If you’re eager to create a website that not only stands out but also dominates on Google and other search engines, selecting the best website builder for SEO is crucial. SEO, or search engine optimization, is all about enhancing your site’s visibility and making it more appealing to your target audience.
However, it’s important to note that not all website builders are on the same level regarding SEO capabilities. Some provide a richer array of features, tools, and flexibility than their counterparts. In this article, we’ll delve into a comparison of the top SEO website builders for 2024, aiming to assist you in finding the perfect match for your needs and aspirations.
Evaluating SEO Features in Website Builders
Not all website builders are equally SEO-friendly. Some offer more features, tools, and flexibility than others to help you optimize your site for search engines.
In this section, we will look at three key aspects of SEO that you should consider when choosing a website builder: customizable URL structures, integrated SEO tools and extensions, and mobile optimization and loading speeds.
Customizable URL Structures
One of the first things you should look for in a website builder is the ability to customize your URL structures. URL structures are the paths that lead to your web pages, such as example.com/blog/post-title. A good URL structure should be descriptive, concise, and easy to read for both users and search engines.
It should also include relevant keywords that match the page content and the search intent of your target audience. According to a guide by Search Engine Journal, an SEO-friendly URL structure involves:
- Using keywords that describe the page content
- Separating words with hyphens instead of underscores or spaces
- Avoiding stop words like “a”, “the”, etc.
- Keeping the URL path short and directory-like
- Using lowercase letters
- Eliminating special characters
- Creating unique URLs for each page
- Implementing a consistent structure across the site
Some website builders, such as Wix and Squarespace, allow you to customize your URL structures easily.
Others, such as WordPress, require you to change some settings or install plugins to do so. You should avoid website builders that generate long, complex, or dynamic URLs that are hard to understand and index by search engines.
Integrated SEO Tools and Extensions
Another important factor to consider when choosing a website builder is the availability of integrated SEO tools and extensions. These are features or add-ons that help you perform various SEO tasks, such as finding keywords, checking links, getting technical suggestions, and more. SEO tools and extensions can save you time and effort, as well as provide you with valuable insights and recommendations to improve your site’s performance.
There are many SEO tools and extensions available for different website builders. Some of them are free, while others require a subscription or a one-time payment.
Some of the most popular and useful ones are:
- Ubersuggest: This extension allows you to view keyword data, related keywords, and domain-level traffic estimations right from Google search results.
- MozBar: This extension tells you the domain and page authority for any page on the web. It also lets you customize searches, compare links, and discover and highlight keywords.
- Similar Web: This extension gives you traffic and engagement data, such as visits, bounce rate, and time on site, for any website. It also shows you the top sources, destinations, and keywords for the site.
- SEO Minion: This extension allows you to check on-page SEO data, highlight outgoing links, and check pages for broken links.
- SEO Search Simulator: This extension allows you to emulate Google searches from any location and check if a particular URL ranks in the top 100 results.
You should look for a website builder that supports the SEO tools and extensions that you need or want to use. You should also make sure that they are compatible and updated regularly.
Mobile Optimization and Loading Speeds
The last aspect of SEO that we will discuss in this section is mobile optimization and loading speeds. Mobile optimization is the process of ensuring that your site provides a good user experience on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Loading speed is the time it takes for your site to load on a browser.
Both of these factors are crucial for SEO, as they affect your site’s usability, engagement, and rankings. According to a study by Google, 53% of mobile users abandon a site that takes longer than three seconds to load. Moreover, Google uses mobile-first indexing, which means that it primarily uses the mobile version of your site for indexing and ranking.
Therefore, you should look for a website builder that allows you to create a mobile-friendly site that loads quickly. Some of the best practices for mobile optimization and loading speeds are:
- Using responsive design, which adapts your site’s layout and content to fit different screen sizes and orientations.
- Minimizing HTTP requests, compressing images, and using a content delivery network (CDN) to reduce your site’s size and improve its load time.
- Focusing on the user experience, such as using clear and legible fonts, buttons, and menus, and avoiding pop-ups and intrusive ads.
- Optimizing for local searches, such as including your location, contact information, and directions on your site, and using schema markup and Google My Business.
- Testing your site’s mobile-friendliness and speed using tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test and PageSpeed Insights.
Some website builders, such as Wix and Squarespace, offer built-in features and templates for mobile optimization and loading speeds. Others, such as WordPress, require you to use plugins or themes to achieve the same results.
You should avoid website builders that create slow, unresponsive, or poorly designed sites for mobile devices.
Top Contenders for SEO Website Builders in 2024
In the bustling market of website builders, finding one that excels in SEO can be challenging. While many are available, only a select few provide the robust features, tools, and flexibility needed for optimal search engine optimization. This guide will explore the leading SEO website builders for 2024, delving into their strengths and potential drawbacks.
Wix: Flexibility and User-friendliness
Wix stands out as a highly popular choice among website builders, boasting over 200 million users globally. Its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface enables anyone to design beautiful websites without needing to know how to code.
Furthermore, Wix enhances your SEO efforts with a dedicated SEO panel. This panel offers quick access to an SEO checklist, relevant Google Search keywords, and a built-in search preview tool, allowing you to see how your site will look in search results. You’re empowered to fine-tune your site title, description, page titles, and more. Additionally, Wix supports URL customization, structured data markup, 301 redirects, and integration with Google Search Console and other SEO tools and extensions. However, Wix’s primary limitation is the excessive code it generates, which can slow down your site. It also restricts editing your site’s HTML and CSS, potentially limiting your SEO adaptability.
Shopify: The E-commerce SEO Specialist
Shopify, the leading e-commerce platform, supports over 1.7 million online stores worldwide. It’s specifically designed for online sales, equipped with numerous SEO-friendly features and tools. Shopify automatically generates SEO-optimized URLs, meta tags, and sitemaps for your products, collections, and pages, while also ensuring your site is SSL-secured, mobile-friendly, and quick to load.
Integration with Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and a variety of SEO apps and plugins from the Shopify App Store further bolsters your site’s SEO. However, Shopify’s design and functionality customization is somewhat rigid due to its proprietary Liquid templating language. Moreover, Shopify imposes transaction fees and offers limited storage and bandwidth plans.
Squarespace: For Visually-driven SEO
Squarespace caters to those prioritizing aesthetics, offering a range of elegant, high-quality templates for building visually stunning websites. With over 3.7 million users, Squarespace combines ease of use with powerful SEO tools. It automatically generates SEO-friendly URLs, meta tags, and sitemaps, and supports SSL certificates, mobile optimization, and fast loading speeds.
Its built-in SEO checklist and integration with Google Analytics and Google Search Console help streamline your SEO efforts. However, Squarespace’s flexibility in adding advanced features and functionality is limited, as it does not permit HTML and CSS editing and offers only a select range of apps and plugins.
Webflow: Advanced SEO Customization
Webflow is a sophisticated option that blends the capabilities of HTML, CSS, and Javascript within a visual design platform, serving over 2.5 million users. It offers unparalleled control over SEO settings, including markup, indexing rules, redirects, and more, all without the need for a developer.
Webflow’s hosting infrastructure ensures high performance and SEO-friendly features like automatic URL, meta tags, and sitemap generation, as well as SSL certification, mobile optimization, and fast load times. While it integrates seamlessly with Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and other SEO tools, Webflow’s complexity and requirement for coding knowledge make it less accessible for beginners or those without technical skills.
Emerging Trends in SEO and Website Builders
As we navigate through the digital age, SEO and website builders are evolving to meet the dynamic needs of both users and search engines. This exploration delves into the trends poised to redefine SEO and website builders in 2024 and beyond.
AI and Automated SEO
The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) marks a significant shift in performing tasks that traditionally required human intellect, such as understanding language, recognizing patterns, and decision-making. AI’s role in SEO encompasses automating and refining processes like keyword research, content optimization, analytics, link building, and site audits. Additionally, AI’s capabilities extend to generating content outlines, compelling headlines, meta tags, and comprehensive articles.
Benefits of leveraging AI in SEO include:
- Saving time and resources by automating repetitive tasks
- Enhancing accuracy and quality through minimized human errors and biases
- Providing data-driven insights and recommendations
- Adapting swiftly to changes in user behavior and search engine algorithms
However, challenges such as maintaining human oversight, ensuring ethical data use, and keeping abreast of AI developments persist.
Noteworthy AI SEO tools for 2024:
- Semrush: A comprehensive platform offering AI-driven SEO tools like Keyword Magic Tool and Site Audit.
- Surfer SEO: An on-page tool utilizing AI for content optimization towards relevant keywords and user intent.
- Alli AI: An assistant tool providing actionable tasks for website ranking improvements.
Core Web Vitals and User Experience
Core Web Vitals, integral to Google’s Page Experience signals, assess the real-world user experience through metrics like loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability. The essentials include:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Targets loading performance within the first 2.5 seconds.
- Interaction To Next Paint (INP): Aims for responsiveness under 200 milliseconds.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Strives for a visual stability score below 0.1.
Optimizing Core Web Vitals is crucial for enhancing usability, engagement, and search rankings. With over half of mobile users abandoning slow-loading sites, and Google’s preference for mobile-first indexing, selecting a website builder that enables rapid, mobile-friendly site creation is vital. Best practices include responsive design, minimizing HTTP requests, prioritizing user experience, optimizing for local searches, and utilizing tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test and PageSpeed Insights.
Enhanced Focus on Local SEO
Local SEO enhances your online visibility for local search queries, pivotal as 30% of mobile searches are location-related, with a significant conversion potential. Optimizing both your website and Google Business Profile (GBP) is essential for ranking in local search results.
Effective local SEO strategies encompass:
- Targeting local keywords and topics
- Maintaining exemplary technical SEO
- Producing high-quality content
- Acquiring links from reputable local sources
- Maximizing online reviews
- Creating optimized service pages for each location
- Claiming and enhancing your GBP listing with comprehensive business details
Conclusion
In this article, we have compared the best website builders for SEO in 2024 and discussed some of the emerging trends that will shape the future of SEO and website builders. We have seen that SEO is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a website builder, as it affects your site’s visibility, relevance, and performance.
We have also seen that different website builders offer different features, tools, and flexibility for SEO, and that you should choose the one that suits your needs and goals. Some of the key aspects of SEO that you should look for in a website builder are:
- Customizable URL structures
- Integrated SEO tools and extensions
- Mobile optimization and loading speeds
- AI and automated SEO
- Core Web Vitals and user experience
- Enhanced focus on local SEO
We hope that this article has helped you find the best website builder for SEO in 2024 and that you are ready to create a stunning and SEO-friendly website.
If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading and happy building!