15 Shopify product page SEO best practices to gain organic traffic

You've built a stunning Shopify store, but sales could be more active. Your products should be flying off the digital shelves. The root of the problem lies in your product pages. Effective Shopify store design goes beyond aesthetics. It starts with optimizing product pages for SEO. This is a game changer for driving organic traffic. In this article, we'll uncover Shopify product page SEO best practices to help you make the most of your store.

Consider using a Shopify product page builder like Instant for that extra edge. It can help you create visually appealing pages that rank well in search engines.

Shy Shopify product page SEO matters for your business

Shopify SEO for product pages is a big deal. Organic search fuels over half of all web traffic. You need to rank high in search results to get eyes on your Shopify store. The first organic result grabs almost 40% of the clicks, and the top four results rake in over 76% combined. Getting your product pages noticed on search engine results pages (SERPs) is key to attracting potential customers.

Search engines must find and index your product pages to rank them well. Shopify helps by generating a sitemap linking your products, collections, and more. You can verify which pages are indexed through Google Search Console and submit your sitemap to Google if any are missing.

Relevance: Match what people are searching for

Your product pages need to align with what people are searching for. Google's algorithms prioritize pages that match search queries well. Ensuring your page content, descriptions, and keywords align with user intent is crucial to securing higher rankings. 

Quality: Keep visitors engaged

Quality content keeps visitors on your page longer, signaling to Google that users find the page helpful. High-quality images, detailed product descriptions, and easy-to-navigate layouts contribute to a positive user experience. This can improve your SERP rankings.

Internal links: Help search engines find your pages

Adding internal links within your Shopify store helps search engine crawlers find and index your pages more efficiently. Linking related products or connecting collection pages with individual product pages improves the user journey and signals relevance and authority to search engines. 

Performance: Speed matters

Fast-loading pages are critical for user retention. A survey revealed that 53% of online shoppers expect pages to load within three seconds, and half of users will abandon their cart if a page takes too long. Improving load times can reduce bounce rates, boost time on-site, and ultimately improve your page's ranking.

Shopify out of box features to support SEO

Shopify SEO features: Your key to visibility

When setting up a Shopify store, your goal is to get noticed. You want customers to find your products easily, and Shopify helps you with this by giving you tools to make your store SEO-friendly. Let's break down what those are.

Mapping the way: Sitemaps and url structure

Shopify does the heavy lifting with automatic XML sitemaps. These help search engines index your pages, making it easier for customers to find you with a quick search. 

You can edit your store’s URL structure. This lets you create simple and clear URLs, which is good for SEO and makes browsing smooth for your customers.

Make it count: Meta tags and URL optimization

Meta tags are like a sneak peek for search engines. They tell them what a page is about. Shopify supports meta tags, helping you add keywords and descriptions. This boosts your search ranking. 

URL optimization is also part of this. It lets you create concise and relevant URLs, which helps search engines and users understand what a page is about.

Keep it clean: Canonical tags and ssl certification

Duplicate content can confuse search engines. Canonical tags tell them which version of a page to prioritize. This avoids penalties and maintains your search ranking. 

SSL certification is another must-have. It encrypts data and shows users your site is secure, which search engines reward.

Structure and speed: Data and mobile

Structured data lets search engines understand your content. This can improve your ranking and visibility. Shopify also ensures your site is mobile-friendly. With more people shopping on their phones, you need a site that loads fast and looks good on any device.

Staying organized: robot.txt and 301 redirects

The robot.txt file guides web spiders on what to look at. Shopify auto-generates it, so you don’t have to worry. 301 redirects are another handy feature. They guide users and search engines from old pages to new ones. This keeps your ranking intact if you change URLs.

Expand your reach: apps and resources

Shopify's App Store is a goldmine for SEO tools. You can find apps for keyword research, link building, and analytics. Shopify’s blog offers tips on optimizing your site for search engines. This gives you the tools you need to improve your store’s visibility.

Empower your shopify store with Instant

Instant is a user-friendly Shopify product page builder that allows eCommerce teams and agencies to create fully customizable and advanced pages without any coding knowledge. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, users can quickly design and publish high-converting:

• Landing pages

• Blog posts

• Product pages

• Sections

Instant also offers seamless integration with Figma and other eCommerce tools, making it a versatile choice for enhancing online store performance and increasing conversions. Try Instant's Shopify product page builder today!

related reading

• Shopify Product Template
• Best Shopify Product Pages
• Product Detail Page Design
• Shopify Customization Examples
• eCommerce Product Page Design
• eCommerce Product Page
• Shopify Mobile Optimization
• How to Add Custom Options on Shopify
• Hire Someone to Build Shopify Store

15 Shopify product page SEO best practices to gain organic traffic

1. Keyword research

You'll need to know what people are searching for before making your product pages more relevant to search queries. Many tools can show you which keywords (the phrases people enter into search engines to find content) are relevant to your store, how much search volume they get, and how difficult it would be to rank for them. 

Another important factor to consider is keyword intent. Keywords with informational intent indicate that the searcher wants to learn something, while keywords with commercial intent indicate that the customer is ready to buy something. Informational keywords aren’t a good fit for product pages, so you should target commercial keywords instead.

Keyword placement

Once you know which keyword you want to target, the next step is to insert the keyword in the most prominent parts of your product page, such as:

• URL

• Title

• Headings

• Product Description

• Meta Description

You don’t want to go overboard, though. Repeating the same keyword over and over on a product page will not help you rank higher, and it’s terrible from a user experience perspective. The product page URL is the most important place to get the keyword placement right. By default, Shopify uses the title of your product to create the URL for the page. You’ll want to ensure that every product page has a unique URL mapped to a keyword your customers are actively searching for.

Keyword placement in product descriptions

Your product description isn’t just a place to shove keywords onto the page. You can use this text to improve user experience by addressing common concerns, explaining all the features of your product, and highlighting exactly how these features will benefit the visitor. 

This will keep visitors on your product page longer and improve your odds of making the sale. Keep in mind that you should write unique descriptions on each of your product pages, even if you have products that are quite similar. Exact repeats can result in duplicate content penalties.

2. Product images and video

Providing high-quality product photography will certainly improve the user experience of your product pages. Since customers won’t be able to check out your products in person, they need to know what will arrive at their door so they can feel comfortable clicking the buy button. 

You can also add videos of your products. This is especially important when a product demonstration is needed to explain how a product works and why it benefits customers. Producing product photography and videos can sometimes be costly, but they will help improve your conversion rate, increase your average time on site, and lower your bounce rate. It’s well worth the investment. 

3. Page speed

As mentioned above, your pages must load fast if you want visitors to stay. Any performance issues that pop up must be fixed as soon as possible.

For example, as important as images are for your product pages, they can really slow down your site if you don’t use them properly. Those who want to make their product pages faster should see if they can reduce the size and resolution of product images without significantly diminishing their quality.

4. Optimizing Shopify title tags

A title tag is an HTML element specifying the title of a web page that appears on search engine results pages when internet users click on a headline. Your Shopify title tag summarizes your product page's content and is the priority when setting up an eCom product page.

Your title tag is the first thing a potential customer notices when searching, so it should produce a positive impression. Google and other search engines use your title tag to make sense of your product.

5. Optimizing Shopify description tags

According to Google, a meta description tag “informs and interests users with a short, relevant summary of what a particular page is about. They are like a pitch that convinces users [your page] is exactly what they’re looking for.”

Meta descriptions appear under a web page’s title in search engine results. They should provide a clear and concise snapshot of what your product pages are about. If your product page doesn’t have a meta description, Google will display a snippet of text from the page’s first paragraph. This isn’t necessarily bad; however, you’re missing out on the chance to craft copy that compels customers to click on your product page and rank for primary keywords.

How to increase click-through rates with meta descriptions

Based on industry best practices and our experience, we recommend optimizing your product page meta descriptions as follows:

• Make it at most 155 characters. Like page titles, Google limits the number of characters appearing in search results.
  
  

• Keep it benefit-focused. Tell readers what they’ll get from clicking on your title.
  
  

• Use keywords: Employing your product page’s target keyword in a natural, non-spammy way compels users to click through to your page. Google and other search engines often bold keywords from the user’s query in the description display, which catches the searcher's attention.
  
  

• Don’t use the same description on more than one page or post. The same goes for your title tags and overall page content. Duplicate content confuses search engines and forces them to choose which Shopify product page should rank first, which is bad for SEO.
  
  

• Capitalize certain words to stand out. Let’s say you’re selling a face wash. Your meta description might read: “THE MOST GENTLE FACE WASH for acne-prone skin. Hand-made with 100% organic ingredients.” While the caps are bold, it work because it grab the reader’s attention and separates the product’s unique value proposition from the rest of the copy.
  
  

• Product descriptions should explain why the product is a good fit for your target audience or provide technical specifications and the model number if the product is in demand, such as laptops or smartphones.

6. Optimizing category page descriptions

Category pages group similar products together for customers to browse. They generally appear in search engines when users type in broad, high-volume keywords like “woman’s handbags.” 

Much of the same principles apply to optimizing category pages, with one difference: category meta descriptions should draw potential customers in by providing relevant information about product collections. You can also use suggestive phrases like “shop online for” or “free shipping with” and include any special offers to encourage click-throughs. We recommend using plurals and mid-tail keywords consisting of two to three words, as they work well for category product pages.

7. Gather and feature product reviews

Showcasing product reviews on your Shopify store increases brand trust and signals to search engines that people are talking about your products. Gather as many product reviews as possible and feature them under your products. Make sure not to cheat your way to it since people tend to be suspicious of a perfect 5-star rating.

8. Add product faq on the page

FAQ sections can add value to your product pages by providing additional information. Not only does that increase your chances of selling your items (due to better brand trust), but it also provides more text that can be optimized for keywords.

You can find keywords related to your product and then look at what questions people ask using SEO tools (and there’s no shortage of them) or a good old Google search.

9. Implement product schema markup

Shopify structured data can be complicated to understand and implement if you’re unfamiliar with SEO, but it’s not rocket science. Implementing product schema markup can make your shop look more trustworthy. You can display product ratings, review count, price, and stock status on the SERP.

10. Use backlinks to boost seo

Backlinks refer to linking your product pages to other websites. Backlinks help boost your SEO ranking from high-ranking, credible sources. For example, product manufacturers, mainstream media, and popular websites help Google’s algorithm understand how your Shopify product SEO strategy fits within the universe around it.

Above all, avoiding obscure websites or low-ranking search results is a good way to ensure an effective backlinking strategy.

11. Avoid duplicate pages and content

The duplicate page issue is common among eCom sites. Shopify’s collections feature organizes your products into easy-to-view categories, but it also means that Shopify adds an extra URL. What does that do for your Shopify SEO?

This means that search engines may index the wrong page. Some simple answers exist to duplicate pages, like canonical tags and redirections. There may also be other duplication issues from your website’s product pages or other content. Many fear Google penalties for duplications, but that shouldn’t be a major concern. The original line from Google is that it won’t penalize your site for innocent duplication. Nevertheless, it can cause issues like a lack of link equity, and search engines may struggle to consolidate link metrics.

12. Don’t neglect user experience

You can’t afford to neglect your users’ experience (UX) if you run an online store. A bad UX can drive customers away and hurt your business.

Part of a positive user experience involves ease of navigation. Not only does straightforward navigation improve the UX, but it can also aid SEO for Shopify sites by ensuring shoppers on various devices can view your pages properly. 

13. Take advantage of the Shopify blog function

If you have a Shopify store, you should use the blog function. It’s a great way to drive traffic to your store and improve your SEO. Here are some tips on optimizing your Shopify blog for SEO:

Use keyword-rich titles, descriptions, and URLs

Make sure your blog posts have catchy titles that include relevant keywords. Your descriptions and URLs should also be keyword-rich but also engaging and informative.

Use images and videos

Images and videos can help break up your text and make your content visually appealing. They can also help improve your SEO by increasing your chances of appearing in image and video search results.

Promote your content on social media 

Ensure you promote your latest blog post on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Create informative content 

If you want an example, look at beardbrand.com. In addition to providing style tips, the blog covers how to post, trends, and beard care. In other words, the kind of content people can learn from and want to see more of.

14. Make sure there is breadcrumb navigation

Breadcrumb navigation helps store visitors and search engines understand your site hierarchy and their current location on the website. Most Shopify themes already have this feature enabled, but it’s still an essential factor to consider if you stumble across a theme that doesn’t.

15. Create linkable assets

A linkable asset is a piece of content purposefully created to attract links to your site. Examples include research studies, free tools, calculators, and interactive widgets. 

Seven best tools for Shopify product page SEO

Having the right tools is essential when optimizing Shopify product pages for SEO. Here’s a list of seven must-have tools that will help you boost your store’s rankings and visibility.

1. Instant: Customization made easy

Instant is a user-friendly Shopify product page builder that allows eCommerce teams and agencies to create fully customizable and advanced pages without any coding knowledge. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, users can quickly design and publish high-converting:

• Landing pages

• Blog posts

• Product pages

• Sections

Instant also offers seamless integration with Figma and other eCommerce tools, making it a versatile choice for enhancing online store performance and increasing conversions. Try Instant's Shopify product page builder today!

2. Ahrefs: Comprehensive seo insights

Ahrefs is one of the most powerful SEO tools available. It provides keyword research, backlink analysis, and competitor insights. 

The Keywords Explorer can help you find high-value keywords for your product pages, while the Site Audit feature identifies technical SEO issues on your Shopify store. Ahrefs also highlights backlink opportunities, boosting your pages’ authority and ranking.

3. Semrush: All-in-one seo suite

SEMrush offers many SEO features, including keyword research, site audits, and position tracking. Its Organic Research feature is great for discovering competitor keywords and finding opportunities to rank higher for relevant terms. 

The On-Page SEO Checker provides practical tips for improving your Shopify product pages with keywords, internal links, and content quality recommendations.

4. Moz pro: Intuitive SEO tools

Moz Pro is a popular SEO suite with an intuitive interface. It includes Keyword Explorer, Link Explorer, and site crawl capabilities. You can track important metrics such as domain authority, page authority, and keyword rankings. The Keyword Explorer tool offers search volume, keyword difficulty, and suggested keywords to help optimize your product pages for relevant search terms.

5. Yoast SEO (for Shopify): On-page optimization

Yoast SEO, a well-known WordPress plugin, is now available for Shopify. It guides users through:

• Optimizing titles

• Meta descriptions

• Content for SEO

Yoast SEO for Shopify helps merchants improve on-page SEO directly on the platform. It provides readability scores, keyword density checks, and social sharing options, making optimizing product pages easy even for those with little advanced technical knowledge.

6. Plug in SEO: Shopify-specific SEO app

Plug In SEO is a Shopify app designed to enhance SEO for Shopify stores. It offers tools for optimizing titles, meta descriptions, and alt tags across your product pages. Plug In SEO also includes a performance report highlighting SEO errors, such as missing metadata or alt text, and provides suggestions for fixing these issues. This app is an excellent option for beginners and small businesses looking for a straightforward SEO tool.

7. Google search console: Essential insights

Google Search Console is an essential free tool from Google. It provides insights into how your Shopify store appears in search results. With features for tracking page indexing, search performance, and keyword queries, Search Console is invaluable for monitoring your SEO efforts. You can submit sitemaps, view click-through rates for product pages, and fix indexing issues, contributing to better visibility on search engine results pages.

Optimize your Shopify store for conversions without breaking the bank with Instant's Shopify product page Builder

Instant is a game-changer for Shopify store owners. This tool can turn the complex into the simple. No coding expertise is required. It allows users to create fully customizable and advanced pages like:

• Landing pages

• Blog posts

• Product pages

• Sections

Its seamless integration with Figma and other eCommerce tools makes Instant versatile. You maintain complete control over your store's design while boosting conversions. Want to create high-converting pages quickly? Instant has you covered.