The design of the online store depends on the chosen template – a layout that is responsible for the appearance of the site, its interface, color palette
The design of the online store depends on the chosen template – a layout that is responsible for the appearance of the site, its interface, color palette, placement of blocks of text and images. Opencart offers many options to choose from.
On the marketplace Opencart are free themes. Their quality is as good as complain, but uniqueness can suffer. There are also premium templates. They cost an average of $20-100. Paying once, the theme can be used in several stores. In the settings, the webmaster can change the following parameters: colors, location of widgets and logo.
For more in-depth customization, you need to edit the files with your own hands. You have to work with the code, so knowledge of the programming languages HTML, CSS and PHP. So you can adapt the site design for all merchant needs.
When choosing a template, pay attention to the following:
The layout should be adaptive so that the site will still reflect well on all devices.
Different layouts have different customization options. If you’re working with code, make sure you can change key elements (colors, logo, blocks).
Elements will be reflected correctly if the template matches your version of the engine.
Feedback from other users matters. Read them carefully. If many webmasters have problems with installation, it’s likely you will too. Pay attention to comments pointing out errors.
If there is an opportunity to download a demo version of the theme before you buy, be sure to take advantage of it. Do not install the template if you are not sure about its quality. Deactivation requires a lot of time and effort on your part.
To set the theme, download the archive with the template. Next, add to the root folder of your store instead of the archive. Don’t forget to confirm the file replacements. When you enter the admin panel, open System => Setup => Store. Click on the tab and download the theme.
Optimizing your site on Opencart
To increase sales you need to optimize your site for search engine standards. If you neglect SEO-optimization, merchants risk getting an online store that never makes it to the first page of search results.
The platform provides a set of tools for basic optimization.
Without downloading the extension, the webmaster can:
Generate clear URLs;
Create unique meta title and meta description;
add keywords that search engines will index the store;
add URL redirections to the store, in other words, an available redirection manager;
Close some pages from being indexed.
Opencart templates are adaptive by default. That is, the pages of the site will be displayed correctly on smartphones, tablets and computers.
Meet all the other requirements of search engines will help additional plugins. There are free SEO-extensions in the Opencart catalog. To have access to more features, you need to buy paid applications. They allow you to create a sitemap, customize the navigation “breadcrumbs”, optimize the page 404, add templates for tagging purposes, etc.
CMS Opencart is well optimized for SEO requirements. The only problem we’ve already mentioned has to do with creating duplicate pages. When Google, Yandex or any other search engine sees duplicates, it recognizes them as not unique. As a result, the site’s ranking drops. You can eliminate this problem by using a plugin or manual configuration.
Fees
Opencart software is free. It can be downloaded from the official site, English and Russian versions are available. Costs will arise after the software download.
For users to find the store on the Internet, you need hosting. We do not recommend saving on it, because it determines how well and quickly the site will be reflected on the web. Hosting ensures the protection of user data.
Domain registration is paid separately. But you can kill two birds with one stone by buying a space at Bluehost.com. That way you get hosting and a domain. The cost of the plan ranges from $ 3.95 to $ 13.95 per month.
By the way, when you create a domain, include the name of your store. It is not worth placing keywords in the domain, this will not raise you in the search engine.
In addition to hosting will have to pay for the design and additional functionality of the online store. On average a good plugin will cost up to $100, a template – $20-50.
If you have no experience in creating online stores, you have never worked with CMS-systems and do not know the programming languages, the help of specialists there will definitely be needed. Developers can charge $100-$1000 depending on the task at hand. If you are planning a large-scale e-commerce project, you will have to involve a SEO specialist, a copywriter, a marketer.