Shopify SEO: 12-Step Guide for Beginners

Spencer Cappelli

Dec 02, 202414 min read
Shopify SEO
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

To increase sales in your Shopify store, you need to improve its online visibility.

Use the right keywords, create a logical site structure, and apply other search engine optimization (SEO) best practices to ensure your site appears in search engines like Google.

Like this:

Google search results for "wedding flowers vancouver"

This helps you reach more people, increase website traffic, and generate more sales.

This Shopify SEO guide explains everything you need to do to get your store to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Let's begin with the basics.

Shopify SEO Basics

You need to do some preliminary work before applying specific SEO tactics to your Shopify store.

First, choose a mobile-friendly theme or use a responsive design that adjusts to different screen sizes.

Google uses a mobile-first indexing system, which means it first looks at the mobile version of your store when storing content in its database.

If your mobile store doesn't function properly, you may have difficulty ranking well.

Next, install Google Analytics on your Shopify website using Semrush’s guide so you can track your site's traffic and user behavior.

You also need to install Google Search Console per our instructions, which enables you to track your site's SEO performance.

Lastly, set up a Semrush Project Dashboard, which you can connect to your Google Analytics and Google Search Console accounts to monitor your website at a glance.

Semrush Project Dashboard

Now, let's get into specific SEO tactics you can use to help your Shopify store rank better.

12 Shopify SEO Tips to Boost Your Store’s Visibility

1. Set Up a Logical Site Structure

Website architecture refers to how your webpages are organized and how they relate to each other through internal links (links on your pages that lead to other pages on your site).

A good site structure groups related content together and follows a logical hierarchy so both users and search engines can find and understand your pages.

A website with a logical site structure usually has a top menu containing the following pages:

  • Homepage
  • Category pages for products
  • Subcategory pages
  • Product pages
8000 Kicks site structure

It also makes important pages accessible through a bottom menu:

8000 Kicks's bottom menu

We recommend using a similar structure for your Shopify store.

Most importantly, ensure that every page has at least one internal link pointing to it. Pages without internal links are called orphan pages, and they are difficult for both users and search engines to find.

Use Semrush’s Site Audit tool to see whether you have orphan pages. Run your site through the tool to generate your dashboard.

Then, click on the “View details” button under “Internal Linking.”

“Internal Linking" widget highlighted in the Site Audit's overview dashboard

Look for the issue “Orphaned sitemap pages” issue and click the number next to it. 

“Orphaned sitemap pages” issue highlighted under "Internal linking" report

Now, you’ll be able to see any orphan pages, which you should then link to from at least one relevant page elsewhere on your site. 

2. Customize Your Store’s URL

By default, Shopify assigns a random number to your store and uses that number in your URL. 

For example:

Shopify's store URL with the assigned number

You should change this number because it doesn’t reflect your brand and is hard for people to remember.

To change your URL, go to your Shopify admin dashboard and click on "Settings" in the sidebar menu.

Shopify admin dashboard

Then, click on “Domains” in the pop-up.

"Domains" selected from Shopify admin dashboard

Finally, click on the “Change to a new myshopify.com domain” link under your current URL name.

“Change to a new myshopify.com domain” link highlighted in Shopify admin

Enter your new Shopify store URL in the pop-up, then click “Add domain.”

Add new domain in your Shopify admin

If you want to buy a custom domain—meaning your URL would be "brand.com" instead of "brand.myshopify.com"—click on the "Buy new domain" button.

“Buy new domain” button under "Domains" section in Shopify admin

Ensure your URL contains your brand name and is easy to remember so shoppers can easily visit your site directly.

3. Improve Your Shopify Store’s Speed

Page speed is how fast your webpages load.

Optimizing your Shopify site's speed is important for user experience and is a confirmed ranking factor. This means it directly affects how visible your pages are in search results.

Improve your Shopify store's speed by:

  • Using the right image formats: Shopify recommends using JPG or PNG files.
  • Compressing images: Large image sizes can slow down pages. Compressing images speeds up load times.
  • Minimizing your code: Reducing unnecessary elements in your pages' HTML, CSS, and JavaScript can improve page speed.

4. Find Relevant Keywords

Keywords are terms that people enter into search engines like Google and Bing. Knowing which ones your target audience searches helps you include them in your content.

Why is this important?

Including terms your audience searches tells search engines that your content is relevant, making it more likely to appear in search results.

To find target keywords, make a list of seed keywords based on your categories and specific products.

For example, if you run a Shopify store selling home office supplies and furniture, and you sell:

  • Standing desks
  • Ergonomic office chairs
  • Desk risers

These are your seed keywords.

Now, enter one of them into the Keyword Magic Tool.

You’ll get a list of related keywords.

A list of related keywords to "standing desk" in Keyword Magic Tool

Review the list to find variations that are highly specific to your store.

Keep an eye on these three metrics:

  • Search volume: The average number of times a keyword is searched each month.
  • Keyword difficulty: How hard it is to rank in the top 10 results for a keyword on a scale of 0% to 100%. Higher percentages indicate more difficulty.
  • Search intent: The purpose behind each search. For a product page, target keywords with commercial intent (users want to research options) or transactional intent (users want to complete an action like a purchase). Use keywords with informational intent (users want to learn about something) for content like blog posts.

Ideally, find keywords with decent search volumes, relatively low difficulty scores, and relevant search intent.

In this case, "corner standing desk" looks like a good option.

Add it to a keyword list by selecting the checkbox next to it and clicking "Add to keyword list."

"Add to keyword list" button in Keyword Magic Tool

Repeat this process for all your seed keywords to build your lists.

Once you have enough options, you can move on to grouping them and creating content.

Let's go over those steps next.

5. Create Topic Clusters

A topic cluster is a group of webpages that cover different aspects of the same topic, showing both people and search engines that you’re an authority on the subject.

There are two types of content in a topic cluster:

  • A pillar page that covers a broad topic (e.g., "keywords")
  • Cluster pages that cover specific topics within the pillar page (e.g., "long tail keywords," "related keywords," etc.)

All these pages should be interlinked to show search engines that you’ve thoroughly covered that specific topic and that the pages are related.

This helps you establish authority, which gives your pages a better chance of ranking in SERPs.

Here's a visualization of what the topic cluster strategy looks like in action:

A visualization of topic cluster strategy for "hiking boots"

Luckily, you can get your pillar and cluster page topics in a single click with Semrush’s Keyword Strategy Builder.

Go to the tool, enter one of your keywords, and click "Create list."

After a few minutes, you'll get a list of topics and pages (clusters), which are groups of keywords you can target within the same page.

You’ll see the following pieces of information for each keyword cluster:

  • Ranking potential
  • Search intent
  • How many keywords it includes
  • Average keyword difficulty for all the included terms
  • Collective search volume for all the included terms
Keyword clusters like "custom dog shirts" with metrics highlighted

Click on one of the topics (primary keywords) to see the specific secondary keywords to target and a list of content references.

Keywords in Keyword Strategy Builder with reference URLs highlighted

Use this list of page ideas to form a topic cluster you can craft content around, and repeat the process to come up with additional topic clusters.

6. Write and Publish Blog Posts

Create blog posts for your topics, especially those with informational intent.

Follow these best practices to ensure quality content:

  • Be genuinely helpful and unique. Provide useful information that differs from existing content to improve user experience and increase your chances of ranking well.
  • Use images. Include images throughout your article to break up text and clarify concepts.
  • Include internal links. Add links to other relevant pages on your site so Google can understand how your pages are related.
  • Mention your products when appropriate. Even if the article is informational, mention your products and unique selling points when relevant.
  • Use calls to action (CTAs). CTAs guide readers on what to do next, such as visiting your product page, to move them closer to making a purchase.

Here is a template you can use to create pillar blog posts:

Pillar blog post template by Semrush

One easy way to get started is with the SEO Writing Assistant.

From your keyword clusters in Keyword Strategy Builder, choose a topic to write about and click the "Write content" button at the end of the row.

"Write content" button in Keyword Strategy Builder tool

In the pop-up, select the device you want to create content for, then click "Send keywords."

"Sent To SEO Writing Assistant" pop-up window

This opens the SEO Writing Assistant, where you can start writing your content while keeping your target keywords in mind.

SEO Writing Assistant editor with keyword suggestions highlighted

The tool checks your content as you write, reminding you to use keywords, highlighting sentences that are too long or complicated, and identifying possible plagiarism issues.

An example of content score and improvement suggestions in SEO Writing Assistant tool

If you’re stuck, use the Smart Writer features:

  • Click “Rephraser” to rephrase, simplify, expand, or summarize a sentence or paragraph
  • Click “Compose” to have the tool generate content based on what you've already written
  • Click “Ask AI” to generate content based on a question or prompt
Smart Writer features in SEO Writing Assistant

7. Optimize Your Category & Product Pages

In addition to optimizing your blog content, you should optimize your product and category pages using keywords and internal links.

For example, this category page lists subcategories based on the company’s products.

Women’s clothing page with subcategories “T-Shirts & Tanks,” “Tops,” and “Sweaters & Cardigans" highlighted

Category titles and descriptions present an opportunity to include commercial and transactional intent keywords. The same applies to product pages.

Your product pages should include the following:

  • A title that contains your target keyword
  • A description that contains your target and secondary keywords
  • High-quality images
  • Links to product variants
  • Links to related products

Like so:

A product page with images, product title, product variants, product description, and related products sections highlighted

Consider adding these optional but helpful elements to your product page:

  • Shipping information
  • Reviews
  • FAQs

8. Optimize Your URL Slugs, Title Tags, H1 Tags, & Meta Descriptions

Each of your pages has a URL slug, title tag, H1 tag, and meta description that you should craft with SEO in mind.

Here's an overview of each:

  • URL slug: The final part of the page URL
  • Title tag: HTML that specifies the webpage title and may appear in search results
  • H1 tag: HTML that specifies the title on the webpage itself
  • Meta description: HTML that summarizes your page and may appear in search results

Your URL slug tells search engines and users what your page is about, and it is a confirmed, lightweight ranking factor.

It looks like this:

An example of a URL slug highlighted in a browser

Keep your URL slugs descriptive and readable, and incorporate your target keyword whenever possible.

Consider the following options:

  • https://www.yourstore.com/collection/item-35672
  • https://www.yourstore.com/collection/pink-running-shoes

The second option is better.

For H1 tags and title tags, keep these best practices in mind:

  • Keep your title tags and H1 tags similar: Having drastically different titles on the SERP and your webpage can be confusing. It's best to keep them the same or similar.
  • Use your primary keyword: Including your primary keyword in your title tag and H1 tag helps search engines understand what your page is about, increasing your chances of ranking.
  • Avoid keyword stuffing: While you want your primary (and potentially a secondary) keyword to appear in your title and H1 tags, overdoing it can look spammy to both users and search engines.

Your meta descriptions (if they appear in the SERP) are often the second thing users see when reviewing results. 

A meta description highlighted on SERP under Semrush's blog

A relevant, well-written meta description encourages searchers to click on your link instead of a competitor's.

To optimize your meta description for clicks, incorporate your keywords, include a CTA, and keep it to 105 characters or fewer to avoid truncation.

Use Semrush's On Page SEO Checker to find improvements for your title tags, H1 tags, and meta descriptions.

Simply open the tool, enter your domain, and click "Get ideas.”

On-Page SEO Checker "Get ideas" button

Then, follow the prompts in the pop-up and click “Collect ideas.”

"Add pages to optimize" screen in On-Page SEO Checker settings

After the tool generates your report, go to the “Optimization Ideas” tab and click on the “# ideas” button next to a URL.

"Optimization Ideas" tab in On-Page SEO Checker tool

Scroll down to the content section to check whether your title tag and H1 tag contain your target keywords, and ensure neither includes keyword stuffing.

"Content" section showing optimization ideas for the H1 and title tags in On-Page SEO Checker

You’ll see similar information for your meta descriptions.

Meta tag contains target keywords, and not keyword stuffing in meta tag results highlighted in On-Page SEO Checker

If you see any issues, make sure to implement updates.

9. Use Proper Alt Text

Alt text is an HTML description for images found on your page. 

It looks like this:

An image of a rabbit eating a carrot (left) and an alt text shown in HTML (right)

In addition to giving Google more context about your images, alt text also makes your content more accessible to people who use screen readers.

Alt text appears on your page when your image doesn’t load, which usually happens when your page visitor has a slow connection.

Like this:

An example of images's alt text appearing on a site where images didn't load

Here are some best practices to keep in mind when writing alt text:

  • Don’t use alt text for decorative images. If the image doesn’t serve a purpose, then you don’t need to describe it. Leaving it out won’t negatively affect the user experience.
  • Succinctly but clearly describe the image. Ensure that readers can imagine your visual even if they can’t see it.
  • Include your keywords when possible. Because your alt text also tells Google what an image is about, having a keyword in there will increase your image’s chances of ranking in image results.

10. Include Structured Data to Stand Out

Structured data (also known as schema markup) is code that tells search engines more about your page's content to help them understand it better.

Some types of structured data produce rich results that make your Shopify site stand out in search results.

For example, this is what a product markup result looks like on the SERP:

A product markup result on the SERP

Useful types of structured data for Shopify sites include:

  • Organization schema
  • CollectionPage schema
  • BreadcrumbList schema
  • Product schema
  • Article schema

To implement structured data, use a Shopify app or do it manually using Google's Structured Data Markup Helper.

Once you have your code, go to your Shopify admin dashboard and click on “Online Store” > “Themes” under the “Sales channels” section in your sidebar menu.

Navigating to "Online Store" > "Themes" in Shopify admin dashboard

Then, click on the three dots within the theme modal and select “Edit code.”

Edit code in your theme modal in Shopify admin dashboard

Look for your product file using the search bar. It will be titled "product-template.liquid" or "main-product.liquid" based on your theme. Click on the file once you find it.

“main-product.liquid” highlighted

Paste your generated schema markup at the top of the file and click “Save.”

To ensure your schema is correctly implemented, go to the Site Audit tool, enter your domain, and click "Start Audit."

"Start Audit" button in Site Audit tool

Follow the prompts to run the audit, and you’ll end up on the "Overview" tab.

An "Overview" dashboard in Site Audit tool

Go to the “Thematic Reports” section and click on the “View details” button under “Markup.”

"Markup" widget highlighted under the "Thematic Reports" section in Site Audit tool

You’ll see whether your pages have schema markup.

"Pages by markup type" widget in Site Audit tool

The tool also shows whether there are any issues with the schema you’ve implemented. 

Structured data items issues in Site Audit tool

If you spot any issues, correct them and run another audit to verify that the issue was resolved.

Getting backlinks—links on other sites that point to your site—is one of the best ways to improve your SEO performance. Backlinks signal to search engines that your site is reputable and worthy of ranking.

There are multiple ways to get backlinks:

  • Create valuable content that others naturally want to link to
  • Respond to journalists' requests for expert sources

You can also take a proactive approach by reaching out to other sites directly and asking them to link to you.

Use the Link Building Tool for this purpose.

Open the tool, enter your domain, and click “Create project.”

"Create project" pop-up window in Link Building Tool

Follow the prompts to enter your target keywords and competitors to finish setting up your project.

Then, go to the “Prospects” tab to see a list of sites you can reach out to.

"Prospects" tab in the Link Building Tool

Review your options. When you find a site you want to contact, click the "To In Progress" button next to it to send it to the "In Progress" tab.

"To In Progress" button in Link Building Tool

After you’ve created a list of sites to contact, go to the "In Progress" tab.

Once you connect an email account, you can draft personalized messages directly within the tool and track your progress.

12. Use the Right Shopify Apps

Shopify apps simplify store optimization by automating tasks that would otherwise require manual effort.

Here are some apps you can use today to enhance your Shopify SEO:

Shopify Finder

Shopify Finder is a comprehensive ecommerce product research app.

You can use it to:

  • Identify in-demand products from the Shopify and AliExpress ecosystem based on profit and order trends
  • Uncover competitors' product details, including pricing and order data
  • Determine the shelf life of popular products to plan your next offer

Shopify Finder offers up to 150 daily Shopify database queries. After a free trial, it costs $29 per month.

Schema Plus for SEO

Use Schema Plus for SEO to automate schema implementation.

Developed by former Google engineers, Schema Plus for SEO provides seamless structured data implementation.

It has an intuitive user interface, making it easy to use.

After a seven-day free trial, the app costs $14.99 per month.

Tiny SEO Image Optimize, Speed

Enhance your Shopify store's speed with Tiny SEO Image Optimize, Speed.

This app offers features to boost your store's speed and keep it optimized, including:

  • Image compression and lazy load configuration
  • Broken link detection
  • Alt text generator

The app is free to install, with paid options for advanced features.

Start Improving Your Shopify SEO Today

Applying these Shopify SEO best practices can help your store reach more potential customers.

And Semrush tools can accelerate your progress:

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Spencer is an experienced writer, content marketer, and SEO strategist for B2B and technology brands.
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