Seo

Ask Me Anything Q&A SEO Office Hours Repo
1

Hello Shopify Community,

I’m looking for advice on how to effectively adjust my internal linking strategy to enhance the rankings of specific pages on my site. My primary concern is that my branded keywords, mainly the banded collections I have designers that resonate with customers, are competing for the same keywords as my main product categories, such as sweaters and jeans, within the women’s clothing niche.

To optimize my SEO, I would appreciate insights on the following:

  1. Identifying Key Pages: How do I determine which pages should be prioritized for internal linking to improve their rankings?

  2. Linking Strategy: What are the best practices for internal linking that can help me reinforce the importance of certain pages without causing keyword cannibalization?

  3. Content Structuring: How can I structure my content to ensure that both branded terms and product categories are effectively represented without conflicting with each other?

  4. Practical Examples: If possible, could you provide examples of successful internal linking strategies that have worked for others in similar situations?

Thank you for your help! I’m eager to learn how to implement these strategies for better SEO performance.

2

Here’s a practical approach to handling internal linking for both branded collections and product categories:

Structure your site hierarchy like this:

  • Main Categories (Sweaters, Jeans, etc.)

    • Link from homepage
    • Include in main navigation
    • Use broad category keywords

  • Designer Collections

    • Create separate collection pages
    • Link from a “Designers” or “Brands” section
    • Use brand-specific keywords

Linking strategy:

  • Homepage → Main Categories (direct links)
  • Homepage → Designers (through a brands section)
  • Product pages → Link up to both relevant category AND designer collection
  • Blog posts → Link naturally to relevant products, categories, and collections

Example: A cashmere sweater by Designer X could link:

  • Up to “Sweaters” category
  • Up to “Designer X Collection”
  • Across to related items in same category
  • Across to other items by same designer

Google understands context, so it’s okay for products to appear in multiple collections. Just be consistent with your structure and make sure navigation is clear for customers.

Pro tip: Use your analytics to see which pages convert best, then prioritize linking to those.

3

Hi Kyle,

Thank you so much for your thoughtful response to my question. I apologize for my delayed reply; I was admitted to the hospital due to an injury the night this conversation took place. Thankfully, I am now in recovery and moving forward.

I truly appreciate the time and effort you put into your response. It was incredibly helpful!