Shopify is leading the e-commerce business by helping merchants from across the globe set up online stores and sell locally produced products without geographical boundaries. With platforms like Shopify, it is easier than ever to start an online business. However, there’s something more you need to address to bear the fruits of your efforts. That is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) for your Shopify store.
While e-commerce businesses are booming across the globe, it is intensifying the competition in retail selling. SEO helps Shopify stores rise on google rankings and be on the top of the competition. It’s easier said than done. There are common problems that Shopify merchants face and the SEO goes for a toss.
Here below, we have compiled the most common problems faced by Shopify store owners. We have also shared easy solutions to fix these complex issues. With the right SEO, you can boost sales and expand a loyal customer base.
Disclaimer: Before we start with our guide, it is advisable to stick to one SEO strategy. Sometimes these tactics work magic and sometimes fail to deliver the expected results so make sure you consult with an SEO expert in case of any unexpected outcome.
Common Shopify Store SEO Problems
1. Not Modifying Tag Pages
It is the most common mistake made by online merchants that they either forget to modify tag pages or fail to do so. This can turn frustrating because you get limited traffic on your website before the modification of tag pages. If you are not being able to modify these pages, look for external plugins that help you gain traction on your Shopify store.
2. Posting Redundant Content
Content is king, especially when it comes to online business. When you upload similar or redundant content on more than one page, the search engine considers your website URLs as competition. It negatively affects your SEO ranking and you get less traction despite posing regular updates on your site.
In case, it is difficult for you to post unique content, use canonical tags and enable rich snippets on each webpage. This simple solution will provide every page with a different description and fool search engine crawlers to help you rank higher in search results.
3. Pay Attention to URLs
When Shopify stores don’t focus much on URL formation, SEO ranking suffers. Having said that, do not force keywords in your URL. Try to keep descriptive URLs that can be read easily to rank above your competition.
With Shopify, there is one additional benefit it allows you to modify the slug (the last part of the URL). However, there is a limitation as well. Shopify does not feature subcategories in URLs. But don’t worry, you can put subcategories at the start of the URL manually. It will definitely give more power to your URLs.
4. Locked Robots.txt
This one is a more technical problem than all of the issues discussed above. Robots.txt is a text file on your website to instruct search engine bots to crawl different pages on your website. On Shopify, you are not allowed to edit Robots.txt files.
However, there is one solution. Just go to the root directory of the Shopify store domain name and modify Robots.txt files from there. Robots.txt files are mainly designed to protect your website from bots but it also blocks content to be scrawled by search engines, eventually hindering your SEO efforts.
A pro tip: Add one custom code on the head section and make the most of your Robots.txt files.
5. Not Customising Pages
Default selections save a lot of time. But it can negatively impact your SEO if you have parent and child pages of your Shopify store set as default. Make collections of products, set up subcategories and customise shipping destinations to see the change.
However, here you need the help of an SEO expert, who could customise your Shopify store structure as per your needs.
6. Page Titles and Meta Descriptions
Many merchants also suffer by not using page titles and meta descriptions to make the best SEO practices. Google, the leading search engine, allows you to add a maximum of 320 characters for meta descriptions. Make sure, you write meta descriptions nicely with all keywords required.
Talking about the page title, google advises that it should not exceed 70 characters. While exceeding the characters limit will prove to be a disaster, too much negative space in page titles and meta descriptions will also affect SEO ranking negatively.
7. Wrong Template
Either in a hurry or uninformed, most of the Shopify store owners choose the wrong template initially. Always consider aesthetics before anything else on a web page. The look of your store is as important as its content. While Shopify provides many free and paid themes to choose from, you can always opt for a third-party theme or get it custom-made by theme developers. Just make sure that the theme of your website should echo your business ethics.
What do You Need to do More?
While the above-mentioned points will solve the most common SEO problems, Shopify store owners are also advised to focus on organic marketing. Not paying attention to organic marketing is one of the most common mistakes made by entrepreneurs. The lure of immediate revenue through paid ads is not sustainable.
ALSO READ: 10 Common Mistakes Shopify Merchants Should Avoid
As you might know that in 2021 Apple brought anti-tracking changes reducing the effectiveness of paid ads on iOS. The company refused to share user data which means advertisers won’t have access to users’ information like who downloaded an app after coming through an ad and more. Google also introduced similar measures. They allow users to opt out of personalised advertisements. If you choose the option, Google deleted the unique advertisement ID of the user. This means that you won’t receive a return on investment like before if you opt for paid ads. Also, there won’t be any assurance that your personalised ads reach your target audience. In such cases, targeting can be based on the website visited by the users and their general location.
Build your content marketing strategy around your target customer rather than the product you sell. Content includes videos, images, and podcasts among others. Social media is a place where you can combine all forms of content and promote your venture.
