SEO Checklist for Shopify

Start with Keyword Research

The foundation of any successful SEO campaign is thorough keyword research. Understanding the terms your target customers are searching for will enable you to optimize your store accordingly. For Shopify, this includes finding keywords related to your products, brand, and overall business.

• Tools to Use: Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, Ubersuggest.
• Focus on Intent: Don’t just target high-volume keywords. Also, consider long-tail keywords that indicate specific customer intent (e.g., "buy organic skincare products online").
• Analyze Competitors: Review the keywords your competitors are ranking for and try to target similar or related terms.

Tip: Create content around long-tail keywords. These keywords are typically less competitive and can attract more targeted traffic.

Optimize Your Shopify Store’s Structure

A well-organized store structure improves both user experience (UX) and SEO. A logical, clean structure makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index your store.

• Clear Categories and Subcategories: Create product categories and subcategories that make it easy for users to navigate. For example, if you sell clothing, you could have categories like “Men’s Clothing,” “Women’s Clothing,” and “Accessories.”
• URL Structure: Ensure URLs are clean, short, and descriptive. Avoid using random numbers or complex URL strings. For example, use “www.yourstore.com/women-s-clothing” instead of “www.yourstore.com/category/12345.”

Tip: Use breadcrumb navigation on your Shopify store to enhance site structure and help search engines understand your site’s hierarchy.

On-Page SEO for Product Pages

Each product page on your Shopify store should be optimized to rank well for relevant keywords. Here’s how to do that:

• Title Tags: The title tag is one of the most important SEO elements. Include your primary keyword and make it catchy. For example, “Organic Cotton T-Shirt for Men | Shop Eco-Friendly Apparel.”
• Meta Descriptions: Write unique, compelling meta descriptions that include your target keywords. These descriptions appear in search results and influence click-through rates. Make sure they are under 160 characters.
• Image Alt Text: Google cannot see images, so it relies on alt text to understand what they represent. Add descriptive alt text to all images on your product pages.
• Unique Product Descriptions: Avoid using the default product descriptions provided by suppliers. Write unique descriptions that incorporate your target keywords and provide valuable information.

Tip: Use Shopify’s built-in SEO features, such as the “SEO section” of each product page, to optimize your content.

Improve Site Speed

Google has made it clear that site speed is a ranking factor, and it also directly impacts user experience. A slow-loading site will result in a higher bounce rate and lower conversions.

• Optimize Images: Use image compression tools to reduce the file sizes of your images without compromising quality.
• Limit Apps: While Shopify offers many useful apps, some of them can slow down your site. Only use the essential apps and delete any unnecessary ones.
• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): Shopify stores automatically come with a CDN, which helps to speed up your website by delivering content from the nearest server to the user.

Tip: Regularly test your website speed using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTMetrix.

Mobile Optimization

With mobile eCommerce sales expected to account for over 70% of total eCommerce sales by 2025, having a mobile-optimized Shopify store is essential for SEO success. Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily uses the mobile version of your site for ranking.

• Responsive Design: Ensure your Shopify theme is responsive, meaning it adjusts well to any device (mobile, tablet, desktop).
• Test Mobile Usability: Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to check whether your store is optimized for mobile devices.

Tip: Simplify the navigation on mobile devices to enhance user experience.

Content Marketing and Blogging

Content is a powerful way to build authority and drive traffic to your Shopify store. Creating high-quality blog content can help you rank for informational queries related to your products or industry.

• Create Valuable Content: Write blog posts that address your customers’ pain points, answer common questions, and provide in-depth insights about your niche. For example, if you sell skincare, you could write about “How to Choose the Right Moisturizer for Your Skin Type.”
• Internal Linking: Link your blog posts to relevant product pages and other content within your store to help search engines crawl your site more efficiently.
• Regular Posting: Consistency is key. Aim to publish new content regularly to keep your website fresh and engaging.

Tip: Include a call-to-action (CTA) in your blog posts, encouraging visitors to check out related products or sign up for your newsletter.

Backlink Building

Backlinks are one of the most important off-page SEO factors. Getting quality backlinks from reputable websites can significantly boost your store’s domain authority and help it rank higher on search engines.

• Guest Blogging: Write guest posts for reputable blogs in your niche and include a link to your Shopify store.
• Influencer Marketing: Collaborate with influencers or industry leaders to get backlinks and exposure.
• Submit Your Store to Directories: Submit your Shopify store to relevant business directories or niche-specific listings.

Tip: Focus on building natural, high-quality backlinks instead of buying links or using spammy methods.

Leverage Shopify SEO Apps

Shopify has a variety of apps that can help optimize your store for search engines. Some popular ones include:

• SEO Booster: This app helps with optimizing your store’s meta tags, image alt text, and structured data.
• Plug in SEO: A comprehensive app that checks your site for SEO issues and provides recommendations to improve your rankings.

Tip: Use these apps to automate some of your SEO tasks, but don’t rely solely on them. Always keep track of your SEO performance and manually optimize your content where necessary.

Monitor and Track SEO Performance

After implementing your SEO strategy, it’s essential to track your performance and make necessary adjustments. Monitoring tools can help you identify issues, track keyword rankings, and measure website traffic.

• Google Analytics: This tool will provide valuable insights into how visitors are interacting with your store, which pages they visit, and where your traffic is coming from.
• Google Search Console: Monitor your store’s performance in Google search results, identify crawl issues, and track the keywords that are driving traffic.

Tip: Regularly review your analytics to identify areas for improvement and to adjust your strategy accordingly.

Conclusion

SEO is an ongoing process, but by following this checklist, you can set your Shopify store on the path to success. From keyword research and optimizing product pages to improving site speed and building backlinks, each of these elements contributes to your store’s visibility and success in search engine rankings.

By focusing on providing a great user experience, relevant content, and optimized product pages, you will see increased organic traffic, higher conversions, and ultimately, more sales for your Shopify store. Keep updating your SEO strategy, stay on top of industry trends, and continue making improvements to stay ahead of the competition.

Actionable Steps to Take Today

• Conduct keyword research for your products and content.
• Optimize your product pages, images, and meta descriptions.
• Improve your site’s loading speed and mobile optimization.
• Start creating blog content to drive organic traffic.
• Build backlinks from reputable sources in your niche.

Following these steps will help you build a solid SEO foundation for your Shopify store, ensuring you achieve long-term success in the competitive eCommerce landscape.