It’s 2021, you’ve finally decided to open your own e-commerce online store, and share your passion on the web but are unsure where to begin. You’ve stumbled upon the two main choices frequently discussed to create your dream online store: WordPress or Shopify?
It’s now easier than ever to host your own website, but when it comes down to what you are looking for in your future website and how to do these platforms tailor to bringing these ideas to life. There are pros and cons to both – at Edkent Media, we are here to provide a guide that might be the right option for you.
Which is better for SEO?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a vital part of tracking website performance. Without strong visibility to your website, you may miss out on a target audience. Google Ads are useful in driving traffic but in terms of organic search results, SEO will be the reason for long-term success in website development. SEO is so critical that at times it’s best to leave it to digital marketing professionals. Reach out to us if you’re looking to boost your website performance for better Google Rankings and long-term reach.
Shopify is restricted with its shared cloud-based application hosting. Although page speed is important in particular, it’s not necessarily the fastest available application out there. Search engines give preference to faster-loading sites. WordPress can be hosted on any server, which makes it a secure option. In order to get decent speed, it requires a professional set-up.
Some things to keep in mind for better SEO techniques:
- Clean product page URLs
- How fast your page can load
- Editable titles, meta descriptions and alt text for your product pages
Your business could reach a wider audience, simply with the help of Edkent Media. Curious to know how SEO advertising increases your business value? Tap here to read more on maximizing the Return on Investment (ROI) of your digital marketing spend. Make your website stand out from the rest.
Winner: WordPress
Ease of Use
Learning how to use WordPress or Shopify is not the same, there are differences between the two. Using Shopify is simpler because it does not require any technical logic or coding involved. WordPress on the other hand, allows you to have full customization over your website’s look and feel.
If the design is not your forte, don’t push your luck. Get greater results working with Edkent Media. Our in-house Toronto team specializes in website design & development, increasing your business engagement and generating higher conversion rates through creative design.
Winner: Shopify
Build Time
WordPress includes a whole set of basic features to get started immediately. However, if you’re looking to add particular sections to your website during backend design, you may require plugins. Researching plugin reviews before downloading them can help save a few steps to see whether the tool is even useful. When it comes to building time, Shopify is the quickest option with everything built-in. There’s less time involved when it comes to searching for plug-ins that work with your website. Even security is set up with everything covered.
Winner: Shopify
Security
When it comes to transaction security and website protection, WordPress and Shopify are not the same. Shopify’s security is handled by companies that provide for them. That means technical protection is held by them. Whereas, WordPress needs to be updated for its protection. If you do not have a company or provider for security reasons, the responsibility is upheld by the user.
Payment and transactions are secure. Both have their own payment gateways, however, Shopify can process payments in most major currencies and you won’t have to worry about any additional fees. Convenience is key.
Winner: Shopify
Themes
Shopify offers 9 free ones and 64 paid themes, there are plenty of themes and templates to choose from. These are a lot more expensive compared to WordPress. Even third-party sellers create customized themes, but premium styles for Shopify cost extra. WordPress themes, there is no exact number to them (it may be in the precise thousands) and it provides both free and paid for styles. The endless number of theme selection choices in WordPress, allows you to easily stick within your budget range.
Winner: WordPress
Support Services
When it comes to customer support, the winner is Shopify. They are unbeatable with their email, phone, live chat 24/7 via the Shopify onsite help center. WordPress is a free technical website, which is why their support team is non-existent. There are more resources – forums, that can provide solutions.
Strive to improve your business with the support of Edkent Media. Easily book a Custom Digital Marketing Service depending on what your business requires. We will then form a personalized business strategy specific to your brand online.
Winner: Shopify
Cost
Shopify has five pricing plans. Offers a FREE 14-day trial that lets you test out the program features.
- Lite: $9 per month
- Basic: $29 per month
- Shopify: $79 per month
- Advanced: $299 per month
- Plus: negotiable, but starting at $2000 per month
For the lower end of the Shopify pricing plans, $29 ‘Basic plan’ plus one $10-per-month app, you’d be talking about a $468 annual commitment. If you were on the Shopify $299-per-month plan, the higher end and using three $10 per month apps, you could end up spending $3948 per year on your site.
You’d think WordPress seems to be free but it’s their content management system (CMS) which is free. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay to get a WordPress-powered website off the ground, such as:
- Hosting — server space on which to install WordPress and store your site
- A template — the design for your site
- E-commerce integration — addition of tools that will let you sell products online
- Plugins — apps that can be added to your site to add more functionality
Total: $1080
Pricing can seem a bit daunting especially to someone who is launching their website for the first time. If you’re new to digital marketing, let us help you take your business to the success you envisioned. Just give us a ring to find out all about our various service offerings from SEO to web design to content marketing.
Winner: WordPress
Final thoughts
It’s fair to say WordPress is significantly better established in options and customization. If you have a decent budget to hire a good developer, you’re more likely to create a website that matches your taste. Not everyone is interested in web design and the building process is where Shopify comes into power. Shopify meets the needs of the average e-commerce seller because of how straightforward it is.
Winner: You decide
The place to start formulating your decision is with Edkent Media. Our resources will save you time and the hassle of wondering where to even begin. To simplify the comparison in the long run, give us a call at (647) 352-8700. We’ll ease you through the process of building your first website!
Check us out online at Edkent Media.
