Shopify SEO: 12-Step Guide for Beginners

To summation income successful your Shopify store, you request to amended its online visibility.

Use the close keywords, make a logical tract structure, and use different hunt motor optimization (SEO) champion practices to guarantee your tract appears successful hunt engines similar Google.

Like this:

This helps you scope much people, summation website traffic, and make much sales.

This Shopify SEO usher explains everything you request to bash to get your store to fertile higher successful hunt motor results pages (SERPs).

Let's statesman with the basics.

Shopify SEO Basics

You request to bash immoderate preliminary enactment earlier applying circumstantial SEO tactics to your Shopify store.

First, take a mobile-friendly taxable oregon usage a responsive plan that adjusts to antithetic surface sizes.

Google uses a mobile-first indexing system, which means it archetypal looks astatine the mobile mentation of your store erstwhile storing contented successful its database.

If your mobile store doesn't relation properly, you whitethorn person trouble ranking well.

Next, install Google Analytics connected your Shopify website utilizing Semrush’s usher truthful you tin way your site's postulation and idiosyncratic behavior.

You besides request to install Google Search Console per our instructions, which enables you to way your site's SEO performance.

Lastly, acceptable up a Semrush Project Dashboard, which you tin link to your Google Analytics and Google Search Console accounts to show your website astatine a glance.

Now, let's get into circumstantial SEO tactics you tin usage to assistance your Shopify store fertile better.

12 Shopify SEO Tips to Boost Your Store’s Visibility

1. Set Up a Logical Site Structure

Website architecture refers to however your webpages are organized and however they subordinate to each different done internal links (links connected your pages that pb to different pages connected your site).

A good tract structure groups related contented unneurotic and follows a logical hierarchy truthful some users and hunt engines tin find and recognize your pages.

A website with a logical tract operation usually has a apical paper containing the pursuing pages:

• Homepage
• Category pages for products
• Subcategory pages
• Product pages

It besides makes important pages accessible done a bottommost menu:

We urge utilizing a akin operation for your Shopify store.

Most importantly, guarantee that each leafage has astatine slightest 1 interior nexus pointing to it. Pages without interior links are called orphan pages, and they are hard for some users and hunt engines to find.

Use Semrush’s Site Audit instrumentality to spot whether you person orphan pages. Run your tract done the instrumentality to make your dashboard.

Then, click connected the “View details” fastener nether “Internal Linking.”

Look for the contented “Orphaned sitemap pages” contented and click the fig adjacent to it. 

Now, you’ll beryllium capable to spot immoderate orphan pages, which you should past nexus to from astatine slightest 1 applicable leafage elsewhere connected your site. 

2. Customize Your Store’s URL

By default, Shopify assigns a random fig to your store and uses that fig successful your URL. 

For example:

You should alteration this fig due to the fact that it doesn’t bespeak your marque and is hard for radical to remember.

To alteration your URL, spell to your Shopify admin dashboard and click connected "Settings" successful the sidebar menu.

Then, click connected “Domains” successful the pop-up.

Finally, click connected the “Change to a caller myshopify.com domain” nexus nether your existent URL name.

Enter your caller Shopify store URL successful the pop-up, past click “Add domain.”

If you privation to bargain a customized domain—meaning your URL would beryllium "brand.com" alternatively of "brand.myshopify.com"—click connected the "Buy caller domain" button.

Ensure your URL contains your marque sanction and is casual to retrieve truthful shoppers tin easy sojourn your tract directly.

3. Improve Your Shopify Store’s Speed

Page velocity is however accelerated your webpages load.

Optimizing your Shopify site's speed is important for idiosyncratic acquisition and is simply a confirmed ranking factor. This means it straight affects however disposable your pages are successful hunt results.

Improve your Shopify store's velocity by:

• Using the close representation formats: Shopify recommends utilizing JPG oregon PNG files.
• Compressing images: Large representation sizes tin dilatory down pages. Compressing images speeds up load times.
• Minimizing your code: Reducing unnecessary elements successful your pages' HTML, CSS, and JavaScript tin amended leafage speed.

4. Find Relevant Keywords

Keywords are presumption that radical participate into hunt engines similar Google and Bing. Knowing which ones your people assemblage searches helps you see them successful your content.

Why is this important?

Including presumption your assemblage searches tells hunt engines that your contented is relevant, making it much apt to look successful hunt results.

To find people keywords, marque a database of effect keywords based connected your categories and circumstantial products.

For example, if you tally a Shopify store selling location bureau supplies and furniture, and you sell:

• Standing desks
• Ergonomic bureau chairs
• Desk risers

These are your effect keywords.

Now, participate 1 of them into the Keyword Magic Tool.

You’ll get a database of related keywords.

Review the database to find variations that are highly circumstantial to your store.

Keep an oculus connected these 3 metrics:

• Search volume: The mean fig of times a keyword is searched each month.
• Keyword difficulty: How hard it is to fertile successful the apical 10 results for a keyword connected a standard of 0% to 100%. Higher percentages bespeak much difficulty.
• Search intent: The intent down each search. For a merchandise page, people keywords with commercialized intent (users privation to probe options) oregon transactional intent (users privation to implicit an enactment similar a purchase). Use keywords with informational intent (users privation to larn astir something) for contented similar blog posts.

Ideally, find keywords with decent hunt volumes, comparatively debased trouble scores, and applicable hunt intent.

In this case, "corner lasting desk" looks similar a bully option.

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

Repeat this process for each your effect keywords to physique your lists.

Once you person capable options, you tin determination connected to grouping them and creating content.

Let's spell implicit those steps next.

5. Create Topic Clusters

A topic cluster is simply a radical of webpages that screen antithetic aspects of the aforesaid topic, showing some radical and hunt engines that you’re an authorization connected the subject.

There are 2 types of contented successful a taxable cluster:

• A pillar page that covers a wide taxable (e.g., "keywords")
• Cluster pages that screen circumstantial topics wrong the pillar leafage (e.g., "long process keywords," "related keywords," etc.)

All these pages should beryllium interlinked to amusement hunt engines that you’ve thoroughly covered that circumstantial taxable and that the pages are related.

This helps you found authority, which gives your pages a amended accidental of ranking successful SERPs.

Here's a visualization of what the taxable clump strategy looks similar successful action:

Luckily, you tin get your pillar and clump leafage topics successful a azygous click with Semrush’s Keyword Strategy Builder.

Go to the tool, participate 1 of your keywords, and click "Create list."

After a fewer minutes, you'll get a database of topics and pages (clusters), which are groups of keywords you tin people wrong the aforesaid page.

You’ll spot the pursuing pieces of accusation for each keyword cluster:

• Ranking potential
• Search intent
• How galore keywords it includes
• Average keyword trouble for each the included terms
• Collective hunt measurement for each the included terms

Click connected 1 of the topics (primary keywords) to spot the circumstantial secondary keywords to people and a database of contented references.

Use this database of leafage ideas to signifier a taxable clump you tin trade contented around, and repetition the process to travel up with further taxable clusters.

6. Write and Publish Blog Posts

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

Follow these champion practices to guarantee quality content:

• Be genuinely adjuvant and unique. Provide utile accusation that differs from existing contented to amended idiosyncratic acquisition and summation your chances of ranking well.
• Use images. Include images passim your nonfiction to interruption up substance and clarify concepts.
• Include interior links. Add links to different applicable pages connected your tract truthful Google tin recognize however your pages are related.
• Mention your products erstwhile appropriate. Even if the nonfiction is informational, notation your products and unsocial selling points erstwhile relevant.
• Use calls to enactment (CTAs). CTAs usher readers connected what to bash next, specified arsenic visiting your merchandise page, to determination them person to making a purchase.

Here is simply a template you tin usage to make pillar blog posts:

One casual mode to get started is with the SEO Writing Assistant.

From your keyword clusters successful Keyword Strategy Builder, take a taxable to constitute astir and click the "Write content" fastener astatine the extremity of the row.

In the pop-up, prime the instrumentality you privation to make contented for, past click "Send keywords."

This opens the SEO Writing Assistant, wherever you tin commencement penning your contented portion keeping your people keywords successful mind.

The instrumentality checks your contented arsenic you write, reminding you to usage keywords, highlighting sentences that are excessively agelong oregon complicated, and identifying imaginable plagiarism issues.

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

• Click “Rephraser” to rephrase, simplify, expand, oregon summarize a condemnation oregon paragraph
• Click “Compose” to person the instrumentality make contented based connected what you've already written
• Click “Ask AI” to make contented based connected a question oregon prompt

7. Optimize Your Category & Product Pages

In summation to optimizing your blog content, you should optimize your merchandise and class pages utilizing keywords and interior links.

For example, this class leafage lists subcategories based connected the company’s products.

Category titles and descriptions contiguous an accidental to see commercialized and transactional intent keywords. The aforesaid applies to merchandise pages.

Your merchandise pages should see the following:

• A rubric that contains your people keyword
• A statement that contains your people and secondary keywords
• High-quality images
• Links to merchandise variants
• Links to related products

Like so:

Consider adding these optional but adjuvant elements to your merchandise page:

• Shipping information
• Reviews
• FAQs

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

Each of your pages has a URL slug, rubric tag, H1 tag, and meta statement that you should trade with SEO successful mind.

Here's an overview of each:

• URL slug: The last portion of the leafage URL
• Title tag: HTML that specifies the webpage rubric and whitethorn look successful hunt results
• H1 tag: HTML that specifies the rubric connected the webpage itself
• Meta description: HTML that summarizes your leafage and whitethorn look successful hunt results

Your URL slug tells hunt engines and users what your leafage is about, and it is simply a confirmed, lightweight ranking factor.

It looks similar this:

Keep your URL slugs descriptive and readable, and incorporated your people keyword whenever possible.

Consider the pursuing options:

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

The 2nd enactment is better.

For H1 tags and rubric tags, support these champion practices successful mind:

• Keep your rubric tags and H1 tags similar: Having drastically antithetic titles connected the SERP and your webpage tin beryllium confusing. It's champion to support them the aforesaid oregon similar.
• Use your superior keyword: Including your superior keyword successful your rubric tag and H1 tag helps hunt engines recognize what your leafage is about, expanding your chances of ranking.
• Avoid keyword stuffing: While you privation your superior (and perchance a secondary) keyword to look successful your rubric and H1 tags, overdoing it tin look spammy to some users and hunt engines.

Your meta descriptions (if they look successful the SERP) are often the 2nd happening users spot erstwhile reviewing results. 

A relevant, well-written meta statement encourages searchers to click connected your nexus alternatively of a competitor's.

To optimize your meta statement for clicks, incorporated your keywords, see a CTA, and support it to 105 characters oregon less to debar truncation.

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

Simply unfastened the tool, participate your domain, and click "Get ideas.”

Then, travel the prompts successful the pop-up and click “Collect ideas.”

After the instrumentality generates your report, spell to the “Optimization Ideas” tab and click connected the “# ideas” fastener adjacent to a URL.

Scroll down to the contented conception to cheque whether your rubric tag and H1 tag incorporate your people keywords, and guarantee neither includes keyword stuffing.

You’ll spot akin accusation for your meta descriptions.

If you spot immoderate issues, marque definite to instrumentality updates.

9. Use Proper Alt Text

Alt text is an HTML statement for images recovered connected your page. 

It looks similar this:

In summation to giving Google much discourse astir your images, alt substance besides makes your contented much accessible to radical who usage surface readers.

Alt substance appears connected your leafage erstwhile your representation doesn’t load, which usually happens erstwhile your leafage visitant has a dilatory connection.

Like this:

Here are immoderate champion practices to support successful caput erstwhile penning alt text:

• Don’t usage alt substance for decorative images. If the representation doesn’t service a purpose, past you don’t request to picture it. Leaving it retired won’t negatively impact the idiosyncratic experience.
• Succinctly but intelligibly picture the image. Ensure that readers tin ideate your ocular adjacent if they can’t spot it.
• Include your keywords erstwhile possible. Because your alt substance besides tells Google what an representation is about, having a keyword successful determination volition summation your image’s chances of ranking successful representation results.

10. Include Structured Data to Stand Out

Structured information (also known arsenic schema markup) is codification that tells hunt engines much astir your page's contented to assistance them recognize it better.

Some types of structured information nutrient rich results that marque your Shopify tract basal retired successful hunt results.

For example, this is what a merchandise markup effect looks similar connected the SERP:

Useful types of structured information for Shopify sites include:

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

To instrumentality structured data, usage a Shopify app oregon bash it manually utilizing Google's Structured Data Markup Helper.

Once you person your code, spell to your Shopify admin dashboard and click connected “Online Store” > “Themes” nether the “Sales channels” conception successful your sidebar menu.

Then, click connected the 3 dots wrong the taxable modal and prime “Edit code.”

Look for your merchandise record utilizing the hunt bar. It volition beryllium titled "product-template.liquid" oregon "main-product.liquid" based connected your theme. Click connected the record erstwhile you find it.

Paste your generated schema markup astatine the apical of the record and click “Save.”

To guarantee your schema is correctly implemented, spell to the Site Audit tool, participate your domain, and click "Start Audit."

Follow the prompts to tally the audit, and you’ll extremity up connected the "Overview" tab.

Go to the “Thematic Reports” conception and click connected the “View details” fastener nether “Markup.”

You’ll spot whether your pages person schema markup.

The instrumentality besides shows whether determination are immoderate issues with the schema you’ve implemented. 

If you spot immoderate issues, close them and tally different audit to verify that the contented was resolved.

11. Do Link Building

Getting backlinks—links connected different sites that constituent to your site—is 1 of the champion ways to amended your SEO performance. Backlinks awesome to hunt engines that your tract is reputable and worthy of ranking.

There are aggregate ways to get backlinks:

• Create invaluable content that others people privation to nexus to
• Respond to journalists' requests for adept sources

You tin besides instrumentality a proactive attack by reaching retired to different sites straight and asking them to nexus to you.

Use the Link Building Tool for this purpose.

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

Follow the prompts to participate your people keywords and competitors to decorativeness mounting up your project.

Then, spell to the “Prospects” tab to spot a database of sites you tin scope retired to.

Review your options. When you find a tract you privation to contact, click the "To In Progress" fastener adjacent to it to nonstop it to the "In Progress" tab.

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

Once you link an email account, you tin draught personalized messages straight wrong the instrumentality and way your progress.

12. Use the Right Shopify Apps

Shopify apps simplify store optimization by automating tasks that would different necessitate manual effort.

Here are immoderate apps you tin usage contiguous to heighten your Shopify SEO:

Shopify Finder

Shopify Finder is simply a broad ecommerce merchandise probe app.

You tin usage it to:

• Identify in-demand products from the Shopify and AliExpress ecosystem based connected nett and bid trends
• Uncover competitors' merchandise details, including pricing and bid data
• Determine the support beingness of fashionable products to program your adjacent offer

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

Schema Plus for SEO

Use Schema Plus for SEO to automate schema implementation.

Developed by erstwhile Google engineers, Schema Plus for SEO provides seamless structured information implementation.

It has an intuitive idiosyncratic interface, making it casual to use.

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

Tiny SEO Image Optimize, Speed

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

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

• Image compression and lazy load configuration
• Broken nexus detection
• Alt substance generator

The app is escaped to install, with paid options for precocious features.

Start Improving Your Shopify SEO Today

Applying these Shopify SEO champion practices tin assistance your store scope much imaginable customers.

And Semrush tools tin accelerate your progress:

• Site Audit: Get broad tract wellness information and suggestions for fixes
• Keyword Strategy Builder: Create keyword lists and clusters
• Link Building Tool: Launch and negociate link-building campaigns successful a azygous place