SEO is an essential strategy for any eCommerce business, and Shopify store owners are no exception. Effective SEO, as outlined in a comprehensive Shopify SEO checklist, can significantly boost organic traffic, improve your website's visibility on search engines like Google, and ultimately lead to more sales and conversions.
By optimizing your Shopify store with the right SEO techniques, you can increase your chances of ranking higher in search results, attracting targeted customers, and achieving sales growth.
Getting Started: Basic Setup
Before diving into the Shopify SEO checklist, it's crucial to lay a strong foundation by setting up your Shopify store for SEO success. This is to ensure it can effectively track and evaluate your progress. Here are some key steps:
1. Install Google Analytics:
Before you can connect Google Analytics to your Shopify store, you need to create a Google Analytics account (if you don’t have one already). Follow these steps:
After logging in, set up a new property for your Shopify store.
After setting up the property, you’ll be provided with a Tracking ID (usually in the format: UA-XXXXXXXXX).
2. Set Up Google Analytics:
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that allows you to track your store’s traffic, monitor user behavior, and assess the performance of your SEO efforts. To integrate Google Analytics with your Shopify store:
Go to Shopify Admin > Online Store > Preferences
Enter your Google Analytics tracking ID in the "Google Analytics" field.
After this setup, you’ll be able to monitor metrics like bounce rates, conversion rates, and traffic sources.
3. Link your Google Search Console account and submit your Sitemap:
As part of your Shopify SEO checklist, it’s crucial to connect your store to Google Search Console and submit your sitemap for proper indexing. Google Search Console offers valuable insights into how Google views your store, including search traffic, keyword performance, and crawl errors.
Follow these steps:
1. Create a Google Search Console Account:
Visit Google Search Console and create a free account.
Add your Shopify store URL as a property.
2. Verify Your Store:
Complete the verification process by using the HTML tag method or Google Analytics to prove ownership of your store.
3. Submit Your Sitemap:
Shopify automatically creates a sitemap for your store (e.g., yourshopifystore.com/sitemap.xml).
Go to Google Search Console > Sitemaps.
Enter your sitemap URL (e.g., yourshopifystore.com/sitemap.xml) and submit it to ensure that Google can index all your pages properly.
By following this step in your Shopify SEO checklist, you ensure that Google can efficiently crawl and index your pages, boosting your store’s visibility in search results.
4. Install an SEO-Friendly Shopify Theme:
Select a responsive and fast-loading theme that adheres to best SEO practices. This is a critical step in your Shopify SEO checklist because an SEO-friendly theme improves both user experience and performance on mobile devices. Shopify offers several themes optimized for SEO.
Example: The Debut theme in Shopify is designed to be SEO-friendly.
5. Set Up Google Tag Manager (Optional but recommended):
For more advanced tracking and analytics, you can use Google Tag Manager to manage and deploy various tags (like marketing and tracking codes) without modifying the code directly on your Shopify store. This is useful for setting up advanced tracking for things like conversion rates, remarketing, etc.
6. Use Shopify Apps for Enhanced Analytics:
There are several apps available in the Shopify App Store to enhance your store’s tracking and analytics capabilities, and these apps should be considered as part of your Shopify SEO checklist. Some popular ones include:
SEO Manager for managing SEO settings, including structured data, image alt text, and 404 error tracking.
Plug in SEO for finding and fixing common SEO issues.
With the basic setup complete, you’re now ready to dive into the specifics of optimizing your store for SEO.
Step-by-Step Shopify SEO Checklist
If you’ve taken up SEO as a project for your store, a Shopify SEO checklist is your practical starting point. So let's dive in.
On-Page SEO:
These are the actions taken directly on your Shopify site to improve its ranking in search engines. The Shopify SEO checklist below outlines the essential on-page optimizations:
1. Keyword Research:
Why It’s Important: Keyword research helps identify the search terms your potential customers are using. This is a fundamental step in your Shopify SEO checklist. By targeting the right keywords, you improve your chances of appearing in relevant search results, attracting more organic traffic.
Process:
Open Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush.
Enter relevant seed keywords (e.g., “buy dumbbells online”).
Search for keywords with high search volume and low competition.
Incorporate the chosen keywords into your product, page content, and blogs
Example: Use keywords like “best non-stick frying pan” for cookware products.
2. Optimize Your Category & Product Page Title Tags:
Why It’s Important: Title tags are one of the most important on-page SEO elements because they tell both users and search engines what each page is about. Optimizing your product and category page title tags with relevant keywords can improve search engine rankings and click-through rates (CTR). It also helps users easily understand the content of your pages at a glance.
Process:
In Shopify Admin, go to Products or Collections.
Select the product or collection you wish to edit.
Scroll down to the Search Engine Listing Preview and click "Edit."
Update the Title Tag to include relevant keywords for the product or category, keeping it within 70 characters.
Include unique, descriptive keywords that highlight the key benefits or features of the product or category (limit the description to 160 characters)
Example:
Product Title: "Buy 5kg Dumbbells Online | Best Prices"
Category Title: "Shop Dumbbells | High-Quality Dumbbells for Home Fitness"
3. Custom URL Handles (Slugs):
Why It’s Important: A clean, descriptive URL helps both users and search engines understand your page's content. Short, keyword-rich URLs are optimal for Shopify SEO.
Process:
In Shopify Admin, go to Products or Pages.
Click on the product or page you wish to edit.
Under Search Engine Listing Preview, click Edit.
Edit the URL handle to make it short and descriptive.
Example: Change /products/item123 to /products/dumbbells-5kg.
4. Content Structure:
Why It’s Important: Proper use of headings (H1, H2, H3) makes content more organized and helps search engines index your pages effectively. Content structure plays a vital role in your Shopify SEO checklist.
Process:
1. For Product Pages:
Log into your Shopify Admin.
Go to Products in the left-hand menu.
Select the product you want to edit.
In the Product Description section, use the Rich Text Editor to format your content.
To set the H1 heading for the product title:
The product title automatically defaults to H1, so you don't need to manually change it. Just ensure your product title is descriptive and relevant.
For H2 or H3 headings (section titles and subsections):
Select the text you want to convert into a heading.
In the text editor toolbar, click the "Format" dropdown (this is where you can adjust text sizes and styles).
Choose Heading 2 for section titles (e.g., "Product Features") and Heading 3 for subsections (e.g., "Why Choose Our Dumbbells").
2. For Shopify Pages (e.g., About Us, Contact Us):
Log into your Shopify Admin.
Go to Online Store > Pages in the left-hand menu.
Choose the page you want to edit or create a new page by clicking "Add page”.
In the Content section, use the Rich Text Editor:
Set the H1 for the page title.
Highlight the text you want to format as a section title (H2) or subsection title (H3).
Click on the "Format" dropdown and choose the appropriate heading level (H2 for section titles, H3 for subsections).
Example:
H1: “Adjustable Dumbbells”
H2: “Features”
H3: “Why Our Dumbbells Are the Best Choice”
5. Avoid Duplicate Content:
Why It’s Important: Duplicate content can negatively impact your Shopify store's SEO. Canonical tags help search engines know which version of a page to prioritize. To avoid it, make sure to follow the canonicalization steps outlined in this Shopify SEO checklist.
Process:
In Shopify Admin, create unique product descriptions for each page.
If you must use similar content (e.g., multiple variations of the same product that only differ by size or another attribute), add a canonical tag in the HTML to point to the preferred version.
Steps to Implement a Canonical Tag for Product Variations:
Instead of manually hardcoding a canonical tag for every variation, Shopify often handles canonicalization automatically for product variants. However, if you need more control or are dealing with other forms of potential duplicate content, here's how you can manually add or verify canonical tags:
How to Check/Add Canonical Tags:
1. Go to Theme Code: Shopify Admin > Online Store >Themes > Actions > Edit code.
2. Find <head>: Open theme.liquid (in Layout). Look for the <head> section.
3. Check for Automatic Tag: You'll likely find this line already:
HTML
<link rel="canonical" href="{{canonical_url }}">
This automatically tells search engines the correct page. This is usually the best way.
4. (Only if needed for specific cases): To manually set a canonical URL, you could add a line like this within <head>in a relevant template (e.g., product.liquid):
Important: Make sure to replace the URL with the actual preferred page URL.
5. Save.
Key Point: Shopify often handles canonical tags automatically. Only manually add them if you have a specific reason to override the default.
6. Internal Linking:
Why It’s Important: Internal linking helps search engines discover and index other pages on your Shopify store. It also improves user navigation and engagement.
Process:
Open the product or page you wish to edit.
Select the text and click the "Link" option in the text editor.
Add the URL for related products, blog posts, or category pages.
Use relevant, keyword-rich anchor text for the link.
Click Save to apply changes.
Example: On a dumbbell product page, link to “resistance bands” or “kettlebells” in the description.
7. Alt Text for Images:
Why It’s Important: Adding alt text to images helps search engines understand the content and improves Shopify SEO. Make sure to include this in your Shopify SEO checklist to ensure images are fully optimized.
Process:
Go to Shopify Admin > Products.
Click on a product and open the Images section.
Click on each image and add a descriptive alt text (e.g., “The Complete Snowboard”).
8. Image File Names:
Why It’s Important: Descriptive image file names help search engines understand what the image is about, contributing to your SEO.
Process:
Change the image file name before uploading it to Shopify.
Use descriptive keywords in the file name.
Example: Instead of image1.jpg, use dumbbells-5kg-set.jpg.
9. Image Compression:
Why It’s Important: Compressing images reduces load time, which improves page speed and user experience, both of which are ranking factors for Google.
Process:
Use a tool like TinyPNG or Image Resizerto compress image files before uploading them to Shopify.
Compress a 1MB image down to 200KB for faster page load times.
10. Mobile Optimization:
Why It’s Important: Google uses mobile-first indexing, which means it prioritizes mobile-friendly websites for ranking. Optimizing for mobile ensures a better user experience and helps you rank higher.
Process:
Choose a responsive theme from Shopify’s theme store (many themes are mobile-optimized by default).
Optimize images and content for mobile devices to ensure they load quickly.
Example: The Debut theme is mobile-optimized, ensuring your Shopify store looks great on mobile devices.
11. Improve Your Website Navigation:
Why It’s Important: A clear and intuitive navigation structure is essential for both user experience and Shopify SEO. It allows visitors to easily find the products they are looking for and helps search engines crawl and index your pages efficiently. A well-structured navigation menu reduces bounce rates and enhances overall site performance, which in turn improves rankings.
Process:
In your Shopify admin, go to Content and then select Menus.
On the Menus page, click the title of the menu you wish to modify.
Click Add menu item.
Enter a name for the new menu item.
In the Search or paste a link field, you can either enter the URL of an external website or select a specific link type.
If you select a specific collection, you can filter it using tags to show only the products that match the tags you’ve entered.
If you select a link type like Products or Pages, specify the exact destination for the link. For the Home page, it automatically links to your store's homepage.
Once you select a link type and destination, the name (like a product or page title) auto-fills in the Name field, unless you've already entered one.
Click Add to include the menu item.
Finally, click Save or the Save menu to confirm your changes.
Example: A menu for a fitness store might look like this:
Why It’s Important: Regularly updating your blog with high-quality, relevant content can significantly improve Shopify SEO. Blogging allows you to answer common customer queries, share product tips, and provide insights into industry trends. This helps build authority in your niche, attracts organic traffic, and improves search engine rankings.
Process:
Log in to Shopify Admin.
Go to Online Store: In the left-hand menu, click on Online Store.
Click on Content Section: Under Content, you’ll see Blog Posts.
Manage Blogs:
If you haven’t set up a blog yet, click Create Blog Post. You can create a blog under this section.
If you already have a blog set up, you can directly create new posts here by clicking Add Blog Post.
Write your content, add relevant keywords, and link to related products or collections as necessary. Focus on creating content that answers common customer questions or provides valuable product insights.
Example: If you sell fitness equipment, a blog post titled “5 Best Dumbbell Workouts for Beginners” would attract visitors searching for workout tips and guide them to buy your products.
Off-Page SEO:
These actions take place outside of your Shopify store but still affect its SEO performance:
1. Structured Data (JSON-LD):
Why It’s Important: Structured data helps search engines understand the context of your content better, which can improve your visibility in search results. Implementing JSON-LD markup for products, reviews, and other content can lead to rich snippets (e.g., product ratings, prices) in search results, enhancing your store's appearance and click-through rate.
Process:
Add JSON-LD markup to your Shopify theme for product details, prices, availability, etc.
Use structured data for product pages, blog posts, reviews, and other key elements.
Example: A product page for a pair of dumbbells can include JSON-LD to display ratings, prices, and availability in Google’s search results.
2. Backlinks:
Why It’s Important: Backlinks are an essential part of SEO, as they signal to search engines that your website is authoritative and trustworthy. High-quality backlinks from trusted sites boost your Shopify SEO by enhancing your domain authority.
Process:
Engage in guest blogging, create influencer partnerships, or offer valuable content that others want to link to.
Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to track your backlinks and identify new opportunities.
Monitor backlink quality and remove any low-quality or spammy links.
Example: Writing a guest post for a fitness blog and linking back to your store can help build backlinks and boost SEO.
3. Social Media Integration:
Why It’s Important: While social media signals are not a direct ranking factor, they influence overall SEO performance by driving traffic to your store and increasing brand visibility. Social platforms help build your brand's online presence, which can indirectly affect SEO.
Process:
Add social media buttons to your Shopify store to encourage visitors to share your products and content.
Regularly share high-quality content on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to drive traffic back to your store.
Include product links in your social media posts and descriptions.
Example: Promoting your latest product on Instagram with a link to purchase from your Shopify store can drive traffic and potential sales.
Technical SEO:
1. XML Sitemap:
Why It’s Important: The XML sitemap is a file that lists all the pages, products, and blog posts on your site, helping search engines crawl and index them efficiently. Shopify automatically generates your sitemap, but you must submit it to Google Search Console to ensure all pages are indexed correctly.
Process:
Find your XML sitemap by going to yourshopifystore.com/sitemap.xml.
Log in to Google Search Console and navigate to the Sitemaps section.
Submit the URL of your sitemap.
Check the indexing status in Google Search Console to ensure all pages are indexed.
Example: Submit yourshopifystore.com/sitemap.xml to ensure all your product pages and blog posts are indexed.
2. Robots.txt File:
Why It’s Important: The robots.txt file tells search engines which pages on your store should be crawled and indexed and which should not. Proper configuration ensures that Shopify SEO efforts aren’t hindered by unnecessary pages, such as checkout or cart pages, being crawled.
Process:
1. Log in to Shopify Admin.
2. Go to Online Store > Themes.
3. Click Actions > Edit code next to your active theme.
4. If a robots.txt file isn’t visible, create it in the Files section.
5. Edit the robots.txt file to block non-essential pages (e.g., cart, checkout):
6. Ensure important pages (product pages, blog posts) aren’t blocked.
7. Click Save to apply the changes.
3. Page Speed:
Why It’s Important: Page speed is a critical ranking factor for SEO, as slow-loading pages can negatively impact both search engine rankings and user experience. A fast site keeps visitors engaged and reduces bounce rates, which in turn helps improve Shopify SEO.
Process:
Compress images using TinyPNG or Image Resizer.
Use Shopify’s built-in speed optimization features, such as lazy loading for images.
Minimize unnecessary scripts and use Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix performance issues.
Example: Compressing an image from 1MB to 200KB can significantly improve page load time without losing quality.
4. HTTPS Security:
Why It’s Important: Having HTTPS ensures that your Shopify store is secure for customers, which is both important for user trust and a ranking factor for Google. Google favors secure websites, and using HTTPS can enhance your Shopify SEO performance.
Process:
Shopify provides an SSL certificate with all its plans, ensuring that your store runs on HTTPS by default.
If you have an external domain, make sure it’s properly configured to run on HTTPS.
Why It’s Important: Regular technical audits ensure that your Shopify SEO is running smoothly and efficiently. Identifying and fixing issues such as crawl errors, broken links, or duplicate content can prevent potential SEO problems.
Process:
Use tools like Google Search Console and Screaming Frog to crawl your site and identify errors.
Check for 404 errors, broken links, and pages with duplicate content.
Fix any identified issues to ensure that search engines can crawl and index your site properly.
Example: If you find a 404 error on a product page, either fix the link or redirect it to a relevant page.
Why It’s Important: Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics related to speed, responsiveness, and visual stability, which affect both SEO rankings and user experience. Google uses these metrics to determine how user-friendly your site is.
Process:
Use Google’s Core Web Vitals report in Google Search Console to identify issues.
Improve metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) by optimizing images, reducing JavaScript execution, and improving server response times.
Example: Ensure that your homepage loads within 2.5 seconds to improve LCP and reduce bounce rates.
Shopify SEO: Must-Have Apps
To truly make the most of your Shopify SEO checklist, using the right apps can save you time and help you fine-tune your store’s SEO efforts. The following apps, which should be part of your Shopify SEO checklist, have high ratings and reviews from Shopify users, making them essential tools to optimize your store for search engines. Here's a list of top-rated apps that should be included in your Shopify SEO checklist:
Optimizing your Shopify store for SEO is an ongoing process that requires effort and attention to detail. By following the best practices outlined in this Shopify SEO checklist, you can improve your chances of ranking higher in search results, driving more organic traffic, and ultimately increasing sales. Keep refining your SEO strategy and monitor your performance regularly to ensure long-term success for your Shopify store.
Hurrify customers to buy within a given timeframe with a sales countdown timer & improve conversions
Another popular Shopify checkout app is Checkout Promotions. The app comes with the ability to leverage a collection of highly robust visibility rules that help show customers one-click post purchase upsell promotions after an order payment has been made. Some of its key features include:
Features
AI recommended and manual recommendations for upselling.
Complete branding control.
Checkout Upsell for increasing AOV.
AI recommended and manual recommendations for upselling.
Pricing
Development
Free
Monthly Plan
$99/ month
Plus Plan
$99/ month
Plus Plan
$99/ month
FAQs on Shopify SEO Checklist
Is SEO worth it on Shopify?
What is the SEO checklist?
How to set up SEO on Shopify?
Which SEO tool is best for Shopify?
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Are Shopify tags searchable?
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Neetika M
Neetika is the founder of Skai Lama. Passionate about building SaaS, Product Development, and Marketing, she talks about eCommerce Growth, Product Bundling, Gifting, Retention, and Shopify.
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Transform your checkout with Checkout Wiz: Enjoy custom content blocks, upsell widgets, surveys, and full branding control for maximum conversions and revenue.
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