The Volusion Mobile SEO Dilemma

Mobile user experience will play an even greater role in mobile search results as of April 21, 2015.

Not having a "mobile-friendly" website will likely result in the loss of mobile search traffic at a greater level.

Volusion store in particular have some unique challenges.

The Volusion Context

Volusion, like many other ecommerce

platforms,

does not offer a great amount of flexibility.

As a result, it is not as easy to meet the

mobile-friendly guidelines laid out by

Google.

Volusion Mobile Storefront v2

Fall of 2013 - Volusion released version 2 of

their Mobile Storefront.

Despite many improvements, the mobile store

is limited and falls short of the needs of many

modern stores. There are many contexts

where it simply does not function properly for

a store's needs in the way the desktop

version does.

Updated Theme Engine

Spring of 2014 - Volusion announced the

pending arrival of a new "theme engine" that

would power Volusion templates going

forward.

While the release of the new theme engine

was due out at the end of the summer of

2014, it quietly fell off the radar.

There is currently no indication when or if it

will go live.

Responsive Templates

Fall of 2014 - Volusion launched "responsive

templates"

While these templates adapt to various

screen sizes, they are not truly responsive.

It is unclear how much of a stopgap this is.

Will it will last or be scrapped if and when the

theme engine releases?

SEO Implications

Mobile-friendliness is a key factor for

mobile search.

Online stores hosted on the Volusion platform

need to find a way to respond to this latest

change or risk losing mobile search traffic and

revenue.

What are your options?

There are four key options available for your

Volusion store:

1. Use Volusion Mobile Storefront

2. Use a Volusion Responsive Template

3. Migrate to another Platform

4. Do Nothing / Wait

Option #1:

Use the Volusion Mobile Storefront

Benefits:

• Reaches mobile visitors with a version of your store

made just for them

• Enables mobile optimized checkout

• Passes the "mobile friendly" test

• Challenges & Limitations

Option #1:

Use the Volusion Mobile Storefront

Challenges & Limitations:

• Minimal customization available

• Not all web content displays

• Many features are not supported

• Unable to run conversion tracking codes

Option #2:

Use/Customize a Responsive Theme

Benefits:

• Provides a single template for your site

• Creates a responsive site, the Google-preferred

option for your mobile solution

• Passes the "mobile friendly" test

Option #2:

Use/Customize a Responsive Theme

Challenges & Limitations:

• Requires a new template

• Continues to use HTML table code

• Adapts somewhat, but is not truly responsive

Option #3:

Migrate to a Different Platform

Benefits:

• Accessing theme engines that fully support

responsive coding

• Upgrading to a modern platform

• Passing the "mobile friendly" test

Option #3:

Migrate to a Different Platform

Challenges & Limitations:

• Requires a significant investment of time and

resources

• Other platforms may not suit your business processes

like Volusion does

• Business will need to adapt to new systems

Option #4:

Do Nothing / Wait for Upgrade

Benefits:

• Avoid investing in temporary technology

• Save funds for key improvements

Option #4:

Do Nothing / Wait for Upgrade

Challenges & Limitations:

• It is unclear when other, better options will be

available

• You risk a drop in mobile search results

• Your site will not pass the "mobile friendly" test

What Should You Do?

It depends.

Here are a few scenarios to think through.

Scenario #1: Minimal Customization

Scenario: Your store is barely customized and you plan

on staying on Volusion for awhile ...

Recommendation: Volusion Responsive Template

If a new, responsive template will require minimal

customization to meet your needs, this might not be a

bad option for you. Generally speaking, the Volusion

responsive templates do not provide enough benefit for

the amount of effort involved in customizing them as they

do not resolve all issues. However, in this scenario it

might just make sense.

Scenario #2: Moderate Customization

Scenario: Your store design is moderately customized,

you plan on staying on Volusion, and are not utilizing

unique Volusion features unsupported by the mobile

storefront ...

Recommendation: Volusion Mobile Storefront

If your store design is unique and would require

significant effort to re-skin a responsive template, we

would recommend using the Volusion Mobile Storefront.

This is best if you are not using any of the features that

do not work on the mobile storefront.

Scenario #3: Planning on Leaving

Volusion

Scenario: You already plan on leaving Volusion ...

Recommendation: Migrate now & Implement Responsive

Web Design

If you already plan on migrating to another cart but have

not done so for one reason or another, now would be a

good time to make the move and to implement a

responsive web design in the process. The opportunity

cost may justify the expense of migrating. Consider what

you might lose in mobile sales each month versus the

expense of migrating.

Scenario #4: Heavily Customized

Scenario: Your site is heavily customized or the Mobile

Storefront does not work for your store ...

Recommendation: Go Responsive (on Volusion or

Elsewhere)

If mobile drives a higher volume of traffic and is a

valuable source of revenue, then you will want to go

responsive -- either on Volusion or not. If you are

indifferent or frustrated with Volusion, you might consider

investing the same funds into a one-time upgrade onto

another platform.

Concluding Thoughts

There is no single, clear guidance.

Look at all of these factors - mobile traffic, revenue

driven from mobile, business process, and long-term

plans - to truly understand what you are dealing with

first, then make a decision.

Work with the information you have today and then adapt

as things progress.

Build > Amplify > Convert

InkblotDigital.com