Hey there!
Let’s tackle this step-by-step to make sure that the second image appears on Google SERP, People Also Buy From, and Popular Products sections. Sounds like you’ve put in a lot of work already, so I’ll just walk you through a few tweaks that might be the missing piece.
Step 1: Double-check the Image Schema Code
From what you’ve shared, I think the issue might be with the placement of your images in the JSON-LD schema markup. Google typically pulls the first image listed in the “image” array for the thumbnail, so we want to make sure the second image is listed first.
Here’s what your code should look like, with the second image prioritized:
In the above code:
Make sure product.media[1] is actually the second image in your media gallery. If it’s not showing correctly, swap it with product.media[0] to get the desired image to display first.
Step 2: Verify Alt Tags and Filenames
You did a solid job optimizing the filenames and alt text, but let’s confirm these match up. Here’s how to do a quick double-check in Shopify:
- Go to your Shopify Admin and navigate to Products > All Products.
- Open the product you’re working on, scroll down to the Media section, and click on the image you want Google to use as a thumbnail.
- For the Alt Text, use something descriptive and keyword-rich, like “Sol-ti Ginger SuperShot bottle next to lemon slices, ginger root, and a green apple.” This matches what you want Google to understand about the image. (If you’re still missing this info, you can click “Edit Alt Text” directly on the image, add it, and then save.)
- Confirm the Filename for the image (e.g., Sol-ti_GingerShot_ImmunityBoost_SuperShot) is set up correctly. If not, you can re-upload the image with the right name.
Step 3: Clear Cache and Resubmit Sitemap to Google
If everything above looks good, it’s possible that Google hasn’t updated yet. Let’s try to speed up that process:
- In Shopify, navigate to Online Store > Preferences.
- Scroll to Search Engine Listing Preview and click on Edit Website SEO to double-check your updated SEO fields.
- Once you’re sure everything is set, head over to Google Search Console. If you haven’t already, submit your updated sitemap.xml file to make sure Google crawls the changes faster. (To resubmit: In Search Console, go to Index > Sitemaps, remove any old sitemap if needed, and add /sitemap.xml.)
- Finally, clear your browser’s cache or try incognito mode to check if Google has updated the image preview.
Extra Tip: Shopify Metafields for More Image Options
If this approach doesn’t work as expected, you might want to set up Shopify Metafields to control which images display where.
Go to Settings > Custom Data > Products.
Add a metafield specifically for “SERP Image” and link it to the desired product image. Then, update your schema code to pull this specific metafield instead of just the product image.
Once you’ve done this, give it a little time (Google updates can take a few days).
Hope this helps, and feel free to share a screenshot if something doesn’t look right—happy to dive deeper!
