Wix has long been considered a user-friendly website builder for small businesses, but its SEO capabilities have often been questioned. In 2024, the platform offers a range of tools and features designed to improve on-page and technical SEO performance. However, users must also be aware of its limitations, particularly in speed and scalability for highly competitive industries. This article evaluates Wix’s SEO strengths and weaknesses based on real-world testing and analysis.
Wix and On-Page SEO
Wix provides a robust set of on-page SEO features that allow users to optimize their content for search engines. These include the ability to customize page titles, headings, and meta descriptions. Users can also incorporate keywords into their page content and optimize images and other multimedia elements. The Wix editor includes tools that make it easy to manage these elements, ensuring that even beginners can make informed SEO decisions.
One of the standout features is the SEO Wiz, a free tool that helps users identify their site’s strengths and areas for improvement. By answering a few questions, users receive a personalized checklist with detailed directions on how to implement the necessary changes. This tool is particularly useful for small business owners who may not have extensive SEO experience.
In addition to these on-page features, Wix offers Wix Multilingual, an app that allows users to create a multilingual site. This app supports both manual and automatic translation of content and enables users to optimize SEO settings separately for each language. While reviews are mixed, this feature can be beneficial for businesses targeting international audiences.
Technical SEO on Wix
Technical SEO is a critical component of any website's performance, and Wix has made significant improvements in this area. The platform is fully responsive, ensuring that websites built on Wix display correctly on both desktop and mobile devices. Google primarily indexes and ranks the mobile version of sites, so Wix’s mobile-friendly design is a key advantage.
Wix also supports XML sitemaps, which are essential for helping search engines discover and index all the pages on a site. The platform allows users to easily generate and submit these sitemaps to search engines like Google and Bing. Additionally, Wix provides tools for verifying a site in Bing Webmaster Tools and other platforms such as Pinterest and Yandex Webmaster. These tools make it simple to ensure that a site is properly indexed across multiple search engines.
Another important technical feature is Wix Site Inspection, which uses data from Google Search Console to identify potential issues with indexing and ranking. This tool provides an overview of a site’s indexing status and generates page-by-page reports that highlight problems with individual pages. Users can use these insights to make targeted improvements to their site’s technical SEO.
Despite these advantages, Wix has some notable technical limitations. One of the most significant is its performance in terms of page speed and Core Web Vitals. These metrics are now a key factor in Google’s mobile search rankings, and Wix sites may struggle to meet the optimal performance benchmarks. This is particularly concerning for businesses in highly competitive industries where even small improvements in speed can have a significant impact on rankings.
Site Structure and Navigation
A well-structured site is essential for both user experience and SEO. Wix provides users with a range of templates that include intuitive menus, making it easy to navigate a site. The platform also allows users to create a clear and logical site structure, which is crucial for helping search engine crawlers understand the hierarchy of a site.
One of the best practices for improving site structure on Wix is to incorporate internal linking. This helps distribute page authority across the site and makes it easier for users to find relevant content. Wix also encourages the completion and submission of sitemaps to search engines, which can further enhance a site’s visibility in search results.
Off-Page SEO Considerations
While Wix provides many tools for on-page and technical SEO, off-page SEO largely depends on the user’s ability to build quality backlinks and maintain a strong online presence. One of the key off-page SEO strategies is social media engagement, which can help increase traffic and improve a site’s authority. Wix makes it easy to connect a site to social media channels, and users can update images and other elements to ensure a consistent brand presence across platforms.
However, it is important to note that Wix does not offer built-in tools for managing backlinks or monitoring a site’s link profile. Users must rely on third-party tools or external services to track and analyze their backlink performance. This can be a limitation for businesses that require more advanced off-page SEO strategies.
Local SEO on Wix
For businesses targeting local customers, local SEO is a crucial component of their overall strategy. Wix allows users to optimize their site for local search by incorporating location-based keywords and optimizing meta descriptions and headings for local relevance. However, the platform does not include a dedicated local SEO tool or integration with local directories like Google My Business. This means that businesses must take additional steps to ensure their local SEO is fully optimized.
Limitations and Considerations
While Wix has improved its SEO capabilities over the years, it still has some limitations that users should be aware of. One of the most significant is its performance in speed and Core Web Vitals. These factors are now a critical part of Google’s ranking algorithm, and Wix sites may struggle to meet the optimal performance benchmarks. This can be a concern for businesses in highly competitive industries where even small improvements in speed can have a significant impact on rankings.
Another limitation is the lack of advanced customization options. Wix is designed for simplicity and ease of use, which makes it ideal for small businesses and beginners. However, it may not be the best choice for businesses that require highly customized or complex site structures. In such cases, a platform like WordPress may be a more suitable option.
Conclusion
Wix has made significant improvements to its SEO capabilities in recent years, offering a range of tools and features that make it easier for users to optimize their sites for search engines. The platform provides strong on-page SEO features, including the ability to customize titles, headings, and meta descriptions. It also offers tools for improving technical SEO, such as mobile responsiveness and XML sitemaps.
However, Wix still has some limitations, particularly in terms of speed and scalability. While it is a good choice for small businesses and beginners, it may not be the best option for highly competitive industries that require more advanced SEO strategies. Users should also be aware of the platform’s limitations in terms of backlink management and local SEO tools.
Overall, Wix is a viable option for businesses that want to create a search-friendly website without the need for extensive technical expertise. However, it is important to carefully consider the platform’s strengths and limitations before making a decision.