Shopify provides a solid SEO foundation, but its defaults leave significant room for improvement. Many Shopify stores underperform in search because they rely on out-of-the-box settings without optimising the elements that actually influence rankings. Here is a practical guide to the Shopify SEO optimisations that deliver real results, based on our work with eCommerce clients across Malta and Europe.
Technical SEO Foundations
Shopify handles many technical SEO basics automatically — SSL, XML sitemaps, canonical tags, and robots.txt. However, some default behaviours need attention. Shopify creates duplicate URLs for products accessed through collections (e.g., /collections/shoes/products/sneaker vs /products/sneaker). The canonical tag points to the correct URL, but internal links from collection pages often point to the collection-prefixed version. Fix this by modifying your theme to link directly to /products/ URLs.
Shopify's URL structure is fixed — you cannot change /products/, /collections/, or /blogs/ prefixes. Work within these constraints by optimising the URL handles you can control. Keep handles short, descriptive, and keyword-rich. Remove unnecessary words and never let Shopify auto-generate handles from long product titles.
Product Page Optimisation
- Title tags: Do not use the default which is just the product name. Craft titles that include the product name, key attributes, and your brand. "Red Leather Crossbody Bag | Handmade in Malta | BrandName" is far more effective than "Crossbody Bag".
- Product descriptions: Write unique, detailed descriptions for every product. Include materials, dimensions, use cases, and care instructions. Duplicate or thin descriptions harm your rankings and conversion rates.
- Image alt text: Describe what the image shows, including the product name and key attributes. This drives image search traffic and improves accessibility.
- Structured data: Implement Product schema with price, availability, reviews, and brand information. This enables rich snippets in search results, which significantly increase click-through rates.
Collection Page SEO
Collection pages are often the highest-value pages for eCommerce SEO because they target category-level keywords with commercial intent. Add unique, keyword-rich content to the top of collection pages — a 100-200 word introduction that describes the category and includes relevant keywords. Shopify's collection description field makes this straightforward to implement.
Optimise collection titles and meta descriptions for the keywords your customers actually search. "Women's Running Shoes" is a better collection title than "Running" for SEO purposes. Use Shopify's SEO fields to set meta titles and descriptions independently of the visible page title when needed.
Page Speed on Shopify
Shopify's speed is largely determined by your theme choice and installed apps. Every app that adds JavaScript to your storefront slows it down. Audit your apps regularly and remove any that are not actively contributing to revenue. For the remaining apps, evaluate whether their functionality could be achieved with lighter alternatives or custom code.
Choose a well-coded theme — Dawn, Shopify's default theme, is one of the fastest available. If you are using a third-party theme, test its speed before committing. Compress images before uploading (Shopify does some compression but starting with optimised files produces better results), and leverage Shopify's built-in lazy loading for images below the fold.
Content Marketing for Shopify
Shopify's built-in blog is basic but functional for SEO content. Publish guides, buying advice, and educational content that targets informational keywords related to your products. A store selling coffee equipment should publish guides on brewing methods, coffee bean selection, and equipment maintenance. This content attracts potential customers earlier in their buying journey and builds topical authority that strengthens your product page rankings.