CRO Shopify
The Ultimate SEO Guide for Shopify: Boost Your Traffic and Sales
Feb 21, 2025
Want free traffic to your Shopify store? SEO is the key. If your store isn't ranking on search engines, you're missing out on potential sales that your competitors are capturing.
After helping hundreds of Shopify store owners grow their businesses over the past decade, I've noticed one clear pattern: stores that succeed take SEO seriously. In this comprehensive guide, I'll walk you through proven strategies to optimize your Shopify store for search engines - from keyword research to page speed, product optimization, and even automating the most tedious SEO tasks.
Understanding the Goal of SEO
The main goal of SEO is for your website to be found when potential customers search for relevant keywords. For example, if you're selling antibacterial soaps, you want your store to appear on the first page of search results when someone searches for "antibacterial soap."
Search engines like Google rank websites based on:
Authority on a topic
Relevancy to the search query
User experience factors (mobile-friendliness, page speed)
Let's dive into how to optimize each aspect of your Shopify store to climb those rankings.
Step 1: Strategic Keyword Research
The foundation of good SEO is identifying the right keywords that represent your brand and products. For each page on your store, you should focus on:
One primary keyword
Two secondary supporting keywords
Here's how to find the perfect keywords:
Using Google Keyword Planner (Free)
Access Google Keyword Planner through your Google Ads account
Enter a search term related to your products (e.g., "homemade soap")
Analyze the results for:
Monthly search volume (1,000-10,000 searches is healthy)
Competition level (low competition)
Cost-per-click (indicates commercial value)
For our example store selling handmade soaps, "homemade soap" might be a good primary keyword with 1,000-10,000 monthly searches.
Consider Search Intent
Remember that keywords have different intentions behind them:
Informational: "how to make homemade soap" (looking to learn)
Transactional: "homemade soap for sale" (looking to buy)
For e-commerce, it's best to focus on transactional keywords that show buying intent.
Additional Keyword Research Methods
Google Trends + Glimpse Chrome Extension: View related searches and identify trending terms
Google Search Predictions: Type your main keyword into Google and note the autocomplete suggestions
Competitor Analysis: Enter competitor URLs into Keyword Planner to see what keywords they rank for
Advanced tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs provide deeper insights but come with higher price tags.
Step 2: Optimizing Your Main Shopify Store Page
Once you've identified your target keywords, it's time to implement them throughout your store, starting with your main store page:
Update Search Engine Listing
Go to Shopify > Online Store > Preferences > Search Engine Listing and optimize:
Title: Include your main keyword (limit: 70 characters)
Description: Include supporting keywords and a call-to-action (limit: 170 characters)
This information appears when your store shows up in search results, so make it compelling while incorporating your keywords.
Example title: "Natural Homemade Soap & Body Wash for Healthier Skin | Your Store Name"
Optimize Content with Proper Heading Structure
Every page should have a single H1 tag that includes your primary keyword.
Add additional content with H2 and H3 subheadings that include your secondary keywords.
H1: Main keyword (usually your store name on the homepage)
H2 & H3: Secondary keywords for subheadings
Step 3: Product Page Optimization
Product pages are crucial for e-commerce SEO. Follow these steps for each product:
Create Keyword-Rich Product Titles
Instead of vague names like "Sweet Honey Bomb," use descriptive titles that incorporate important keywords:
Example: "Summer Fragrance Bath Bomb with Sweet Floral Scents for a Relaxing Soak"
Write Comprehensive Product Descriptions
Write at least 100 words (300-400 is ideal)
Include your target keywords naturally
Describe benefits, ingredients, and use cases
Add formatting like bullet points and subheadings
Optimize Product Images
Add descriptive ALT text: Include primary keyword, product type, color, and perspective (e.g., "summer fragrance bath bomb purple frontal view")
Rename image files: Change from generic names (like "IMG12345.jpg") to keyword-rich names (like "summer-fragrance-bath-bomb-purple.jpg")
Complete the Search Engine Listing
Scroll to the bottom of the product edit page to find:
Meta Title: Usually your product name (automatically populated)
Meta Description: Create a compelling 160-character snippet that encourages clicks
URL Handle: Update to include keywords separated by hyphens
Important: Always check "Create a URL redirect" when changing existing URLs to avoid broken links.
Step 4: Collection Page Optimization
Collection pages help organize your products and are excellent SEO opportunities:
Optimize Collection Titles
Replace generic names like "Bath" with descriptive titles like "Summer-Inspired Bath Bombs: Sweet Floral & Fruity Scents"
Add Collection Descriptions
Write 100-400 word descriptions that include:
Target keywords
What products are included
Benefits of these product types
Any special features of this collection
Even if you prefer to display products higher on the page, include these descriptions (you can move them below the product grid).
Step 5: Technical SEO Factors
Technical factors greatly influence your rankings. Focus on these areas:
Mobile-Friendly Design
Test your site's mobile appearance:
Right-click your store and select "Inspect" (Chrome)
Click the mobile device icon
Ensure all content displays properly without distortion
Most modern Shopify themes are mobile-friendly by default, but always verify. Check out my tutorial about how to choose the best Shopify theme here.
Page Speed Optimization
Slow sites get penalised in search rankings. Improve speed by:
Compressing images: Use tools like TinyPNG before uploading
Avoid lazy-loading above-the-fold images: The main banner and product images should load immediately
Limit app usage: Only keep essential apps installed
Test your speed: Use Google PageSpeed Insights to identify issues
Check out my video tutorial here where I talk about Shopify speed optimisation.
Internal Linking Strategy
Create connections between your pages:
Link from blog posts to relevant products
Link related products to each other
Link from collection descriptions to individual products
This helps search engines discover and understand your site structure.
Step 6: Rich Snippets and Structured Data
Rich snippets make your listings stand out in search results with additional information like:
Product prices
Star ratings
Availability information
FAQ content
Implementing structured data markup on your site helps Google understand your content and potentially display it in enhanced ways.
Step 7: Content Marketing for SEO
Regular content creation signals to search engines that your site is active and authoritative:
Blog Consistently
Publish at least 2-4 posts monthly on topics related to your products.
For a soap store, articles might include:
"10 Benefits of Natural Ingredients in Handmade Soap"
"How to Create a Spa Experience at Home with Bath Bombs"
"The Difference Between Commercial and Handmade Soaps"
Each blog post should target specific keywords and include:
Keyword-rich title
Comprehensive content (800+ words)
Proper heading structure
Internal links to products
Optimized meta description and URL
Step 8: Building Authority with Backlinks
Backlinks from reputable websites signal to Google that your site is trustworthy:
Backlink Strategies
Partner with complementary businesses for guest posts
Reach out to influencers in your niche
Create shareable infographics or resources
Get featured in online directories related to your niche
Step 9: Submitting Your Sitemap
Help Google find all your pages by submitting your sitemap:
Access your sitemap at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
Create a Google Search Console account
Verify ownership of your site
Submit your sitemap URL
Ensure your primary domain is set correctly in Shopify (Settings > Domains)
Automating SEO with SEO Ant
While the strategies above are effective, they can be time-consuming to implement manually. SEO Ant is a powerful Shopify app that automates many of these tasks:
Key Features of SEO Ant:
Image Optimization: Automatically compress all store images with one click
Page Speed Enhancements: Quick fixes for common speed issues
SEO Health Scoring: Visual feedback on your optimization efforts
Rich Snippet Implementation: Add structured data without coding
Broken Link Management: Find and fix 404 errors
Keyword Research Tools: Built-in research capabilities
Competitor Tracking: Monitor what keywords competitors rank for
The app offers both free and paid plans, with the discount code "shopo" providing 35% off paid plans for the first three months.
Conclusion: Consistency is Key
SEO is not a one-time effort but an ongoing process. The stores that succeed with organic traffic are consistently:
Researching new keywords
Optimizing product pages
Creating quality content
Building backlinks
Monitoring performance
By implementing these strategies systematically, you'll gradually see your Shopify store climb the rankings and attract more qualified traffic – traffic that doesn't cost you per click and has high purchase intent.
To dive even deeper, check out my video tutorial where I break down these strategies step by step:
Remember that SEO results take time, typically 3-6 months to see significant movement. Stay consistent, track your progress, and continue optimizing based on what works best for your specific store and niche.
