Want more customers to find your Shopify store through Google? You're in the right place. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) can help your store appear higher in search results, attracting more visitors and driving sales. This guide breaks down the most essential SEO steps for your Shopify store. These are based on our experience working with numerous Shopify brands and identifying what truly makes a difference.

Build a Strong Base

First and foremost, ensure that Google can easily find and comprehend your website. This is the foundation of your SEO strategy, known as technical SEO. A strong technical base will provide you with the confidence that your efforts are well-grounded and practical.

• Indexing: Ensure Google can crawl and index the pages that help you generate revenue. Keep pages with thin or duplicate content hidden from search results.

• Broken Links: Fix any broken links on your site. This makes it easier for customers and search engines to navigate.

• Robots.txt: Set up your robots.txt file to prevent Google from showing unwanted pages in search results.

• Page Speed: You don't need a super-fast website. Compress your images and remove any unnecessary app scripts.

Smart Keyword Research

Keyword research involves identifying the words people use when searching for products like yours. Knowing these keywords helps you optimize your site so that it appears in search results when people search for them.

• Find Keywords: Use tools like Google Search Console, Google Ads Keyword Planner, and Reddit. Also, check out what keywords your competitors use.

• Money Keywords: These are the keywords people use when they are ready to make a purchase. Use these on your product and collection pages.

• Blog Keywords: These are keywords people use when looking for information. Use these in your blog posts. They often start with "what is" or "how to."

Content Strategy That Works

Create content that attracts both customers and search engines.

• Topical Authority: Write blog posts about topics related to your products. This demonstrates to Google that you're an expert in your field.

• Internal Links: Link from your blog posts to your product and collection pages. Also, link to other relevant blog posts. This helps Google understand your site and indicates which pages are most important to it. Aim to write three to five blog posts each month.

Optimize Your Money Pages

Your money pages are your product and collection pages. Make sure they're optimized for your target keywords.

• Where to Use Keywords:

  • Title

  • URL

  • Meta description

  • H2 and H3 headings

  • Naturally, in the content

  • Image alt text

• Subcollections: Create subcollections to target different keywords. For example, if you sell supplements, create collections for "supplements for energy," "supplements for focus," and "supplements for sleep." The same product can be in multiple collections. This enables you to reach a broader range of customers who are searching in various ways.

Powerful Internal Linking

Internal links, which connect different pages on your website, are a powerful tool in your SEO arsenal. Understanding and utilizing them effectively will give you a sense of control over your website's SEO performance.

• Blog to Product: In each blog post, the first internal link should go to the main product or collection page related to that blog.

• Blog to Blog: Include at least three to five links to other blog posts in the same topic cluster.

• Collection to Collection: If you have subcollections, link them.

• Homepage, Navigation, and Footer: Link to your main collection pages from your homepage, main navigation, and footer menu.

Quality Backlinks

Backlinks, or links from other websites to yours, are a key indicator to Google of your site's trustworthiness and importance. Focusing on quality over quantity when it comes to backlinks will reassure you that you're on the right track with your SEO strategy.

• Focus on Quality: It's better to have a few high-quality backlinks than many low-quality ones.

• Where to Build Backlinks: Build backlinks to your homepage, collection pages, and blog posts. Do not build backlinks directly to your product pages.

• Internal Linking Power: When you obtain backlinks to your blog posts and collection pages and utilize internal links effectively, the link value will spread throughout your site, enhancing your product pages.

Ready to take your Shopify store to the next level? Building high-quality backlinks can be a great way to enhance your search engine rankings and increase traffic to your online store.

Conclusion

SEO can seem complex, but by focusing on these key areas, you can make a big difference in how your Shopify store ranks on Google. Start with a strong technical foundation, conduct thorough keyword research, create valuable content, optimize your money pages, establish a robust internal linking structure, and prioritize acquiring high-quality backlinks. Use these tips to help more customers find your store and grow your business.