What is SEO and why is it important for Shopify Owners?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a crucial tool you, as a Shopify owner, should utilize. It’s the process of boosting the quality and quantity of visitor traffic to your website through organic search engine results, like Google. Think of it as a key to –
- Elevate your site’s ranking in search results without advertising
- Attract more potential customers by showing your website in relevant searches
- Reduce bounce rates by sending more qualified leads your way
For example, a Shopify store that ranks first gets near double the traffic of the second one. So, up your SEO game for optimum success!
Basic principles of SEO for Shopify
1. Add relevant keywords to product titles and descriptions
Adding relevant keywords and reviews to your Shopify product pages isn’t just gratuitous SEO fluff—it’s key to boosting visibility and driving sales. Here’s how you can pull it off!
- Find your critical keywords. Make them a part of your product and tag titles, descriptions, and customer reviews.
- Work these keywords into your Shopify store’s meta descriptions, title tags, and URLs.
- Adjust your Shopify page’s SEO by selecting a product, scrolling down to “search engine listing preview”, and clicking “edit website SEO”.
- Increase your click-through rates on your titles by keeping them within 51-60 characters, incorporating “click magnet” words and relevant modifiers.
- Make your meta descriptions stand out. Include targeted keywords, maintain the character limit under 320, and write engaging content.
- Keep URLs short and keyword-rich.
2. Create unique page titles and page URLs
Creating unique page titles and URLs in Shopify is crucial for SEO. Here’s your guide to doing it right:
- Always use strong keywords in your page titles and URLs. This aids in making them meaningful for both shoppers and search engines.
- Change automatic blog page URLs to represent the blog post’s content clearly and succinctly.
- When you change a URL, use a 301 redirect. Users clicking on the old URL will be led to the new one.
- Try to reuse URLs from expired items for similar products where applicable.
These steps will likely enhance your Shopify store’s search engine visibility, leading to improved traffic and sales.
3. Add relevant images to each page
High-quality visuals, especially images, play a fundamental role in optimizing your Shopify store for SEO. They not only boost your store’s aesthetic appeal but also increase dwell time and improve search ranking.
- First off, start by adding relevant, well-composed product images that offer a 360-degree view of your products. This enables users to get a comprehensive understanding of what they intend to purchase.
- Make sure the images are clean, crisp, and high resolution. Low-quality, blurry images can affect visitors’ impression of your product quality.
- Expert tip: Always add alt text and descriptions to your images, utilizing researched keywords to enhance the image ranking and SEO.
Remember, a picture speaks louder than words. Don’t skimp out on providing visually rich content to your users!
4. Make sure the structure of your site is well organized
Understanding your Shopify store’s structure is key to SEO success. Here’s how to achieve it:
- Keep your site hierarchy logical. Think Home Page > Category > Product Page.
- Avoid messy iframes and confusing URLs.
- Organize your content smartly. Simplified categories are user and SEO-friendly.
- Never leave your customers stranded. Include an About Us, Contact Us, and a handy search bar.
- Link your categories and subcategories back and forth. It guides both customers and Google.
Remember, a well-structured site is easier for customers to navigate and for search engines to crawl. So, prioritize organization for better SEO results.
5. Optimize your Shopify store for mobile devices
Mobile optimization is key in today’s ecommerce world, with a predicted 44% of all online shopping occurring on mobile devices by 2024. To enhance your Shopify store for mobile users, consider these expert tips:
- Kick-off with picking a mobile-ready Shopify theme. All Shopify free themes now are mobile optimized. For a mobile-first experience, invest in a premium template.
- Streamline your design by eliminating unnecessary distractions. The simpler the layout, the easier it is for customers to find what they need.
- Make call-to-action buttons large and eye-catching. Tiny buttons can cause frustration on smaller screens.
- Prioritize creating a smooth mobile checkout experience to increase conversion rates.
- Lastly, utilize Google Lighthouse report and Google Search Console to validate your site’s mobile functionality. It’s important to pass both Core Web Vitals test and Mobile Usability test.
6. Utilize blog posts to generate traffic
Shopify store owners, listen up! Driving traffic to your store doesn’t just rely on product catalogues. Let’s focus on the untapped potential of blog posts.
- Start by conducting thorough keyword research. This gives you a firm grasp on the niche topics your potential customers are searching for.
- Create informative, engaging blog posts around these topics. Remember, the more pages you have, the higher your chances of showing up in searches.
- Encourage backlinks. This is one of Google’s top three ranking factors!
- Regularly update with quality content. This makes your site more useful, building your authority and increasing your chance of ranking.
- Need inspiration? Try the SEMrush Content Marketing Platform for blog ideas and target keywords.
Make your blog the secret weapon of your Shopify SEO strategy!
7. Get involved in the Shopify community
Engaging with the Shopify community can give your SEO a fantastic boost. It’s a great place to learn, network, share experiences, and even gain some additional traffic. Here’s how:
- Start active participation in discussions. Share your insights and learn from others.
- Frequently answer queries to establish your reputation as a subject expert.
- Regularly post top-notch content relevant to your products or niche. Aim for a minimum of 500 words to impress search engines.
- Encourage established community members to link back to your store or content.
Remember, every interaction strengthens your Shopify SEO strategy; it’s more than just selling, it’s about creating meaningful relationships.
8. Add relevant backlinks to your site
See our guide for link building!
How to optimize your Shopify store for SEO
Step 1: Register your Shopify store on Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools
- Expert Tip: This is essential for site verification with search engines.
- Expert Tip: Always save your registration information for further reference.
- Expert Tip: It might take some time for verification to be completed.
- Expert Tip: Sitemaps help search engines properly index your site.
Remember, evaluation of SEO tactics will only be possible once you’ve analyzed your site, so always keep track of your visitors.
This guide is your quick access to getting search engines to know your Shopify store. Make sure you verify and register your shop for improved visibility.
Step 2: Ensure your Shopify store is loading quickly
Speedy loading times are key for successful SEO and customer retention. With 79% of shoppers not returning to a slow site, fast load times are a must for any Shopify store.
- Start by choosing a fast Shopify theme.
- Compress your images to speed up loading times. Shopify SEO plugin like TinyIMG SEO Image Optimizer could be a good choice here.
- Keep your installed apps to a minimum. If you aren’t using it, get rid of it.
- Rather than using various flashy fonts, opt for web-safe options such as Arial, Helvetica, Courier New, and Courier.
- Keep use of external scripts or custom codes to a bare minimum.
- Consider installing Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) via plugins for better mobile speed.
Now, improve your site’s UX and secure your spot in the search engine’s fast lane!
Step 3: Research the right target keywords
Identifying the accurate target keywords is crucial for Shopify SEO optimization. Here’s a snappy step-by-step guide for you:
- Appreciate the distinction between commercial and informational keywords. Ecommerce sites, like yours, should focus on commercial keywords that indicate a buying intent.
- Utilize Google and Amazon for keyword ideas. Both platforms provide related search queries, which can be a goldmine for keyword ideas.
- Don’t ignore long-tail keywords, they have lower competition and might boost conversion rates.
- Explore tools like Amazon Keyword Tool and SEMRush for automated, data-driven insights on ideal keywords based on volume and competition.
- Finally, pick keywords with high search volumes and buyer intent, to increase visits and sales.
Remember, quality over quantity is key in keyword research.
Step 4: optimize your Store’s product pages
Tip 1: Enhance Product Imagery
- Use high-quality photos showcasing your product from different angles
Tip 2: Perfect Your Product Descriptions
- Include detailed information on product materials and key features
- Make sure it meets the audience’s needs or offers them a solution
Tip 3: Display Product Options
- Show multiple colors, styles, or sizes if available
Tip 4: Keyword Optimization
- Incorporate relevant keywords in descriptions, product titles, and tags to improve searchability
Tip 5: Utilize Customer Reviews
- Integrating customers’ feedback can increase keyword density and improve search rankings
Tip 6: Prioritize Your Pages
- Focus on optimizing your top-performing pages first, such as the homepage, main product collections, and top-selling products
Tip 7: Optimize Title Tags & Meta Descriptions
- Use the formula: Keyword 1 – Shop for Keyword 2 – Store Name
- Write original, SEO-friendly product titles and descriptions that naturally incorporate targeted keywords.
Tip 8: Don’t Forget ‘Out of Stock’ Pages
- Also, ensure to optimize your ‘out-of-stock’ pages as they can impact your SEO.
Remember, the more optimized your product pages are, the easier it is for customers to find and purchase your products. So, keep these tips in mind and start optimizing today!
Step 5: Build links to your stor
Building links to your Shopify store is crucial for SEO. Here’s how you can start:
- Search for your brand’s unlinked mentions using Ahrefs. Apply filters for English pages, domain authority over 30, and minimum 50 organic visits per month. Then highlight “unlinked mentions,” export these links, find contact information (), and ask them to link to your store.
- Give your products to bloggers for reviews. Use Google to search for “best [keyword or category]” to find potential bloggers. Use hunter.io to gather contact info and reach out to them
- Guest blog on relevant sites and link back to your store.
Remember, the more links you build, the higher your ranking on search engines will be.
Step 6: Optimize product descriptions and alt text
Optimizing product descriptions and alt text in Shopify is pivotal for SEO excellence. Here’s a pocket-friendly guide to nail it:
- Unique Product Descriptions: Google cherishes originality. Always write distinct descriptions. Avoid duplicating content.
- Use H2s: H2s act as section titles, letting you naturally sprinkle target and secondary keywords.
- Consistent Keyword Use: Deploy your main keyword once in the title, within an H2, and a couple of times in the attribute part.
- Optimize Image Alt Text: Add alt text to your visuals, utilizing SEO-friendly keywords.
- Utilize SEO App: Consider Shopify SEO apps for automating alt text generation.
SEO loves simplicity, precision, and creativity. Avoid complexity, maintain brevity, and let your descriptions engage and convert.
Step 7: Use the best Shopify SEO apps and tools
Shopify SEO apps and tools are crucial mainframes for your store optimization, paving the way to higher search engine rankings. They help foster a streamlined, efficient operation with minimal effort.
Below are the top features:
- Automated image compression
- Meta tags, alt tags, and JSON-LD addition
- Multilingual plug-in
- Search engine updated automation
- Improved site visibility
- Heightened organic traffic
- Efficiency in content optimization
- Robust analysis tools
- Streamlined SEO processes
- Time-consuming setup
- Extra costs for premium features
- Potential website slowdown with excessive plugins
- Can be complex for beginners
- Limited customization options
Several apps offer free basic features with optional upgrades. Always remember that excessive plugins may slow down your site.
Step 8: Optimize alt text and image names
Optimizing your alt text and image names plays a crucial role in improving your Shopify store’s SEO. Both search engines and screen readers rely on these elements to understand and categorize your images.
- Begin by adding unique alt text to each product image on your store. To do this:
* From your Shopify admin, click Products > All Products.
* Select the product you want to optimize.
* Hover over a product image, click the three dots, then choose Edit alt text.
Now, keep these pro tips in mind while creating alt text:
- Use concise, clear descriptions that efficiently depict the content of the image. Remember, you’re writing for both visually impaired users and search engines.
- Leverage your target keywords but avoid stuffing them unnaturally into your alt text.
- Avoid using alt text for buttons or minor images that don’t contribute significantly to your content or product description.
Next, provide meaningful names to your image files. A great practice here is to include relevant keywords in your file names, boosting your site’s visibility further. Rename your image files before uploading them to Shopify. The name should provide a good understanding of what the image entails, thus ensuring more hits when users perform image searches on search engines.
Through these practices, not only will Optimizing your alt text and image names plays a crucial role in improving your Shopify store’s SEO. Both search engines and screen readers rely on these elements to understand and categorize your images. Here’s how to do it:
- From your Shopify admin, go to Products > All Products.
- Select the product you wish to enhance.
- Hover over a product image, hit the three dots, then select Edit alt text.
Remember these expert tips when creating alt text:
- Write brief, clear descriptions as this helps both visually impaired users and search engines.
- Incorporate your target keywords but refrain from unnatural keyword stuffing.
- Avoid assigning alt text to buttons or insignificant images.
Efficient use of such practices promises to boost your Shopify store’s SEO giving it an effective presence on the web.
Step 9: Use ‘clean’ URLs
Step 10: Add rich snippets to your products and pages
Rich snippets are crucial for SEO as they provide valuable understandings to both searchers and search engines about the content of your Shopify store. Here’s a concise guide on adding them.
- Begin by identifying how you want to add rich snippets. You have two options: manually insert ‘data markup’ code into your templates, or use an app.
- If you opt for coding, follow guidelines given by Shopify on adding ‘data markup’. If you prefer an app, check out the Shopify App store to find one that suits your needs.
For better SEO results:
- Incorporate relevant keywords and reviews to your page. These give context making your store easily findable by shoppers.
- Your page titles should contain target keywords, fall within 51-60 characters range, include ‘click magnet’ words and relevant modifiers.
- Finally, enhance your product pages with persuasive assets such as video and customer reviews. This increases the time spent on your site, ups your site’s relevance to Google, and improves your search engine ranking.
Step 11: Make full use of your Shopify blog
Understanding and effectively utilizing the Shopify blog is essential for SEO optimization. Here’s how it can work for you:
- Consider the blog as a powerful tool for amplifying your brand’s reach and driving more traffic and sales to your site.
- Regularly and quality content can improve your store’s authority in search engines, enhancing your SEO.
- Create engaging posts that shed light on your products, upcoming launches, contests, and customer stories.
- Use the Shopify’s built-In Blog CMS to simplify the process, don’t forget to enable comments for interactive discussions.
- Utilize the strategy of internal linking within your blog posts to further increase your site’s relevancy.
- Finally, consider using tools like SEMrush to discover relevant keywords and come up with blog topic ideas.
Remember, consistent and strategic blogging enhances your store’s SEO significantly.
Step 12: Build backlinks to your Shopify store
- Search for your brand, exclude results from your website. For instance, “petvalu” -site:petvalu.com.
- Add filters for English pages, domain authority above 30, and at least 50 organic visits per month.
- Highlight unlinked mentions, export these links, and find contact info using hunter.io.
- Reach out to those contacts, requesting links to your website.
Advanced SEO strategies for Shopify
1. Create Unique Product Pages
Optimizing your Shopify product pages can significantly enhance your SEO ranking. Here’s how to go about it:
- Step 1: Prioritize your products. In Shopify, go to Analytics > Dashboard > Top Products By Units Sold, this will help identify high-priority products.
- Step 2: Create unique content for each product. Having distinctive content avoids repetitive descriptions and improves SEO.
- Expert Tip: Aim for about 300 words per product, incorporating elements like customer reviews and FAQs.
- Step 3: Maintain a user-centric perspective. The features customers care about should in your descriptions, to increase conversions and SEO.
- Step 4: Don’t forget to provide product options if you have multiple colors, styles, or sizes available.
- Step 5: Quality is key. Ensure your product photos are high resolution and display your product from all angles.
Remember, unique content is favored by Google and other search engines, aiding in enhancing your SEO ranking.
2. Optimize Your Site Structure
Optimizing your Shopify’s site structure is an essential part of advanced SEO strategies. It helps search engines and customers alike to navigate and understand your site quickly and easily. This not only enhances user experience but also boosts your search engine rankings.
Here’s how you can optimize your site structure in a few simple steps:
- Adopt a logical hierarchy of categories to help users and search engines find products effortlessly.
- Avoid using iframes and opt for logical and straightforward URLs.
- Limit the number of clicks from homepage to product pages, maybe say, Home Page > Category > Product Page.
- Include essential pages like ‘About Us’ and ‘Contact Us’, and a search bar for connectivity and credibility.
- Make your site primarily user-focused and maintain the Product and Category Page structure simple.
Top tip: Simplicity is the key! Don’t go overboard with categories and subcategories. Keep it clean and simple for a perfect SEO-friendly site.
3. Add Rich Anchor Text to Your Site
- The anchor text you add to your Shopify site matters! It informs Google’s crawling process about the keywords your page should focus on. You can rank better for specific keywords by wrapping them up in anchor links.
- For instance, when linking to your ‘White Tennis Shoes’ collection, use the anchor text ‘White Tennis Shoes’. Here is how to do it:
- Find an opportunity within your content to mention white tennis shoes.
- Instead of just pasting the link, make the words “White Tennis Shoes” the hyperlink.
- Pro-tip: Don’t forget to apply this rule to your navigation menu items as well. They are essentially links too!
Remember, the right anchor text can make your site more discoverable and enhance your SEO strategy.
4. Create Quality Content Regularly
- First off, understand that quality content is the backbone of successful SEO strategy on Shopify. It drives traffic, increases brand recognition, and keeps leads engaged.
- Focus your content on industry-related topics. For instance, if you’re Manitobah Mukluks, a shoe company, your content should primarily revolve around footwear and fashion.
- Locate topics by browsing Google, utilizing Google Trends, or searching for keywords specific to your business.
- Choose a format that resonates with your audience – blog posts, videos, infographics, ebooks, or guides.
- Don’t forget to enrich your content with relevant keywords, ensuring you appear in the correct search results.
- Remember, consistency is key. Regularly posting substantial, quality content of at least 500 words fosters more depth, interest, and authority.
- Ultimately, the goal is to create a collection of useful, engaging content that ranks well and appeals beyond just product pages. So, get creative and make sure it’s a blend of everything your audience wants.
5. Use Image Search Optimization
Image search optimization in your Shopify store can make a notable difference in your organic traffic. The power of visual thinking shouldn’t be underestimated, as most people switch to image search after inputting queries on Google, commencing their buyer journey.
Here are some ways to ace image search optimization on Shopify:
- Take advantage of serving images through a CDN. Done already if you’re using Shopify.
- Include images in your XML sitemap. But beware, tracking indexed images becomes challenging. Ideally, have a dedicated XML sitemap for your images. You might need an app like Image Sitemap.
- Compress images. Unfortunately, Shopify doesn’t provide this out-of-the-box. Using a site like tinypng.com prior to uploading the images to Shopify will do the trick.
- Ensure your image file name is descriptive. Also, choose the right image type and resize images to the required dimensions before uploading.
- Define the image’s alt attribute. Have relevant text close to your image. This can be done within Shopify’s admin console.
With the help of Shopify apps like SEO Image Optimizer, Bulk Image Edit, or Smart Image Optimizer, you can automate compression and alt attributes generation. Tailor your product images, and enhance your SEO strategies, considering a wider eCommerce range than A good grasp of Image Search Optimization can do wonders for your Shopify store. Don’t underestimate visual search – many users start their buying journey with a quick image search on Google!
To ace your image optimization on Shopify, here are some best practices worth incorporating:
- Leverage Content Delivery Network (CDN) for serving your images. Good news is, Shopify handles this by default.
- Add your images in the XML sitemap. However, track image indexing with caution here.
- Always compress images before uploading. Shopify doesn’t offer this as a default feature, so you might need external assistance from sites like tinypng.com.
- Adopt descriptive file names for your images, choose the right image file type, and resize images as per requirements prior to uploading.
- Define the image alt attribute and maintain relevant accompanying text. You can manage this easily on the Shopify admin console.
Shopify apps like SEO Image Optimizer, Bulk Image Edit, and Smart Image Optimizer can automate the process of image compression and alt attribute generation, making your optimization process a breeze. Remember to always focus on a wider perspective when it comes to eCommerce SEO. In a nutshell, on Shopify, your image optimization opportunities are manifold.
6. Utilize Social Media Platforms
- Start by solidifying your brand’s presence on all major social media platforms. This will indirectly boost your Shopify’s SEO because these profiles often rank in search engine results, leading audiences back to your store.
- Instigate conversations and actively engage with your followers. This adds a human element to your brand and builds credibility.
- Encourage user-generated content via contests, surveys or simply inviting product reviews from your customers. This social proof can persuade potential customers to buy from your store.
- Finally, use an app like Yotpo to collect and display customer reviews and curate user content on your social media platforms. Use Ahrefs Site Explorer to analyze your competitor’s backlinks and mentions and tailor your strategy accordingly.
7. Set Up A Google My Business Page
Rock your Shopify store’s SEO game by setting up a Google My Business Page. It’s an essential tactic that boosts your visibility on Google search and maps.
- Start by navigating to Google My Business, and click “Manage Now.”
- Sign in with your Google account and add your Shopify store name.
- Next, insert your business details carefully. Make sure your address is correct for accurately displaying on Maps.
- Pinpoint your business category, this helps Google to match with customer searches.
- Share contact details – include a link to your Shopify site.
- Finally, verify your business. You can do this via mail, phone, email, or instant verification.
Keep an eye on your dashboard regularly for insights and customer reviews. It feeds Google relevant, updated information, enhancing your SEO performance.
8. Utilize Schema Markup
Applying Schema Markup on Shopify is crucial for advanced SEO strategies, helping search engines comprehend your content better. Effectively using this can make your site more noticeable in search results. Here’s how:
- Determine the kind of structured data your site needs. Commonly used types are Product, Review, Article, and LocalBusiness.
- Check if your Shopify theme supports Schema markup out-of-the-box. If not, engage a Shopify expert or use an app like Schema App Total Schema Markup.
- Make optimal use of the “Article” structured data for Shopify blogs to increase visibility in Google Discover and ‘Interesting Finds’ sections.
- For third-party review data, consider implementing JSON-LD, potentially with the app JSON-LD for SEO.
- Finally, utilize Open Graph and Twitter Cards for better control when your URLs are shared on social media.
9. Take Advantage Of Facebook Ads
Facebook Ads should not be disregarded as a potent advanced SEO strategy for Shopify. As an e-commerce platform, it’s critical to leverage every available avenue to drive traffic and sales.
- Facebook Ads capture user behavior, allowing for targeted advertising.
- These ads provide increased visibility, potentially leading to higher organic traffic.
- Facebook Ads can supplement lackluster results from search.
Here are the key pros and cons to consider:
Pros:
- Tailored advertising based on user behavior.
- Flexibility across multiple devices.
- Boosts overall site traffic.
- Increases brand awareness.
- A wide range of creative and format options.
Cons:
- It’s not cheap, especially for competitive markets.
- Skills needed to create effective ad campaigns.
- Risk of ad fatigue with excessive exposure.
- Difficult to measure true ROI.
- Dependency on Facebook’s ever-evolving algorithm.
10. Track Your Data With Google Analytics
SEO tools for Shopify
1. Moz
For those mastering Shopify SEO, Moz Pro is an excellent choice. It equips you with all-in-one SEO tools adding strength to your Shopify store.
- Keyword research
- Site audits
- Rank tracking
- Backlink analysis
Note: Its packages start at $99 monthly. Remember, the right SEO tool can enhance your Shopify store’s visibility, so invest wisely.
2. Ahrefs
3. SEMRush
Looking to boost your Shopify SEO? SEMrush holds the keys to just that.
- It offers you in-depth keyword research data
- Content optimization tools
- And, a thorough site audit feature
Now, let’s talk about the positives and negatives.
- Pro: Extended trial period (30 days versus the typical 7 days).
- Pro: Comprehensive keyword search information and solutions.
- Pro: Advanced site performance data.
- Con: May seem complex for beginners.
- Con: Standard 7-day trial may feel short.
And note, SEMrush’s pricing packages are diverse to fit varying budgets. Put it to the test, and watch your Shopify SEO soar.
4. Search Engine Land
Search Engine Land is a fantastic tool to boost your Shopify SEO game. It guides you in navigating Google’s parameters and improving your organic search visibility.
Top features:
- Daily newsletters with industry updates
- SEO strategies by experts
- Free SEO score calculation
Pros:
- Offers tailor-made, expert-driven SEO strategies.
- Provides comprehensive guides for beginners.
- Easy to understand newsletters for daily industry updates.
- Quick SEO score calculator for immediate feedback.
- Coverage on multiple search engines, not just Google.
Cons:
- Overwhelming amount of information for beginners.
- Not specifically designed for Shopify.
- Requires time and patience to sift through information.
- SEO improvements may take time to see results.
- No free account option; pricing starts $149/year.
5. Google Search Console
As a Shopify store owner, Google Search Console can be your best buddy. It equips you with data-driven insights for optimizing your site, helping your eCommerce venture shine on Google’s listing.
Features:
- Indexing site pages
- Notifying Google about which pages to avoid crawling
- Collecting valuable keyword data
- Reporting any site errors
- Checking mobile usability issues
Pros:
- Identifies high-potential keywords
- Pinpoints errors for effective troubleshooting
- Monitors mobile-friendly aspects
- Provides a complete view of your site “as seen by Google”
- It’s absolutely free
Cons:
- No retroactive data collection
- Incomplete visitor search behavior due to privacy restrictions
- The interface might seem complex for beginners
- Lacks real-time data
- Notifications about errors can take time.
So start utilizing this free tool and make the most out of your SEO efforts!
6. BuzzStream
BuzzStream is a stellar SEO tool for your Shopify website, making link-building a breeze. It helps you generate precious backlinks, one of the most effective methods to build credibility.
Top features:
- Efficient link-building
- Outreach management
- Contact relationship monitoring
Pros:
- Streamlines link generation
- Ensures targeted outreach
- Manages contact relationships
- Efficient backlink tracking
- Provides comprehensive reports
Cons:
- App learning curve
- Higher-tier plans may be pricey
- Lacking in user interface
- No free version available
- Limited contact import feature
Note: BuzzStream comes with a variety of plans, starting from $24 per month. No free version is offered. The pricing increases based on additional features and services.
7. Yoast
Yoast may not be available for Shopify users, but you’re not out of luck. Here are some alternative SEO apps that can skyrocket your Shopify store’s visibility:
- Plugin SEO: Automatically checks your shop’s SEO health and sends issue alerts.
- Smart SEO: Reduces manual meta and alt tags entries, provides search engine-friendly structured data.
- SEO Image Optimizer: Boosts traffic with quick image optimization.
- SEMRush: Discovers overlooked keywords for potential traffic increase.
- OptinMonster: Optimizes your store for revenue increase without harming SEO.
Pros:
- Regular automatic checks on SEO issues.
- Reduction in manual entries.
- Image optimization for faster site speed.
- Potential to discover niche keywords.
- Opportunity to increase revenue without harming SEO.
Cons:
- No Yoast-specific features for Shopify users.
- Potential complexity for beginners.
- Cost may outweigh benefits for small shops.
- Research required to maximize tool benefits.
- Manual intervention may still be required for complex issues.
Please note, each app has its own pricing model.
8. SpyFu
Get ready to level up your Shopify SEO performance with SpyFu, your new secret weapon! This tool comes packed with a bunch of features that make keyword research and SEO strategy a breeze. Take a look:
- Accurate keyword search volume and difficulty insights.
- Detailed competitor analysis.
- Backlink checker.
- PPC competitor monitoring.
- SEO reports for optimization.
On SpyFu’s bright side:
- User-friendly interface.
- Comprehensive keyword data.
- In-depth competitor insights.
- Effective link building tools.
- Useful PPC tracking features.
But it’s not all sunshines:
- Some data may seem outdated.
- The mobile experience needs improvement.
- Reports can be overwhelming for beginners.
- No social media metrics.
- Limited data for less popular industries.
SpyFu’s subscription packs start at a wallet-friendly $33 monthly. Get ready to embark on the SpyFu journey!
9. Backlink Checker by Ahrefs
Are you seeking accurate backlink analysis for your Shopify store? The Backlink Checker tool by Ahrefs is an effective, alternative solution brimming with features.
- Extensive backlink analysis
- Instant backlink profile access
- Powerful for link building strategy
Pros:
- Accurate profile of backlinks
- Optimum for benchmarking store’s link profile
- Real-time backlink alerts
- Easy identification of broken backlinks
- Benefit of watching the competition
Cons:
- Cost higher than other tools
- Initial learning curve
- Missing social networks data
- Sometimes slow in data refreshing
- Limited seats per account
Beginning at $99 per month for its Lite plan, it’s not the cheapest, but arguably one of the most effective Shopify SEO tools available.
10. Keyword Explorer
Keyword Explorer is a vital SEO tool for your Shopify endeavors. It’s a great platform that provides numerous features for effective keyword research.
- Comprehensive keyword suggestions
- Accurate search volume data
- Keyword competitiveness calculator
- SERP analysis for better performance
Here’s a detailed look at the pros and cons of Keyword Explorer:
- Pro: Tailor-made for e-commerce platforms
- Pro: Provides a wealth of keyword-related data
- Pro: Predictive keyword success score
- Pro: User-friendly interface
- Pro: Excellent customer support
- Con: May seem expensive for small businesses
- Con: Limited keyword suggestions compared to Ahrefs
- Con: Limited languages are supported
- Con: Limited global search volume data
- Con: Slow at times
Reminder: Although Keyword Explorer offers excellent features, it comes at a cost. It’s within a higher price range, starting at around $99 per month.
Common SEO mistakes Shopify owners make
1. Unsuitable keywords
Using unsuitable keywords in your Shopify SEO strategy is a common mistake that can tank your rankings. It happens when keywords aren’t aligned with your brand, product, or search intent.
- Avoid this by tapping into detailed keyword research.
- Use data-driven tools like Google’s Keyword Planner.
- Focus on relevance, search volume, and achievability.
- For instance, a store selling retro gaming consoles should not aim for a broad keyword like “game”. Instead, use specific long-tail keywords like “retro Nintendo console for sale”.
Remember, targeting the right keywords is crucial to meet your audience’s search intent and drive traffic to your store.
2. No on-site SEO
Are you a Shopify owner who jumped straight to off-page SEO? If so, you’re making a common mistake. On-page SEO, which involves optimizing your store’s internal pages, is crucial for improving search engine rankings. Why is skipping this a mistake? Simply put, it’s because you’re missing out on the potential to increase traffic, organically.
How could you avoid this mistake? Start by focusing on factors under your control – from your code quality to the user-friendliness of your site.
- Optimize your on-page SEO first before moving to off-page SEO
- Tailor your SEO Strategy according to your targeted search engines.
- Remember, SEO has 20 times more traffic opportunities than PPC.
3. Poor page structure
Poor page structure can be a silent killer of your Shopify store’s SEO success. It’s like walking into a store with products everywhere and no signs to guide you. Not exactly the shopping adventure customers, or search engines, prefer, right?
Poor page structure usually involves:
- No logical hierarchy of categories
- Overwhelming and confusing number of subcategories
- Irrelevant or complicated URLs
Here’s how it harms your SEO:
- Confuses search engines: They struggle to crawl your site, which affects your ranking.
- Frustrates customers: If customers can’t easily find what they’re looking for, they’ll bounce off your site. This increases your bounce rate, which negatively impacts your SEO score.
How to avoid this?
- Simplify: Cut down on excessive categories and subcategories. Think of a “Home > Category > Product Page” structure.
- Logical URLs: Keep your URLs simple and clear. They should reflect your site’s structure.
- Nabigate site easily: Keep products a couple of clicks away from the homepage, making easier for both shoppers and search engines.
- Include Essentials: Don’t forget “About Us” and “Contact Us” pages. Plus, a search bar can boost customer experience.
Remember, build your site for customers first for a more SEO-friendly experience.
4. Lack of quality content
- Don’t overlook ‘Quality Content’: A common mistake among Shopify store owners is the neglect of producing high-quality content. Focusing solely on products can backfire, since SEO relies heavily on engaging, informative content.
- The power of blogs: Stores with compelling blog posts often enjoy better search results. For example, a shoe store like Manitobah Mukluks writing about fashion and footwear trends.
- Keywords are kings: You can’t skip doing meticulous keyword research before creating content. This will help you target the type of audience you want.
- Diversify your content: Creating a mix of blogs, videos, infographics, etc., caters to different audiences and boosts SEO.
- Avoid short contents: Aim for substantial-length posts, ideally above 500 words, that benefit your audience and help you rank for more keywords.
- Embrace the visuals: Images and videos enhance user experience, making your content more engaging and SEO-friendly.
5. Unsuitable titles
One common mistake that many Shopify users make is picking unsuitable titles for their web pages. Not only does this confuse potential visitors, but it also interferes with how search engines understand and rank the page. Here are some key problems you might encounter:
- Irrelevant titles confuse search engines, affecting your SEO ranking. Search engines rely on titles to categorize and prioritize web pages in search results. If your title doesn’t contain your target keywords, you’ll likely rank lower.
- Unfit titles result in less exposure in search results. Your title is the largest component of a search result. If it’s vague or doesn’t reflect the page content, users are less likely to click.
Remember, selecting an impactful, keyword-rich title is crucial for improving your visibility online. Following this practice could significantly boost your site’s SEO performance.
6. Lack of backlinks
A common mistake in Shopify SEO is not harnessing the power of backlinks effectively. Backlinks are external links from other websites that guide to your store, serving as confidence votes for your store in Google’s eyes. For instance, if a popular blog links to your Shopify store, it’s an endorsement for your products.
Here’s how you can sidestep the backlink pitfall:
- Start with guest posting. Write and contribute high-quality blog posts to relevant authority websites. This could improve your Google ranking while expanding your audience reach.
- Execute a blogger outreach strategy. Team up with influential bloggers in your industry, offering them perks to generate authentic promotional content for your store. This direct influencer marketing can lead to increased exposure.
- Create and pitch linkable assets. High-quality, shareable content like how-to guides or interactive infographics can draw in backlinks from high authority blogs and media publications.
- Deploy link reclamation strategy. If your store is mentioned somewhere without a link, use SEO tools to find these mentions and request the publishers for a backlink. Also, hunt for broken links and offer your link as a replacement.
Remember, quality over quantity resonates when it comes to backlinks. High authority backlinks are far more valuable than a bunch of low-quality links. Steer clear of link schemes that promise numerous links from poor-quality/redundant websites. Always make strategic efforts to earn backlinks from reputable and relevant sources.
7. Using Shopify SEO
SEO is a crucial aspect of your Shopify store’s success. Avoiding common mistakes can make a big impact. Here are a few:
- Not removing duplicate content: Duplicate content can confuse search engines. Ensure each product page is unique.
- Overlooking image optimization: Images without alt tags and proper file names can’t be read by search engines. Always optimize your images.
- Failing to link product pages from the home page: Directly linking to product pages makes navigation easier for both users and search engines.
- Not using the Canonical tag and Domain Canonicalization: These prevent issues with duplicate content.
- Neglecting to set up 301 redirects: Without these, users might encounter broken links.
- Skipping the blog feature: Blogs drive traffic, so use this feature!
Remember, SEO without a strategy will seldom bring rewarding results.
8. Ignoring social media
Ignoring social media is a common mistake you, as a Shopify owner, might be making. Here’s why it’s a potential pitfall:
- Social media platforms provide a solid, authoritative presence which can indirectly boost your SEO.
- Missing out on high SERP rankings for your social profiles could direct potential customers elsewhere.
- It’s an opportunity lost to create a more ‘human’ and credible brand by having informal conversations and delivering customer support.
- Social media platforms are the perfect space to use user-generated content, which can increase brand engagement and could prove vital for long term success.
- Ignoring social media could mean you’re overlooking critical customer reviews, which can be a significant driving factor in attracting new shoppers.
Remember, an active social media presence indirectly yet substantially contributes to your store’s SEO. So make it an integral part of your Shopify store strategy.
9. Not monitoring analytics
One common blunder you’re likely to make when working on Shopify SEO is neglecting to monitor your store’s analytics. Here’s why this is a crucial mistake:
- You undermine your SEO: By ignoring analytics, you’re sidelining valuable data. This obstructs your understanding of customer behavior and could lead to ill-informed decision-making, affecting SEO performance. For instance, if you’re unaware that blog posts aren’t retaining visitors for a sufficient duration, it would be impossible for you to optimize the posts for better engagement.
- You miss tracking vital metrics: Tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console offer essential insights, such as traffic and conversion rates, indexing problems, and more. Without these metrics, benchmarking and measuring SEO effectiveness becomes a guessing game.
Therefore, keep an eye on those numbers. They’re telling a story about your store, and you wouldn’t want to miss it!
10. Ignoring Google Search Console
A common misstep among Shopify store owners is neglecting the power of Google Search Console. This oversight can greatly impact your SEO performance and visibility. To harness its potential:
- Begin by setting up a Google Search Console account. This step is integral as data collection is not retroactive.
- Regularly check for crawl, mobile usability, status errors to maintain site health.
- Leverage the search report on the tool for hidden SEO opportunities. Analyze keywords positions and impressions for potential targeting.
- Ensure logical content structure for easy browsing and indexation. Apps available on Shopify can automate this task.
- If your site doesn’t appear in search results, register with Google Search Console and consider high-quality link sourcing.
