Shopify SEO Settings: A Complete Beginner’s Step-by-Step Guide

Most Shopify SEO advice online is either outdated or tells you to change things Shopify already handles for you. This guide covers only the Shopify SEO settings you actually control in the admin today: your homepage title and description, the search listing for every product, collection, page and blog post, image alt text, and your sitemap in Google Search Console. It also explains what Shopify does automatically, so you don’t waste time on it.

What Shopify Does Automatically (and What You Set Yourself)

Before changing anything, know where your effort matters. According to Shopify’s own documentation, these are handled for you:

• Canonical tags are added automatically to help prevent duplicate content in search results.
• sitemap.xml and robots.txt files are generated automatically.
• SSL certificates are activated by default.
• Title tags are generated by your theme and include your store name.
• Product schema markup is included by themes, which is what allows rich snippets.

What is left for you: writing good titles and meta descriptions, choosing clean URL handles, adding image alt text, structuring your content with headings, linking pages together, and submitting your sitemap to Google. The steps below follow that order.

Step-by-Step: Essential Shopify SEO Settings

1. Set your homepage title and meta description

Many older tutorials send you to the general store settings for this. The homepage search listing is now under Online Store > Preferences.

1. In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Preferences.
2. Find the Social sharing image and SEO section.
3. Enter a homepage title and a meta description.
4. Click Save.

Shopify allows up to 70 characters for the title, but keep it near 60 so Google is less likely to cut it off. A meta description of about 160 characters is a sensible target. Say what the store sells and who it is for, for example: “Handmade art prints and custom apparel, printed on demand and shipped worldwide.”

2. Edit the search listing for products, collections, pages and blog posts

Every product, collection, page and blog post has its own search listing. This is where most of your ranking opportunity sits, because each one can target a different search query.

1. Open the item, for example Online Store > Pages and select a page. The same section exists when you edit a product, collection or blog post.
2. Scroll to Search engine listing preview and click Edit website SEO.
3. Write a Page title (aim for about 60 characters) and a Description.
4. Check the URL handle in the same panel. Keep it short, lowercase and readable, such as custom-art-print rather than a long string of filler words.
5. Click Save.

If you change the URL handle of a page that is already live, create a redirect from the old address so visitors and Google don’t land on a 404. Redirects live under Content > Menus > View URL Redirects > Create URL redirect.

3. Add alt text to your images

Alt text helps Google understand your images and makes your store accessible to people using screen readers. Describe what the image actually shows in plain language.

• Product images: go to Products, open the product, click the image, choose Edit alt text, type the description and click Save alt text.
• Collection and blog images: open the item, click Update next to the image, choose Edit image, enter the alt text and save.

“Black cotton t-shirt with a mountain line-art print” is useful. “Shirt shirt buy shirt” is not.

4. Use headings properly

Most Shopify themes already output your page or product title as the main H1 heading. Don’t add a second H1 inside the content. Use H2 headings for the main sections of a page and H3 for sub-points, and make each heading describe what follows it. This helps both readers and search engines scan a collection description, blog post or long product page.

5. Link your pages together

Internal links show Google which pages matter and help shoppers move through your store. Link from blog posts to relevant products and collections, and from collections to guides that answer buyer questions. You can manage your main navigation under Content > Menus. Keep the menu simple, and use descriptive link text instead of “click here”.

6. Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console

Shopify generates your sitemap at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml and updates it when you add products, collections, pages and blog posts. You don’t need an app for this. You only need to tell Google where it is:

1. Verify your domain in Google Search Console. Your store must be accessible, so remove any storefront password first.
2. In Search Console, open Sitemaps under Indexing.
3. Enter sitemap.xml in the “Add a new sitemap” field.
4. Click Submit.

Crawling and indexing take time, and Google doesn’t guarantee how long. Check back in Search Console over the following weeks instead of resubmitting.

7. Hide pages you don’t want in search results

Some pages, such as thank-you pages or internal landing pages, shouldn’t appear in Google. Shopify documents three ways to hide content from search engines:

• Add a noindex meta tag in the <head> of your theme’s theme.liquid file (Online Store > Themes > Edit code).
• Set a product’s status to Unlisted, so it’s reachable only by direct link and hidden from collections and search.
• Create an seo.hidden metafield under Settings > Metafields and metaobjects and set it to 1 for the product, page or blog post.

Back up your theme before editing code. If you’re unsure, use the Unlisted status or the metafield instead of editing theme files.

Your Theme Affects SEO Too

Settings can’t fix a slow or badly structured theme. Page speed, mobile layout and clean heading output all come from the theme itself. Two guides on this site go deeper: Shopify theme speed and performance optimization and making your Shopify store mobile friendly. If you’re still choosing a design, browse our Shopify themes, such as the Domira Real Estate theme for property stores.

Common Shopify SEO Mistakes to Avoid

• Leaving the default homepage title, or using your store name alone.
• Giving every product the same meta description.
• Changing a URL handle without setting up a redirect.
• Skipping alt text on product images.
• Forgetting to remove the storefront password before submitting your sitemap.
• Adding SEO apps to do things Shopify already does, like generating a sitemap.

Shopify SEO Settings FAQ

Where do I change my Shopify homepage title and meta description?

Go to Online Store > Preferences and use the Social sharing image and SEO section.

Does Shopify create a sitemap automatically?

Yes. Shopify generates sitemap.xml for you and keeps it updated. You only need to submit it in Google Search Console.

Do I need to add canonical tags myself?

No. Shopify adds canonical tags automatically to help prevent duplicate content issues.

How long does it take for Shopify SEO changes to show up in Google?

Shopify notes that crawling and indexing take time and Google doesn’t guarantee how long. Update your listings, submit your sitemap, and monitor progress in Search Console.

Related Guides

• Shopify General Settings Guide for Beginners
• How to Start a Print-on-Demand Business with Shopify
• ThemeForest vs Shopify Theme Store

Good SEO settings work best on a fast, well-built theme. Explore the Shopify themes at vithemes.com to find a design that suits your store and gives your SEO work a solid foundation.