10 Best Content Management Systems (CMS) for SEO in 2024

WordPress is considered the best CMS for SEO because of its superior content creation and management features and a huge library of SEO plugins. However, it may be tough for a beginner to get started with WordPress. In that case, there are beginner-friendly CMS platforms like Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, etc. that take care of all the technical aspects of handling a CMS at the expense of flexibility. 

In this article, we have listed down 10 best CMS for SEO that will help you get your website to the top of the SERP.

Basic Overview of the Best CMS for SEO

Now, let’s learn more about these SEO-friendly CMS platforms.

01. WordPress

WordPress is the most popular CMS in the world and some might say that it is the best CMS for SEO. According to our study on CMS trends and market share report, WordPress powers 43% of all websites on the internet and has 63% of the total CMS market share.

Also, WordPress has the most number of users compared to all the other top CMS platforms.

The reason for the popularity of WordPress is its open-source nature, which offers ultimate flexibility. You can edit the core of WordPress and customize it however you like if you have the technical expertise.

The strongest feature of WordPress is its content creation and management capabilities. You can easily create content with its default editor, Gutenberg. 

However, compared to the other popular CMS platforms, WordPress approaches SEO differently. While the other CMS platforms offer built-in SEO features for optimization, WordPress depends on its huge library of plugins for it. 

Although, using too many plugins can slow down your site, with plugins you can easily implement advanced SEO techniques with ease. 

Pros

• Simple interface to create and publish content.
• Relatively inexpensive to build and maintain a website.
• Mobile-friendly and responsive out of the box.
• Easy to update and maintain your site from anywhere.
• Highly customizable with more than 60,000 plugins, themes, and page builders.
• Free and open-source with full control over your website.

Cons

• Can be difficult to navigate for beginners without web development experience.
• Reliance on plugins can make the site vulnerable to security issues.
• Frequent updates are needed for WordPress core, plugins, and themes.
• Advanced customization requires technical expertise.

02. Shopify

Shopify is one of the most popular CMS for e-commerce businesses that is renowned for its user-friendliness. It’s a versatile e-commerce platform that’s suitable for both small and large businesses.

As far as SEO is concerned, Shopify is well-equipped with a range of tools and features designed to improve a store’s visibility in search engines. It offers built-in SEO tools for customizing meta tags and image optimization, automatically generates sitemaps, etc. These built-in features make optimizing for search engines a lot easier.

On top of that, Shopify offers mobile-responsive themes so you don’t have to worry about your customers’ experience. Also, you get a large number of apps in the Shopify app store. 

However, even though Shopify is great as an e-commerce platform, it can be expensive compared to WordPress or other CMS platforms. Its basic plan costs $25/month, which can be a lot for small businesses.

Although Shopify supports blogging, its blogging features are not as robust as the features offered by WordPress. Having an in-depth blog section can drastically improve your store’s SEO, and in this case, Shopify lacks a bit.  

So, Shopify is pretty decent as a CMS for SEO. However, if you want a cheaper alternative with more control over your blog, you can choose WooCommerce over Shopify.

Pros

• User-friendly and accessible for non-technical users.
• Includes built-in SEO and marketing tools.
• Provides responsive themes that ensure your website is mobile-friendly.
• Offers built-in SSL certificates and other security and performance features.
• The Shopify App Store offers over 6,000 apps for extensive customization options.
• Provides secure payment processing and is PCI-compliant.

Cons

• Shopify can be expensive, especially for new businesses.
• Limited flexibility and customization options.
• Migrating away from Shopify can be complicated due to data export limitations.
• Shopify’s blogging capabilities are not as powerful as those of other CMS platforms.
• No built-in email hosting services.

03. Wix

According to our CMS report, Wix has been the fastest-growing CMS platform in the past eight years. That means Wix has been very popular as a CMS over the years.

Just like Shopify, Wix is also a hosted CMS platform that facilitates simple site creation with its drag-and-drop functionality and mobile-responsive templates. So, you won’t need to have any sort of technical knowledge to use Wix.

When it comes to SEO, Wix makes it as easy as possible for you to implement the latest SEO trends through its SEO guides and setup checklist. That means you can optimize your website, even if you don’t have basic SEO knowledge.

Also, Wix gives you built-in on-page SEO tools for customizing meta tags and automates important technical SEO necessities such as generating sitemap and robots.txt.  

Pros

• User-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionality.
• Offers a large selection of over 800 design templates.
• Includes built-in SEO tools and offers integrations with over 300 apps.
• Offers built-in SSL certificates and other security and performance features.
• Provides an intuitive “SEO Setup Checklist” that helps users optimize their websites according to SEO best practices.
• Offers an SEO learning hub with guides, tutorials, and webinars.

Cons

• Once a site is live, users cannot switch templates without rebuilding the site from scratch.
• Some users report slower page load times, which can affect user experience and search engine rankings.
• The free or lower-tier plans do not support Google Analytics.
• The free version of Wix includes Wix-branded ads, and users must upgrade to a paid plan to remove them.

04. Squarespace

Squarespace is a fairly popular hosted CMS platform among small businesses, creatives, and bloggers who prioritize aesthetics without needing extensive technical skills. Squarespace offers a variety of customizable, mobile-responsive templates, ensuring that your website looks good on all devices, which is crucial for SEO.

As a hosted CMS platform like Wix and Shopify, Squarespace has several built-in tools that help users optimize their websites. These include customizable meta titles and descriptions, automatic XML sitemaps, and the ability to set alt tags for images. The platform also supports SSL certificates, which are important for site security and search engine rankings. 

However, when you compare Squarespace with WordPress, Squarespace’s SEO capabilities are somewhat limited. Users have less control over the technical aspects of SEO, such as page speed optimization and advanced schema markup. 

To sum up, Squarespace is suitable for beginners and those with straightforward SEO needs, but it might not be the best choice for websites that require more complex SEO strategies.

Pros

• Provides essential SEO tools such as custom URLs, meta tags, and more within its system. 
• All the Squarespace design templates are mobile-responsive.
• Designed to be intuitive, with a structured interface.
• Offers built-in SSL certificates and other security and performance features.
• Squarespace has robust content creation and management capabilities.

Cons

• Compared to other CMS platforms, Squarespace offers fewer SEO plugins and extensions.
• Squarespace sites may suffer from slower page speeds because of code bloating.
• Applies a default local business schema to all websites, which cannot be changed. 
• To access more advanced SEO features or integrations, users often need to upgrade to more expensive plans.

05. Joomla

Joomla is another open-source CMS platform like WordPress in our list. That means you get similar flexibility and customization as WordPress. 

Joomla is popular among users who have the technical expertise to customize their website however they want it because of the flexibility it offers. Also, unlike WordPress, Joomla offers built-in SEO features for customizing meta tags. 

However, Joomla’s flexibility can be a double-edged sword. While it allows for greater control over SEO elements, it also demands a higher level of expertise to configure and maintain. Users must be familiar with the technical aspects of SEO to fully leverage Joomla’s capabilities. 

That’s why, in the age of managed CMS platforms, Joomla has been losing its popularity among general users but it still is used by professionals and experts.  

Pros

• Being an open-source platform, Joomla allows for extensive customization.
• Joomla offers around 10,000 SEO extensions and plugins.
• Offers fast loading times with minimal tweaks. 
• Ability to optimize meta tags out of the box.

Cons

• Joomla can be more complex to use compared to other CMS platforms.
• Users may encounter compatibility issues when installing multiple extensions.
• Joomla can be demanding on server resources.
• Joomla’s extensive features, while good for customization, can be harder to learn.
• Media management capabilities are limited.

06. Drupal

In terms of SEO, Drupal is highly regarded for its flexibility and advanced capabilities. The platform allows full control over SEO elements, including customizable meta tags, clean URLs, and the ability to manage redirects easily. 

Drupal also offers modules specifically designed to improve SEO, such as Pathauto for generating SEO-friendly URLs, Metatag for handling meta descriptions and titles, and the XML Sitemap module for generating sitemaps that help search engines index your content efficiently.

Drupal’s emphasis on performance and scalability also benefits SEO. The platform is capable of handling large volumes of content and traffic without compromising speed, which is crucial for search engine rankings. Additionally, Drupal’s strong community support ensures that best practices and updates for SEO are regularly discussed and implemented.

However, Drupal’s advanced features come with a steeper learning curve, making it more suitable for developers or users with technical expertise who can fully leverage its SEO potential.

Pros

• As an open-source platform, Drupal is free to use, modify, and distribute.
• Highly flexible, allowing for extensive customization through its modular architecture.
• Offers powerful tools for content creation, organization, and publishing. 
• Designed to handle large amounts of content and high traffic loads.
• Offers built-in security features and frequent updates.

Cons

• Difficult for beginners to learn and use effectively.
• Customizing Drupal to enhance SEO often requires technical skills and development expertise.
• Drupal can be resource-intensive, which may lead to slower website performance if not properly optimized. 

07. Adobe Commerce

Adobe Commerce is a highly flexible content management system designed specifically for e-commerce websites. It’s a popular choice among medium to large online retailers due to its powerful features, scalability, and ability to handle complex product catalogs. 

Adobe Commerce is well-equipped to support advanced search engine optimization strategies. The platform provides a range of built-in SEO tools that allow users to customize meta titles, descriptions, and URLs for individual products, categories, and pages. 

Adobe Commerce also supports Google-friendly URL structures, canonical tags to avoid duplicate content issues, and the ability to create XML sitemaps, which are essential for search engine indexing.

However, Adobe Commerce’s complexity can be a challenge for beginners. The platform requires a solid understanding of both e-commerce and SEO principles to fully leverage its capabilities, making it more suitable for businesses with technical expertise or access to experienced developers.

Pros

• Adobe Commerce’s performance optimizations, including merging JavaScript and CSS files, contribute to faster load times.
• Comes with built-in SEO features that support on-page optimization. 
• Supports easy integration with third-party tools like Google Analytics.
• Adobe Commerce’s mobile-responsive design ensures websites are optimized for mobile users.

Cons

• Adobe Commerce is known for its complexity, which can make it challenging to implement SEO strategies effectively. 
• Might experience performance issues on smaller or shared servers.
• Adobe Commerce’s SEO optimization can be expensive and time-consuming.
• Adobe Commerce does not have built-in blogging capabilities.

08. Webflow

Webflow is a modern, hosted CMS that stands out for its intuitive design interface and no-code development capabilities. It’s especially popular among designers, freelancers, and small businesses who want to create visually stunning websites without writing code. 

The strongest suite of Webflow is its built-in optimization and design features. Webflow also automatically generates clean, semantic HTML, which is beneficial for SEO. On top of that, you get other basic SEO features as the other hosted platforms such as Shopify, Wix, etc. 

Webflow’s emphasis on responsive design ensures that websites look great on all devices, which is crucial for SEO rankings. The platform also supports fast page loading times, another key factor in search engine optimization. 

Pros

• Webflow generates clean, semantic code that is free from unnecessary bloat. 
• Allows users to easily customize essential SEO elements such as title tags, meta descriptions, and URLs.
• Supports mobile-responsive design.
• Webflow’s infrastructure is optimized for speed.
• Webflow is not heavily reliant on plugins or other third-party tools.

Cons

• Complex schema markup integration.
• Webflow restricts server-side control, which can impact advanced SEO strategies. 
• Has a steeper learning curve compared to some other platforms.

09. HubSpot CMS Hub

HubSpot CMS Hub is a strong choice if you’re looking for a content management system that integrates with your marketing efforts. It’s particularly great if you prioritize inbound marketing, as it’s built to work hand-in-hand with HubSpot’s other tools. 

HubSpot CMS Hub has you covered with built-in features that help you optimize your content directly within the platform. You’ll find actionable SEO recommendations right in the editor, just like Wix, which makes it easier to optimize your search engine rankings without needing to dive deep into technical details.

Plus, with responsive design capabilities, your site will look great on any device, which is essential for SEO. 

Pros

• HubSpot CMS provides actionable SEO recommendations directly within the platform.
• Includes tools for tracking keyword performance.
• Ensures that websites are mobile-friendly and responsive.
• Supports easy content creation with a user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop editor.
• Supports the creation of topic clusters and internal linking structures.

Cons

• HubSpot CMS can be costly, especially for larger organizations or those requiring advanced features.
• The templates provided by HubSpot CMS are not very flexible.
• Not well-suited for e-commerce websites. 
• The wide range of features can result in a steep learning curve for new users.

10. BigCommerce

If you’re looking for a CMS that combines powerful e-commerce features with strong SEO capabilities, BigCommerce is worth considering.

BigCommerce is designed to help businesses scale, whether you’re just starting or already managing a large, complex store. It offers a range of features that make managing your store easy while giving you plenty of customization options to fit your brand.

Just like every other managed CMS platform, Bigcommerce includes built-in tools that allow you to customize meta titles, descriptions, and URLs for your products and pages. It also supports SEO-friendly URL structures and automatically generates XML sitemaps, so you can ensure that all your pages are indexed correctly.

You’ll also benefit from BigCommerce’s focus on fast page loading times and mobile responsiveness, both of which are crucial for improving your search engine rankings.

Pros

• Provides a wide array of features that cater to both small businesses and large enterprises.
• Around 190 customizable, mobile-responsive templates.
• BigCommerce does not charge transaction fees.
• Offers an intuitive interface with a drag-and-drop page builder.
• Ensures secure transactions with features like SSL certification and PCI compliance.

Cons

• BigCommerce can be less intuitive compared to other platforms.
• Doesn’t support thorough customization.
• The cost of premium templates is relatively high, averaging around $250 to $300.
• Does not provide automated backups, requiring users to manage their own data backups.

How Does CMS Help SEO?

Here are the 7 aspects a CMS can help improve your website’s SEO- 

Content Creation and Management

As far as SEO is concerned, the main benefits of a CMS are content creation and management efficiency. 

Content is what you use to attract and engage with your customers and it is also what you optimize for search engines. So, if your CMS doesn’t make content creation and management easy, you won’t be able to take advantage of your website’s full potential. 

An ideal CMS has user-friendly interfaces and built-in tools that simplify the content creation process. Also, it will provide features like scheduling and third-party tools that help you organize and manage your content efficiently.

Customizable Meta Tags

Meta tags are the most basic SEO tactics that are also very important. Search engines use meta tags such as title, description, etc. to find out what your content is about and these tags can impact your CTR.

A CMS that’s SEO-friendly will let you optimize your content’s meta tags easily, either through built-in tools or third-party plugins. Top CMS providers have dedicated fields for meta tags and also offer a SERP preview of what your content will look like. 

Site Structure and Navigation

A well-planned site structure will help both your users and search engine bots to navigate your website. It improves user experience, crawlability, and indexability.  Most CMS platforms allow you to visually organize your content into a hierarchical structure using drag-and-drop functionality. 

On top of that, CMS systems often provide pre-defined page templates that automatically assign specific layouts and structures to different types of content (e.g., home pages, blog posts, product pages). This ensures consistency and helps maintain a clear hierarchy.

Also, a CMS makes it easier to create menus and generates breadcrumbs, which also improves navigation.

URL Structure and Canonicalization

For crawl bots to easily understand your post URL, it has to be easily readable and include a primary keyword. As a result, it improves indexability and ranking. 

With a CMS platform, you can easily customize your post URL to optimize for search engines. 

Also, it is important that your posts have only one URL, otherwise, crawl bots will be confused and it may impact your website’s search ranking. That’s why using canonical tags is important because it tells search engines which URL to use for ranking. 

To that end, most CMS platforms can automatically generate canonical tags for your pages. So, you don’t have to worry about duplicate URLs.

Speed and Performance

Your website’s speed and performance can make or break your business because it directly impact user experience and search engine rankings. The CMS you use will decide your site’s speed and performance, especially if it’s a hosted CMS.

A hosted CMS will have built-in hosting options that are designed to give you the best possible performance. Plus, you don’t have to worry about scaling or updating. 

Other than hosting, you may need additional optimization tools for caching, images, etc. A CMS will provide you with all the necessary tools for that.

Security

Search engines like Google prioritize websites that are more secure than those that are not. So, making your site secure can impact your site’s rankings.

Most CMS platforms come with built-in security features such as user role management, access controls, and automatic updates. These features help prevent unauthorized access and protect your website from vulnerabilities.

Additionally, CMS providers often offer regular security updates and patches to address known security threats. This helps keep your website protected from the latest hacking techniques. 

Mobile Responsiveness

As most users will browse your website from their phones, your website must be mobile-friendly.

Now, if you use a CMS, you won’t have to worry about manually making your site responsive to mobile devices. A CMS will automatically make your web pages adaptive to different devices with different screen sizes.

What’s even better is that most CMS have options to create different versions of your website for different devices.   

SEO Requirements for CMS: How to Choose an SEO-Friendly CMS?

Before you finally decide on a CMS for SEO optimization, you should keep in mind these things-

On-page SEO Capabilities

An SEO-friendly CMS should have on-page SEO capabilities, such as keyword integration, meta tag optimization, image optimization, URL management, etc. These features are essential and basic for a CMS to be SEO-competent.

However, there’s another mandatory feature, which is blogging capability. Without a strong content creation feature on-page SEO features won’t impact your search engine ranking much.

So, the first criterion for choosing an SEO-friendly CMS is having strong content management features with on-page capabilities.

Technical SEO Capabilities

Technical SEO is an aspect of SEO that is often overlooked and misunderstood by users. However, it’s equally important as other aspects of SEO.

Since implementing technical SEO strategies is more difficult than on-page and off-page SEO, a CMS that’s SEO-friendly should make it easier for you. 

To that end, an SEO-friendly CMS should offer important technical SEO features like sitemap and robots.txt file generation, as well as tools for managing redirects, canonical tags, and structured data implementation.

Third-party Integrations

An SEO-friendly CMS will only offer you basic SEO features for obvious reasons. So, if you want extensive SEO optimization, you must rely on third-party plugins, apps, or tools.  

Powerful third-party tools are essential for implementing advanced SEO strategies like keyword research, performance tracking, technical audits, and monitoring. An ideal CMS should offer integration with these tools. 

Flexibility

Flexibility or customization is an important feature to consider while choosing a CMS for SEO. That way, you can fulfill specific SEO needs according to your niche, business, or industry. 

A rigid CMS may limit your ability to customize your strategy and content according to the latest SEO trends. On the other hand, a flexible CMS will let you implement advanced custom schema, optimize load speed, create unique URL structures, and more.

FAQs about CMS

Should I use a CMS or build my own?

You should use a CMS if you want to build the website fast and with ease because a CMS offers built-in features, templates, and support. However, building the website on your own will give you more control but it requires technical knowledge, time, and effort. 

Do I need CMS for SEO?

No, you don’t need a CMS for SEO, but it can make managing and optimizing your website for search engines easier with built-in tools and plugins. If you prefer manual control and have technical skills, you can optimize SEO without a CMS.

Does using a CMS hurt SEO?

No, using a CMS will not hurt SEO; in fact, most CMS platforms come with built-in SEO features and plugins to help improve your site’s search engine ranking. However, poor CMS configuration, slow performance, or low-quality themes can negatively impact SEO if not properly managed.

What is the easiest CMS for beginners?

Wix is generally considered the easiest CMS for beginners due to its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and user-friendly design tools. Squarespace is another good option for beginners, that offers an easy-to-use platform with aesthetically pleasing templates and basic SEO tools.

What is the best CMS for a small business?

WordPress is the best CMS for a small business due to its ease of use, flexibility, and extensive plugin ecosystem. Alternatives like Shopify, Squarespace, or Wix are also excellent choices because of their simplicity and ability to offer an all-in-one solution.

Choosing the Best CMS for SEO is Crucial, But…

A CMS with strong SEO capabilities is crucial, but it’s not the only factor that will contribute to your SEO success. Content quality, technical optimization, and a long-term SEO strategy are more important than a CMS. 

The best CMS can only support your SEO efforts, but it’s your expertise that will truly drive results. So, if you are not confident in your SEO skills, you should hire an SEO agency that has experience with all the top CMS platforms.