Internal Linking in Shopify SEO Explained

At Lillian Purge, we specialise in Ecommerce SEO Services and have developed comprehensive guidance on The importance of internal linking in Shopify SEO.

Internal linking is one of the most effective ways to strengthen a Shopify website’s visibility, authority, and user experience. It connects one page on your site to another, guiding both search engines and users through your content in a structured, logical way. For ecommerce sites with hundreds or even thousands of product and category pages, internal linking is essential for helping Google understand which pages are most important and for ensuring that no page gets buried.

What Internal Linking Is

Internal linking refers to hyperlinks that connect one page of your website to another within the same domain. Unlike backlinks, which come from external websites, internal links are completely under your control. In Shopify, these links appear in navigation menus, product recommendations, related collections, and in-text links throughout your content.

From a technical perspective, internal links help Google’s crawlers move through your site efficiently. Each link acts like a pathway, distributing link equity (often called PageRank) from higher-authority pages such as your homepage or main category pages to deeper pages like products, blog posts, or FAQs.

Why Internal Linking Matters for Shopify SEO

Internal linking is fundamental for three key reasons: crawlability, authority distribution, and user engagement.

1. Crawlability: Google uses internal links to discover and index pages. If a page is not linked from anywhere else, search engines might never find it.

2. Authority Distribution: Pages with more inbound links from within your site are perceived as more valuable. This helps you pass ranking power from your high-performing pages to newer or more niche ones.

3. User Experience: Good internal linking helps visitors find related content easily, reduces bounce rates, and encourages exploration, leading to longer session times and more conversions.

In short, internal linking tells both search engines and users what your site is about, what matters most, and how your content connects.

How Internal Linking Works on Shopify

Shopify automatically creates some internal links through your store’s theme and structure. For example, your product pages link to collections, and your main navigation menu links to key categories. However, these automatic links only form a base. To fully optimise your Shopify store for SEO, you need to create strategic internal links that strengthen topical relevance and help Google understand your hierarchy.

Key Areas Where Internal Links Appear in Shopify

1. Main Navigation: The primary menu links to collections and essential pages. It’s your most powerful internal linking hub because it appears on every page.

2. Footer Menu: Often used for secondary links such as About Us, Contact, FAQs, or legal pages, it also provides structure and crawl paths.

3. Product Descriptions: You can add contextual links to related products, guides, or category pages within your descriptions.

4. Collections: Collection pages can link to other related categories or featured products, creating strong interconnections between related topics.

5. Blog Posts: Content marketing offers a major opportunity to add internal links to relevant products and collections, improving both SEO and sales.

The SEO Benefits of Internal Linking

Internal linking does far more than improve navigation. When implemented strategically, it supports multiple SEO objectives simultaneously.

Improved Crawl Efficiency

Shopify sites can grow quickly, and large catalogues often create crawl-depth issues where Google struggles to reach deeper product pages. By linking strategically between collections, blog posts, and related products, you create more entry points for crawlers, ensuring that all valuable pages are indexed.

Enhanced Keyword Relevance

Anchor text the clickable words used in a link helps Google understand the context of the destination page. For example, linking the phrase “vegan protein powder” to your product page targeting that keyword signals clear topical relevance. Over time, this helps your product page rank for that specific search term.

Better Link Equity Distribution

Your homepage and high-traffic category pages naturally attract external backlinks. By linking from those pages to deeper pages, you pass authority throughout your site. This process strengthens the overall domain and allows lesser-known products to benefit from your top-performing pages’ link equity.

Increased Conversion Opportunities

Internal linking is also about guiding users toward purchase. When someone reads a blog post about “The Best Gifts for Runners,” linking directly to your “Running Accessories” collection or “Sports Water Bottles” product page creates a seamless buying path. These internal links serve as gentle calls to action within your content.

Common Internal Linking Mistakes in Shopify

Many Shopify store owners unintentionally harm their SEO by overlooking or misusing internal links. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:

• Linking only through menus without adding contextual links in body content.

• Using generic anchor text like “click here” instead of descriptive keywords.

• Having too many internal links on a single page, which can dilute link equity.

• Forgetting to update internal links when URLs change, leading to broken links.

• Linking to low-value or duplicate pages that do not contribute to SEO goals.

Each of these mistakes weakens your site’s structure and can confuse both users and search engines about what to prioritise.

How to Build an Effective Internal Linking Strategy in Shopify

Creating a deliberate internal linking strategy transforms your site from a collection of disconnected pages into a structured, SEO-friendly ecosystem.

1. Map Out Your Site Hierarchy

Think of your Shopify site as a pyramid. The homepage sits at the top, followed by category (collection) pages, and then product pages at the base. Plan your internal links to flow downward from broad categories to specific products and back upward when relevant. This structure ensures that every product is linked logically and that no page is left isolated.

2. Use Contextual Links Within Content

Don’t rely solely on menus. Add internal links within your blog posts, FAQs, and product descriptions. For example, if your blog covers “How to Choose the Right Yoga Mat,” link to your “Eco Yoga Mats” collection. This reinforces topical connections while improving user navigation.

3. Optimise Anchor Text Naturally

Anchor text should clearly describe the destination page without overusing exact-match keywords. A mix of descriptive phrases like “Shop breathable running tops” or “View our waterproof jackets” provides balance and prevents keyword stuffing.

4. Prioritise Key Pages

Not all pages deserve equal link authority. Focus on products or categories that generate high revenue or represent your core offerings. Linking from prominent pages like the homepage or top blog posts gives these pages a stronger SEO boost.

5. Regularly Audit Your Internal Links

As your Shopify store grows, it’s easy for internal links to become outdated. Use tools like Google Search Console, Screaming Frog, or Ahrefs to identify broken links, orphan pages (pages with no internal links), and opportunities for improvement. Schedule regular audits to maintain consistency and performance.

6. Use Related Product Sections Wisely

Shopify themes often include “You may also like” or “Related Products” sections. Customise these recommendations to reflect SEO logic as well as user behaviour. For instance, ensure products in the same category or style link together, strengthening thematic relevance across the site.

Challenges of Implementing Internal Links in Shopify

Shopify’s structure can limit some aspects of internal linking. URLs automatically follow a pattern such as /collections/ or /products/, and editing these requires technical adjustments. Additionally, Shopify themes may restrict where you can add in-content links without custom coding.

Despite these challenges, most of the important internal linking tasks contextual linking, optimised anchor text, related products, and strategic navigation can be achieved through theme customisation or by using compatible apps.

Complementary SEO Strategies

Internal linking works best when combined with other on-site SEO efforts. Schema markup, optimised meta tags, image compression, and content marketing all enhance its impact. Additionally, building external backlinks to your main category pages further amplifies the authority that internal links can distribute through your Shopify site.

Expert Tips for Shopify Internal Linking

1. Review your analytics to find pages with high traffic and link from them to underperforming pages.

2. Keep your anchor text diverse and human-friendly.

3. Make sure every new page you publish includes at least two internal links pointing to it.

4. When deleting a product or collection, use redirects to preserve link equity.

5. Test internal links on mobile devices to ensure they’re accessible and easy to tap.

6. Avoid using JavaScript-only links, as search engines may not follow them consistently.

Final Thoughts

Internal linking is more than a technical SEO tactic. For Shopify stores, it’s a way to build a stronger, more coherent site architecture that supports organic visibility and user journeys. By thoughtfully connecting your collections, products, and content, you create a website that’s easier for search engines to crawl, more enjoyable for users to navigate, and better positioned to drive conversions.

We have also written in depth articles on Shopify URL structure explained: how to optimise slugs and The most common Shopify SEO mistakes (and how to fix them) as well as our Shopify Hub to give you further guidance.