What is Showit?

Showit is a web design platform that offers complete control to creative professionals and entrepreneurs to build a website. It is a drag-and-drop platform that provides design freedom without needing custom coding. One of the main benefits of Showit is the ability to create a mobile site easily, ensuring that visitors have a seamless experience on any device. With Showit, there is no need to compromise design to optimize for mobile.

Showit is known for its beautiful pre-made templates and exceptional customer support team. It is an excellent option for photographers and creative professionals who want both complete control over their website’s design and a platform where they can easily edit their website. The Showit platform is easy to use and offers creative freedom without requiring any custom coding. With Showit, users can easily customize a Squarespace website or old blog and migrate to a new site without worrying about technical issues.

Showit integrates with other website builders and offers several templates that cater to the needs of different businesses. The Showit website design editor is user friendly, and building blocks can be customized to meet individual needs. The platform offers various Showit templates that can be easily customized to match the brand’s aesthetic. With Showit, creative businesses can have a new website up and running in no time and hit publish when ready.

Here you can learn Showit’s search engine optimization capabilities and how to make the most of them to achieve the best possible rankings for your photography website.

Is Showit good for SEO?

The short answer is yes, Showit is good for SEO. Showit offers a number of features and tools that can help website owners improve their website’s SEO performance. For example, Showit’s platform is built on WordPress, which is known for its SEO-friendly architecture. Showit also offers customizable meta tags, descriptions, and titles, which are essential for optimizing your website’s search engine visibility.

Additionally, Showit offers the ability to create sitemaps and add alt tags to images, which are important elements for improving website accessibility and search engine optimization. Overall, if you’re an online business looking for a website builder that can help you improve your SEO strategy- then Showit is definitely worth considering.

While it is possible to rank highly on Google with Showit, you’ll need to consider several critical factors and extra steps for excellent search engine optimization performance.

Assuming you are using Showit 5, have an SSL certificate, and your WordPress site address and URL display https- here are some Showit tips that will focus on aspects unique to Showit SEO.

Pre-requisites and choosing the right package

Showit offers its hosting platform in three packages: Showit, Showit + Basic Blog, and Showit + Advanced Blog. The Advanced Blog package is the only viable option for those serious about SEO. The Basic Blog package has several limitations, such as being unable to add plugins outside their pre-installed list, being part of a multisite installation, and needing FTP or database access.

Fixing legacy issues and migration to Showit

Significant technical issues encountered with Showit websites occur during the initial migration process. If you’re migrating a website from the Squarespace or WordPress platform, then pay close attention to the following settings to avoid negatively impacting your rankings: WordPress Site Title & General Settings, Permalinks, WordPress pages, Plugin settings, Redirects, and Canonical Address (www).

Basic SEO settings – Quick Review

There are several basic SEO settings to be aware of within Showit. These include Analytics (UA code), Page Title, Meta Description, Meta Keywords, Share Image, and Advanced Settings. Familiarize yourself with these settings and follow best practices to improve search engine optimization performance for your website.

Sitemap URL for Showit website

With Showit, the sitemaps for Showit pages and WordPress Pages/Posts are separate. If you’re using Showit pages, it’s recommended to submit the Showit site sitemap to Google Search Console. You can find the sitemap for Showit pages by adding /siteinfo.xml to the end of your domain.

Example: https://robbenmedia.com/siteinfo.xml

Images (alt text vs. title)

When optimizing images within Showit, there are three ways to insert an image: Standalone images, Gallery of images, and Canvas background. Each method has different SEO settings available, and web designers need to know how to optimize each type of image for better search engine visibility.

Design and SEO Best Practices on Showit site

Showit offers a range of attractive templates, including free and paid options, or you can create your site from scratch or combine templates. The following best practices should inform your decision when building or selecting a design template for your business website.

Use canvas views wisely

Canvas views are a unique feature of Showit and are helpful for various purposes. They work well for slideshows, testimonial sliders, and displaying galleries without opening a new page.

Technically, the Showit website builder handles canvas views well, with lazy loading for objects like images in sliders. Google can render and index content within initially hidden canvas views. However, canvas views have some drawbacks, so exercise caution when using them. Showit’s navigation customization between canvas views is not found in most other page builders.

Consider the following when using canvas views:

- [Google may prioritize initially visible content for ranking](https://robbenmedia.com/how-to-get-backlinks/). Avoid hiding important content for a good user experience in an initially hidden canvas view.
- Users expect specific navigation for certain functions, especially on mobile devices (like swiping through a slideshow). Don't sacrifice usability for creativity.
- Canvas views can make visitors feel like they're on a new page with changed navigation, causing confusion. Refrain from disorienting visitors with a complex web of canvas views.
- Don't use canvas views for [content that could be an independent page likely to receive search traffic](https://robbenmedia.com/how-to-promote-content/).
- If [tracking form submissions in Google](https://robbenmedia.com/grid-rank-tracking-google-maps-complete-guide-to-local-seo-success/) Analytics, consider using a thank you page instead of a thank you canvas view after form submission.

Pay attention to object order

In the Showit platform, the layer order of objects determines their appearance in the HTML of the page. The objects at the bottom of the layer list appear first in the HTML. Use a text-only browser or the text-only Google cache to understand how Google reads your page.

Here are three tools to view a “text only” version of your website:

- Google cache (text only version)
- Textise
- w3td Text Browser Tool

Avoid using multiple fonts for a single line of text Showit designs often include multiple fonts in one line of text. While this is possible, it could be more optimal, as separate H1 headings are created in the code.

Regarding

and

, consider the following HTML element tags in Showit:

- 

• A generic tag for “division” (or section). It can be used safely anytime.

- The main heading. Use only once per page.

- 

- Secondary topic headings.

- 

- Subheadings belonging to a parent H2.

- - Main navigation. Use **only** on main menus, not buttons or other links.
- - Paragraph. Another generic text tag that can be used safely anywhere.

The Chrome extension “headingsMap” helps examine a page’s heading structure. HTML headings (H1-H3) should indicate the hierarchy of your page. Use H1 once per page for the main topic and H2 and H3 tags to outline your content.

For text elements not part of your main navigation or content structure, use the

or

tag.

Use

for the main menu, not headings. Avoid using H1-H3 tags for your navigation. Use thetag for the main menu and, if necessary, the

tag. Many Showit sites mistakenly use heading tags for their primary navigation, which should be avoided.

Be mindful of “off canvas” items

In Showit, any objects placed off the visible canvas while editing your site won’t be visible to website visitors but will still appear in the code and be visible to search engines.

A common issue is that template or demo content gets moved off the canvas but needs to be deleted during site customization. This can result in “Lorem Ipsum” content being crawled by Google and even triggering a “translate this page” option in search results. Make sure to remove such content to avoid potential SEO issues.

Avoid creating separate objects for mobile and desktop

While it’s sometimes easier to create two versions of an object and hide one on the desktop version and the other on mobile when responsiveness is an issue, this approach should be used sparingly. Google is likely to see both versions and prioritize the mobile one.

What occurs when items are hidden from desktop or mobile?

When an object is hidden on both desktop and mobile, it won’t be rendered in the final HTML for the page and will be invisible to both visitors and Google. If you hide an item from either the desktop or the mobile version, the CSS property “display: none” is applied for users with that screen size. Google will crawl, render, and index both versions but may deprioritize objects with “display: none.”

Using Showit as a Web Designer for WordPress Page Building

Showit can be a comprehensive WordPress page builder-  however many users and designers don’t use this feature. Here, we’ll discuss how to integrate Showit and WordPress effectively.

Showit pages vs. Blog templates

In the Showit builder’s “Site” tab, you’ll find “Pages,” “Blog Templates,” and “Site Canvases.” These templates are flexible and can be used for much more than just styling the layout of a page, post, or 404. The “Custom” option lets you create and customize a template for anything in the WordPress template hierarchy, opening up numerous possibilities with Showit.

Benefits of using WordPress pages

Using Blog Templates in Showit offers several advantages, including adding a “featured blog posts” section to the page and incorporating dynamic content from WordPress. Other benefits include:

- A unified sitemap.
- A consistentsection.
- The ability to use plugins to control the page.

Mapping a WordPress template to a WP page

Setting up a WordPress page and Blog Template in Showit can be relatively easy if you’re familiar with the process. You’ll need to create a page in WordPress, find its ID, and then copy your Showit Page to a WordPress template.

Using Yoast

Yoast is a popular SEO plugin that can be used on Showit with the Basic Blog and Advanced Blog packages. It replaces the SEO features from the Showit builder- however it cannot analyze the content built primarily in the Showit Builder.

WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg) and Showit

The default WordPress editor since version 5.0 has been the block editor (code name Gutenberg), which has improved significantly over time and can be safely used with Showit. If you’re starting with Showit and WordPress, it’s recommended to familiarize yourself with the block editor instead of installing the classic editor plugin.

Implications for Showit Users

While Showit has many innovative features, there are several reasons why some may not recommend it, such as encouraging users to create site website templates that could be more easy to use, concerns about cross-browser/device compatibility, and issues with search engine optimization in many designs. The platform also struggles to future-proof its technology and provide adequate technical support.

However, as the Showit platform can be used as a WordPress page builder and incorporate best practices, it remains a go to option for photographers. If you need help maximizing your Showit site’s search engine potential, you could consider hiring a consultant.

Overall, Showit is a powerful custom website builder that offers full control and design freedom to creative entrepreneurs and professionals alike. It offers a user-friendly interface, beautiful pre-made templates, and exceptional customer support team.

While it is not as powerful as other website design platforms like WordPress, Showit offers a range of exceptional features that make it an attractive option for online businesses. By following the right steps and using best practices, users can optimize their Showit websites for better search engine visibility and achieve the best possible rankings.

FAQs

Q: How much does it cost to have a Showit website?

A: Showit’s pricing starts at $19/month for the basic plan, which includes hosting, unlimited galleries, and the ability to design your own website with their drag-and-drop builder. The advanced plan starts at $34/month and includes additional features like e-commerce capabilities and advanced search engine optimization.

Q: What is the difference between Wix and Showit?

A: Wix and Showit are both website builders, but there are some key differences between them. Wix is a more beginner-friendly platform with a larger variety of templates and plugins, while Showit offers more creative control and customization options. Showit is also more focused on designing websites for photographers, artists, and other creative entrepreneurs.

Q: Why is Showit better than Squarespace?

A: Showit is often preferred over Squarespace by professionals because it allows for more creative freedom and customization of their website. Showit’s drag-and-drop builder and flexible design options make it easier to create unique and personalized websites. Additionally, Showit is known for its excellent customer support and user-friendly interface.

Q: Is Showit better than Shopify?

A: Showit and Shopify are designed for different purposes. Showit is a website builder for creative entrepreneur, while Shopify is an e-commerce platform for businesses that want to sell products online. If you’re a creative professional who wants to sell products online, Showit’s e-commerce capabilities may be sufficient for your website needs. However, if you’re looking for a more comprehensive e-commerce solution, Shopify may be a better choice.