We’re looking to make the most of Shopify’s built-in SEO capabilities but want to ensure we’re not missing any hidden or underutilized features. Are there any lesser-known SEO settings, tools, or tactics within Shopify that brands often overlook? For example, are there specific URL structures, meta field optimizations, or internal linking strategies that can significantly improve search rankings? Any insights on advanced Shopify SEO features or best practices would be greatly appreciated.
Topic summary
The discussion centers on underutilized Shopify SEO features that brands commonly miss.
Lesser-Known Features:
- Custom canonical tags can be created using metafields
- Pages can be noindexed through metafield settings
Key Opportunities:
- Build comprehensive collections based on how users describe products (gender, fit, style, color, etc.)
- Use Google’s search filters as a guide for collection structure
- Create collections when you have 3-5+ products to display
- Set up Google Merchant Center feed via the free Google & YouTube app
Foundational Best Practices:
- Conduct keyword research using tools like Ahrefs, SEMRush, or Key Search
- Link important collections from main navigation
- Display customer reviews on product pages
- Include FAQ sections on product pages
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Thin product pages lacking descriptions, reviews, and useful information
- Missing or inadequate collection descriptions
- Insufficient collection building (limiting traffic potential)
- Not monitoring Google Merchant Center feed quality and fixing flagged issues
- Poorly optimized title tags and headings without keyword targeting
The emphasis is on building robust collections as the biggest growth opportunity for most merchants.
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In terms of stuff people often don’t know about:
- You can create custom canonical tags with a metafield.
- You can noindex a page with a metafield.
Many people struggle to get the basics right, so I always list these:
- Learn how to do keyword research with a tool like Ahrefs, SEMRush, or Key Search. This gives you a foundation in data.
- Build collections for all of the ways that a user might describe your products. If you’re not sure, type the base name of your product into Google (e.g. if you sell specialty denim, you might search for [jeans]) and see which filters Google displays on the lefthand side of desktop results. These are the dimensions that you should be building collections for (
- e.g. for [jeans] you’ll see target gender, fit, style, color, etc.) - build collections for all of those different values as long as you have 3-5 products to display. So you might build collections for “mens jeans,” “womens jeans,” “skinny jeans,” “black jeans,” you get the idea. This is the biggest opportunity for most merchants.
- Make sure you have a Google Merchant Center feed set up. The Google & YouTube app can help you do this for free.
- Make sure you’re linking to all pages throughout your site, with your most important collections (or all, if you can) linked from your main navigation.
- Collect and display reviews on your product pages.
- Answer FAQs on your product pages.
Most common mistakes I see:
- Thin product pages (minimal description, no reviews, no useful information)
- No collection descriptions
- Not building enough collections (missing traffic/revenue growth opportunities)
- Not activating Google & YouTube or similar Google Merchant Center feed app
- Not checking Google Merchant Center to make sure feed quality is ok (they’ll flag things for you to fix)
- Not having descriptive, keyword-targeted title tags and headings.
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