Use this checklist to audit your Shopify store’s SEO. Work through it section by section — each task is independent, so you can start anywhere.
Technical SEO (Do These First)
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Submit sitemap to Google Search Console Your sitemap is at
yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml. Submit it at search.google.com/search-console. -
Set your primary domain In Shopify Admin → Settings → Domains → set your custom domain as primary. Shopify will redirect the
.myshopify.comURL. -
Check for crawl errors In Google Search Console → Coverage → look for 404 errors and fix or redirect them.
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Verify canonical tags are correct Right-click any product page → View Source → search for
canonical. It should point to the primary URL, not a collection-filtered variant. -
Check page speed on mobile Run PageSpeed Insights on your homepage and a product page. Target LCP < 2.5 seconds.
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Remove unused apps Each installed app (even inactive ones) often adds JavaScript. Uninstall apps you don’t use — they slow down your site.
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Enable SSL Shopify enables SSL automatically. Verify your site loads on HTTPS with no mixed-content warnings.
Homepage SEO
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Set a keyword-rich homepage title Format: “[Primary product category] — [Differentiator] | [Brand]” Example: “Organic Baby Skincare — Dermatologist Tested | PureStart”
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Write a meta description for the homepage 150–160 characters. Include your primary keyword and a value proposition.
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H1 includes your primary keyword The largest heading on your homepage should include your main category keyword.
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Internal links from homepage to top collections Link your homepage hero section to your 3–5 most important collections.
Collection Page SEO
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Every collection has a unique meta title Don’t let Shopify auto-generate. Write them manually or use EcomWave.
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Every collection has a unique meta description 150–160 characters. Include the collection keyword.
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Add 150+ words of text to each collection page Shopify collections are blank by default. Add a description above or below the product grid.
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H1 includes the collection keyword “Women’s Running Shoes” not just “Running Shoes” if you also have a Men’s collection.
Product Page SEO
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Every product has a unique description (150+ words) Never use manufacturer copy. Generate unique descriptions with EcomWave or write manually.
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Product titles include the primary keyword “Men’s Leather Oxford Shoes” not “Oxford — Style #A4421.”
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Meta title set (not auto-generated) Format: “[Keyword-rich title] — [Benefit] | [Brand]”
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Meta description set for all products Include the keyword, a differentiator, and a CTA.
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ALT text on all product images Click any product → click the main image → fill in “Image ALT text.” Include the product keyword.
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No duplicate descriptions Check your catalog for products sharing identical descriptions (common with variants).
Image SEO
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Product images are under 100KB Use Squoosh or TinyPNG to compress before uploading. Or use a Shopify compression app.
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Image filenames are descriptive
mens-black-leather-oxford-size-10.jpgnotIMG_4892.jpg -
All images have ALT text This affects both Google Image Search and accessibility.
Structured Data / Schema
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Product schema is present on product pages Check with Google’s Rich Results Test. Shopify’s Dawn theme includes basic product schema.
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BreadcrumbList schema Helps Google understand your site hierarchy. Some themes include it; others require manual addition.
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FAQ schema on key pages If your product pages or collection pages have FAQ sections, mark them up with FAQ schema for potential rich results.
Blog / Content SEO
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Blog is active (at least 1 post/month) Active blogs signal to Google that the site is maintained and authoritative.
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Each blog post targets a specific keyword One target keyword per post. Not “Shopify tips” — “how to reduce cart abandonment on Shopify.”
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Blog posts link to relevant product/collection pages This passes link equity to your money pages and helps Google understand your site’s topic.
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Posts have optimized meta titles and descriptions Don’t auto-generate for blog posts either.
Off-Page SEO
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Claimed Google Business Profile (if local) Even e-commerce stores can benefit from a GMB listing.
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Listed in relevant directories Niche directories relevant to your product category. Handmade goods: Etsy, Faire. Outdoor: OutdoorGearLab.
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At least 3 backlinks from relevant sites Guest posts, product reviews, press coverage. Quality over quantity.
Automate the Repetitive Parts
Tasks like writing unique product descriptions, setting meta titles, and adding ALT text manually across 100+ products takes weeks. EcomWave automates the product-level SEO tasks (descriptions, meta tags, titles) across your entire catalog — free for up to 5 products, or $29/month for unlimited.