Choosing the right platform for your online store can feel like picking the perfect coffee blend—there are just so many options, and each has its own perks. But when it comes to blogging within your ecommerce platform, two names often pop up: BigCommerce and Shopify. These platforms are well-known for their ecommerce capabilities, but how do they stack up when it comes to blogging?
In this post, we’ll look at the blogging features of BigCommerce and Shopify, comparing their ease of use, customization options, SEO capabilities, and more. By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of which platform might be the better fit for your blogging needs.
Ease of Setting Up a Blog
Setting up a blog should be as straightforward as brewing your morning coffee. You want something that doesn’t require a degree in computer science, right? Let’s see how BigCommerce and Shopify handle the setup process.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce offers a built-in blogging feature, which is like having a ready-made cup of coffee. It's there, available, and doesn't require additional plugins or extensions. However, some users find the interface a bit basic compared to dedicated blogging platforms. You can easily create and publish posts, but the lack of advanced features might leave some wanting more.
Shopify: Shopify also includes a built-in blogging platform. It's fairly intuitive and integrates smoothly with your online store. The setup is simple and beginner-friendly, letting you create a blog in just a few clicks. If you’re familiar with Shopify’s interface, you’ll find the blogging tool just as easy to navigate.
In terms of setup, both platforms make it easy, but Shopify’s user-friendly interface might give it a slight edge for beginners.
Customization Options
Customization is where things get interesting. You want your blog to feel like yours, after all. So, how do BigCommerce and Shopify stack up when it comes to making your blog uniquely yours?
BigCommerce: BigCommerce allows some customization through its Stencil theme framework. You can modify the look and feel of your blog, but you might find yourself somewhat limited if you’re not familiar with HTML or CSS. While you can choose from various themes, getting the exact look you want might require some coding knowledge.
Shopify: Shopify shines in customization thanks to its vast theme store and the ability to tweak your blog’s appearance using Liquid, Shopify’s templating language. Even if you’re not a coding whiz, there are plenty of drag-and-drop themes and apps that let you customize your blog’s design without touching a line of code. Shopify’s extensive app store also offers numerous plugins to enhance your blog’s functionality and appearance.
Shopify’s flexibility in customization makes it a favorite for those who want their blog to stand out without getting their hands dirty with code.
SEO Capabilities
SEO is like the secret ingredient in your recipe for online visibility. Both BigCommerce and Shopify have their strengths and weaknesses here. Let’s take a closer look.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce offers robust SEO features right out of the box. You can customize URLs, meta descriptions, and alt text for images. The platform also generates a sitemap automatically, which is a nice bonus. However, some users find the lack of advanced SEO plugins or extensions a bit limiting.
Shopify: Shopify provides solid SEO tools, including easy editing of title tags, meta descriptions, and even auto-generated sitemaps. One of Shopify’s strong points is its app marketplace, offering a variety of SEO plugins to help boost your blog’s search engine ranking. However, some users feel that Shopify’s URL structure isn’t as SEO-friendly as they’d like, which can be a minor drawback.
While both platforms offer good SEO capabilities, Shopify’s additional plugins can help tailor your SEO strategy more precisely.
Content Management and Editing Tools
Content management is crucial for any blogger. You want tools that make writing, editing, and organizing posts as smooth as possible.
BigCommerce: The content editor in BigCommerce is basic but functional. It includes standard text editing options like headings, lists, and hyperlinks. However, it doesn’t offer the advanced editing features found in dedicated blogging platforms. For instance, there’s no option for rich text formatting or embedding multimedia directly into posts without a bit of HTML know-how.
Shopify: Shopify’s content editor is more user-friendly, offering a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor that’s more intuitive for beginners. You can easily add images, videos, and other media to your posts. Shopify also allows for easy tagging and categorizing of posts, making content management a breeze.
Overall, Shopify offers a more user-friendly and robust content management system, especially if you’re looking to add multimedia elements to your blog posts.
Integration with Other Tools
Having a blog is great, but you often need other tools to make it work with your business strategy. Whether it’s email marketing, analytics, or social media, integration is key.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce integrates well with various business tools, including email marketing and CRM systems. However, when it comes to blogging-specific tools, the options are somewhat limited. You might find yourself relying on third-party integrations, which can complicate things if you’re not tech-savvy.
Shopify: Shopify excels in integration thanks to its extensive app store. There are countless apps available to connect your blog with email marketing services, analytics, social media platforms, and more. This makes it easier to create a cohesive strategy across different channels.
If seamless integration with a variety of tools is important to you, Shopify’s app ecosystem offers more flexibility and choices.
Support and Community
Let’s face it, sometimes things go wrong. Having a solid support system and community can be a lifesaver.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce provides comprehensive support options, including 24/7 live chat, phone support, and a wealth of online resources. Their community forums are active, but not as large as Shopify’s. However, the support you get is generally well-regarded by users.
Shopify: Shopify also offers 24/7 support through chat, email, and phone. Their community is massive, with countless forums, blogs, and resources available to help you troubleshoot any issues. The Shopify community is known for being vibrant and supportive, which can be a huge help when you’re starting out.
Both platforms offer great support, but Shopify’s larger community can be particularly beneficial if you’re looking for peer advice and solutions.
Cost Considerations
Budget is always a factor when choosing a platform. Let’s see how BigCommerce and Shopify compare in terms of cost.
BigCommerce: BigCommerce offers a variety of plans, ranging from $29.95 to $299.95 per month. One advantage is that BigCommerce doesn’t charge transaction fees, which can save you money if you have a high sales volume. However, if you want advanced blogging features, you might need to invest in additional tools or services.
Shopify: Shopify’s pricing starts at $29 per month and goes up to $299 per month, similar to BigCommerce. However, Shopify does charge transaction fees unless you use their payment gateway, Shopify Payments. If you’re planning to use many third-party apps to enhance your blog, keep in mind that these can add to your overall costs.
When considering costs, think about the features you need and any potential transaction fees. Both platforms are priced similarly, but your specific requirements could tip the balance in favor of one over the other.
User Experience and Interface
A clunky interface can be as frustrating as a coffee spill on your keyboard. Let’s explore how user-friendly these platforms are.
BigCommerce: The BigCommerce interface is clean and straightforward, but some users find it less intuitive than Shopify’s. If you’re tech-savvy, you might find it manageable. However, beginners might face a steeper learning curve when navigating through the platform.
Shopify: Shopify is renowned for its user-friendly interface. It’s designed with simplicity in mind, making it easy to manage both your store and blog. The dashboard is intuitive, and the learning curve is relatively gentle, especially for those new to ecommerce platforms.
If ease of use is a priority, Shopify’s interface is generally more accessible, especially for beginners.
Final Thoughts
Choosing between BigCommerce and Shopify for blogging comes down to your specific needs and priorities. Shopify seems to have an edge with its user-friendly interface, robust customization options, and extensive app integrations. On the other hand, BigCommerce offers solid SEO features and no transaction fees, which might be appealing to some users.
Now, if you’re looking for expert help to make your ecommerce and blogging efforts more effective, consider Pattern. We specialize in driving traffic from Google and converting that traffic into paying customers. Unlike most SEO agencies that focus solely on rankings, we care about real results. We create programmatic landing pages and engaging content that help your brand get found by the right audience. Plus, we see SEO as part of a bigger growth strategy, ensuring every dollar you invest delivers real ROI. If you’re ready to turn SEO into a growth channel, we’re here to help.