re selling handmade candles or high-end tech, making sure your store is built for UK audiences and regulations will make all the difference. 

This is what you need to keep in mind: 

UK-based hosting and CDNs 

Speed matters, especially for shoppers who bounce if a page takes too long to load. Choosing a UK-based hosting provider or content delivery network (CDN) helps make sure that your website loads quickly for your local audience. You’re not trying to serve product pages from Miami to Manchester. 

VAT, GDPR and local compliance 

You’ll need tools that make it easy to manage VAT rates, offer clear cookie consent, and store customer data in line with GDPR. These are legal must-haves. Your platform should help you stay compliant without turning setup into a legal headache. 

UK payment and shipping integration

The smoother the checkout process, the better your conversion rate. Look for platforms that support popular UK payment gateways, such as Stripe, PayPal, and Klarna, as well as shipping integrations with Royal Mail, DPD, and Hermes. Your customers expect familiar names at checkout. 

Local SEO features

If you want to shop up in the “near me” searches, you’ll want a platform that supports local SEO best practices, things like: 

• Region-specific URLs 
• The ability to manage multiple locations of physical stores 
• Support for UK English language variants 
• Adding local business schema for each location 

eCommerce platforms in the UK 

Shopify 

Shopify’s clean and simple interface makes SEO basics easy, even for beginners. You get a clean URL structure, auto-generated sitemaps, and SSL as standard. Additionally, the app marketplace provides numerous SEO add-ons, such as Smart SEO or Plus in SEO, to enhance functionality. 

One drawback is that Shopify limits how much you can customise your URLs; folders like collections or products are locked in, which may frustrate advanced SEOs. Some canonical and tag handling requires workarounds or third-party as. 

Best for: Small to medium-sized UK stores seeking a reliable, fast, and easy-to-manage setup with minimal technical overhead. 

SEO highlights 

• Fast-loading pages (great for Core Web Vitals) 
• SSL certificate included 
• Built-in AMP for blogs 
• Auto-updated sitemaps submitted to Google 

WooCommerce (WordPress) 

As a WordPress plugin, WooCommerce gives you full control of your SEO setup. You can fine-tune everything, meta tags, structured data, URLs, and more. Pair it with powerful SEO plugins like Yoast or Rank Math, and you’ve got an incredible SEO-friendly setup. Plus, the blog support is second to none. 

Because WooCommerce is self-hosted, SEO performance depends on your hosting provider. There’s also a steeper learning curve, and regular updates and maintenance are essential to keep everything secure and fast. 

Best for: UK stores with a strong content marketing strategy or SEO focused long-term strategy. 

SEO highlights

• Full control over permalinks and URL structures 
• Scheme support via plugins 
• SEO-friendly themes and advanced content formatting tools 
• Excellent blog integration 

BigCommerce 

BigCommerce is built with technical SEO in mind. You get fast performance, structured data out of the box, clean URLS, and automatic 301 redirects. It’s a great balance of ease of use and SEO strength. 

Compared to Shopify or WooCommerce, custom design is a bit more rigid unless you delve into the code. Also, its ecosystem is slightly smaller, so you might have fewer third-party SEO tools available. 

Best for: Growing UK businesses looking for strong technical SEO support without heavy dev involvement. 

SEO highlights 

• Customisable URLs 
• Global CDN for faster loading 
• Rich schema makeup built-in 
• Canonical URL control and automatic redirects 

Magento 

Magento is the heavyweight champion when it comes to SEO customisation. Every single SEO element, from meta robots to canonical tags to layered navigation, can be tailored to your exact needs. It’s made for enterprise-level scalability and custom SEO workflows. 

All that power comes at a cost; Magento is resource-intensive. It’s not beginner-friendly, and you’ll usually need a developer or an in-house team to manage it properly. 

Best for: Large or complex eCommerce operations with the budget and team to support ongoing development. 

SEO highlights 

• Full control of canonicalisation, redirects, and meta handling 
• Custom layered navigation that’s SEO friendly 
• Built-in schema markup options 
• Advanced URL rewrites 

Wix eCommerce 

Wix is a strong contender for beginners. It offers drag-and-drop simplicity, along with a surprisingly robust set of built-in SEO tools. Its SEO Wizard walks you through optimisation steps, and it auto-generates things like sitemaps and structured data for products and blog posts. 

While it’s easy to use, Wix has less SEO depth compared to platforms like WooCommerce or Magento. You’ll also run into limitations if your store or SEO strategy becomes more advanced. 

Best for: Small UK shops or local retailers without much tech support. 

SEO highlights 

• Automatically creates and updates XML sitemaps 
• 301 redirect manager 
• Built-in SEO Wizard 
• Basic structured data included 

eCommerce Platform comparison

Choosing the right platform for long-term SEO

Which eCommerce platform is best for SEO? It isn’t just about what works today; it’s about choosing a tool that can grow with your business and support your SEO goals long into the future. 

Match the platform to your business needs 

The BEST SEO-friendly platform really depends on your specific situation: 

• If you value simplicity and speed, Shopify might be ideal. 
• For total control and content-heavy strategies, WooCommerce is hard to beat. 
• Growing rapidly or needing large scalability? BigCommerce or Magento are strong options here.
• Are you just starting with limited technical skills? Wix might be all you need. 

It’s best to choose a platform that matches your technical skill level, content strategy, and store size. Each of these factors will impact how much of the SEO-friendliness of the site you can utilise. 

If you’re building a new store or planning a migration, bringing in an SEO specialist early on can save you time, money, and rankings. A well-planned migration avoids costly mistakes, such as lost traffic, broken links, or duplicate content issues. 

An SEO professional can also help configure your site’s structure, redirect strategy, and indexing settings from the start, which will ultimately enhance your visibility in the long run.

Think beyond today 

While ease of use is important when it comes to choosing which eCommerce platform is best for SEO, long-term success depends on how well your platform can scale with your business, too. 

Look for a platform that: 

• Supports advanced SEO customisation as you grow 
• Offers flexibility in how you handle content, products, and URLs
• Has reliable performance as your traffic increases 
• Integrates with SEO tools you may need in the future 

In short: choose a platform that you won’t outgrow in 12 months. SEO is a long game, and having the right foundation ensures your site can adapt as algorithms evolve and your business expands. 

Ready to take your SEO to the next level? 

Choosing which eCommerce platform is best for SEO is just the beginning. To really climb the search rankings, you need a strategy that evolves with your business, and that’s where expert support makes all the difference. 

Whether you’re launching a brand new store, migrating platforms, or just need to fix what’s already there, Marty Rogers offers SEO services tailored for UK businesses that want real, lasting results. 

From technical SEO audits and content optimisation to helping you build a solid on-page foundation, Marty helps you turn your website into a high-performing, search-friendly machine. 

Get in touch today and make sure your website isn’t just live, it’s leading.