Shopify SEO Checklist: Platform Issues Worth Fixing First

Shopify handles a lot of technical SEO well out of the box. It generates sitemaps, adds canonical tags, uses HTTPS and produces reasonably clean URLs. That leads many store owners to assume SEO is taken care of. In practice, most Shopify stores have the same handful of issues, some caused by the platform’s structure and some by themes and apps. This checklist covers the ones worth fixing first.

1. Product links inside collections

Shopify can show products at two URLs: the main /products/product-name URL and a collection-scoped /collections/collection-name/products/product-name URL. The collection version carries a canonical tag pointing to the main product URL, so Google generally consolidates them. However, many themes link to the collection version from collection pages, which means Google repeatedly crawls non-canonical URLs. Check your theme’s product grid code and make sure product links point to the canonical /products/ path.

2. Collection page content

Collections are Shopify’s category pages, and they target the most valuable commercial searches. Many stores leave the collection description empty or use a single generic line. Add a short, useful introduction and, where your theme allows, supporting buying guidance below the product grid. Make sure collection titles use the words customers actually search.

3. Tag-filtered collection URLs

Shopify product tags create filtered collection URLs such as /collections/shoes/black. Depending on the theme and filter setup, these can generate many thin, crawlable pages. Decide which filtered views, if any, deserve to be indexed, and make sure the rest are not linked unnecessarily or are handled with appropriate canonical or noindex settings.

4. Titles and meta descriptions

Shopify uses product and collection titles as defaults, which are often too short or too generic. Write custom SEO titles and meta descriptions for priority products and collections in the “Search engine listing” section of each page. Templates through an SEO app can cover the long tail.

5. Duplicate manufacturer descriptions

Stores reselling branded products often use the supplier’s description. Rewriting descriptions for best sellers gives Google a reason to rank your page over every other retailer using the same text. See our guide to product page SEO for prioritisation.

6. Structured data accuracy

Most modern Shopify themes output Product structured data, and review apps often add rating data. Problems arise when several apps add competing markup, or when prices and availability in schema do not match the page. Test key product pages with Google’s Rich Results Test and check the Merchandise listings and Product snippets reports in Search Console.

7. App bloat and site speed

Every app can add scripts, styles and requests, and uninstalled apps sometimes leave code behind in the theme. Review installed apps, remove what you do not use, and check theme files for leftover snippets. Large images, unoptimised video and multiple tracking pixels are other common causes of slow Shopify stores. Our article on why websites are slow covers diagnosis.

8. Blog setup

Shopify’s blog function is basic but usable. Buying guides and comparison content can support collections well, provided articles link to relevant collections and products. Avoid publishing generic posts unrelated to what you sell.

9. Image alt text

Add descriptive alt text to product and collection images. It helps accessibility, image search and context. Describe the image accurately rather than repeating the product title on every image.

10. Redirects after changes

Shopify can create redirects automatically when you change a product or collection handle, if the option is ticked. Check that it is, and review the URL redirects list under Online Store navigation settings after any restructure. Deleted products do not redirect automatically, so decide on a policy using our guide to out of stock products and SEO.

11. International setup

Shopify Markets can create country or language versions in subfolders with hreflang added automatically. If you sell into several countries, confirm the generated hreflang is correct and that each market has genuinely localised pricing and content.

12. Search Console and Merchant Center

Verify the store in Google Search Console and submit the sitemap at /sitemap.xml. Connect the Google & YouTube channel app to Merchant Center so products can appear in free Shopping listings. Monitor both for errors after theme or app changes.

Things Shopify does not let you change

Some platform constraints are fixed, such as the /products/ and /collections/ URL prefixes and the default robots.txt rules, although robots.txt can now be edited through a theme template. These limitations rarely stop a well-run store from ranking. Effort is better spent on collections, content and site speed than on trying to work around them.

Getting more from Shopify’s SEO foundation

Shopify gives stores a sound technical base, but rankings come from what you build on it: well-structured collections, unique product content, a fast theme and clean internal linking.

If your Shopify store is not getting the organic traffic its range deserves, our ecommerce SEO service can audit these areas in priority order. For theme and performance work, see our Shopify development service.