HOW TO DO SEO ON SHOPIFY

At Lillian Purge, we specialise in Ecommerce SEO Services and have developed comprehensive guidance on How to Cancel Shopify Subscription.

What is Shopify SEO?

Shopify SEO refers to the process of optimising your Shopify store so it ranks higher in Google and other search engines. While Shopify includes some built-in SEO features such as editable title tags, meta descriptions, and a sitemap, it still requires a strong strategy to maximise visibility. Effective Shopify SEO helps search engines understand your products, categories, and content, so they can serve your pages to users searching for what you sell.

Why SEO Matters for Shopify Stores

Ecommerce SEO is vital because it drives free, consistent traffic that converts. Paid ads can generate quick wins, but SEO delivers long-term value. A well-optimised Shopify site can appear in searches for specific products, collections, and buying-intent keywords. This helps reduce reliance on paid campaigns and builds trust with shoppers who discover your store organically.

Who Shopify SEO is For

Shopify SEO benefits any business that sells products online, whether you’re a small independent store or a large brand. Start-ups can use SEO to build early awareness and credibility. Established retailers can use it to improve conversion rates and expand into new markets. Agencies and marketing professionals also use Shopify SEO to support clients aiming for sustainable online growth.

How Shopify SEO Works

Search engine optimisation on Shopify works through a mix of technical setup, on-page content, and off-page authority. The key is to make your store accessible to Google’s crawlers, relevant for users, and authoritative through backlinks and engagement signals.

The main areas of focus include:

  • Technical SEO: Improving site speed, mobile performance, and indexability.

  • On-page SEO: Optimising product pages, collection pages, and blog content for keywords.

  • Off-page SEO: Building trust signals through backlinks and mentions.

  • User experience: Creating a smooth, fast, and enjoyable shopping journey.

Each of these areas contributes to your overall ranking and conversion potential.

Technical SEO Setup for Shopify

A strong technical foundation ensures your store can be found and indexed efficiently.

1. Ensure your site is crawlable
Shopify automatically creates a sitemap and robots.txt file, which help search engines discover your pages. You can access your sitemap at www.yourstore.com/sitemap.xml. Submit it through Google Search Console to make sure Google indexes all important pages.

2. Improve site speed
Page speed directly affects ranking and user experience. Use lightweight themes, compress product images, and avoid unnecessary apps or scripts that slow your site down. Shopify’s built-in speed report under Online Store > Themes > Customise > Theme Settings gives an overview of your performance.

3. Use HTTPS and secure checkout
Security is a ranking factor and builds trust. Shopify provides free SSL certificates, ensuring your site runs on HTTPS.

4. Set up structured data (schema)
Schema markup helps Google understand your products. Add product schema to display rich snippets like prices and reviews. Many Shopify themes include this automatically, or you can use apps like Smart SEO to manage schema across your site.

5. Optimise for mobile
Most Shopify themes are mobile responsive, but you should still check usability with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test. Mobile users expect fast loading, simple navigation, and clear call-to-action buttons.

Keyword Research for Shopify

Effective SEO starts with keyword research. Identify what your customers are searching for and align your pages with those terms.

Product keywords relate to what you sell directly, such as “organic skincare” or “wireless earbuds”.
Informational keywords target users at the research stage, like “best moisturiser for dry skin” or “how to connect Bluetooth earbuds”.
Commercial keywords focus on intent, such as “buy wireless earbuds UK”.

Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, or Ahrefs to find phrases with search volume and realistic competition levels. Once you have your list, map primary keywords to main pages and secondary keywords to supporting content like blogs or FAQs.

On-Page SEO for Shopify

On-page optimisation ensures each page is relevant and search-friendly.

Title tags and meta descriptions
Write unique titles under 60 characters that include your main keyword and brand name where relevant. Meta descriptions should be under 150 characters and encourage clicks. For example: “Shop premium organic skincare at Green Glow. Free delivery on orders over £30.”

Headings
Use clear H1 tags for your main topic, followed by H2 and H3 subheadings for supporting information. Avoid using multiple H1s on the same page.

URLs
Shopify automatically generates SEO-friendly URLs, but you can customise them for clarity. Use short, keyword-rich slugs like /collections/wireless-earbuds or /products/organic-face-cream.

Internal linking
Link between product and collection pages to help users and search engines navigate your site. Add related product links and “Shop the Collection” sections within descriptions or blog posts.

Image optimisation
Use descriptive filenames and alt text for every image. Compress images before uploading to maintain speed. For example, name an image “vegan-leather-handbag.jpg” instead of “image123.jpg”.

Content quality
Your product descriptions should go beyond basic specs. Describe benefits, materials, and use cases naturally while incorporating your keywords. Add FAQs to answer common buyer questions, which can help your pages appear in Google’s People Also Ask results.

Building Content and Blog Strategy

Shopify’s built-in blog feature is powerful for content marketing. Create articles that support your products and build topical authority.

Focus on helpful content like:

  • Buying guides (e.g., “How to Choose the Right Gym Trainers”)

  • Product comparisons (e.g., “Silk vs Satin Pillowcases for Hair”)

  • Seasonal content (e.g., “Top 5 Summer Skincare Essentials”)

Optimise each article for long-tail keywords and include links to relevant collections. Over time, this builds topical authority and drives traffic from customers who are still deciding what to buy.

Off-Page SEO for Shopify

Off-page SEO helps build your site’s authority and trust.

Link building
Gain backlinks from reputable sources such as blogs, online magazines, and suppliers. Write guest posts or collaborate with influencers in your niche. High-quality backlinks signal to Google that your store is trustworthy.

Local SEO
If you also operate a physical shop, optimise your Google Business Profile. Include accurate name, address, and phone number (NAP) details, and gather reviews to improve local search visibility.

Social signals
While social media links don’t directly boost rankings, active engagement increases visibility and brand searches, which indirectly support SEO.

Challenges and Costs of Shopify SEO

Shopify is user-friendly but has some SEO limitations. For example, you can’t directly edit your robots.txt or canonical tags beyond what Shopify allows. Some advanced customisations require developer support. Additionally, success takes time. SEO results usually appear over several months rather than weeks.

Shopify SEO costs vary depending on whether you manage it in-house or hire an agency. Tools, apps, and professional support can cost anywhere from £50 to £1,000 per month depending on complexity and goals.

Complementary Strategies

Shopify SEO works best alongside paid ads, social media, and email marketing. Paid search drives short-term sales while SEO builds organic traffic. Email campaigns keep customers returning, improving lifetime value. Together these channels create a balanced ecommerce strategy.

Expert Tips for Shopify SEO Success

  1. Focus on user intent – Target keywords that match what buyers actually want.

  2. Keep content fresh – Update product descriptions and blogs regularly.

  3. Use reviews – Encourage customer feedback to build trust and provide user-generated content.

  4. Track performance – Use Google Search Console and Shopify Analytics to monitor clicks, impressions, and conversions.

  5. Reduce duplicate content – Avoid multiple URLs for similar products or variants.

  6. Monitor crawl errors – Fix broken links and redirect deleted pages to relevant alternatives.

  7. Leverage Shopify apps carefully – Only use trusted apps that genuinely add SEO value, as too many can slow down your site.

The Long-Term Value of Shopify SEO

SEO is a long-term investment that compounds over time. Each piece of optimised content strengthens your online presence and helps attract new customers. For Shopify store owners, strong SEO means sustainable traffic, reduced ad spend, and a more resilient brand.

Final Thoughts

Doing SEO on Shopify isn’t complicated once you understand how each element fits together. From site speed and structure to keywords and backlinks, every small improvement contributes to your store’s performance. A consistent, well-planned SEO strategy will help you stand out in search results and grow your ecommerce business steadily.

We have also written in depth articles on How to Add Staff to Shopify and How to do SEO on Shopify as well as our Shopify Hub to give you further guidance.