Shopify SEO Strategy Explained: How To Generate More Store Traffic

If you want to increase traffic to your Shopify store, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is key. SEO helps your store appear higher in search results, bringing in more organic traffic from platforms like Google. There are two main pillars of SEO: understanding the search queries your audience uses and ensuring your website gives the best answers.

This guide will break down how to optimize your Shopify store across three main areas of SEO: Technical SEO, On-page SEO, and Off-page SEO. We’ll also cover how to use SEO tools to improve SEO implementation and give examples of how to implement these strategies.

 

Shopify SEO Essentials: Getting Started

Before getting into technical, on-page, and off-page SEO, make sure your Shopify store is set up for optimization.

• Purchase a Custom Domain

Having a custom domain gives your store a professional edge and helps users remember your brand.

• Install Google Analytics

Google Analytics tracks your website’s performance, including how visitors find your store, which pages they visit, and how long they stay. This data is crucial for improving SEO.

• Install Google Search Console

Google Search Console shows how your website performs in Google search results. It provides valuable insights, such as which search queries drive traffic to your site and which pages need improvement.

• Use a Mobile-Ready Theme

Since most users browse the web on mobile, Google ranks mobile-friendly sites higher. Shopify’s responsive themes, like Dawn, adjust to fit any device, ensuring your site is mobile-optimized.

 

Technical SEO for Shopify Stores

Technical SEO is the behind-the-scenes work that improves your site’s structure and performance. This makes it easier for search engines to crawl and index your store.

Key Technical SEO Tasks:

• Create Logical Menus and Internal Links

A well-organized menu and internal linking structure help visitors and search engines navigate your store. For example, if you sell shoes, create clear categories like “Men’s Shoes” and “Women’s Shoes” and link relevant pages to one another.

• Submit Your Sitemap to Google Search Console

Submitting your sitemap helps Google index all your pages. A well-organized sitemap ensures that Google’s crawlers do not miss any important pages.

• Optimize Your Store’s Images

Large images slow down your site, negatively affecting SEO. Tools like Shopify’s TinyIMG app can compress your images, keeping load times fast.

For example, a clothing store that uses Shopify could optimize technical SEO by organizing its menu into clear sections (e.g., Men’s, Women’s, Accessories). They would also compress high-quality images to maintain fast load speeds, preventing customers from bouncing due to slow pages.

 

On-Page SEO for Shopify Stores

On-page SEO is about optimizing the content of your web pages to make them more relevant and useful to search engines and users.

Key On-Page SEO Tasks:

• Research Keywords: Using tools like SEMrush, you can discover what keywords your potential customers are using. For example, if you sell yoga mats, you might find keywords like “best eco-friendly yoga mats” or “non-slip yoga mats.”

How Semrush Can Help:

Semrush is a powerful SEO tool that helps you:

• Identify profitable keywords: It shows you the search volume, competition, and difficulty level of keywords.
• Analyze competitors: You can see what keywords your competitors rank for, giving you insights into what’s driving traffic to their stores.
• Track your ranking: SEMrush lets you monitor your store’s position in search results for specific keywords.

 

 

For example, let’s say you sell skincare products on Shopify. Using SEMrush, you discover that “natural anti-aging serum” is a highly searched keyword with low competition. You can then create a product page optimized for that keyword, boosting your chances of ranking high in Google for that search term.

• Cater to Search Intent

Understand what users are searching for and provide content that matches their needs. For example, if people search for “how to clean leather shoes,” create a detailed blog post answering that question.

• Optimize Metadata

Metadata (titles, descriptions, and tags) is crucial in how search engines understand your pages. Keep titles short but informative, and include your target keywords.

For example, in a Shopify store selling sustainable kitchen products, you could find keywords like “eco-friendly kitchen utensils” and optimize its metadata to target that keyword. The product page’s meta description might read, “Shop our range of eco-friendly kitchen utensils made from sustainable materials for a greener home”.

 

Off-Page SEO for Shopify Stores

Off-page SEO involves actions outside your website, primarily focusing on building your site’s authority through backlinks.

Key Off-Page SEO Tasks:

• Build Backlinks: Backlinks (links from other websites pointing to your store) signal to Google that your site is credible and authoritative. To build backlinks:
• Collaborate with bloggers: Reach out to influencers or bloggers in your niche and offer free products in exchange for reviews and links.
• Guest posting: Write blog posts for other websites in exchange for a backlink to your Shopify store.

For example, a Shopify store selling organic beauty products could collaborate with beauty bloggers to review their products. In return, the bloggers would link to the store’s product pages, boosting their SEO.

• Engage on Social Media

Although social media doesn’t directly influence SEO rankings, it can drive traffic to your store and increase visibility. Share your products on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, encouraging your audience to visit your site.

• Encourage Online Reviews

Positive reviews can improve your store’s reputation and build trust with new customers. Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, or Trustpilot. These reviews contribute to your site’s credibility, which can boost rankings.

An online pet supplies store can guest post on a popular pet blog, offering insights into “The Best Natural Dog Treats”. The post links back to the store’s product page, generating high-quality backlinks. Additionally, the store can encourage happy customers to leave reviews on Google to boost its local SEO ranking.

 

How Semrush Can Help Your Overall SEO Strategy

Here are specific ways Semrush can take your Shopify SEO strategy to the next level:

• Keyword Research: SEMrush helps you find keywords with high traffic and low competition. For example, if you’re selling handmade candles, you can find long-tail keywords like “soy candles with essential oils” to target a specific audience.
• Competitor Analysis: Track your competitors’ keyword rankings and identify their strengths and weaknesses.
• Site Audit: SEMrush performs a site audit to identify any technical SEO issues, such as broken links or slow-loading pages, and offers suggestions for improvement.

 

 

If you run a Shopify store selling fitness apparel, SEMrush can help you discover high-ranking keywords like “best compression leggings” or “sustainable workout gear.” After researching, you can optimize your product pages around these keywords, increase the chances of appearing higher in search results, and monitor your ranking over time.

 

Conclusion: Putting It All Together

A successful Shopify SEO strategy focuses on three main areas:

• Technical SEO: Ensure your site is well-organized, fast, and mobile-friendly.
• On-Page SEO: Optimize your content and metadata with relevant keywords to provide valuable answers to your audience’s queries.
• Off-Page SEO: Build your store’s authority with backlinks, social media engagement, and customer reviews.

Tools like Semrush are invaluable in this process, helping you with keyword research, competitor analysis, and tracking your progress. By following these steps and consistently refining your strategy, you’ll boost your Shopify store’s visibility, attract more organic traffic, and ultimately increase sales in 2024.