Shopify is a good platform for SEO out of the box: it generates sitemaps, canonical tags and clean HTTPS URLs automatically. But “good out of the box” does not mean “optimised”. Most Shopify stores I review have the same set of gaps.
This checklist covers 25 steps in five areas. You can work through it yourself or hand it to your developer.
Technical setup
1. Connect Google Search Console and submit your sitemap
Your sitemap lives at yourstore.com/sitemap.xml. Submit it in Search Console and check the Pages report regularly.
2. Choose one primary domain
In Settings → Domains, set one primary domain (with or without www) so all other versions redirect to it.
3. Remove password protection before launch
A password-protected store cannot be crawled. Remove it as soon as you go live.
4. Fix internal links to duplicate product URLs
Shopify products can be reached at /products/handle and at /collections/collection-name/products/handle. The canonical tag points to /products/handle, but many themes still link to the collection-based version. Update your theme so product cards link directly to /products/handle. This saves crawl budget and strengthens one URL.
5. Customise robots.txt only when needed
Shopify lets you edit robots.txt through a robots.txt.liquid template. The default rules are sensible. Add rules only for clear problems, for example blocking crawl-heavy filter parameters from a filtering app.
6. Handle filter and sort parameters
Collection filters create URLs with parameters such as ?filter.p.m... and ?sort_by=. Make sure they canonicalise to the base collection and are not linked in a way that creates thousands of crawlable combinations.
7. Set up international SEO correctly
If you sell in multiple countries or languages with Shopify Markets, use subfolders or domains per market and check that hreflang tags are output correctly.
Collections (category pages)
8. Treat collections as your main SEO landing pages
Collections usually target the highest-volume, commercial keywords (“women’s running shoes”). Give each one a clear focus keyword.
9. Write unique collection titles and meta descriptions
Edit them in the “Search engine listing” section of each collection.
10. Add helpful collection content
A short introduction above the products and helpful content below (buying advice, size guidance, FAQ). Many themes only show a description above the grid; a small theme change can add a second content area below.
11. Build collections for real search demand
Create collections for terms people search for: by type, use case, material or style. Check search volume before creating them.
Product pages
12. Write original product descriptions
Supplier descriptions are copied by many other stores. Rewrite at least your best sellers with unique details, benefits and use cases.
13. Optimise product titles and URL handles
Use descriptive names that include the product type. Keep handles short and readable. If you change a handle, Shopify can create a redirect automatically, make sure that option is checked.
14. Add image alt text
Describe the product in each image’s alt text. It helps accessibility and image search.
15. Handle out-of-stock and deleted products
Keep temporarily out-of-stock products live. For permanently removed products, add a 301 redirect under Online Store → Navigation → URL Redirects to the closest product or collection.
16. Add reviews
Real reviews add unique content and can enable review stars in search results when marked up correctly.
Structured data
17. Check Product structured data
Most modern themes output Product structured data. Test a product page in Google’s Rich Results Test and check price, availability and currency.
18. Avoid duplicate structured data from apps
Review and SEO apps often add their own markup, so the page ends up with two or three Product blocks. Keep one complete version.
19. Add Organization and BreadcrumbList markup
These help search engines understand your brand and site structure.
Content and blog
20. Use the Shopify blog for informational keywords
Buying guides, comparisons and how-to articles capture shoppers earlier in their journey. Link from articles to relevant collections.
21. Build internal links
Link between related collections, from blog posts to products and from products to related categories.
22. Prepare for AI search
Clear product facts, FAQs and consistent information across the web make it more likely that AI assistants mention your products. More in my GEO guide for online stores.
Speed and apps
23. Audit your apps
Many apps inject JavaScript on every page, even after you uninstall them (leftover code in the theme). Remove unused apps and check the theme for leftover snippets.
24. Optimise images and the LCP element
Shopify’s CDN serves modern formats automatically, but large hero images and lazy-loaded main product images still hurt LCP.
25. Monitor Core Web Vitals
Check the Core Web Vitals report in Search Console, especially on mobile. See how to fix LCP, INP and CLS.
Common Shopify SEO myths
- “Shopify is bad for SEO.” No. Many top-ranking stores run on Shopify. The limits (URL structure like
/products/and/collections/) rarely matter for rankings. - “An SEO app will fix everything.” Apps help with meta tags and alt text, but strategy, content and technical fixes still need human work.
- “More collections is always better.” Thin, near-duplicate collections can hurt. Create them only where there is demand.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the /products/ and /collections/ URL structure in Shopify?
No, these prefixes are fixed. It is not a ranking problem as long as the rest of the page is well optimised.
Does Shopify create duplicate content?
It can create duplicate URLs (for example collection-based product URLs), but canonical tags handle most of it. Fixing internal links to the canonical URL is still recommended.
How long does Shopify SEO take to show results?
Technical fixes can show effects within weeks. Rankings for competitive collection keywords usually take several months of consistent work.
Want a Shopify SEO review?
I help Shopify stores fix technical SEO issues, improve collections and speed up their themes. See my Shopify service and technical SEO service, or request a review.