The Ultimate Shopify SEO Checklist: 35+ Proven Strategies

In 2025, Shopify continues to lead the eCommerce revolution by powering more than 30% of global online stores.

However, despite this widespread adoption, only around 10% of Shopify merchants achieve consistent organic traffic. Why? Because many fail to implement even the most basic SEO strategies.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is not just a buzzword, it’s a necessity. A well-optimized store ensures your products are discoverable, your content is visible, and your brand is competitive.

Research shows that 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine, and the first page of Google captures an astounding 92% of all search traffic. 

Whether you’re launching a new store or trying to improve an existing one, this comprehensive Shopify SEO checklist covers everything you need to know.

This guide features 40+ tips tailored specifically for Shopify in 2025, covering technical SEO, content optimization, user experience, mobile readiness, and more.

Let’s get started.

Key Takeaways

• Optimize product titles and descriptions with relevant keywords for better visibility.
• Use high-quality images with descriptive alt text to improve accessibility and SEO.
• Create a blog to publish valuable content that drives traffic and engages customers.
• Leverage internal linking to guide users and boost page authority.
• Regularly monitor and improve site speed for a better user experience.

Shopify SEO Basics

Before implementing advanced tactics, make sure the foundational SEO setup is solid. These four steps will set the stage for everything that follows.

1. Set Up a Custom Domain

A branded domain (e.g., www.yourstore.com) increases trust, professionalism, and shareability. It also helps search engines better understand your site as a standalone business instead of a subdomain under Shopify (e.g., yourstore.myshopify.com).

2. Choose an SEO-Friendly Theme

Start strong with a lightweight, fast-loading Shopify theme that has clean code and proper heading structure. Themes should also be responsive and mobile-friendly, ensuring your store works well on all screen sizes.

3. Enable Mobile Responsiveness

With over 60% of eCommerce traffic coming from mobile devices, mobile-first design is no longer optional. Test your store using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test and make necessary adjustments to menus, buttons, and layouts.

4. Activate SSL Certificate (HTTPS)

Security is a ranking factor. Shopify offers SSL encryption by default—ensure it’s active and functioning properly to give users confidence and improve SEO.

35+ Shopify SEO Checklist Tips for 2025

These practical, actionable tips will help you optimize your Shopify store to meet the latest SEO best practices and user expectations. Get started!

1. Optimize Site Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix to analyze your site’s performance. Compress images, limit apps/scripts, and implement lazy loading to improve loading times.
2. Write Unique Product Descriptions: Don’t use manufacturer descriptions or duplicate content. Write keyword-rich, original product descriptions that explain benefits, features, and use cases.
3. Use Long-Tail Keywords: These are low-competition, intent-focused phrases (e.g., “handmade vegan leather wallet”) that help you rank faster and attract more qualified traffic.
4. Optimize Meta Titles and Descriptions: Every page should have a unique title (under 60 characters) and description (under 160 characters) containing primary keywords and a compelling message.
5. Use Descriptive Image Alt Text: Alt attributes not only help visually impaired users but also give search engines information about your visuals. Include keywords naturally where relevant.
6. Create a Blog: Blogging gives your store a chance to rank for informational keywords and establish topical authority. Write tutorials, product guides, comparisons, and answer customer questions.
7. Implement Internal Linking: Connect related products, blog posts, and collections to create link pathways that improve crawlability and encourage deeper browsing.
8. Use Schema Markup: Add structured data to your product pages using JSON-LD. This enables rich results like price, stock status, and reviews to appear in Google’s search listings.
9. Keep URLs Clean and Keyword-Rich: Avoid long URLs with numbers or random strings. Use descriptive slugs like /mens-running-shoes instead of /product-1234.
10. Structure Content with Header Tags: Use H1 for main titles, H2 for sections, and H3 for subsections. This improves readability and makes it easier for search engines to understand your content.
11. Optimize for Local SEO: If you operate in specific locations, add your address, city-based keywords, and register on Google Business Profile. Local optimization drives foot traffic and map visibility.
12. Promote Through Social Media: While not a direct ranking factor, social shares and visibility improve engagement and help your pages earn backlinks over time.
13. Track SEO Progress with Google Tools: Use Google Analytics and Search Console to monitor keyword rankings, fix indexing issues, and understand user behavior on your site.
14. Fix Broken Links: Use tools like Screaming Frog or Broken Link Checker to find 404 errors and redirect them using Shopify’s built-in URL redirect feature.
15. Optimize for Voice Search: Use natural language in your content. Include FAQs and long-tail keywords that mimic how people speak into devices.
16. Add Customer Reviews: Product reviews build trust and act as fresh, user-generated content. This helps boost visibility and conversions.
17. Use High-Quality Images: Upload high-resolution images, compress them to minimize size, and name files descriptively (e.g., blue-leather-bag.jpg).
18. Submit an XML Sitemap: Shopify automatically generates a sitemap. Submit it to Google Search Console to help crawlers index your site efficiently.
19. Improve Core Web Vitals: Focus on Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). These metrics are key ranking factors in 2025.
20. Simplify Site Navigation: Keep menus simple. Use filters, categories, and a clear layout to help users quickly find what they need.
21. Include Keywords in URLs: Optimize URL slugs for all pages using primary keywords, keeping them short and readable.
22. Add an FAQ Section: FAQs target question-based keywords and boost your chances of being featured in rich results. Use them on product pages or a dedicated FAQ page.
23. Optimize Product Images: Use lazy loading, next-gen formats (WebP), and alt text. Ensure fast image delivery using Shopify’s built-in CDN.
24. Use Exit-Intent Popups: Capture users who are about to leave your site with a targeted offer or discount. This can reduce bounce rates and increase conversions.
25. Add Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumb navigation improves user experience and makes your site easier for search engines to crawl.
26. Implement Multilingual SEO: If you serve global markets, translate your store and use hreflang tags to ensure search engines deliver the right language version to users.
27. Add Product Videos: Videos increase dwell time, showcase product usage, and boost conversions. Embed them on product pages and optimize with transcriptions.
28. Keep Content Fresh: Update blogs, product details, and meta descriptions regularly to maintain relevance and signal activity to Google.
29. Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with content creators in your niche to gain backlinks and expand your audience reach.
30. Focus on E-A-T Principles: Establish Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness by citing credible sources, adding author bios, and getting featured on reputable platforms.
31. Run A/B Tests: Test changes to titles, CTAs, images, and layouts to learn what improves SEO and user engagement.
32. Add Live Chat or Support Bots: Improve customer experience and keep users engaged with live chat tools that address their queries in real time.
33. Study Competitor SEO Tactics: Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to reverse-engineer your competitors’ keyword strategies and backlink profiles.
34. Build High-Quality Backlinks: Earn backlinks through guest blogging, PR campaigns, collaborations, and helpful content others want to reference.
35. Use Canonical Tags: Avoid duplicate content issues by identifying the main version of a page and marking it with a canonical tag.
36. Manage Pagination Properly: For collection or category pages with multiple pages, use rel=”next” and rel=”prev” tags or canonical tags for better indexation.
37. Prevent Keyword Cannibalization: Make sure multiple pages aren’t targeting the same keywords. Use keyword mapping to assign specific terms to distinct pages.
38. Resolve Crawl Errors Promptly: Check Google Search Console regularly for crawl issues like 404s or redirect loops. Address them to maintain index health.

Recommendations for Boosting SEO and Performance

GP JSON‑LD Schema for SEO

GP JSON‑LD Schema for SEO enhances search visibility by providing rich snippets on Google. This app uses JSON LD to structure data, making store information easily readable for search engines. With better-structured data, your Shopify store can achieve higher rankings.

This app improves organic traffic by displaying product details in search results. JSON LD helps search engines understand your content, leading to increased visibility. Using this method, stores can gain better positions on search pages.

Features:

• Increases the click-through rate.
• Get more organic visitors.
• Reduces your marketing cost.

Pricing: GP JSON‑LD Schema has 3 pricing plans –

• Free Plan: Free
• Pro Monthly Plan:$8.99/month
• Pro Yearly Plan: $59.88/year

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

SEO is not a one-time task but a continuous optimization, learning, and adaptation journey. The strategies outlined in this checklist represent the cutting edge of e-commerce SEO in 2025.

By implementing these techniques, you’re not just improving your search rankings but building a more robust, customer-centric online business.

Remember, SEO success is about consistency, quality, and staying ahead of the curve. Start implementing these strategies today, and watch your Shopify store transform into a high-performing, customer-attracting powerhouse.