Shopify SEO checklist

This covers the search work that is particular to Shopify rather than general advice that happens to be applied to a Shopify store. The platform handles some things for you and creates its own problems elsewhere, so the list follows the store structure, the theme templates, the speed cost of apps and images, and the indexing settings that markets and tags introduce.

Store structure and URLs

Send product links to the plain products path rather than the collection nested path.Why: Shopify serves the same product at a nested collection address, which creates duplicate paths across the store.How: Edit the product card snippet in the theme so links use the plain product URL, and rely on the built in canonical for links already published.
Keep handles short and stable once a page has traffic.Why: Every handle change breaks the previous address along with any ranking attached to it.How: Set the handle when the product is created, and if it must change, add the redirect in the URL redirects tool during the same session.
Use the URL redirects tool whenever a product is deleted.Why: Deleted products leave dead pages that still hold links from search results, emails and social posts.How: Redirect the retired handle to the closest live product or to its collection, and never send everything to the homepage as a shortcut.
Build navigation so every collection is reachable within three clicks.Why: Pages buried behind internal search or filters collect very little internal link signal from the rest of the store.How: Add main collections to the header menu, link supporting collections from parent collection pages, and confirm depth with a crawl.

Templates and theme code

Check the theme renders one H1 per template.Why: Some themes place the shop name or a slideshow caption in an H1 and dilute what the page claims to be.How: View the rendered source of a product, collection, blog and page template, and confirm only the intended heading uses H1.
Fill the search engine listing fields on pages that need custom text.Why: Left empty, Shopify falls back to the product title and the first lines of the description.How: Write the page title and description in the search listing section for your top products and collections instead of relying on the fallback.
Add the structured data your theme does not output.Why: Themes vary widely in the markup they emit, and the gaps cost rich results in search.How: Test a product URL with a structured data validator, then add product, breadcrumb and organisation markup in the theme where it is missing.
Edit the robots template only for a documented reason.Why: The default file already blocks the cart, checkout and internal search paths that should stay out of the index.How: Use the robots template to add a rule for one specific parameter problem, leave a comment saying why, and keep the defaults in place.

Speed and apps

Remove app script tags left behind by uninstalled apps.Why: Uninstalled apps often leave code in the theme that still loads on every single page view.How: Search the theme files for the app handle, remove the leftover snippets and script tags, and test the affected templates after each removal.
Serve product and collection images at the size the theme displays.Why: Shopify can resize on request, and full size uploads are the most common cause of a slow product page.How: Use the image url filter with an explicit width for each placement, and set width and height attributes so the layout does not shift while loading.
Defer third party scripts that are not needed for the first render.Why: Review widgets, chat and analytics tags block the main thread while a shopper is waiting to see the product.How: Load non essential scripts after page load or on first interaction, and audit the tag list each quarter against what the store actually uses.
Open the live product template on a real phone on mobile data.Why: Most shoppers arrive on mobile, and desktop previews hide layout shifts and small tap targets.How: Load the page on a phone away from office wifi, add to cart, and note anything that reflows, overlaps or needs pinching to read.

Indexing, markets and content

Submit the sitemap and read the coverage report monthly.Why: Shopify generates the sitemap automatically, so coverage errors point at store data rather than at the file.How: Submit the sitemap URL in search console, then review the page indexing report each month for pages excluded by canonical or noindex rules.
Set hreflang correctly when running markets in more than one language or country.Why: Without it the wrong regional storefront can outrank the right one for local shoppers.How: Use the markets settings to generate the alternate tags, then spot check a product page in each market for reciprocal annotations.
Decide whether tag filtered URLs may be indexed before they accumulate.Why: Tag URLs multiply quickly and most of them duplicate the parent collection they were filtered from.How: Keep tags for merchandising, canonicalise tag URLs to the parent collection, and index one only when its phrase has real search demand.
Give the blog a job that supports collection and product pages.Why: Posts that never link to a collection or product add no commercial value to the store at all.How: Write posts answering pre purchase questions, link each to the collection it supports, and merge or retire posts that serve neither.

Questions

It sets a canonical to the plain product address, which usually resolves it. Linking straight to that path from your theme is still cleaner and saves crawl effort.

Yes, through the robots template. Change it only for a specific documented problem, because the default rules already block cart, checkout and internal search paths.

Usually images uploaded at full size and leftover app scripts. Serve images at the width they display and clear script tags from apps you no longer use before blaming the theme.

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Shopify SEO checklist

Store structure and URLs

Templates and theme code

Speed and apps

Indexing, markets and content

Questions

Does Shopify handle duplicate product URLs for me?

Can I edit robots.txt on Shopify?

Why are my Shopify pages slow?

Related

Your plan is free.