Solving Shopify's Biggest SEO Challenges

How Shopify Handles SEO (and Where It Falls Short)

Before we dive into fixing things, let’s get a clear view of the playing field. 

Shopify does offer some solid SEO features right out of the box—things like customizable title tags, meta descriptions, and automatic sitemap generation. These are helpful, sure, but they’re just the starting point.

What most store owners don’t realize is that Shopify also makes a few SEO decisions for you. And while that’s great for speed and simplicity, it can limit how much control you actually have.

Take URL structure, for instance. You can’t change the fact that product pages live under /products/ or collection pages under /collections/. That might seem small, but it matters when you're trying to organize your site for both users and search engines.

Then there’s the duplicate content issue. One product can show up under multiple URLs depending on how it’s linked. Google doesn’t love that. It gets confused about which page to rank—and sometimes ends up ranking none.

On top of that, Shopify doesn’t let you freely edit your robots.txt file or easily implement structured data unless you know a bit of coding—or install the right app.

So if you've ever felt like you're doing everything right but your rankings just aren’t moving, it’s probably not your fault. You’re playing a game where the rules are hidden—until now.

Major Shopify SEO Challenges and Solutions

Now that you’ve got a clear idea of why SEO is so crucial for your Shopify store, let’s dive into the real deal—what’s actually holding your site back from ranking higher. 

Shopify may be easy to use, but it does come with its own set of SEO roadblocks. Don’t worry though, because once you understand each challenge, fixing them becomes way easier. 

Ready to break them down one by one and learn how to tackle them smartly? Let’s begin.

1. Rigid URL Structure

Let’s be honest—one of the first things you might notice when setting up a Shopify store is that you can’t really shape your URLs the way you want to. Shopify locks certain paths like /products/ and /collections/ into your URLs. You don’t get to remove or customize these folders. That’s just how Shopify is built.

Now, why should you care about this?

Because clean and keyword-rich URLs aren’t just about looking neat—they’re part of how search engines understand your site. And when you can't edit the structure, it feels like you’re being forced into a mold that doesn’t always match your SEO strategy.

So what’s your move?

You start by focusing on what you can control. You can’t delete “/products/” from the URL, but you can optimize the handles (that’s the part after the slash). So instead of /products/sku12345, you name it /products/leather-office-chair. It’s specific, keyword-rich, and tells Google exactly what that page is about.

Take a quick look at the visual below to see how a default Shopify URL compares with an optimized one.

Same goes for collections. Let’s say you have a collection of running shoes. Don’t just call the URL /collections/shoes. Make it /collections/mens-running-shoes—it’s clearer, more targeted, and aligned with what people are actually searching for.

Here’s another trick: use canonical tags.

Shopify might create multiple paths to the same product—say, one through a collection and one directly through the product page. That’s where canonical tags help. 

They tell Google: 

“Hey, this is the main page you should pay attention to.” 

That way, you avoid confusing the search engine with duplicates.

So no, you can't break free from Shopify's rigid structure entirely. But within that structure, you can still make meaningful SEO decisions—and those little wins add up.

Let the system take care of what it must. You focus on making the parts you can change as impactful as possible.

2. Duplicate Content

Here’s something that sneaks up on a lot of Shopify store owners—you might be accidentally showing the same product page in multiple places. And while that may seem harmless, Google doesn’t love it.

Picture this: you have a black hoodie listed under both "Winter Wear" and "Casuals." Shopify, by default, creates separate URLs for each collection path. That means your one hoodie now lives at:

• /collections/winter-wear/products/black-hoodie
• /collections/casuals/products/black-hoodie

It’s the exact same product, but now Google sees two different pages with identical content. And when that happens, search engines get confused about which page to rank. You’re basically splitting your SEO value without realizing it.

So how do you fix this?

You don’t need to delete anything or limit where your product appears. What you do need is to guide search engines toward the "main" version of that page. And that’s where canonical tags come in.

A canonical tag is like saying, “Hey Google, this is the original—index this one.” Shopify automatically sets canonical URLs, but you should still verify they’re working correctly, especially if you’re using third-party apps or custom templates.

Let’s break it down further with what you should check:

• Make sure every product URL points to its primary path (usually the non-collection version like /products/black-hoodie)
• Avoid manually linking to collection-based product URLs unless necessary
• Use internal links that consistently point to the canonical version

You don’t have to strip your site down to avoid duplicates. Shopify's flexibility lets you organize things however you want. But behind the scenes, make sure you're sending a clear signal to Google about which page matters most.

3. Limited Control Over Robots.txt

Okay, quick question—do you ever feel like Shopify is trying to protect you too much? That’s exactly how it feels when you first discover how the robots.txt file works here.

This file is basically your website’s rulebook for search engines. It tells Google what not to crawl. And by default, Shopify keeps tight control over it, assuming you don’t want to mess things up. While that makes sense for beginners, if you’re serious about SEO, it’s like being handed a racecar with the doors locked.

So what’s the real problem?

Let’s say you have a bunch of search result pages or tag-based URLs like /collections/shoes+running. These don’t offer much value to Google, but Shopify doesn’t stop them from getting indexed—unless you tell it to. That’s where custom control of robots.txt becomes crucial.

But here’s the good news: you can now edit this file.

Shopify introduced robots.txt.liquid, which gives you the power to take charge. You don’t have to block everything—just the things that clutter your index and don’t contribute to your SEO goals. For example, you might want to disallow crawl access to /search pages, /cart, or certain filtered URLs.

“Giving search engines too many low-value pages to crawl is like giving someone 50 business cards with different job titles—confusing, and none of them stand out.”

All you need is a basic understanding of how this file works. Inside your theme files, you can create a robots.txt.liquid and start tailoring it. Want to block tag URLs? Add a line. Want to keep Google away from the checkout page? Add another. It's that straightforward.

So if you’ve been ignoring this file thinking Shopify had it covered—now’s the time to rethink that. You’ve got the keys. Time to open the door and actually drive.

4. Slow Page Load Speeds

You know that feeling when a website takes more than a few seconds to load, and you just give up and close the tab? Yeah, your potential customers feel the same way. That’s why slow loading isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a conversion killer. And worse, it’s a red flag for Google too.

Shopify gives you a strong base, but let’s be real: some of the themes and third-party apps can weigh your site down. Add a few oversized images, an extra script here and there, and suddenly your beautiful store turns into a sluggish mess.

Take a look at this visual—it shows how different page load times fall into “Fast,” “Okay,” and “Slow” zones, just like a speedometer.

So what’s slowing your site down?

Let’s break it down:

Now pause here—imagine if every one of these issues added just 1 second to your page load time. Doesn’t sound like much, but studies show that a delay of even 2 seconds can spike bounce rates and drop your SEO ranking.

So what’s your play?

Start by compressing your images before you upload them. Stick to formats like WebP or compressed PNGs. Then, audit your apps. Ask yourself: Do I really need all of these? Some apps quietly slow things down behind the scenes.

And finally, test your speed often. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix. They don’t just score your site—they tell you why it's slow and how to fix it.

Because when your pages load fast, your customers stay longer, click more, and buy more. And Google notices all of that.

5. Thin Content on Pages

Have you ever landed on a product page that tells you... almost nothing? No real description, maybe one line like “High-quality cotton shirt,” and that’s it? That’s what we call thin content, and it’s a big problem for both your users and your SEO.

Search engines are smart, but they’re not mind readers. If your page doesn't offer enough relevant information, Google won’t really know what your product is or why it should rank it above others. And more importantly—neither will your potential customer.

Take a look at this side-by-side visual that clearly shows the difference between thin and detailed content on a Shopify product page.

So how do you fix it?

Think about what you would want to know before buying. What’s the material like? Is it machine-washable? What makes it better than the generic one they saw in another store? Start there.

Use simple, natural language. Don’t stuff in keywords randomly—just describe the product like you're actually talking to a real person. And keep going beyond the product page. Collection pages? Blogs? They need meat too.

Here’s a handy mindset shift:

“Don’t just sell the product. Tell a story that sells it.”

That means turning one-line descriptions into mini-conversations. Give context. Anticipate questions. The more helpful you are, the more trust you build—and that’s something Google loves.

Also, don’t forget your collection pages. By default, Shopify often leaves them looking a little empty. Add a short intro at the top explaining what the collection is about. If you’re selling “Office Furniture,” talk about ideal setups, or how each product fits a home office vibe.

Basically, every page on your site is an opportunity. Don’t leave it half-baked. Give people (and search engines) something to work with.

6. Unoptimized Image Alt Text

Images are silent communicators on your website. They’re visually powerful—but unless you give them a voice, search engines don’t know what they’re looking at. That "voice" is your alt text, and skipping it is like uploading a great product photo with no caption.

Now, Shopify makes it pretty easy to add alt text to your images. But here’s the catch—most store owners either leave it blank or type something too vague, like “image1” or “product shot.” And honestly, that’s a wasted opportunity.

Alt text isn’t just for accessibility (although that’s important too)—it helps your images rank in Google Images, improves page SEO, and adds relevance to your content.

Let’s say you’re selling a ceramic coffee mug with a vintage design. What’s more helpful—alt text that says “mug” or one that says “handcrafted vintage ceramic coffee mug with brown glaze”? You already know the answer.

Take a look at the visual below—it highlights exactly how good and bad alt text differ in practice on a Shopify product page.

So, what’s the right way to write it?

• Be descriptive: What exactly is in the image?
• Use relevant keywords naturally—don’t force them.
• Avoid stuffing or repeating words; keep it short but informative.
• Write for clarity, not just for Google.

A good rule of thumb is to pretend someone can’t see the image—your alt text should help them understand exactly what’s there. And when you do this across your product catalog, blog posts, and even banners, it adds quiet but consistent SEO value.

It takes a few extra minutes, sure. But that’s a small effort for something that helps you rank better, improve user experience, and boost discoverability—all without touching your site’s code.

7. Inadequate Meta Titles and Descriptions

Your meta title and meta description are usually the first impression people get when your store shows up on Google. And first impressions matter, right?

But Shopify, by default, doesn’t always get these right.

If you don’t manually edit them, your product pages might just pull random lines from your page—sometimes it's a heading, sometimes it’s the first few words from your description. That means your listing on Google could end up looking vague or irrelevant. Worst case? It gets skipped entirely.

Now think about this: when you search for something, don’t you read the little snippet before clicking?

So if your snippet isn’t compelling or clear, you’re losing clicks. Not because your product isn’t good, but because your metadata isn’t doing its job.

Here’s how to fix that:

Go into your Shopify admin → navigate to any product or page → scroll down to the Search Engine Listing Preview section. This is where the good thing happens.

Write a meta title that’s specific, keyword-focused, and sounds human. Something like:

“Men’s Lightweight Running Shoes – Free Shipping on All Orders”

And for your meta description, give a short, persuasive summary of what the product or page offers. Include one or two keywords naturally, but make it feel like a sentence you'd say to a friend:

“Shop breathable and ultra-lightweight running shoes built for speed and comfort. Now available in multiple colors with fast delivery.”

Want a quick cheat sheet? Here’s a table to guide you on what to do (and what to avoid):

You don’t need to overthink it or make it sound robotic. Just be clear, be specific, and write for people first—Google will follow.

Every product and every collection deserves a thoughtful meta setup. If you're skipping this step, you're basically handing traffic over to your competitors on a silver platter.

So take that few extra minutes per page—it’s worth it.

8. Lack of Structured Data (Schema Markup)

Have you ever wondered how some online stores show product ratings, prices, and “in stock” labels right on the Google search page? That’s not magic, it’s structured data doing its job in the background.

Structured data (also known as Schema Markup) is just like giving Google a cheat sheet. It’s a way of saying:

“Hey Google, this page has a product on it, and here’s the name, price, availability, and reviews.” 

Without it, your store is just another flat page to search engines, even if it's beautifully designed.

Now here’s the catch with Shopify: it doesn’t always include a full or properly configured schema by default. 

And when that happens, you miss out on those rich snippets in search results—the ones that can seriously boost your click-through rate.

Here’s a quick visual to show you exactly what happens with and without structured data in a Google search result:

But don’t worry. You don’t need to be a developer to fix this.

You can either:

• Use an SEO-focused Shopify app like Smart SEO, JSON-LD for SEO, or SearchPie,
• Or manually inject structured data into your theme’s code, especially in the product.liquid and collection.liquid templates.

If you're going the manual route, you'll want to add JSON-LD snippets that define your product’s name, price, availability, image, brand, and even review data if you have it. Don’t worry about perfection—start small and build from there.

Now, here’s the bottom line: Google can index your site without a schema, but it will only guess what’s on each page. 

So, if you give it structured data, it will know what’s on each page—and reward you for it.

And that’s a small fix that delivers long-term SEO value. So don’t skip it.

9. Insufficient Internal Linking

So here’s something a lot of Shopify store owners overlook: internal linking. You know, linking one page of your site to another—not just in the main menu or footer, but within your content.

Why does it matter?

Because search engines like Google are basically crawling through your site with zero context. They follow links to figure out what pages are important, how everything connects, and which content deserves attention. If your pages are floating around like isolated islands with no bridges between them… Well, they’re not going to get discovered easily.

Think of it like guiding a customer through your store. Would you want them to enter, look at one product, and leave? Or would you rather gently lead them from one product to a related category, maybe toss in a helpful blog post, and then loop them back to your bestsellers?

That’s what internal linking does.

You can start small—add links from product descriptions to related blog posts, or from one collection to another. Got a blog about “Choosing the Best Running Shoes”? Perfect. Link that directly to your Running Shoes Collection. It’s natural, helpful, and keeps people exploring your store longer.

“Internal links are like signboards in a store—they don’t just improve SEO, they make your customer’s journey smoother.”

Also, don’t just throw in links for the sake of it. Use descriptive anchor text—words that clearly tell both the user and Google what the next page is about. 

So instead of saying “click here”, go with something like “explore our vegan leather jackets”.

The goal here is simple: Don’t leave your pages stranded. Give them paths. Create connections. Help Google crawl better, and help your visitors discover more of what your store offers.

10. Neglecting Mobile Optimization

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times—“mobile-first” is the way to go. But when you’re setting up your Shopify store, it’s easy to assume the default theme will just handle everything for you.

Here’s the reality: a lot of stores look great on a desktop, but when you open them on a phone? Pages stretch weirdly, buttons are too small, and the whole experience feels clunky. And guess what? Google notices that too.

That’s where things start to slip. Mobile performance directly affects your rankings and conversions. If your store loads slowly or looks messy on a phone, users bounce—and so does your SEO credibility.

Take a quick look at this side-by-side visual—it perfectly shows how your store should appear on desktop vs. mobile when done right.

So what should you actually be doing here?

Think beyond just “responsive.” Your mobile experience should feel tailored. Every click, image, and scroll should be optimized for that smaller screen.

Here’s what you want to focus on:

• Use a Shopify theme that’s truly mobile-optimized, not just “technically responsive.”
• Keep your fonts legible—no one should zoom in to read a product description.
• Compress images so your pages load fast, even on 4G.
  Make sure CTAs (like “Add to Cart” or “Buy Now”) are big, bold, and thumb-friendly.

Also, don’t forget to test your store regularly on real devices—not just in the Shopify preview tool. Walk through the buying journey like a customer would. Is it smooth? Is it fast? If you get annoyed while checking out, so will your buyer.

Mobile isn’t just another box to tick off—it’s where most of your customers are. 

So if you're not paying attention to mobile, you're basically ignoring half your audience (maybe more).

11. Underutilization of Blogging

Here’s a question for you: when was the last time you published a blog post on your Shopify store?

If your answer is “uhh…”, then you're not alone. Most Shopify store owners get so caught up in product listings, sales, and shipping that the blog ends up forgotten in some dusty corner of the dashboard.

But here’s the thing: blogging isn’t just for lifestyle influencers or tech nerds. It’s a legit, powerful SEO tool—and you’re probably not using it enough.

Think about it this way. Your product pages target people who are ready to buy. That’s great. But what about everyone who’s still researching? Or comparing options? Or simply learning about a problem your product can solve?

That’s your opening.

When you write helpful blog content—like “5 Tips to Style a Leather Office Chair” or “How to Choose the Right Running Shoe for Flat Feet”—you start pulling in those people. You get their attention before they even hit your product page. And if your content genuinely helps, they’ll remember your store when they’re ready to buy.

“People don’t always search for products—they search for answers. Be the brand that provides those answers consistently.”

The best part is that the blogs aren’t just good for traffic, they boost authority too. Google loves fresh content. And every well-written post gives you a chance to rank for new keywords you’d never squeeze into a product title.

Now, don’t overthink it. You don’t need to write a novel every week. Start small. Pick 3-5 core topics your audience cares about. Then write short, actionable posts around those. Keep it simple, but make it useful.

And one last thing: always link internally. If you’re writing about “How to Style a Workspace,” link to the desk lamp you sell. Connect the dots for your readers and for Google.

12. Ignoring SEO Analytics and Performance Tracking

You’ve probably heard the phrase: “What gets measured, gets managed.” That couldn’t be truer when it comes to SEO. Because if you’re not tracking how your store is doing, how will you even know what’s working—and what’s not?

It’s easy to assume that your SEO is in good shape just because traffic seems steady or a few products are selling well. But that’s a surface-level view. Behind the scenes, you could be missing out on hundreds of opportunities to fix issues, boost rankings, or drive more traffic—just because you’re not looking at the right data.

Now, don’t panic. You don’t need to become a data scientist to start tracking performance. What you do need is a simple system and the right tools.

Start with the basics—set up Google Analytics and Google Search Console. These are free, reliable, and built specifically to help you understand how people are finding and using your store.

Once they’re up and running, here’s what you should actually look for (because the dashboards can be a bit overwhelming at first):

• Which pages are bringing in the most traffic?
• What search terms are people using to find your site?
• Are people clicking but then bouncing immediately?
• Which pages have errors or aren’t even being indexed?

These questions aren’t just for curiosity—they shape your SEO decisions going forward. For example, if a blog post is ranking well but has a high bounce rate, you might revisit the content and make it more engaging or add a stronger call-to-action.

And if you notice that a product page is barely showing up in searches? That’s your cue to check its title, description, URL, and whether it’s even being indexed at all.

Another common blind spot is Seasonal traffic drops. Maybe your site always dips in February, but you didn’t realize it was normal. When you track consistently, patterns emerge—and that means fewer surprises.

Analytics is just like your SEO compass. Without it, you’re sailing blind. But with it, every change you make is grounded in real, meaningful data.

So before you start tweaking keywords or reworking your homepage layout, ask yourself this: Do I actually know where my traffic is coming from and where it’s leaking out? 

If not, tracking is where your SEO strategy really begins.

13. Duplicate Product URLs

This one’s sneaky. On the surface, everything looks fine. You’ve got your product pages set up, your collections are tidy, and URLs seem to be working as they should. 

But when you dig in a bit deeper, you’ll find that Shopify often creates multiple paths to the same product—especially when it’s assigned to more than one collection.

Let’s say you have a product called “Summer Breeze Shirt.” Shopify can serve that product through:

• /products/summer-breeze-shirt
• /collections/bestsellers/products/summer-breeze-shirt
• /collections/sale/products/summer-breeze-shirt

Same product, three different URLs. To a customer, it's not a big deal. But to Google, this can look like duplicate content.

Here’s a quick visual to show how different product URLs all get funneled into one clean, SEO-friendly link using a canonical tag.

Now you might wonder, “Why does this matter if the content is the same?” It’s because search engines don’t automatically know which version to prioritize. They might split ranking signals across multiple URLs, which weakens your page’s SEO potential.

So, what do you do?

Start by ensuring that the main product URL (the one without the collection path) is the version you’re consistently linking to from other parts of your site. That means in your menus, recommendations, related product sections—stick to the cleanest version.

And here’s where canonical tags come in.

"Canonical tags are like a polite nudge to Google that says, ‘Hey, out of all these paths, this is the one you should pay attention to.’"

Shopify automatically adds canonical tags to product pages, which is great. But make sure they’re working correctly—sometimes themes or customizations can mess that up. It’s worth using tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to check if your canonicals are pointing to the correct version.

So, with the right setup, you’re not deleting extra URLs—you’re just telling search engines which one to count.

14. Excessive Blog Tag Pages

Here’s something that often flies under the radar: your blog’s tag system.

At first, tags seem harmless, right? You create a blog post, add a few tags like “summer trends,” “organic cotton,” or “eco-friendly style,” and hit publish. Seems neat and organized.

But here’s what’s really happening in the background—Shopify automatically creates a separate page for every tag you add. That means if you have 50 tags across 30 posts, you're suddenly dealing with 50 extra pages that show almost the same blog posts in different combinations.

And here’s the problem: most of those tag pages have little to no unique content. Search engines see them as thin or duplicate pages, and that’s never a good look for SEO. Too many of these can clutter your site structure and eat into your crawl budget.

So, what can you do?

You don’t have to ditch tags entirely, you just need a strategy. Here's how:

• Only create tags that represent meaningful categories or help users navigate your blog more intuitively.
• Avoid creating a tag just because you have a new idea for every post—group posts under common themes instead.
• Review your existing tag pages and identify the ones that are thin or unused.
• For tag pages that have little value, set them as “noindex” so search engines skip them.
• For the tags that do matter, beef up their content—add summaries, featured articles, or even short introductions. Make the page worth visiting.

This way, you keep your blog organized without flooding your site with low-value pages. Think of it like trimming a plant—you’re not getting rid of the good stuff, just making sure the excess doesn’t take over.

Done right, your tags will start working for you instead of against you.

15. Duplicate Product Tag Pages

Shopify gives you the option to tag products which is super useful for organizing your inventory, right? But here’s the catch: every tag you use automatically generates its own page. 

And if you’re tagging like there’s no tomorrow, you’re unknowingly flooding your site with near-duplicate pages that search engines can’t tell apart.

The result? You end up with dozens (sometimes hundreds) of thin pages, each showing similar or even identical product grids. And when search engines crawl your site and see all these overlapping pages with barely any unique content, they start to question your site's value.

Now, do you need to delete all your tags? Absolutely not. The smarter move is to be selective. Use tags that actually help users find what they’re looking for, not ones that just add noise. Think “winter boots” or “sale items,” not “blue,” “suede,” “round toe.”

If some tag pages are already out there and getting indexed, take a quick look at them.

Do they offer a unique experience?
If not, it’s better to tell Google, “Don’t bother indexing these.”

“When every click leads to the same wall of products, you're not building a store—you're building a maze.”

To fix this, go into your theme’s theme.liquid or use Shopify apps that let you apply noindex tags on pages. That way, those repetitive tag pages won’t interfere with your site’s overall SEO health.

Also, if you do want to keep certain tag pages, make them count. Add a short intro about what users can expect, mention why those products are grouped together, and even link to related collections.

The goal isn’t to get rid of tags. It’s to keep only the ones that add structure and clarity—both for users and search engines.

Ready to Level Up Your Shopify SEO? Here’s Your Next Step

So, now you know—Shopify has a few SEO quirks, but none that you can’t handle. The key is to stop treating your store like a plug-and-play setup. You need to think critically: Is this page worth indexing? Does this content add value? Am I giving Google enough to trust me?

Start by fixing what’s holding you back—bloated themes, duplicate URLs, missing tags. Then move on to what lifts you forward—schema markup, blogging, and tight internal linking. Each small step adds up to real visibility.

Want to make all of this way easier? Head over to seorce.com—The SEO Platform Built for Scale, Speed & Precision. Track rankings, analyze backlinks, generate content, and fix issues—all in one AI-enhanced platform.

FAQs

Why does Shopify create multiple URLs for the same product, and how do I fix it?

Shopify does this when a product belongs to more than one collection. It’s not ideal for SEO, but you can fix it by setting a canonical URL. This tells Google which version to trust, so you're not competing with yourself in search results.

Can I fully control my sitemap on Shopify?

Not entirely. Shopify auto-generates your sitemap, and you can’t manually edit it. But you can control what’s included by managing which pages are visible or noindexed using meta tags and your robots.txt settings. That’s how you guide search engines the smart way.

Does using apps slow down my Shopify store and hurt SEO?

Yes, too many apps can load unnecessary scripts that slow your site. A slow page frustrates users and drops your rankings. Keep only the apps you truly need, and test your speed regularly. Cleaner code means faster pages and better SEO.

Why doesn’t my Shopify blog get traffic even after posting regularly?

Just posting isn’t enough—you need keyword research, a clear topic focus, and internal links to key product pages. Think about what your audience is searching for, then write blog posts that answer those questions and naturally guide them deeper into your store.

Should I bother with structured data if my theme already includes it?

Yes, double-check it. Many themes add basic schema, but often miss out on rich features like review ratings or product availability. Use a schema testing tool to see what’s actually showing. Optimizing it fully helps your listings stand out in Google results.