Prestashop positioning – everything you need to know

In a world of digital competition where every click matters, positioning your store on the PrestaShop platform can be the key to success. Have you ever wondered how to make your online store visible among millions of other sites? SEO is not just an art, it’s the science of attracting the right audience and converting visits into actual transactions. In this guide, we’ll take you through the ins and outs of using SEO effectively in PrestaShop, showing you that a well-optimized store is more than just another page on the web – it’s your ticket to a world of higher rankings and better sales.

What is PrestaShop?

PrestaShop is one of the most popular e-commerce systems that allows you to create and manage a store on the PrestaShop platform. It is an ideal solution for companies looking to make a name for themselves in the world of digital commerce.

What is SEO – positioning of PrestaShop?

SEO – PrestaShop positioning is the process of optimizing your PrestaShop website in such a way as to get a higher position in Google search engine results. This will make your site more visible to potential customers.

Plugins you should know for PrestaShop SEO

Using the right plugins in PrestaShop can greatly facilitate the optimization process. Especially recommended is the SEO expert module, which offers advanced features for optimizing your store’s SEO.

Here are some plugins that can significantly facilitate this process:

1. SEO Expert: This is a comprehensive SEO plugin that automates many aspects of optimization, including metatags, ALT attributes and URL structuring. It also helps generate sitemap and manage 301 redirects.
2. Google PageSpeed Insights Module: This plugin analyzes page performance and suggests changes that can improve page load speed, which is crucial for SEO.
3. Pretty URLs: Removes identifiers and numbers from URLs, creating more friendly and readable addresses, which is positively evaluated by search engines and users.
4. SEO Image Optimizer: Automatically optimizes images in your store, including resizing and compression, which contributes to better SEO and faster page loading.
5. SEO Internal Linking: Helps optimize internal linking, which is important for SEO because it improves site navigation and helps search engines index your content.
6. Layered Navigation: Improves in-store navigation by allowing products to be filtered by different criteria, which can improve user experience and support SEO by better structuring content.

Prestashop SEO – how to get started with SEO optimization?

Starting SEO optimization on PrestaShop may seem like a complex task, but with the right approach and tools, the process becomes much simpler. Here are the key steps that will help you effectively optimize your PrestaShop store for SEO.

SEO Audit

Beginning the process of positioning an online store on PrestaShop, the first and crucial step is to conduct a detailed SEO audit. SEO Audit not only as a diagnostic tool, but as the foundation of an effective SEO strategy. An SEO audit allows you to identify key areas in need of technical SEO optimization, as well as to understand how your store’s current SEO practices affect its visibility in search results.

Optimization of meta tags and ALT attributes

Optimization of meta tags and ALT attributes is essential to improve your store’s visibility in search engines. This helps your content be better understood by Google robots Make sure each page in your store has a unique and descriptive title and meta description that includes keywords  related to your business. Also be sure that all images on your site have descriptive and relevant ALT attributes with keyword phrases.

Friendly URLs

Friendly URLs are crucial for SEO, as they make your site easier to navigate and better seen by search engines. In PrestaShop, we have the ability to easily manage these addresses. URLs should be short, easy to read and contain keywords. Avoid excessive use of parameters and numbers that can hinder indexing by search engines. In PrestaShop, you can easily manage the URL structure with built-in SEO tools.

The XML sitemap in Prestashop

An XML sitemap is a site map designed for search engines to help index your pages. Regularly updating and submitting the XML sitemap to Google Search Console helps your site be indexed faster and more accurately. In PrestaShop, you can generate an XML sitemap using the appropriate plugins or tools.

Not indexing irrelevant pages

In SEO, as important as indexing important pages is avoiding indexing those that don’t bring value, such as privacy policy pages, terms and conditions or login pages. You can do this via the robots.txt file or directly in your PrestaShop settings, allowing you to focus your SEO efforts on the pages that actually attract traffic.

SSSL support

Security of a website is an important ranking factor in search engines. An SSL certificate provides a secure connection between the server and the user’s browser, which is especially important in e-commerce. Make sure your PrestaShop store is secured with an SSL certificate, which will positively impact SEO and customer trust.

PrestaShop store loading speed

Page loading speed is an important ranking factor and affects user experience. Optimize images, minimize JavaScript and CSS code, and use caching to speed up the loading of your store. You can also use tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights to identify areas for improvement.

Data monitoring and analysis

In the process of positioning a store on PrestaShop, a key role is played not only by a thorough SEO audit and content optimization, but also by continuous monitoring and data analysis, which is possible thanks to tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console These tools allow you to track optimization changes in your PrestaShop stores, identify areas for improvement, and adjust your SEO strategy on an ongoing basis according to changing trends and search engine algorithms.

Posting a PrestaShop online store – what is worth focusing on? SEO Guide

To effectively position your PrestaShop store, it’s important to focus on several key elements that have a significant impact on SEO. Here are detailed tips for each of them:

Home page development

The homepage is the business card of your store. Make sure it includes:

• A visually appealing banner and product images.
• Short and precise descriptions using key words.
• Clear and easy to understand Call-to-Action (CTA), encouraging further exploration of the store.
• Links to the most popular products or categories.
• Optimize the structure and content to be both user and search engine friendly.

Text in product categories

• Create unique and engaging descriptions for each product category using relevant keywords.
• Make sure the texts are valuable to users, provide them with useful information and convince them to buy.
• Regularly update content to be in line with current trends and user preferences.

Unique product description

• Every product in your store should have a unique, detailed and optimized description.
• Utilize the natural placement of keywords, avoiding excessive use (keyword stuffing).
• Add customer reviews and feedback, which not only builds trust, but also generates unique content on the product page.

Internal linking

• Use internal linking to improve site navigation and allow search engines to more easily index different sections of your store.
• Link product pages with categories and vice versa, as well as with related blog articles.
• Memorize that links should be natural and useful to the user.

Creating a corporate blog

• Blog is a great way to generate valuable traffic and build authority in your industry.
• Publish regular articles related to your products, tips, guides, and industry news.
• Use the blog to include keywords that may be more difficult to weave naturally into product pages.

How long does it take to position a PrestaShop store?

PrestaShop store positioning is a process that requires time and patience. There is no definite answer as to how long it takes, as it depends on a number of factors, such as the competitiveness of the industry, the initial SEO status of the store, and the intensity and quality of the SEO efforts undertaken. With the right approach and regular optimization changes, the first results can be seen after just a few months, but achieving a stable and high position requires long-term work and commitment.

What are the most common problems in PrestaShop SEO? –tips 

The challenges of positioning a store on the PrestaShop platform often involve the technical side of SEO. Problems such as slow page loading, code errors, or suboptimal URL structures can significantly affect the effectiveness of SEO efforts. In addition, creating unique and valuable content, both for products and the blog, is key to improving your store’s search engine visibility. Regular updates and adapting SEO strategies to the latest search engine trends and algorithms are essential for maintaining and improving a store’s position in search engine results.

How much does SEO cost in Prestashop?

The cost of PrestaShop SEO can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the scope of work, industry competitiveness and market specifics. As a rule of thumb, the price of PrestaShop store positioning for a month of work can range from a few hundred to even a few thousand zlotys. For example, for a small store in a less competitive niche, the cost can start at around £1,500 per month. For larger stores in more competitive industries, where effective PrestaShop positioning requires more advanced measures, costs can range from PLN2,000 to PLN5,000 per month or more.

Prestashop and WooCommerce – a comparison

When comparing PrestaShop and WooCommerce, it’s worth noting a few key aspects that can influence the choice of the right platform to run an online store. Both systems have their strengths, but differ in terms of functionality, flexibility, and cost and technical requirements.

Accessibility and cost

PrestaShop, being a standalone e-commerce platform, offers full control over the store and requires its own hosting. Although PrestaShop itself is free, costs may increase due to the need to purchase additional modules and paid themes.

On the other hand WooCommerce is a free plugin for WordPress, which can be cheaper in the initial phase, but costs can increase with the purchase of additional plugins and themes, as well as with more advanced hosting needs.

Functionality and flexibility

PrestaShop offers a wide range of features “out of the box”, which can be beneficial for stores that require advanced options and specific features. On the other hand, WooCommerce is more modular and flexible, allowing you to easily expand your store’s functionality with WordPress plugins. Both platforms allow you to optimize your PrestaShop and WooCommerce store for SEO, but the implementation method and range of available SEO tools may differ.

Utility and ease of use

PrestaShop has a steeper learning curve due to its advanced functionality, which can be a challenge for new users. WooCommerce, being part of WordPress, is often seen as more user-friendly, especially for those who are already familiar with that content management system.

Support and community

Both platforms have active communities and offer access to technical support, albeit in different ways. PrestaShop has an official forum and a wide network of partners and developers, while WooCommerce benefits from the vast WordPress community, offering numerous resources and support forums.

The two platforms have a large community of supporters.

Scalability

Both PrestaShop and WooCommerce allow you to scale your store as your business grows, but they can differ in terms of performance and costs associated with scaling. PrestaShop is often considered more suitable for larger stores with more complex requirements, while WooCommerce may be more suitable for smaller or medium-sized businesses

Prestashop store SEO positioning and optimization -summary

Prestashop optimization is crucial to improving the visibility and effectiveness of a Prestashop-based store in search results. The process involves a thorough SEO audit, constant monitoring, and continuous adjustment of strategies. From meta tags and friendly URLs to page load speed and expanded content, every element matters. Engaging in these activities translates into better rankings, more traffic and, consequently, increased sales.