Subfolders + Google Search Console Integration

[Jim_Borchardt]

Hello, 

I have set up subfolders for my website and have built out country based versions of my store that are specific to that country's language and currency. 

I would like to improve my search ranking internationally, but I have been unable to find anything conclusive regarding Shopify Subfolders, SEO, and Google Search Console. 

That said, how can I submit the subfolder version of my pages to GSC? My current subfolder pages, which have existed for months remain unindexed on search console. I have already submitted my sitemap to GSC and have had a strong year of SEO efforts for my domestic store. 

As a reminder, a subfolder has this structure: example.com/en-au which indicates the website is in english for australians. 

I have already read through all of the shopify documentation I could find and I am just as confused as when I started. 

[DaisyVo]

Hi @Jim_Borchardt 

I see exactly where you’re coming from, and I get why this is frustrating. Shopify’s handling of subfolders for international SEO can be a bit unclear, and Google Search Console (GSC) doesn’t always make things obvious. Let me break this down for you.

Understanding the Issue:

You’ve set up country-specific subfolders (e.g., example.com/en-au) with unique languages and currencies but are struggling to get them indexed in Google Search Console. You’ve already submitted your sitemap and have good SEO for your domestic store, yet the subfolder pages remain unindexed.

Solution:

1. Ensure Your Subfolder Pages Are Crawlable
   First, confirm that Googlebot can actually crawl these subfolder pages. Go to GSC’s URL Inspection Tool, enter a subfolder URL (example.com/en-au), and check if Google can access it. If it says "Crawled - Currently Not Indexed," Google can see it but hasn't prioritized indexing. If it says "Blocked by robots.txt," you need to check your robots.txt file.

   • Visit example.com/robots.txt and make sure there are no Disallow: /en-au/ rules.
   • Shopify automatically generates robots.txt, but you can edit it by going to Online Store > Themes > Edit Code > robots.txt.liquid.

2. Submit Subfolders as Separate Properties in GSC
   Google treats subfolders like distinct sections of a website. While your main domain is already in GSC, you should add each subfolder as a new property to GSC.

   • Go to GSC, click "Add Property"
   • Select "URL Prefix" (not Domain)
   • Enter https://example.com/en-au/ and verify ownership (same as your main domain)

   This helps Google treat each subfolder as a separate entity for ranking.

3. Manually Request Indexing for Key Pages
   If subfolder pages aren’t showing up, manually request indexing:

   • Go to URL Inspection Tool in GSC
   • Enter a page URL (e.g., example.com/en-au)
   • Click "Request Indexing"

   Do this for your most important pages (home, product pages, collections, etc.).

4. Ensure Hreflang Tags Are Correct
   Since you’re targeting multiple countries, hreflang tags are critical to signal Google that these subfolders are for different languages and locations.

   Shopify should automatically generate them, but double-check by viewing your page source (Ctrl + U in Chrome). You should see:

   <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-au" href="https://example.com/en-au/" />
   <link rel="alternate" hreflang="en-us" href="https://example.com/en-us/" />
   <link rel="alternate" hreflang="x-default" href="https://example.com/" />
   

   If these are missing or incorrect, use Shopify’s Edit Code section to manually add them in theme.liquid, or install an app like Langify or Translate & Adapt to handle it.

5. Improve Internal Linking to Subfolder Pages
   Google prioritizes pages with strong internal links. If your subfolder pages aren’t linked well within your site, they may not get indexed.

   • Add links from your main site (example.com/) to subfolder versions (example.com/en-au/).
   • Use the footer menu or a language switcher with proper SEO-friendly links.

6. Check Sitemap Coverage
   Shopify’s default sitemap includes subfolders, but verify in GSC:

   • Go to GSC > Sitemaps
   • Check if https://example.com/en-au/sitemap.xml is submitted
   • If not, add it manually

7. Monitor Performance in GSC

   • Check Coverage reports to see if Google is ignoring the pages.
   • If necessary, create a Google Search Console URL Inspection API script to check indexing at scale.

Final Thoughts:

Your main focus should be on ensuring crawlability, submitting subfolders separately in GSC, improving internal linking, and verifying hreflang tags. Shopify does support subfolders, but Google sometimes takes time to index them, especially if they’re not linked properly.

If you need any other assistance, feel free to ask, and I will try my best to support you.
Best regards,
Daisy.