Need to edit a Vendor Collection query URL

[Perfski]

Recently launched, and SEO Analysis says to remove the URLs with spaces in them.  How do I find the HTML that calls this URL? 

https://xxxxxx.com/collections/vendors?q=Vendor%20Name

[Shay]

Hi @Perfski 

The URL you are showing is one that is automatically generated by your store and can't necessarily be removed. The default navigation structure for Shopify stores is generated by the platform itself and isn't something that can be altered. 

The ?q= in the URL is sending a vendor query to your collections, essentially searching your collections for a vendor whose name matches what comes after the ?q=. 

In regards to concerns about SEO, Shopify's built in SEO features are optimized and shouldn't cause any issues with your search engine rankings. We also power millions of online businesses, who all use the same backend SEO structure successfully. 

I recommend improving SEO by continuing to improve customer trust and build real ties that prove your business exists online. Large platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Google all rely heavily on your digital footprint more than healthy keywords or URL structure. 

[Perfski]

Hi Shay, thanks for responding.  I understand this is a vendor collection query, but there should be no matches for liquid%20force.  I have the same issue with two other vendor collection queries.  All tags, collections et al are set to Liquid-Force.  If this is automatically created, shouldn't also go away when there is no collection that matches?

Thanks ahead,

Mike

[Shay · Accepted solution]

Got it! Thanks for that clarification. This sounds similar to a spam backlink issue that other merchants have been reporting. 

The vendor query URL is created through an external website and they use the query request to try and boost their own SEO using their product keywords. So long as the main store URL they are pointing to exists, then the URL generates a page that can then be indexed by search engines. So long as the link exists somewhere the page will continue to be indexed unless a redirect is created for it. 

We have some great dialogue and possible solutions to this in this forum thread here:  Solved: Re: Has my site been hacked? - Page 2 - Shopify Community  

[Perfski]

Thanks Shay, I'll review the linked article and look at putting in a redirect for those vendor queries.