What is PrestaShop?

As you may have already figured out, PrestaShop is one of the most popular platforms for online stores. It operates all over the world, currently serving over 300 thousand. shops. It is a universal Open Source tool that allows you to create a commercial website offering any assortment. Undoubtedly, it owes its popularity to the fact that it is free. You do not have to pay any fees to use PrestaShop software, and the store created with it can be freely modified.

An open-source solution gives developers the freedom to adapt their store to the seller’s needs. Thus, PrestaShop is a kind of framework that can be used in the chosen way. However, you do not need to be a specialist to create a trading platform with the tool yourself. It is complete and intuitive, with an accessible administration panel.

PrestaShop is simple and intuitive to use

It is worth starting the platform analysis with the advantages. One of them is simplicity and intuitiveness. To set up a store, all you need to do is have a domain and hosting, then install PrestaShop. It is very simple, as is the operation of the tool from the administrator’s position. It was created for those who do not have extensive IT knowledge and want to trade on the Internet. Launching a store, and then running or expanding it, should not cause anyone major problems. The options regarding e.g. creating promotional offers are also very useful – just a few clicks are enough to offer your customers a discount or e.g. free shipping.

A very accessible interface and functions described in simple language make it easy to perform all the necessary operations. The platform also provides tutorials and other materials to help you learn about its operation and operation. In case of problems, you can also count on the support of PrestaShop experts who are ready to answer any question and solve technical problems.

PrestaShop is high functionality

Despite the ease of use, PrestaShop is an extensive tool that offers a wide range of applications. It is suitable for both small and very large-scale trading. This thesis can be confirmed by well-known brands that use PrestaShop. The sheer volume of options may be overwhelming at first, but it also makes it a comprehensive online trading platform. The abundance of functionalities definitely distinguishes PrestaShop from other popular tools of this type.

It is possible to expand the store’s capabilities with additional modules, and if none of them meet your expectations, you can prepare your own (with the help of a specialist, of course, if you are not a developer yourself). Store owners can also use templates that influence the layout and appearance of the site. Both free and paid modules and templates are available. They create great opportunities for building an original, functional store that perfectly displays its products.

PrestaShop is universal

As already mentioned, PrestaShop allows you to create a trading platform with any subject and range. This is not the only thing that proves the universality of the platform. Its great advantage is multilingualism. The script has been translated into several dozen languages, which reduces the automatic creation of different language versions of the same store to just a few clicks. The same applies to currencies – when choosing a language, product prices can be automatically converted to the currency of the country. This in turn means that it is easy to reach international customers. This can be a great advantage – especially since more and more Internet users are eager to shop outside their country of residence. Therefore, creating several language versions of the store can significantly increase sales – especially if you offer unique products.

The universality of stores built on the basis of PrestaShop also lies in the full responsiveness, i.e. adaptation to operation on various devices – not only computers, but also tablets or smartphones. The number of mobile users of trading platforms is constantly growing, which is why this is a very important aspect that should not be overlooked. By choosing PrestaShop, you can easily optimize your store to the needs of each device and ensure a convenient shopping experience for every visitor.

PrestaShop is SEO and marketing friendly

Speaking of optimization, the topic of SEO, i.e. positioning, must not be ignored. How to make your store show up to users entering specific terms in the search engine? An appropriate site design is needed. PrestaShop provides many tools that facilitate SEO-oriented optimization, helping stores to increase their visibility in search engines. The platform is synchronized with Google Analytics, thanks to which you have easy access to all data about entering the website and the related behavior of Internet users. This, in turn, provides a lot of important information for more effective marketing and SEO activities.

Among the additional PrestaShop modules, there are also many tools to facilitate marketing activities: starting from mailing, and ending with easily setting promotions or organizing sales. Their skillful use can lead to a significant increase in conversion (the number of purchases made in relation to visits to the store), therefore their presence should definitely be considered an advantage.

PrestaShop is not without its flaws

Of course, the perfect system for online stores does not exist, and PrestaShop also has its drawbacks. It is worth noting, however, that many of them are ambiguous, as not everyone expects the same from their online store.

The mere presence of various modules that allow you to expand the functionality of the store is of course an advantage. However, they are also responsible for some, it might seem, basic functions that are missing in the basic version of the store. These include, for example, a blog feature that allows you to build trust in your brand and increase store traffic, or the cash on delivery feature that customers often expect. Some users also complain about the prices of modules – most of them are paid and slightly destroy the promise of a free online store that PrestaShop makes. The costs of implementing the system may turn out to be even greater if you decide to help professionals in the construction, operation or development of the store.

Another disadvantage is frequent system updates as they are not installed automatically. The script is constantly improved, which provides its users primarily with security, but the need for constant updates can irritate and hinder the development of the store. It may also be difficult to use certain functions. Overall, the admin panel is intuitive, but unfortunately fails in some places. Fans of various templates for stores should also be vigilant – editing them requires knowledge of the Smarty language.

Summary – advantages and disadvantages of PrestaShop

Let’s juxtapose all the observed advantages and disadvantages of PrestaShop to make it easier to evaluate the platform. Its positive features certainly include:

– free installation and use of the script,
– wide possibilities of personalization and expansion of functions,
– availability of many useful modules and attractive templates,
– Open Source code that can be freely modified,
– intuitive operation of the admin panel,
– availability of built-in tools for creating different language versions of the store,
– SEO support and extensive marketing tools,
– support for mobile devices – the ability to create a fully responsive store,
– good performance,
– security,
– constant development and improvement of the platform,
– availability and usability for each store regardless of the scale of operation,
– the possibility of using the support of experts or the extensive PrestaShop community.

The following can be considered as defects of the script:

– lack of some important functions in the basic version and the need to buy additional modules,
– low availability of free modules and relatively high prices of the paid ones,
– the need to manually install frequent updates,
– ease of slowing down the store’s operation due to the multitude of extensive functions and too complicated structure,
– difficult template editing.

It’s easy to see that the script has more advantages than disadvantages – especially since the latter are much finer and generally less significant. PrestaShop is certainly an interesting and noteworthy tool that can be perfect for building an online store. Its great advantage is accessibility – thanks to it, everyone can set up their own trading platform, even without specialist IT knowledge.

Is PrestaShop for you?

Let us emphasize once again that PrestaShop is a universal script that has a chance to work in many applications. However, it certainly will not satisfy everyone. This solution is primarily for:

– small and medium-sized stores – a very extensive offer may require the implementation of a dedicated platform;
– beginners and intermediate users – relatively easy operation and wide possibilities make it possible for almost anyone to create a professional shop;
– people looking for flexibility – additional functional modules and the possibility of constant expansion of the store allow for complete freedom.

Due to the ability to use the basic version of PrestaShop for free, it is a great starting platform for all those who are just starting out and don’t want to invest too much in the website itself. It will also be appreciated by those who have previously used SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions and were dissatisfied due to the constraints associated with them.

It is worth noting that PrestaShop is most suitable for professional use. However, it is a platform designed to sell products that have specific prices and are differentiated according to such features as color, size, etc. – i.e. clothing, handicrafts, everyday items, electronic equipment. It works well for a range of up to several hundred thousand products. In the case of personalization of goods or complex pricing based on various parameters, additional modules can be used. In some cases, however, it is worth investing in a dedicated platform that will be perfectly suited to your needs.

What is a website audit?

The dictionary defines audit as “control of the company in terms of financial and organizational, valuation of its assets and analysis of its development prospects, carried out by experts”. In practice, it is a very broad concept referring not only to entire enterprises, institutions or other organizations, but also to their specific organizational units, processes or projects. Audits are also carried out in the digital space against systems, applications or websites. They mainly boil down to control, problem identification and perspective analysis.

Website audit can cover various areas. It consists in checking its operation and identifying the reasons why it does not allow to achieve the expected results. The analysis may concern both the technical and legal, marketing or general business dimensions. In any case, it should be a very thorough process, necessarily carried out by an objective subject. Therefore, website audit is basically always outsourced to an external unit – one that had nothing to do with the creation or maintenance of a given website. It is necessary to reveal any flaws or problems – and for this you need objectivity.

Why are website audits performed?

Audits of websites are carried out especially when their owners are looking for solutions to certain problems or the reasons for the lack of the expected results. Depending on the reasons for the willingness to carry out the analysis, it applies to a specific area of the website. It can also be carried out to control the results of the actions taken. A specific type of audit is worth carrying out, for example, when:
– positioning activities do not bring the expected results,
– despite the increased traffic on the website, sales are still standing still,
– users spend a lot of time on the site, but do not go to the next subpages, etc.

The audit is then the basis for taking corrective actions, allowing to identify the causes of the problems. It can also help in making decisions about starting cooperation with an SEO agency / marketing agency or changing the provider of this type of service.

Types of website audits

A website can be subjected to various types of audits tailored to specific needs and problems. There are three main types of website audits:
– IT audits,
– marketing (business) audits,
– legal audits.

IT audits
The first group concerns purely IT issues. The following can be distinguished in it:
– security audit,
– performance audit,
– software legality audit.

They consist in checking the technical parameters of the website and looking for errors that may lower the obtained results or pose specific threats.

Marketing audits
Marketing audits, also known as business audits, mainly refer to how the functioning of the website affects the company’s turnover. This group includes:
– SEO audit,
– UX audit,
– audit of analytical systems (e.g. Google Analytics),
– audit of advertising campaigns.

They consist in the analysis of the website in terms of optimization in terms of search engine requirements or user behavior. Conducted by experts, they are able to identify many significant errors and ways to correct them. The audit also helps to find out why certain efforts do not bring the expected business results.

Legal audits
Please note that the website must operate legally. In particular, companies and institutions must comply with the provisions regarding, for example, the protection of personal data or consumer rights. In this group, the following are most often carried out:
– GDPR audit (related to the protection of personal data),
– audit of the online store regulations.

It consists mainly in the analysis of the applied procedures and provisions and their compliance with legal requirements.

What is an SEO audit?

SEO audit is one of the most important tools that can be used to improve the results of a website. Positioning is currently one of the most effective ways to promote your website. It is based on an in-depth analysis of all parameters influencing SEO. Its scope is not strictly defined, but it should definitely provide:
– an overview of all website elements important from the SEO point of view,
– evaluation of their optimization and adaptation to the requirements of search engines,
– indication of strengths and weaknesses of the current state of website optimization,
– indication of opportunities to improve optimization in specific areas,
– detection of problems in adapting the website to the guidelines.

The result of an SEO audit should be an exhaustive report that can be a determinant of further optimization of the website. The auditor is required to know the latest SEO guidelines and usability trends, as well as to be scrupulous and objective.

Why is an SEO audit so important?

Currently, SEO is often called the most important and effective form of advertising for companies. This is for a number of reasons. First of all, the wide access to Internet services means that more and more people use Google to search for information about products or services. This means that not being present in the search results is the same as losing the opportunity to attract many new customers. In addition, Google’s search engine algorithms are becoming more and more refined. As a result, the first places of search results usually contain pages that present the most interesting, comprehensive and reliable information on a given topic. This leads to increased confidence in the algorithm choices. As a result, as many as 92% of Google users do not even look at the other side of the search results. In order to be within their reach, one must foretell intense activities in the field of positioning.

Auditing websites in terms of SEO is so important for another reason as well. Positioning is really based on assumptions – the algorithms are constantly being improved, but the precise guidelines they follow when determining the page position are unknown. However, there are even more than 200 factors that determine the position of a site. Therefore, it is impossible to set gold standards or a rigid framework of conduct in this area. However, an SEO audit conducted for a specific website helps to see what works and what doesn’t. As a result, more and more effective procedures can be implemented.

What does an SEO audit cover?

Audit of websites in terms of SEO should certainly be meticulous. It requires looking at many aspects of the website’s operation and its various parameters. However, the most important issues are:
– indexing – checking the correctness of page indexing;
– keywords – analysis of phrases on which the page is visible;
– content – their influence on strengthening the appropriate phrases;
– linking – the correctness of its implementation and the effects in terms of strengthening the relevant subpages;
– cannibalization of phrases – checking if there are any tabs within the page that position themselves on the same keywords; – duplicate content
– duplicate content;
– long tail positioning – resources enabling positioning for phrases, the so-called long tail;
– URL addresses – their correctness and “friendly” structure;
– meta tags – their correct display, structure and content of keywords;
– responsiveness – correct display of the website on mobile devices;
– security – effectiveness of the applied security measures;
– performance – loading speed of subpages and their content.

Who is the SEO audit for?

SEO audit is a very important tool for basically any website. Regardless of whether you are working on positioning or just about to take action in this direction, conducting an audit will be an excellent starting point. A professionally conducted SEO audit is a source of a lot of valuable information and can help you improve your SEO strategy almost immediately. It will be especially advisable to carry it out:
– in the process of creating a website,
– when key changes are made to the website,
– before changing the positioning strategy or SEO service provider,
– in order to eliminate penalties or threats in this respect.

Even if you do not have the means to hire a professional auditor, it is always worth taking advantage of a fast, automatic and free online audit. This will give you general ideas about the areas that need improvement. The resulting reports are not very detailed, but they can be useful for sure!

What is a UX audit?

UX stands for “User Experience” which means user experience. This term is used to describe all the feelings experienced by a person using a given website. These can be both positive and negative. A useful website (i.e. one with a good UX) is easy to use, fast and intuitive. It allows you to easily find the information you are looking for, and does not annoy you with pop-up windows or an excessive amount of ads. It guides the user smoothly through all steps of the purchasing process and enables easy and pleasant conversion. However, there is also a flip side to the coin. Probably every Internet user has found himself at least once on a page from which he wanted to escape as quickly as possible. Slow operation, uncomfortable interface, lack of important information are just some of the problems that can appear on websites – importantly, even on very carefully constructed ones. Website developers often find it difficult to look at their work from a distance, so they may not notice some significant errors. Then the UX audit turns out to be extremely useful.

Like other website audits, the one regarding UX should be carried out by an impartial entity. It consists in testing whether the website meets its goals. It can be carried out by various methods.

What does the UX audit look like?

The website usability analysis can be carried out using various methods and tools. A comprehensive UX audit of a website should include many different ways of analyzing its operation. What are these ways?

Expert analysis – heuristic and cognitive
Two methods of expert analysis use the developed UX methodologies to assess the usability of a website. Heuristic analysis is based on the principles of creating websites – e.g. 10 Nielsen and Molich Heuristics, 8 golden Schneiderman principles or 30 Connell usability principles. The auditor carefully, point by point, checks the website’s compliance with the requirements of these rules and finds errors. The second method of expert analysis is cognitive wandering. Then the auditor plays the role of a user who wants to perform a specific action. The process includes testing various scenarios of conduct – making purchases, subscribing to the newsletter, searching for specific information or products, etc.

Analyzing User Behavior on the Website
Another excellent method of UX research is analyzing user behavior on the website. It uses, among others eye tracking, i.e. tracking the movements of the user’s eyeballs in order to check where their eyes are intuitively. As part of this analysis, the so-called heatmaps, i.e. graphical diagrams showing where the clicks are concentrated, what the user’s cursor movements look like or to which point the user scrolls the page. Thanks to this, you can gain very valuable knowledge to increase conversion and make your website more user-friendly.

Content usability testing
The UX audit should also analyze the content. The so-called content experience tells about whether the text on the website is sufficiently specific and comprehensive, whether it is accessible to read and whether it encourages conversion.

Preparation of UX mockups
Part of the UX audit is also the preparation of suggestions for changes to the website. For this purpose, UX mockups are prepared. They are based on the conclusions drawn from the conducted analyzes and specify where and how improvements can be made.

A / B tests
A / B tests are a way to check the effectiveness of the proposed solutions. They are carried out with the help of users. It consists in presenting two research groups with the same page that differs in one specific element (it may also be several elements, but such research is less precise) and asking them to perform a specific activity. The results (e.g. in terms of conversion efficiency) indicate which version is better for the user.

The selection of tools to support your website testing depends primarily on the goals of the analysis, capabilities and budget. You can carry out:
– moderated user tests – based on specific scenarios,
– unmoderated user tests – checking the natural reaction to the website,
– analysis of eye movement, cursor, etc. – very objective method due to its minimal invasiveness,
– surveys – questionnaires with questions about the site,
– card sorting – a type of test that allows you to check whether the hierarchy of elements on the page is properly read by users,
– paper prototyping – creating paper mockups of the website to discuss them with users.

What does a UX audit help with?

A website usability audit is an extremely useful tool. Thanks to it, it is possible to recognize and remove many errors that have a negative impact on the business results of a given company. The most frequently detected UX errors include:
– incomprehensible nomenclature,
– complicated presentation of terms of sale, delivery, payment, returns,
– too complicated menu structure,
– too long forms,
– unresponsive design,
– no sorting option,
– unintuitive product comparison engine,
– long page loading time,
– unclear pricing policy,
– lack of essential information on available products or offers.

Some of them may seem trivial, but the results after eliminating them speak for themselves. This is why UX audit is such an important business tool.

Who is the UX audit for?

Who needs a website audit in terms of UX? Anyone really. It is quite a time-consuming and resource-intensive process, but the results are definitely worthwhile. It is especially useful to conduct usability audits to identify the causes of ineffectiveness in achieving business goals. It is worth conducting it at the stage of creating the website – it will result in creating a friendly and useful website.