JavaScript has enabled highly interactive and dynamic websites. But it also presents a challenge: ensuring your site is crawlable, indexable, and fast.
That’s why JavaScript SEO is essential.
When applied correctly, these strategies can significantly boost organic search performance.
For instance, book retailer Follet saw a remarkable recovery after fixing JavaScript issues:
That’s the impact of effective JavaScript SEO.
In this guide, you’ll:
Get an introduction to JavaScript SEO
Understand the challenges with using JavaScript for search
Learn best practices to optimize your JavaScript site for organic search
What Is JavaScript SEO?
JavaScript SEO is the process of optimizing JavaScript websites. It ensures search engines can crawl, render, and index them.
Aligning JavaScript websites with SEO best practices can boost organic search rankings. All without hurting the user experience.
However, there are still uncertainties surrounding JavaScript and SEO’s impact.
Common JavaScript Misconceptions
Misconception
Reality
Google can handle all JavaScript perfectly.
Since JavaScript is rendered in two phases, delays and errors can occur. These issues can stop Google from crawling, rendering, and indexing content, hurting rankings.
JavaScript is only for large sites.
JavaScript is versatile and benefits websites of varying sizes. Smaller sites can use JavaScript in interactive forms, content accordions, and navigation dropdowns
JavaScript SEO is optional.
JavaScript SEO is key for finding and indexing content, especially on JavaScript-heavy sites.
Benefits of JavaScript SEO
Optimizing JavaScript for SEO can offer several advantages:
Improved visibility: Crawled and indexed JavaScript content can boost search rankings
Enhanced performance: Techniques like code splitting deliver only the important JavaScript code. This speeds up the site and reduces load times.
Stronger collaboration: JavaScript SEO encourages SEOs, developers, and web teams to work together. This helps improve communication and alignment on your SEO project plan.
Enhanced user experience: JavaScript boosts UX with smooth transitions and interactivity. It also speeds up and makes navigation between webpages more dynamic.
Side note: JavaScript can impact PageSpeed and Core Web Vitals scores.
How Search Engines Render JavaScript
To understand JavaScript’s SEO impact, let’s explore how search engines process JavaScript pages.
Google has outlined that it processes JavaScript websites in three phases:
Crawling
Processing
Indexing
Crawling
When Google finds a URL, it checks the robots.txt file and meta robots tags. This is to see if any content is blocked from being crawled or rendered.
If a link is discoverable by Google, the URL is added to a queue for simultaneous crawling and rendering.
Rendering
For traditional HTML websites, content is immediately available from the server response.
In JavaScript websites, Google must execute JavaScript to render and index the content. Due to resource demands, rendering is deferred until resources are available with Chromium.
Indexing
Once rendered, Googlebot reads the HTML, adds new links to the crawl list, and indexes the content.
How JavaScript Affects SEO
Despite its growing popularity, the question often arises: Is JavaScript bad for SEO?
Let’s examine aspects that can severely impact SEO if you don’t optimize JavaScript for search.
Rendering Delays
For Single Page Applications (SPAs) — like Gmail or Twitter, where content updates without page refreshes — JavaScript controls the content and user experience.
If Googlebot can’t execute the JavaScript, it may show a blank page.
This happens when Google struggles to process the JavaScript. It hurts the page’s visibility and organic performance.
To test how Google will see your SPA site if it can’t execute JavaScript, use the web crawler Screaming Frog. Configure the render settings to “Text Only” and crawl your site.
Note: You’ll need an SEO Spider Licence to access this setting.
Expert tip: Use Screaming Frog’s “Disable JavaScript” feature. It simulates how search engines crawl your site without executing scripts. This allows you to identify missing content or rendering issues.
Indexing Issues
JavaScript frameworks (like React or Angular, which help build interactive websites) can make it harder for Google to read and index content.
For example, Follet’s online bookstore migrated millions of pages to a JavaScript framework.
Google had trouble processing the JavaScript, causing a sharp decline in organic performance:
Crawl Budget Challenges
Websites have a crawl budget. This refers to the number of pages Googlebot can crawl and index within a given timeframe.
Large JavaScript files consume significant crawling resources. They also limit Google’s ability to explore deeper pages on the site.
Core Web Vitals Concerns
JavaScript can affect how quickly the main content of a web page is loaded. This affects Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), a Core Web Vitals score.
For example, check out this performance timeline:
Section #4 (“Element Render Delay”) shows a JavaScript-induced delay in rendering an element.
This negatively impacts the LCP score.
JavaScript Rendering Options
When rendering webpages, you can choose from three options:
Server-Side Rendering (SSR), Client-Side Rendering (CSR), or Dynamic Rendering.
Let’s break down the key differences between them.
Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
SSR creates the full HTML on the server. It then sends this HTML directly to the client, like a browser or Googlebot.
This approach means the client doesn’t need to render the content.
As a result, the website loads faster and offers a smoother experience.
Benefits of SSR
Drawbacks of SSR
Improved performance
Higher server load
Search engine optimization
Longer time to interactivity
Enhanced accessibility
Complex implementation
Consistent experience
Limited caching
Client-Side Rendering (CSR)
In CSR, the client—like a user, browser, or Googlebot—receives a blank HTML page. Then, JavaScript runs to generate the fully rendered HTML.
Google can render client-side, JavaScript-driven pages. But, it may delay rendering and indexing.
Benefits of CSR
Drawbacks of CSR
Reduced server load
Slower initial load times
Enhanced interactivity
SEO challenges
Improved scalability
Increased complexity
Faster page transitions
Performance variability
Dynamic Rendering
Dynamic rendering, or prerendering, is a hybrid approach.
Tools like Prerender.io detect Googlebot and other crawlers. They then send a fully rendered webpage from a cache.
This way, search engines don’t need to run JavaScript.
At the same time, regular users still get a CSR experience. JavaScript is executed and content is rendered on the client side.
Google says dynamic rendering isn’t cloaking. The content shown to Googlebot just needs to be the same as what users see.
However, it warns that dynamic rendering is a temporary solution. This is due to its complexity and resource needs.
Benefits of Dynamic Rendering
Drawbacks of Dynamic Rendering
Better SEO
Complex setup
Crawler compatibility
Risk of cloaking
Optimized UX
Tool dependency
Scalable for large sites
Performance latency
Which Rendering Approach is Right for You?
The right rendering approach depends on several factors.
Here are key considerations to help you determine the best solution for your website:
Rendering Option
Best for
When to Choose
Requirements
Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
SEO-critical sites (e.g., ecommerce, blogs)
Sites relying on organic traffic
Faster Core Web Vitals (e.g., LCP)
Need timely indexing and visibility
Users expect fast, fully-rendered pages upon load
Strong server infrastructure to handle higher load
Expertise in SSR frameworks (e.g., Next.js, Nuxt.js)
Client-Side Rendering (CSR)
Highly dynamic user interfaces (e.g., dashboards, web apps)
Content not dependent on organic traffic (e.g. behind login)
SEO is not a top priority
Focus on reducing server load and scaling for large audiences
JavaScript optimization to address performance issues
Need to balance bot crawling with user-focused interactivity
Pre-rendering tool like Prerender.io
Bot detection and routing configuration
Regular audits to avoid cloaking risks
Knowing these technical solutions is important. But the best approach depends on how your website uses JavaScript.
Where does your site fit?
Minimal JavaScript: Most content is in the HTML (e.g., WordPress sites). Just make sure search engines can see key text and links.
Moderate JavaScript: Some elements load dynamically, like live chat, AJAX-based widgets, or interactive product filters. Use fallbacks or dynamic rendering to keep content crawlable.
Heavy JavaScript: Your site depends on JavaScript to load most content, like SPAs built with React or Vue. To make sure Google can see it, you may need SSR or pre-rendering.
Fully JavaScript-rendered: Everything from content to navigation relies on JavaScript (e.g., Next.js, Gatsby). You’ll need SSR or Static Site Generation (SSG), optimized hydration, and proper metadata handling to stay SEO-friendly.
The more JavaScript your site relies on, the more important it is to optimize for SEO.
JavaScript SEO Best Practices
So, your site looks great to users—but what about Google?
If search engines can’t properly crawl or render your JavaScript, your rankings could take a hit.
The good news? You can fix it.
Here’s how to make sure your JavaScript-powered site is fully optimized for search.
1. Ensure Crawlability
Avoid blocking JavaScript files in the robots.txt file to ensure Google can crawl them.
In the past, HTML-based websites often blocked JavaScript and CSS.
Now, crawling JavaScript files is crucial for accessing and rendering key content.
2. Choose the Optimal Rendering Method
It’s crucial to choose the right approach based on your site’s needs.
This decision may depend on your resources, user goals, and vision for your website. Remember:
Server-side rendering: Ensures content is fully rendered and indexable upon page load. This improves visibility and user experience.
Client-side rendering: Renders content on the client side, offering better interactivity for users
Dynamic rendering: Sends crawlers pre-rendered HTML and users a CSR experience
3. Reduce JavaScript Resources
Reduce JavaScript size by removing unused or unnecessary code. Even unused code must be accessed and processed by Google.
Combine multiple JavaScript files to reduce the resources Googlebot needs to execute. This helps improve efficiency.
Pro tip: Use PageSpeed Insights to find JavaScript issues, like render-blocking scripts. Follow its suggestions, such as deferring non-critical scripts or minifying code.
4. Defer Scripts Blocking Content
You can defer render-blocking JavaScript to speed up page loading.
Use the “defer” attribute to do this, as shown below:
<script defer src="your-script.js"></script>
This tells browsers and search engines to run the code once the main CSS and JavaScript have loaded.
5. Manage JavaScript-Generated Content
Managing JavaScript content is key. It must be accessible to search engines and provide a smooth user experience.
Here are some best practices to optimize it for SEO:
Provide Fallback Content
Use the <noscript> tag to show essential info if JavaScript fails or is disabled
Ensure critical content like navigation and headings is included in the initial HTML
For example, Yahoo uses a <noscript> tag. It shows static product details for JavaScript-heavy pages.
Optimize JavaScript-Based Pagination
Use HTML <a> tags for pagination to ensure Googlebot can crawl each page
Dynamically update URLs with the History API for “Load More” buttons
Add rel=”prev” and rel=”next” to indicate paginated page relationships
For instance, Skechers employs a “Load More” button that generates accessible URLs:
Test and Verify Rendering
Use Google Search Console’s (GSC) URL Inspection Tool and Screaming Frog to check JavaScript content. Is it accessible?
Test JavaScript execution using browser automation tools like Puppeteer to ensure proper rendering
Confirm Dynamic Content Loads Correctly
Use loading=”lazy” for lazy-loaded elements and verify they appear in rendered HTML
Provide fallback content for dynamically loaded elements to ensure visibility to crawlers
For example, Backlinko lazy loads images within HTML:
6. Create Developer-Friendly Processes
Working closely with developers is key to integrating JavaScript and SEO best practices.
Here’s how you can streamline the process:
Spot the issues: Use tools like Screaming Frog or Chrome DevTools. They can find JavaScript rendering issues. Document these early.
Write actionable tickets: Write clear SEO dev tickets with the issue, its SEO impact, and step-by-step instructions to fix it. For example, here’s a sample dev ticket:
Test and validate fixes: Conduct quality assurance (QA) to ensure fixes are implemented correctly. Share updates and results with your team to maintain alignment.
Collaborate in real time: Use project management tools like Notion, Jira, or Trello. These help ensure smooth communication between SEOs and developers.
By building developer-friendly processes, you can solve JavaScript SEO issues faster. This also creates a collaborative environment that helps the whole team.
Communicating SEO best practices for JavaScript usage is as crucial as its implementation.
JavaScript SEO Resources + Tools
As you learn how to make your javascript SEO friendly, several tools can assist you in the process.
Educational Resources
Google has provided or contributed to some great resources:
Understand JavaScript SEO Basics
Google’s JavaScript basics documentation explains how it processes JavaScript content.
What you’ll learn:
How Google processes JavaScript content, including crawling, rendering, and indexing
Best practices for ensuring JavaScript-based websites are fully optimized for search engines
Common pitfalls to avoid and strategies to improve SEO performance on JavaScript-driven websites
Who it’s for: Developers and SEO professionals optimizing JavaScript-heavy sites.
Rendering on the Web
The web.dev article Rendering on the Web is a comprehensive resource. It explores various web rendering techniques, including SSR, CSR, and prerendering.
What you’ll learn:
An in-depth overview of web rendering techniques
Performance implications of each rendering method. And how they affect user experience and SEO.
Actionable insights for choosing the right rendering strategy based on your goals
Who it’s for: Marketers, developers, and SEOs wanting to boost performance and visibility.
Use Screaming Frog’s robots.txt settings to emulate Googlebot. The tool can confirm if critical JavaScript files are accessible.
When to use:
Debugging JavaScript-related indexing problems
Testing rendering issues with pre-rendered or dynamic content
Semrush Site Audit
Semrush’s Site Audit is a powerful tool for diagnosing JavaScript SEO issues.
Key features:
Crawlability checks: Identifies JavaScript files that hinder rendering and indexing
Rendering insights: Detects JavaScript-related errors impacting search engines’ ability to process content
Performance metrics: Highlights Core Web Vitals like LCP and Total Blocking Time (TBT)
Actionable fixes: Provides recommendations to optimize JavaScript code, improve speed, and fix rendering issues
Site Audit also includes a “JS Impact” report, which focuses on uncovering JavaScript-related issues.
It highlights blocked files, rendering errors, and performance bottlenecks. The report provides actionable insights to enhance SEO.
When to use:
Identify rendering blocking issues caused by JavaScript
Troubleshoot performance issues after implementing large JavaScript implementations
Google Search Console
Google Search Console’s Inspection Tool helps analyze your JavaScript pages. It checks how Google crawls, renders, and indexes them.
Key features:
Rendering verification: Check if Googlebot successfully executes and renders JavaScript content
Crawlability insights: Identify blocked resources or missing elements impacting indexing
Live testing: Use live tests to ensure real-time changes are visible to Google
Example use case:
Inspecting a JavaScript-rendered page to see if all critical content is in the rendered HTML
When to use:
Verifying JavaScript rendering and indexing
Troubleshooting blank or incomplete content in Google’s search results
Pro tip: Use GSC’s “Coverage Report.” It can find resources blocked by robots.txt or delayed by heavy JavaScript. Regularly reviewing this report helps maintain optimal crawlability.
Performance Optimization
You may need to test your JavaScript website’s performance. These tools granularly break down performance:
WebPageTest
WebPageTest helps analyze website performance, including how JavaScript affects load times and rendering.
The screenshot below shows high-level performance metrics for a JavaScript site. It includes when the webpage was visible to users.
Key features:
Provides waterfall charts to visualize the loading sequence of JavaScript and other resources
Measures critical performance metrics like Time to First Byte (TTFB) and LCP
Simulates slow networks and mobile devices to identify JavaScript bottlenecks
Use case: Finding scripts or elements that slow down page load and affect Core Web Vitals.
GTMetrix
GTmetrix helps measure and optimize website performance, focusing on JavaScript-related delays and efficiency.
Key features:
Breaks down page performance with actionable insights for JavaScript optimization
Provides specific recommendations to minimize and defer non-critical JavaScript
Visualizes load behavior with video playback and waterfall charts to pinpoint render delays
Use case: Optimizing JavaScript delivery to boost page speed and user experience. This includes minifying, deferring, or splitting code.
Chrome DevTools & Lighthouse
Chrome DevTools and Lighthouse are free Chrome tools. They assess site performance and accessibility. Both are key for JavaScript SEO.
Key features:
JavaScript execution analysis: Audits JavaScript execution time. It also identifies scripts that delay rendering or impact Core Web Vitals.
Script optimization: Flags opportunities for code splitting, lazy loading, and removing unused JavaScript
Network and coverage insights: Identifies render-blocking resources, unused JavaScript, and large file sizes
Performance audits: Lighthouse measures critical Core Web Vitals to pinpoint areas for improvement
Render simulation: It emulates devices, throttles network speeds, and disables JavaScript. This alleviates rendering issues.
For example, the below screenshot is taken with DevTools’s Performance panel. After page load, various pieces of data are recorded to assess the culprit of heavy load times.
Use cases:
Testing JavaScript-heavy pages for performance bottlenecks, rendering issues, and SEO blockers
Identifying and optimizing scripts, ensuring key content is crawlable and indexable
Specialized Tools
Prerender.io helps JavaScript-heavy websites by serving pre-rendered HTML to bots.
This allows search engines to crawl and index content while users get a dynamic CSR experience.
Key features:
Pre-rendered content: Serves a cached, fully rendered HTML page to search engine crawlers like Googlebot
Easy integration: Compatible with frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular. It also integrates with servers like NGINX or Apache.
Scalable solution: Ideal for large, dynamic sites with thousands of pages
Bot detection: Identifies search engine bots and serves optimized content
Performance optimization: Reduces server load by offloading rendering to Prerender.io’s service
Benefits:
Ensures full crawlability and indexing of JavaScript content
Improves search engine rankings by eliminating blank or incomplete pages
Balances SEO performance and user experience for JavaScript-heavy sites
When to use:
For Single-Page Applications or dynamic JavaScript frameworks
As an alternative to SSR when resources are limited
Find Your Next JavaScript SEO Opportunity Today
Most JavaScript SEO problems stay hidden—until your rankings drop.
Is your site at risk?
Don’t wait for traffic losses to find out.
Run an audit, fix rendering issues, and make sure search engines see your content.
Want more practical fixes?
Check out our guides on PageSpeed and Core Web Vitals for actionable steps to speed up your JavaScript-powered site.
Paid plans start at $139.95 and go up to enterprise solutions. Not to mention the various add-ons and apps.
You don’t want to overpay for features you don’t need. Or pick a cheaper plan that limits your ability to grow.
In this guide, you’ll learn which Semrush plan matches your needs, whether you’re a solo blogger tracking 100 keywords or an agency managing 40+ client websites.
Semrush’s Core Pricing Plans Explained
Semrush offers four main subscription tiers:
Pro plan at $139.95/month: Best for freelancers and startups
Guru plan at $249.95/month: Caters to growing businesses and small agencies
Business plan at $499.95/month: Serves larger agencies and enterprises
Enterprise plan (custom pricing): For organizations that need custom solutions
Beyond these core plans, Semrush also offers a range of other tools through the App Center. This is where you can add specialized tools for needs like local SEO and social media management.
There’s also a free plan, and you can get a free trial of the Pro and Guru subscriptions too.
Semrush’s Pro plan offers a wealth of keyword research, backlink analysis, and competitor research features.
At $139.95/mo, it’s Semrush’s cheapest plan, and is ideal for freelance SEOs, bloggers, and small business owners.
The Pro plan lets you set up 5 projects and track up to 500 keywords with Position Tracking.
But these limits don’t apply to things like keyword and competitor research. Instead, you’re limited in the number of daily “requests” you can make.
This is the number you’ll want to pay attention to if you plan to use the tool suite for more than just tracking your own projects.
With the Pro plan, you can generate up to 3,000 reports per day across various analytics tools, with each report showing up to 10,000 results.
For example, in the Keyword Magic Tool to generate thousands of keyword ideas:
You won’t have access to historical data in these reports. But you’ll still be able to filter for metrics like search volume, keyword difficulty, search intent, and more.
In terms of technical SEO, Pro plan users can crawl up to 100,000 pages with Site Audit. This is enough for beginners and owners of smaller sites. But it can be a bit limiting for large ecommerce stores or agencies managing massive sites.
You won’t get API access with the Pro plan (probably not a concern for most people). You also won’t get access to some content marketing features (see the Guru plan section below).
Pro Plan Limits
5 projects
500 keywords to track
3,000 daily reports
100,000 pages to crawl
10,000 results per report
250 keyword metrics updates per month
500 SEO Ideas Units (used in tools like the On Page SEO Checker)
5 scheduled PDF reports
Guru Plan ($249.95/month): Advanced Features for Growing Teams
Semrush’s Guru plan significantly expands on the Pro plan’s capabilities.
At $249.95/mo, it’s ideal for growing marketing teams and small agencies that need more comprehensive tools and data access.
The plan increases your project limit to 15 and lets you track up to 1,500 keywords.
Other limit increases over the Pro plan include:
5,000 reports per day (vs. 3,000)
30,000 results per report (vs. 10,000)
1,000 keyword metrics updates per month (vs. 250)
300,000 Site Audit URL crawls (vs. 100,000)
You’ll also get access to tools like:
Topic research, for finding and prioritizing new content ideas:
Content Marketing Template, to streamline your optimizations:
You’ll also be able to integrate with Looker Studio, which further expands your reporting capabilities.
And you’ll get access to historical data within Semrush itself—all the way back to 2012:
The Guru plan gives you access to the essential Semrush toolkit. And its limits are likely enough for most SEOs and business owners, with the exception of large agencies, big ecommerce stores (300K+ pages), and enterprises.
Guru Plan Limits
15 Projects
1,500 keywords to track
5,000 daily reports
300,000 pages to crawl
30,000 results per report
1,000 keyword metrics updates per month
800 SEO Ideas Units
20 scheduled PDF reports
Business Plan ($499.95/month): Enterprise-Grade Capabilities
The Business plan, at $499.95/mo, targets larger agencies and marketing teams that need extensive data access and advanced features.
This plan also offers much higher limits than the Pro and Guru plans across the board.
Business plans allow for 40 projects, 5,000 keywords to track, and 10,000 daily reports.
You can use Semrush’s most advanced features, including API access, extended limits for site audits, and white-label reporting options.
You’ll also get access to new metrics, like Share of Voice for tracking your overall online presence compared to your competitors:
And for PPC optimization, you’ll also be able to see up to 50,000 results per PLA listings report (as opposed to 10 on the Pro and Guru plans):
These capabilities make it particularly valuable for agencies managing multiple client accounts. It’s also ideal for large in-house teams coordinating complex marketing campaigns.
For example, the API access allows teams to integrate Semrush data directly into their custom reporting dashboards or internal tools. This can streamline workflows and provide more customizable (and therefore more impactful) data analysis.
Business Plan Limits
40 projects
5,000 keywords to track
10,000 daily reports
1,000,000 pages to crawl
50,000 results per report
5,000 keyword metrics updates per month
2,000 SEO Ideas Units
50 scheduled PDF reports
Enterprise Plan: Custom Solutions for Large Organizations
The Enterprise tier moves beyond Semrush’s standardized pricing to offer customized solutions for large organizations with complex needs.
Unlike the fixed-price plans, Enterprise solutions are tailored to each organization’s specific requirements and scale.
The Semrush Enterprise platform is an entirely separate solution from the “core” Semrush platform. You get access to everything in the Business tier, but you also get a completely new dashboard with enterprise-level SEO and automation tools and capabilities.
You’ll also get access to vetted SEO experts, seamless document sharing functionality, and extensive reporting and automation features.
It’s designed for enterprise-level businesses (think Samsung, Salesforce, and SAP). This means it’s way beyond what the average person needs.
But for those with huge data, automation, and optimization requirements, Semrush Enterprise is an incredibly powerful platform.
Free Plan vs. Free Trial
Semrush’s free plan offers a solid introduction to the platform’s capabilities. You can access basic keyword research, site auditing, and competitive analysis features
for free.
This makes it an excellent option for those just starting their SEO journey or wanting to test the platform before committing.
However:
The free plan comes with significant limitations in terms of the number of reports you can generate and the depth of data you can access.
You’re limited to:
10 daily requests in many of the tools
1 project
100 URL crawls per month
Arguably, the most notable restriction is that you can only track 10 keywords. So you can’t monitor a full SEO campaign effectively.
That’s why the free trial of Semrush’s paid plans offers a better way to evaluate Semrush’s full capabilities.
For 7 days, you can access all features of your chosen plan, helping you make an informed decision about whether the investment makes sense for your needs.
Semrush offers a range of add-ons you can tag onto your subscription. These include local SEO packages, the .Trends suite for market research, and a social media management platform.
Here’s a breakdown of the add-ons and their pricing:
Add-on
Pricing
Key Features
Extra users
$45-$100/month, depending on plan
Add extra users to your plan (with shared limits)
Local Essential/Advanced
$50-$60/month
Listing management, GBP optimization, and map rank tracker
.Trends
$289/month per user
Consumer trends and market research tools
Social Media Management
$19.99-$39.99/month
Social posting, tracking, and analytics
Agency Growth Kit
$69-$249/month
Lead management, CRM, and client portal
ImpactHero
$200/month
Buyer journey optimization
Semrush also has an extensive App Center. Here, you’ll find apps to help with pretty much every aspect of SEO and digital marketing.
You can get free trials of many apps, and their prices vary.
Semrush Pricing Plans Compared to Competitors
Semrush is often a bit pricier than some of its competitors, at least at some of the plan levels.
But price isn’t everything, and it’s worth comparing the different platforms in detail to understand the value each one can provide for YOUR specific situation.
Semrush vs. Ahrefs Pricing
Semrush and Ahrefs have fairly similar pricing structures. Semrush is slightly more expensive in each of the three pricing brackets, but notably only by $0.95 in the middle tier (Guru/Standard).
On the face of it, the two options in all three cases are fairly similar:
Semrush offers 5, 15, and 40 projects, while Ahrefs offers 5, 20, and 50 projects
While Semrush lets you track 500, 1.5K, and 5K keywords, Ahrefs lets you track 750, 2K, and 5K
Semrush lets you audit 100K, 300K, and 1M URLs, while Ahrefs’ limits are 100K, 500K, and 1.5M
But it’s worth noting that Ahrefs’ cheapest (Lite) plan limits you to just 500 credits across various tools per month.
With a Semrush Pro subscription (the cheapest one Semrush offers), the limits are 3,000 reports/requests per day.
But the numbers aren’t everything. There are other differences between the two tools that you’ll need to factor in when making your choice.
Moz offers two cheaper pricing plans than both Semrush and Ahrefs. These are pretty limited (with the cheapest only letting you track 50 keywords per month).
But they’re still viable options for those on a budget that are just starting out with their first SEO tool.
Moz does offer feature-rich plans at higher price points, but often with lower limits than Semrush plans.
For example, the most expensive Moz plan still only lets you track 25 sites (compared to 40) and 3,000 tracked keywords (vs. 5,000 on a Semrush Business plan).
It’s also worth noting that beyond the pricing plans, the two platforms are very different. For example, Semrush’s database has more than 26.4 billion keywords compared to Moz’s 1.25 billion.
The most basic way to choose between the different Semrush pricing plans is to consider your budget and your reporting needs.
If you have a limited budget, the free and Pro plans are going to be the obvious choice. But once you start needing larger reports or to track 1500+ keywords, the Guru and Business plans are the ones to go for.
But let’s see which plans are best for which types of business and website owners.
Solopreneurs and Bloggers
For solopreneurs and blog owners, the Pro plan is usually going to be enough. You can manage up to 5 projects, and 500 keywords will be enough tracking capabilities for most small sites.
The reporting limits are generous enough too, and most beginners won’t max out on them.
But many people will be fine with the free Semrush plan—particularly if you have pretty limited keyword research needs and your site is smaller than 100 pages. It’ll give you a good feel for the platform’s core features before you sign up for a subscription.
You’ll want to upgrade to the Pro plan when you:
Track more than 10 keywords
Need daily position monitoring
Have a site that grows beyond 100 pages (for Site Audit crawls)
Small businesses typically find the sweet spot with the Guru plan. The additional keyword tracking and content marketing features make it ideal for sites of all sizes with moderate content production workflows.
The Pro plan suits you if:
You manage a single business website
You need basic competitive analysis
Content creation isn’t your primary focus
The Guru plan becomes a better option when:
You manage multiple business websites, or multiple client sites
Content marketing is a key part of your strategy
You need access to historical data
You need to crawl up to 300K pages per month (Site Audit)
Medium-Sized Businesses and Ecommerce Stores
Mid-sized companies often benefit most from the Business plan—particularly if they’re managing multiple websites or serving many clients.
The Guru plan becomes essential for teams or individuals that:
Create 10+ pieces of content per month
Require advanced topic research tools
Send lots of reports to stakeholders or clients
Manage multiple sites or brands
Agencies
Agencies are going to be better off with the Business plan in most cases. The limits of the lower plans are just unlikely to be enough for agencies with many clients.
However, if your agency is just starting out, the Guru plan offers a cost-effective way to serve up to 15 clients with some powerful tools.
Note: If you need to increase any particular limit, you can contact the sales team or pay for more via your subscription dashboard.
Start with Guru if you:
Serve up to 15 clients
Need white-label reports
Require content marketing tools
Want historical data access
Choose the Business plan when you:
Manage 15+ client accounts
Need API access
Require advanced white-labeling
Share reports across large teams
Semrush also offers the Agency Growth Kit. This starts at $69/month (on top of your subscription) for a CRM, client portals, and white-lable PDF reports.
But for those who want to boost their visibility on the Agency Partners platform or who need unlimited client portals, pricing increases to $149 and then $249 per month.
Enterprise Businesses
Enterprise organizations should consider the custom Enterprise tier. This platform was built from the ground up for enterprise-scale operations.
The platform offers a range of enterprise-specific solutions and features the core subscriptions don’t offer. You can read more about Semrush Enterprise here.
The Business plan is the best of the three core plans if your business isn’t quite ready for the enterprise offering. Its generous limits, integration capabilities, and API access mean it’s a cost-effective choice for many big brands and businesses.
Still Not Sure Which Plan to Choose?
Choosing the right Semrush plan ultimately depends on your specific marketing goals and resources.
AI startup Anthropic (developer of Claude) reportedly reached an annualized revenue of $850 million and forecasts to generate $2.2 billion in revenue in 2025.
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is one of Google’s three Core Web Vitals.
Like the other two (Cumulative Layout Shift and Interaction to Next Paint), it’s not exactly clear what it means.
Lots of tools can show your LCP score and outline ways to improve it. But their tips are often generic, and lack the detail you need to actually take action.
So, in this guide I’ll walk you through actionable steps to improve your LCP. I’ll separate them by:
Their potential impact
The effort required to make the fix
Which specific aspect of your LCP score they help with
But first, let’s talk about what LCP actually means for your website (jump to this part for the fixes).
What Does Largest Contentful Paint Even Mean?
Largest Contentful Paint measures how long it takes for the main content of your webpage to appear on your user’s screen—whether that’s a hero image, heading, or block of text.
It’s not the most intuitive phrase, so let’s break it down word by word:
Largest: The biggest piece of visible content on the screen. This could be a large image, a big headline, or any major element that stands out.
Contentful: It’s something that has actual content—like text or an image—and isn’t just a background or frame.
Paint: This refers to how your browser “draws” (or renders) that element on your screen.
For example, imagine clicking a link to read a news article.
The page might load various elements quickly, like the header menu at the top and placeholders for ads.
But if the article text takes five seconds to show up, that’s a poor experience. That delay is what LCP measures.
When you think about LCP, think about your visitors. It’s the difference between someone seeing your main product image or headline right away versus waiting and possibly leaving.
A faster LCP generally means a better user experience. And a better experience means happier visitors who trust your site and want to hang around (and potentially buy from you).
Further reading: For more on how loading speed can affect your website experience and optimization, check out our full guide to page speed and SEO.
These benchmarks serve as useful guidelines, but your users’ actual experience matters most.
A visually rich photography portfolio might take longer to load but still satisfy visitors. Meanwhile, a simple text-based article that loads in three seconds might frustrate users who
expect instant access.
So, focus on your audience’s expectations and behavior. Check your analytics to see if slower LCP correlates with higher bounce rates or lower conversion rates.
These numbers tell you more about your site’s real performance than any benchmark can.
If your conversion rate is 10x the industry average, it likely won’t make a massive dent in your bottom line if you improve your LCP score.
But if people aren’t staying long on your important pages, improving your LCP score could help boost your site’s performance. This, in turn, can lead to better results for your business.
How to Measure Your LCP Score
There are lots of tools you can use to measure your LCP. But you don’t want to just get your score.
You also want to learn these two things:
What your LCP element is
Which stage of your LCP is longest
Finding these two pieces of information is key for prioritizing which methods you should use to improve your LCP.
For example, you could spend hours minifying your code, inlining your CSS, and deferring JavaScript. But it won’t make much of a difference if your LCP element is a hero image you just
haven’t optimized yet.
As for the stages:
LCP is made up of four stages:
Time to First Byte (TTFB)
Resource load delay
Resource load time
Element render delay
Each stage is affected by different factors (and methods of optimization). So, if you can identify which stages of your LCP are taking the longest, you can prioritize your fixes accordingly.
Here are two ways to find this information.
Note: With many tools, you’ll get different LCP scores depending on whether you check the mobile or desktop version of your site. Optimizing for both helps improve your experience for all users.
Google PageSpeed Insights
Google’s PageSpeed Insights (PSI) is a popular choice if you want a simple, web-based report.
Just plug in your URL, and you’ll get a quick overview of your Core Web Vitals, including LCP.
PSI is great if you’re not a big fan of digging around in complex dashboards. It gives you clear visuals and actionable tips without much fuss.
It also has a handy diagnostics section which tells you some of the main ways you can reduce your score. Just make sure you select the “LCP” option next to “Show audits relevant to.”
Click the “Largest Contentful Paint element” option to see which element on that page is the LCP element.
It also shows you the breakdown (as a percentage) of each stage of your LCP. From the example above, you can see the vast majority (88%) of our LCP time comes from the render delay stage.
Knowing this lets us focus our efforts on the methods in the next section that specifically help reduce that stage of the LCP score.
Chrome DevTools
Chrome’s DevTools can give you detailed, real-time feedback on various aspects of your page’s performance.
It’s especially useful for testing changes on the fly, but it might feel a bit overwhelming if you’re completely new to web development.
Access it in Chrome on any webpage by right clicking and selecting “Inspect.”
In the interface that appears, head to the “Performance” tab.
(You can select the three dots next to the cog icon and change where the dock goes—I find horizontal is best for analyzing LCP.)
This view shows your LCP score. If you hover over the “LCP element” underneath the score, you’ll see which part of the content is the largest contentful element.
Then, get a breakdown of the LCP stages by clicking the “Record and reload” button. This will run the performance checks again on the page, and you’ll see more information along with a
waterfall chart.
Ignore that for now, and instead click the “LCP by phase” drop-down. This breaks the LCP down into its four constituent parts, showing the actual time for each stage along with a percentage.
As before, you can use this information to prioritize your optimization efforts and more effectively improve your LCP.
How to Improve Your LCP
You can improve your LCP in several ways, and some methods will help you more than others.
The table below sorts the methods by impact, also indicating the effort level each one requires and which stage of your LCP it’ll help reduce.
Your own skill level, your website’s setup, and your budget will affect how easy or cost-effective these changes are for you.
I’ve taken each method in isolation, as the relative impact of each fix may decrease as you implement each one.
For example, if you implement lots of these methods but don’t use a CDN, your LCP score will likely improve to the point that using a CDN might not make much difference to the score
(although it may still improve your user experience).
Finally, a few of these might help reduce different stages of your LCP. As with every change you make to your website, there’s usually a bit of overlap in terms of what it’ll affect.
I’ll explain more of the nuances and who each fix is best suited to below.
Impact: High | Effort: Low | Helps Reduce: Resource Load Time
A Content Delivery Network (CDN) stores (cached) copies of your content across servers around the world. When people visit your site, they’re served files from the closest server to them.
That means faster load times for your users.
If you’re running a small local blog, you might not absolutely need a CDN. But if you have visitors from all over, a CDN can boost your LCP by reducing the travel time for your data.
This is most impactful for:
Websites with visitors from multiple regions
Sites with lots of large images or media files
Anyone wanting to improve global load times without lots of coding
How to Implement This
You can sign up for a CDN service like Cloudflare, KeyCDN, or StackPath. They’ll provide instructions for changing your domain’s settings to route traffic through their servers.
Once set up, the CDN will serve your website files to users from the server that’s physically located closest to them.
There are cheap and free options, but it can get expensive for larger sites with lots of traffic.
If you use WordPress or a similar content management system (CMS), there are often plugins that make the setup process even smoother.
Optimize Your Images
Impact: High | Effort: Medium | Helps Reduce: Resource Load Time
Large image files are a common reason for poor LCP scores. This is especially true if you use a large hero image at the top of your pages or blog posts.
By compressing images before uploading them, you reduce their file size to make them load faster.
This is most impactful for:
Sites with lots of large product or blog images
Photographers or ecommerce stores with high-res visuals
Anyone looking for a straightforward way to speed up load times
How to Implement This
You can optimize your images using online tools, and there are lots of free options. Or you can use plugins that auto-compress images when you upload them to your content management system.
Squoosh is a free tool that lets you tweak the optimization settings, choose a format to convert to, and resize the image:
To do this in bulk, you can also use a tool like TinyPNG:
Just keep an eye on quality—if you compress too much, your images might look blurry. But most of the time, you can shrink them a lot without anyone noticing.
Pro tip: Beyond images, it’s usually best to avoid having a video above the fold. This can lead to poor LCP scores.
Use WordPress Plugins
Impact: High | Effort: Low | Helps Reduce: Potentially all stages
For many WordPress users, plugins are the easiest way to speed up your site and fix LCP issues with minimal effort. They can handle image optimization, caching, code minification, and
more—all from a simple dashboard.
The caveat is that the best ones aren’t always free. So you’re often paying a convenience cost. But there are still some unpaid options out there.
Another downside is the risk of plugin “bloat,” which can slow your site if you install too many or choose poorly optimized ones.
Compatibility issues may also pop up, especially if you try to use multiple optimization plugins at one time.
But as long as you don’t have hundreds of plugins, and check for compatibility, I find the benefits typically outweigh the downsides here.
Note: If you use a different CMS, like Shopify, there are likely apps or add-ons that can help with your LCP score.
This is most impactful for:
WordPress users without technical know-how
Anyone who wants a quick fix for multiple performance issues
Those willing to spend a bit of money to solve a lot of issues at once (although there are free options)
How to Implement This
There are lots of WordPress plugins that are great for improving your LCP in particular, and your page speed in general.
One example is WP Rocket. It’s a paid WordPress optimization plugin that does a lot of the things on this list for you.
Including:
Image optimization
Code minification
Preloading/prefetching resources
CDN implementation
Caching
There are lots of customization options, making this a useful plugin a quick and fairly easy solution to improve your LCP.
Autoptimize is a free WordPress plugin that does a lot of the same things as WP Rocket.
It does lack a few features, like generating critical CSS and caching. But it’s a good starting point for beginners on a budget with a WordPress site.
Implement Caching
Impact: High | Effort: Low | Helps Reduce: Time to First Byte
Caching stores parts of your site on your user’s browser so it doesn’t have to request them from scratch every time they visit the site.
This can speed up your LCP because your server won’t need to work as hard to deliver the key page elements the next time the user visits.
Many hosting providers include caching by default.
You can also install plugins that handle caching for you.
This is most impactful for:
Sites with repeat visitors (e.g., blogs, online magazines)
Websites on platforms that generate pages dynamically (like WordPress)
Sites experiencing slow server response times
How to Implement This
If your host offers caching, enable it in your hosting dashboard. Otherwise, consider a caching plugin.
If you use a CDN, it already relies on caching to serve your content to users with faster load times.
Note: You only need to use one effective caching setup or plugin at a time. Using multiple can lead to no performance improvements at best, and various compatibility issues at worst.
Use a Faster Web Host
Impact: High | Effort: Low | Helps Reduce: Time to First Byte
Switching to a more powerful hosting plan or provider can make a big difference in how quickly your site’s main content loads.
That’s because your web host’s speed is going to have the largest impact on your Time to First Byte.
This is often the simplest route if you don’t want to tinker with technical details. However, premium hosting can be expensive.
If you have a small site or a tight budget, you might find it hard to justify the cost for LCP gains alone. But for large businesses or sites that generate a lot of revenue, investing in better hosting can pay off.
Note: This is also unlikely to put a dent in your LCP if your host is already pretty quick. I’d generally only recommend considering this option if your Time to First Byte is exceptionally long. Or if you’re noticing other performance issues or extended periods of website downtime.
This is most impactful for:
High-traffic sites that need consistent speed
Businesses with a budget to invest in premium hosting
Sites that have outgrown their current hosting plan
How to Implement This
When upgrading your web host, look for:
Reliable uptime
Scalability
Good support
Security features
Robust backup options
Migrating your site can be as simple as using a migration plugin if you’re on WordPress, or asking your new host for help.
It’s usually fairly straightforward if you’re staying with your current host and just upgrading your plan. But moving hosts can be a little more effort-intensive.
Impact: Medium | Effort: Low | Helps Reduce: Resource Load Time
Minifying code involves stripping out anything “unnecessary,” like extra spaces or new lines, from your site’s HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. This makes them smaller and faster to load.
If you’re not a developer, you can still do this using tools or plugins that automate the process (like WP Rocket mentioned above).
Just be sure to back up your site or test it in a staging environment. Sometimes, minification can cause layout or script issues.
This is most impactful for:
Sites with lots of CSS and JavaScript files
Pages that rely on multiple libraries or frameworks
How to Implement This
You can minify your code with free tools like Minifier:
If you use a CMS like WordPress, use plugins (e.g., WP Rocket, Autoptimize) that automatically shrink your CSS, JS, and HTML.
Here’s how it looks in the “File Optimization” screen of WP Rocket:
Most plugins let you choose which files to minify, so if you see any issues, uncheck or exclude the problematic file and test again.
Alternatively, reach out to a developer to help with this instead.
Optimize Your Fonts
Impact: Medium | Effort: Medium | Helps Reduce: Resource Load Time
Fancy fonts can look great, but they can also slow down your page.
Custom fonts often have to be downloaded from a separate server. If you optimize or host them locally, you reduce delays that stop your text (like big headlines) from being visible.
You do want to maintain your site’s style, so it’s a balance between looking good and loading fast. Some sites solve this by using system fonts that don’t need extra downloads.
This is most impactful for:
Sites using multiple custom fonts or large font families
Design-heavy pages with fancy typography
Anyone noticing a “flash of invisible text” when pages load
How to Implement This
Hosting fonts locally is often faster than pulling them from external servers. If you use Google Fonts, you can download them and serve them from your own domain.
But honestly, this just won’t be necessary for most site owners. While it might reduce your LCP, it’s unlikely to be a massive gain and may not be worth the effort.
Alternatively, let a plugin handle font optimization for you. Minimize the number of font weights you use—if you only need bold and regular, don’t load the entire family.
Lazy loading is a feature that only loads images when you scroll down to them. In other words, images only load when they’re in the user’s “viewport” (on their screen).
It’s great for boosting page load time, and is typically regarded as a best practice for fast websites.
But if you lazy load images that are right at the top of your page, your visitors will see a blank space before anything else pops in. That can really hurt your LCP.
The idea behind lazy loading is to not load images the user doesn’t need to see yet. But when it’s the first image you want a user to see as soon as they land on your page, clearly you don’t want to delay loading at all.
So, it’s usually best to load above-the-fold content right away, then lazy load what’s below.
This is most impactful for:
Sites that lazy load everything by default
Above-the-fold areas with key images or banners
Pages where the main header image is crucial for user engagement
How to Implement This
Many lazy-loading tools let you exclude certain images. Find the settings or plugin option that specifies “above the fold” or “first contentful paint” images, and disable lazy loading for those.
In WP Rocket, you do that in the “Media” area:
If you’re not using a CMS like WordPress, just make sure the LCP image’s HTML looks like this, with either loading=“eager” or no loading attribute (“eager” is the default):
Rather than like this, with the loading=“lazy” attribute:
Remove Elements You Don’t Need
Impact: Medium | Effort: Medium | Helps Reduce: Element Render Delay
Every script, image, or widget on your site adds to the time it takes for your page to fully load. So you need to think carefully about what appears above the fold.
If there’s a huge banner, multiple images, or extra code that doesn’t add real value, consider removing it or placing it below the fold.
Just make sure you don’t strip away elements that are crucial for your users or your brand message.
This is most impactful for:
Content-heavy sites filled with widgets or ads
Homepages stuffed with multiple banners, slideshows, or animations
Anyone looking to simplify their design without sacrificing core features
How to Implement This
Audit your site’s above-the-fold area and ask, “Does this element help my user right away?”
If not, move it below the fold (or remove it entirely).
Think about collapsing large sign-up forms or extra images.
Removing unnecessary scripts, like old tracking codes, can also help. To pinpoint snippets you might want to remove, look out for the “Reduce unused JavaScript” opportunity in PageSpeed Insights:
Use Defer/Async for JS
Impact: Medium | Effort: Medium | Helps Reduce: Element Render Delay
JavaScript files can block the rendering of your page if they load first. By deferring or asynchronously loading scripts, you let your main content appear before any heavy scripts run.
This helps your LCP because the biggest chunk of your page shows up without waiting for all your JS to finish loading.
The main reason you’ll likely want to look into async and defer is if the tool you’re measuring your LCP with says you have render blocking resources.
Like this:
Basically, without any attributes, the browser will attempt to download and then execute your JavaScript as it encounters it. This can lead to slower load times, and longer LCP times if it blocks the LCP element from loading.
With async, it won’t pause parsing (breaking down and analyzing) of the HTML during the download stage. But it still pauses as the script executes after downloading.
With defer, the browser doesn’t pause HTML parsing for the download or execution of your JavaScript. This can lead to lower LCP scores, but it means your JavaScript won’t execute until the browser has finished parsing the HTML.
You might need a developer’s help if you’re not sure which scripts to defer or load asynchronously, or how to do it.
Some optimization plugins for platforms like WordPress can also handle this for you.
This is most impactful for:
Sites that rely on several JavaScript libraries
Pages slowed down by loading scripts too early
Website owners looking for a middle-ground solution without full SSR (more on that below)
How to Implement This
If you’re on WordPress, look for an optimization plugin that includes deferring or async-loading scripts.
In custom setups, you’d add attributes like “defer” or “async” to your script tags in the HTML.
Just make sure you don’t delay any critical scripts (like core functionality) too much.
Inline Critical CSS
Impact: Medium | Effort: High | Helps Reduce: Element Render Delay
Inlining CSS means putting small blocks of CSS code right into your HTML, so your page doesn’t need to fetch a separate file for that part.
It can speed up how quickly your main elements appear. But you can’t inline everything, or you’d end up with a massive HTML file that defeats the purpose.
This method can be helpful for critical (above-the-fold) styles, but it shouldn’t replace your entire stylesheet.
“In general, inlining your style sheet is only recommended if your style sheet is small since inlined content in the HTML cannot benefit from caching in subsequent page loads. If a style sheet is so large that it takes longer to load than the LCP resource, then it’s unlikely to be a good candidate for inlining.”
This is most impactful for:
Sites with a small amount of critical CSS for the header area
Minimalist designs that don’t rely on big external stylesheets
Anyone looking to shave off small load delays
How to Implement This
Identify the essential CSS you need to style your page’s top section, and place it directly in the HTML <head>. This can reduce the time it takes to render the crucial above-the-fold part.
Keep the rest of your CSS in external files to avoid bloating your HTML. Some performance plugins can automate this “critical CSS” approach for you.
Autoptimize offers a cheap solution, while it’s baked into plugins like NitroPack and WP Rocket.
While there are also dedicated critical CSS plugins, I’d generally recommend going for a more feature-rich option for a bit of extra money (if you have the budget). You’ll typically get more value than spending $10 a month on one feature that may have limited impact on your LCP.
Switch to SSR
Impact: Medium | Effort: High | Helps Reduce: Element Render Delay
CSR (Client-Side Rendering) means your user’s browser does a lot of the work to build the page.
SSR (Server-Side Rendering) means most of the work happens before the page hits the user’s browser.
SSR can help LCP for sites heavy in JavaScript, because the biggest content is already “pre-built” for the user. But switching from CSR to SSR can be a big project if you’re not familiar with it.
For some sites, it’s overkill. For others, it’s the key to big performance gains.
This is one method where you really need to weigh up the benefits and how they might apply to your specific situation:
Run a fairly standard blog, service website, or ecommerce store? Switching to SSR might bring noticeable performance gains.
Got a highly interactive web app? You might want to stick with CSR for a better user experience.
Generally, if you implement other methods like caching and using a CDN, you’ll see performance benefits with SSR that outweigh the potential server load increase.
This is most impactful for:
JavaScript-heavy web apps (e.g., React, Vue)
Sites noticing a significant delay before content appears
Advanced users or teams that can handle more complex architecture
How to Implement This
Switching from Client-Side Rendering to Server-Side Rendering (or a hybrid approach) typically involves using frameworks (like Next.js for React) that pre-render your content on the server.
This can speed up LCP since the browser receives a ready-made page. However, it’s a bigger project requiring code changes and a good understanding of your tech stack.
If you’re not comfortable with that, you might need to hire a developer or agency.
Preload Important Resources
Impact: Medium | Effort: Medium | Helps Reduce: Resource Load Delay
Preloading tells the browser which files it should grab or prepare in advance.
It can shave off a bit of loading time and help your main content appear slightly faster. For many small sites, these optimizations won’t create dramatic changes.
But on bigger sites or those with lots of images and unique fonts, it can make a difference.
This is most impactful for:
Sites that rely on off-site resources (e.g., fonts or images)
Those comfortable editing HTML headers or using plugins that can do this at scale
How to Implement This
You can preload fonts and images by adding special link tags in your site’s <head>. They tell the browser to grab or prepare certain resources before they’re actually needed.
You simply add rel=“preload” to the <link> tag. Like this:
How much effort this requires depends on your specific setup and how many pages you want to deploy it on. But it’s a fairly simple process that can help reduce your LCP score.
Note: As with a lot of the other methods on this list, WordPress plugins can help here too.
Boost Your Rankings by Improving Your Page Experience
Improving your LCP is one way to boost your overall page experience for users.
In turn, this can actually end up having an impact on your rankings beyond Google’s page experience signals.
Check out our guide to user behavior and SEO to learn how the way your users behave on your website could potentially impact how Google ranks your site.
(It makes optimizing for factors like LCP and the other Core Web Vitals A LOT more important.)
Most Popular AI Apps by Downloads in the US in First 18 Days Since Launch in the App Store
ChatGPT’s US launch ranked #1 with 1.4 million downloads in the App Store in the first 18 days since app release, followed by Google Gemini (951 thousand) and Microsoft Copilot (518 thousand).
Here’s the complete list of the most downloaded AI apps in the US in the first 18 days of release for each app:
And the internal links guide readers and search engines through a logical path:
These are SEO best practices that help rank blogs for relevant keywords.
And the results speak for themselves.
The bicep blog post ranks for over 18K keywords and gets roughly 78K organic traffic every month.
That’s the power of pairing high-quality content with smart SEO.
2. Stanley: Adventure & Lifestyle Blog
Stanley’s blog goes beyond just talking about its products. Instead, it paints a picture of an adventurous lifestyle.
This helps the business tap into its audience’s adventurous spirit.
The strategy is clear:
By focusing on broader experiences, Stanley anchors its brand in universal experiences.
And embeds its products into these stories.
The result:
Stanley becomes a must-have for life’s memorable moments. Like brewing coffee outdoors, for example.
This works because it transforms Stanley from a simple purchase into a lifestyle choice.
Readers start seeing Stanley products as part of the experiences they want to have. And this creates an emotional connection that goes beyond the product’s practical use.
It’s no longer about selling drinkware.
It’s about selling a lifestyle, with Stanley a key part of achieving it.
How’s that for selling without selling?
How Stanley’s Blog Strategy Drives Marketing Success
The brilliance of Stanley’s blog is that it works as a key part of how the brand connects with people online.
It speaks to people at every stage:
Whether they’re just learning about the brand, comparing options, or ready to buy.
For example:
For existing fans, you’ll see posts like “Give the Gift of Stanley Personalization.”
These readers already know and love Stanley products. They’re just looking for what’s new.
For visitors who aren’t shopping yet, Stanley shares stories like “Women in Conservation: Jennifer Schall.”
These posts build connections through shared values before any product pitch.
Finally, for current customers, it offers practical content like “How to Properly Clean Your Stanley Gear.”
These helpful guides keep customers coming back.
Because the blog has different types of content for different customers, it’s not just a content hub.
It’s a relationship-building tool.
And in ecommerce, this is a great foundation for channeling buyers to product pages, and driving repeat sales.
It has the same down-to-earth, community-first vibe that fans of the brand love.
How does this manifest?
First of all, the blog prominently features on the homepage
(Unlike many ecommerce stores that hide their blogs in the footer. As if they don’t really want you to find it.)
Here’s what this tells us:
The blog isn’t just an afterthought.
It’s part of the website experience and shows that Darn Tough is more than a store—it’s a community.
This sense of community comes through in how its blog invites readers to explore.
For starters, it’s easy to navigate.
There are two well-organized drop-down menus for blog categories.
One organizes content by topics like “Sock 101” and “Merino Wool.”
The other lets you filter by activity, like “Hiking” or “Snow Sports.”
It’s a sign that it’s considered the diverse interests of its readers.
Even the design reinforces this welcoming feel.
The clean, 3-column blog design is easy on the eyes.
And the search bar shows attention to detail.
Why?
It doesn’t just shove products in your face. You can filter specifically for blog posts, too.
It’s a small touch, but it makes browsing smoother. And honestly, more enjoyable.
And all this work is paying off.
The blog gets traffic from general search queries like “best socks for sweaty feet” and “ski socks.”
These non-branded keywords are incredibly valuable.
People searching for them aren’t focused on a specific product. And they likely haven’t formed strong brand preferences yet.
Reaching them at this stage gives Darn Tough the chance to guide their buying decisions.
Side note: Thoughtful design also keeps people on the site longer and encourages them to engage. These are signals of high-quality content. Exactly what you need to align with Google’s ranking factors.
How Darn Tough Engages Readers With Stories That Sell
Darn Tough knows how to hook readers still in the research phase.
It uses a storytelling framework that subtly primes people to buy. Without being pushy.
Take the article “Best Socks for Sweaty Feet.”
It follows a blog post template that informs and engages readers.
For example, it uses a first-person voice, which immediately lowers the reader’s defenses (because it doesn’t sound like a sales pitch.)
Then, there are the visuals:
Real-life images that feel authentic, not staged stock photos.
These make the content relatable and help boost credibility.
Finally, the product links fit naturally into the text.
All these subtle, non-intrusive elements leave a lasting impression.
Even if readers don’t buy right away, they’re likely to think of Darn Tough when it’s time to buy premium socks.
That’s how storytelling turns “just researching” to “I only buy Darn Tough.”
4. Taut: Health Blog
Taut’s blog is an extension of its premium anti-aging supplements.
It educates with content focused on its audience’s needs. And positions Taut as an authority in this competitive niche.
The blog design echoes the brand’s high-end positioning:
It features bright, engaging visuals—many showcasing women, its target audience.
And it pairs this with a light color palette and clean, modern typography.
The blog homepage sets the tone instantly.
Above the fold, a full-width section grabs attention with a bold image and a strong blog post title and description.
Scroll down, and you’ll find the latest posts. With topics that align with its products, such as:
The role of collagen in skincare
Solutions for brittle nails
Collagen pills vs. powders
These posts go beyond surface-level content.
For example, the article on ingredients you can’t mix in skincare provides detailed advice.
It breaks down exactly which ingredients to avoid mixing. Plus, the information is easy to skim, making it easy to see at a glance.
This helps readers make smarter choices. And shows them the brand knows its stuff.
And you know what?
When people see you as knowledgeable, they start to trust you. That trust positions your brand as an expert in your niche.
How Taut Builds Topical Authority
Taut shows it gets the SEO game by focusing on topical authority: a key strategy for dominating your niche in the SERPs.
Look through its content, and you’ll notice multiple posts on the same topic.
This creates a web of content that Google loves.
Take collagen, for example.
It has various articles on this topic, such as:
Collagen Pills vs Powders: Which Is Better, Peptides or Capsules?
Best Collagen Drink & Water: Which Brand Is Best for the Skin?
Collagen for Face: How to Increase Face Collagen When Losing It
Covering different angles of the same topic signals to search engines that the blog is an authoritative resource on the subject.
And it helps readers, too.
They can explore a topic in depth without leaving the site. This lowers bounce rates and increases engagement.
The cherry on top?
Many of its blog posts rank in various SERP features.
For instance:
It’s on the first page of Google for terms like “collagen facial.”
It also appears in the “People Also Ask” section for queries like “super collagen.”
It’s hard to quantify exactly how much traffic this strategy drives without internal data.
But one thing is clear.
Creating topic clusters works.
Side note:Topic clusters help Google see how well your content covers a subject. Want to rank higher? Prove you’re the expert with topic clusters. We’ve got a free topical authority analysis tool to help you identify and optimize your keyword clusters.
5. Press London: Food Blog
Press London’s “The Squeeze Magazine” doesn’t feel like a traditional blog.
It looks and reads more like a wellness publication. Just the perfect fit for its health-conscious audience.
Notice the magazine-style layout that draws you in:
And the sharp curated photos that bring the content to life:
Plus, the zero clutter that creates a polished vibe:
Together, they complement the brand’s simplicity and wellness.
But it’s not just about looks.
The content also focuses on practical wellness advice its readers need.
And then smoothly connecting them to helpful products when relevant.
Take the article about hydration in winter.
Notice how it mentions its products naturally within the content.
This feels more like getting tips from a friend than a sales pitch.
And when people feel that way, trust builds and skepticism fades—a step that needs to happen before anyone decides to buy.
How the Squeeze Magazine Turns Blog Content Into Sales
Press London makes its blog work harder by using strategic internal links to drive sales.
It uses links to:
Take you to products that fit what you’re reading about
Beardbrand’s Urban Beardsman blog features more than 1,000 articles.
And because of this large library of content, its minimalist design makes sense.
Instead of a flashy layout, it goes for straightforward, prioritizing ease of navigation.
On the blog homepage, big, eye-catching images direct readers to categories like “Beard” and “Mustache.”
When you click one of these links, you’ll find a simple category page structure.
There’s a short description at the top of the page.
Plus, a straightforward list of article links below.
No fancy layouts. No complex navigation.
As a result:
Readers easily find what they’re looking for
Search engines know which pages to prioritize for crawling and indexing
And it’s working for the blog.
It attracts over 67K monthly visits for various relevant keywords such as:
Mustache styles
Beard trimming
Sea salt spray for hair
How Beardbrand’s Shopify Blog Connects With Its Audience
Beardbrand’s blog speaks directly to the “urban beardsman” persona.
Each blog post makes them feel seen and understood, whether the post is a grooming guide or a personality profile.
Read the blog posts, and you’ll notice that product pitches are rare.
When product links do appear, it’s subtle and natural. And often, it’s left out completely.
The only thing that’s always constant (and takes you back to its ecommerce store) is the navigation menu bar.
This approach builds trust in two ways:
It shows it cares about helping its community
It positions Beardbrand as an authority in the beard care space
The content strategy is clear:
Build a community first. Sell products second.
And that’s the thing about a blog.
It can be a great sales driver. But it’s also a great asset for building trust and earning loyalty over time.
Expert Tip: Every blog post takes time, money, and effort. So make each one count. One of the easiest ways to get more out of your content is to use SEO best practices, like internal linking.
Take Beardbrand, for example. It could improve its rankings and site crawlability by adding links to relevant product pages.
The trick? Make the links feel natural and true to the brand. It’s a small tweak that can make a big difference.
9. Lovevery: Parenting Blog
Lovevery keeps things simple with a clean, focused structure.
It groups its entire blog content under four main categories:
By Age
Skills & Stages
Playtime & Activities
Podcast
This streamlined approach works well.
While it covers countless parenting topics, these four clear sections help readers instantly know where to go.
It shows how thoughtful organization makes navigation easier.
But how does it fit dozens of articles into just four categories?
Through smart subcategories.
Each main category branches into specific topics.
Take “Skills & Stages,” for example. It branches into specific areas like “Motor Skills,” “Tummy Time,” and “Social Skills.”
The “Playtime & Activities” category goes even further, organizing topics by both age ranges and themes.
This clear structure helps parents find content based on:
Their child’s age
Specific skills they want to develop
Activities they want to try
And there’s a bonus:
Search engines love this clear organization, too.
Why?
This clear hierarchy of categories and subcategories helps search engines understand how different pages relate to each other.
No wonder Lovevery attracts tens of thousands of monthly organic visits.
How Lovevery Uses Sitemaps to Boost SEO Rankings
Lovevery takes its website organization one step further using its sitemaps.
The main sitemap acts as an index, linking to individual sitemaps organized by content type, such as by:
Age Range
Skills & Stages
Posts
Each sitemap serves a specific purpose.
For example, the “Age Range” sitemap links to hub pages for specific age ranges, like “43-45 months” or “4 years old.”
These hub pages list articles and resources for each developmental stage.
(Below is an example of what this hub page looks like on the site.)
Meanwhile, the “Skills & Stages” and “Posts” sitemaps link to the category page and individual blog posts within that category.
This sitemap organization is a textbook SEO strategy.
It helps search engines understand the hierarchy and relationships between pages. That way, they know which content to index and rank.
Best Practices to Steal From These Shopify Blog Examples
The Shopify blog examples above show how your site can boost traffic with a well-executed blog.
But none of this happens by accident. Their success comes from doing the right things well.
Want to do the same for your blog?
Here are eight essentials to get you started.
1. Write Posts That Actually Help Your Customers
Create blog content your customers care about.
Not sure where to start?
Use tools like Semrush’s Topic Research tool or Answer the Public to uncover topics your audience is looking for.
For example, in Semrush, you enter your product.
And it’ll instantly generate a list of topic ideas.
If you need help framing those topics for your blog posts, check out our proven blog post templates.
These are the same templates we use that helped us grow our blog to over 770K monthly unique visitors.
Note: Want to explore Semrush’s topic research tool? Try Semrush Pro free for 14 days with this exclusive trial link.
2. Create Content for Window Shoppers and Regular Customers
Ecommerce product pages work well for people ready to buy. But what about window shoppers who aren’t ready yet?
That’s where your blog helps.
It can attract different types of potential customers:
People who are just learning what you sell and exploring their options
Those comparing your products with alternatives
Shoppers who are almost ready to buy but need that final bit of reassurance
For example, Beardbrand attracts top-of-funnel readers with the article “How to Deal with Unruly Coarse Hair.”
These people know they have a problem but aren’t aware of a product that can help them.
So, they’re searching for solutions, which gives you a chance to catch them early on.
In contrast:
Stanley uses the blog post “Level Up Your Hydration With The New IceFlow™ Flip Straw Collection” for readers who already know its brand.
These are often people who’ve interacted with the brand before. Like those who’ve bought a Stanley product or are specifically looking for one.
So, the focus shifts from introducing the brand to keeping them engaged with updates and new offerings.
By creating different types of content, you engage a wider audience.
That’s how you make your blog work hard and turn it into a tool for growing your business.
Top tip: Wondering how to start and scale your blog? We’ve got you covered. Get practical tips straight from our Lead Editor, Michael Ofei, on how to scale content. And finally, learn strategies that many content marketing agencies keep to themselves.
3. Help People Find Your Blog on Google
Ranking for organic keywords and getting search engine traffic is one of the biggest perks of a well-optimized blog.
Take Lovery, for example. It gets over 64K monthly visitors from organic searches.
Yes, it takes time and effort.
And no, it’s not completely free (think writers, SEOs, hosting).
But when you do it right, it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to drive long-term, sustainable traffic.
So, how do you make sure your blog is set up correctly?
Start with basic SEO practices like:
Setting up proper analytics to track performance
Conducting keyword research effectively
Optimizing your content for SEO and visitors
Then, use our SEO checklist to stay on track so you don’t miss a thing.
It covers everything from SEO basics to link building.
4. Stick to a Regular Posting Schedule
When it comes to blogging, consistency is the name of the game.
It signals to Google your blog is active, which helps with rankings.
Even better?
The more you post, the more chances you get to:
Rank for different keywords
Link internally to other blog posts or product pages
But don’t stop there.
Give your older blog posts a refresh, too. You can:
Update outdated information
Add new valuable insights
Tweak blog titles and headings
We’ve seen this strategy work wonders.
In fact, using this content refresh strategy, Brian Dean increased organic traffic to a blog post by 22%.
That’s the power of a content refresh.
5. Get Your Posts in Front of More People
You’ve already done the hard work to create one piece of content.
Now, make it pull double (or triple) duty.
Repurpose it into different formats for multiple traffic channels.
It’s the quickest way to get your message in front of more people without starting from scratch.
For example, Huel turned its blog post “Simple Ways to Meet Your Daily Fiber Intake Goals” into a carousel post on Instagram.
And Darn Tough Shared a Facebook post linking to its latest blog article.
Want more ways repurpose your content?
Here you go.
Create infographics to highlight key points
Transform blog images into graphics for social media
Turn posts into short videos for YouTube, Instagram Reels, or TikTok
Potential customers need 7 interactions with a brand before they decide to make a purchase.
This means the longer readers stay on your site, the more likely they will convert.
So, make the most of their time by encouraging them to explore more.
Guide them with clear calls to action (CTAs) that prompt interaction. And use sales-focused CTAs where the natural next step aligns with a purchase.
For example, Everlane’s blog post “Going Western” links directly to product pages featured in the article and images.
And Beardbrand takes a more direct approach with a prominent CTA button linking to its “Eau de Parfum” product page in its blog post, “The Complete Guide to Men’s Cologne.”
But not every CTA has to push a sale.
CTAs can also build trust and engagement by encouraging actions like:
Reading another article
Signing up for your email list
Downloading a helpful resource
Joining your community
Subscribing to your newsletter
Following or engaging on social media
For example, Gymshark’s post “What Is #Gymshark66?” doesn’t link to a product page.
Instead, it features a bold banner inviting readers to apply for its athlete search.
7. Use Images That Catch Attention
Visuals are essential for engaging blog content. They help:
Break up long sections of text
Illustrate complex concepts
Make content more shareable on social media
Improve the user experience
So, use them to your advantage.
Create high-quality visuals to grab attention and improve readability and engagement.
And as a bonus:
Those same images can boost your search engine rankings, too.
Not sure how to get started? Check out our image SEO guide for everything you need.
8. Design Your Blog for Mobile Users
With most internet searches happening on mobile, it’s a cardinal sin to ignore mobile optimization.
Google recommends asking the questions below to check if your site is mobile-friendly:
Does your site load quickly?
Is it easy to navigate?
Is it easy to take action?
Here’s the thing about mobile optimization:
When you get it right, the benefits are huge.
Readers will appreciate the smooth experience (and stick around longer).
Plus, search engines reward mobile-friendly sites with higher rankings.
It’s a win-win for your audience and your SEO.
Further reading: Learn everything you need to know about mobile SEO with our comprehensive guide.
Turn Insights from These Shopify Blog Examples into Your Store’s Success
You’ve seen what works through these Shopify blog examples.
Now, it’s time to take action and create a blog for your Shopify store.
Sure, it takes effort. But the rewards—more traffic, stronger customer connections, and increased sales—are worth it.
And with the right tools and guidance, you can get it right from day one.
Here are the resources you need to get started:
How to Design a Blog – Learn the exact steps to create a stunning, user-friendly blog.