Shopify SEO Checklist: 40+ Action Items to Rank Your Store Higher
A comprehensive, actionable Shopify SEO checklist covering every optimization your store needs—from initial setup and technical foundations to content strategy, link building, and ongoing maintenance. Work through each section systematically and check off items as you complete them.
Table of Contents
Most Shopify store owners know they need SEO, but few have a systematic process for executing it. They fix a title tag here, compress an image there, and hope for the best. The result is incomplete optimization with gaps that quietly drain ranking potential.
This checklist changes that. It organizes every Shopify SEO task into a logical sequence, from the settings you configure before your store goes live to the maintenance tasks you repeat every month. Each item is specific and actionable—no vague advice about "creating great content." Print it, bookmark it, and work through it systematically. The stores that dominate organic search are the ones that execute fundamentals consistently, and this is your blueprint for doing exactly that.
1. Shopify Store Setup Checklist
These are the foundational settings that affect your entire Shopify store. Configure them before optimizing individual pages. Getting these right from the start prevents problems that are painful to fix later.
Store Preferences and Settings
- ☐ Set your homepage title tag in Online Store > Preferences. Include your brand name and primary keyword within 60 characters (e.g., "Premium Leather Goods | Handcrafted Wallets & Bags | YourBrand")
- ☐ Write your homepage meta description in Online Store > Preferences. Include your value proposition and primary keywords within 155 characters
- ☐ Verify your domain with Google Search Console using the HTML meta tag method or DNS verification. Submit your sitemap at /sitemap.xml
- ☐ Install Google Analytics 4 with enhanced ecommerce tracking enabled. Paste your GA4 measurement ID in Online Store > Preferences or use Google Tag Manager
- ☐ Remove your store password if still in development mode. A password-protected store cannot be indexed by Google (Online Store > Preferences > Password protection)
- ☐ Set your preferred domain (www or non-www) and ensure the other version redirects properly. Configure under Settings > Domains
Theme Selection and Configuration
- ☐ Choose an SEO-friendly theme with semantic HTML, fast performance (Lighthouse score above 70 on mobile), minimal JavaScript, and built-in structured data. Dawn, Prestige, and Focal are strong choices
- ☐ Audit the heading hierarchy on every page template. Verify each page has exactly one H1 tag (product title, collection title, or post title) with logical H2/H3 nesting
- ☐ Enable breadcrumb navigation in your theme settings and verify BreadcrumbList structured data is output correctly
- ☐ Remove unused theme features such as parallax sections, animated slideshows, and currency converters you are not using. Each removed feature reduces page weight
- ☐ Verify mobile responsiveness on actual devices, not just browser dev tools. Test product pages, collection pages, checkout, and the blog on both iOS and Android
Navigation Structure
- ☐ Build your main navigation around primary collections with descriptive, keyword-rich labels (5 to 7 top-level items maximum)
- ☐ Create a comprehensive footer menu with links to important pages: blog, about, contact, shipping policy, returns, and any content hubs
- ☐ Ensure navigation renders as crawlable HTML links rather than JavaScript-only elements. Test by disabling JavaScript in your browser and checking if nav links still work
2. Technical SEO Checklist
Technical SEO ensures search engines can crawl, render, and index your Shopify store properly. If the technical foundation has gaps, content and link building efforts are undermined. Address these items before moving to on-page optimization.
Crawlability and Indexation
- ☐ Review your robots.txt file at yourstore.com/robots.txt. Ensure no critical pages or resources are blocked. Customize through the robots.txt.liquid template if needed
- ☐ Check your sitemap at yourstore.com/sitemap.xml. Verify all important products, collections, pages, and blog posts are included
- ☐ Audit Google Search Console coverage report for excluded pages, crawl anomalies, and indexation errors. Fix any "Discovered, currently not indexed" or "Crawled, currently not indexed" issues
- ☐ Verify canonical tags on product pages, collection pages, and paginated pages. Use "View Page Source" and search for "canonical" to confirm correct implementation
- ☐ Check for noindex tags on important pages. Some Shopify apps accidentally add noindex directives. Search your page source for "noindex" on every page template
Page Speed and Core Web Vitals
- ☐ Test page speed with Google PageSpeed Insights on your homepage, a collection page, and a product page. Record mobile Lighthouse scores and Core Web Vitals values as your baseline
- ☐ Achieve LCP under 2.5 seconds on mobile by compressing hero images, preloading the LCP element, and reducing render-blocking resources
- ☐ Achieve INP under 200 milliseconds by removing unnecessary apps, deferring non-critical JavaScript, and reducing main-thread work
- ☐ Achieve CLS under 0.1 by setting explicit width and height on all images, using font-display: swap for web fonts, and preventing layout shifts from dynamically injected content
- ☐ Audit installed apps for speed impact. Remove apps that add significant JavaScript but provide minimal value. Most stores can safely remove 3 to 5 apps
- ☐ Enable lazy loading for below-the-fold images while eagerly loading the first visible image on each page
SSL, Redirects, and Security
- ☐ Confirm HTTPS is active across your entire store. Shopify provides free SSL certificates, but verify all pages load securely by checking for mixed content warnings in the browser console
- ☐ Create 301 redirects for any changed URL handles through Settings > Navigation > URL Redirects. Shopify does not create redirects automatically when you change a handle
- ☐ Check for redirect chains (redirects that point to other redirects). Each hop in a chain wastes crawl budget and dilutes link equity. Fix chains so every redirect points directly to the final destination
- ☐ Implement structured data including Product, BreadcrumbList, and Organization schema. Validate with Google's Rich Results Test and fix any errors or warnings
3. On-Page Optimization Checklist
On-page optimization covers the content and HTML elements that search engines use to understand each page on your Shopify store. These items directly influence what keywords your pages rank for and how they appear in search results.
Product Page Optimization
- ☐ Write unique product descriptions of at least 250 to 300 words for every product. Never copy manufacturer descriptions. Include primary keywords in the first paragraph and related terms throughout
- ☐ Customize meta titles for every product (under 60 characters). Place the primary keyword near the front and include a differentiator: "RFID Leather Wallet | Free Shipping | YourBrand"
- ☐ Write unique meta descriptions for every product (120 to 155 characters). Include the primary keyword, a benefit, and a subtle call to action
- ☐ Optimize product URL handles to be short, keyword-rich, and descriptive. Use "mens-bifold-leather-wallet" not "product-12847"
- ☐ Add descriptive alt text to every product image. Include the primary keyword naturally in the main image alt text and describe what each additional image shows
- ☐ Implement comprehensive Product schema with name, description, image, price, availability, brand, SKU, and aggregate rating. Validate with Rich Results Test
- ☐ Add internal links within product descriptions to related products, parent collections, and supporting content like buying guides and sizing charts
- ☐ Handle out-of-stock products correctly. Keep the page live with a restocking message and alternative product suggestions. Never delete or 404 an indexed product URL
Collection Page Optimization
- ☐ Add 150 to 300 words of unique collection content above or below the product grid. Describe the collection, its audience, and what makes your selection unique
- ☐ Optimize collection titles as H1 tags with the primary category keyword: "Women's Running Shoes" not "Products" or "Shop"
- ☐ Customize collection meta titles and descriptions separately from the collection title for better SERP performance
- ☐ Build internal links between related collections. Link from parent collections to sub-collections and vice versa within the collection description content
- ☐ Handle faceted navigation properly. Ensure filtered URLs include canonical tags pointing to the main collection page. Add noindex to low-value filter combinations
- ☐ Display 24 to 48 products per page to balance user experience and crawl efficiency. If using pagination, ensure Shopify generates crawlable next/previous links
Image Optimization
- ☐ Rename all image files before uploading with descriptive, hyphen-separated names: "mens-leather-wallet-brown-front.jpg" not "IMG_4523.jpg"
- ☐ Compress all product images to under 200KB using TinyPNG, Squoosh, or ImageOptim before uploading to Shopify
- ☐ Keep image dimensions appropriate. Most product images should not exceed 2048 pixels on the longest side. Hero images should be under 150KB
- ☐ Verify your theme uses responsive images with srcset attributes serving appropriately sized images to different devices
- ☐ Avoid large GIFs. Convert animated images to MP4 video for dramatically smaller file sizes with better visual quality
4. Content Strategy Checklist
Your Shopify blog is a powerful SEO asset when used strategically. Content marketing captures informational search traffic, builds topical authority, and creates internal linking opportunities to your commercial pages. Most Shopify stores vastly underutilize their blog.
Keyword Research and Planning
- ☐ Conduct keyword research covering informational, commercial, and transactional queries relevant to your product categories. Use Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Keyword Planner
- ☐ Map keywords to page types. Assign transactional keywords to product pages, commercial keywords to collection pages, and informational keywords to blog posts
- ☐ Identify content gaps by analyzing what competitors rank for that you do not. Prioritize topics with high search volume and clear purchase intent
- ☐ Create a content calendar with at least 2 blog posts per month, aligned with seasonal trends, product launches, and industry events
Blog Content Creation
- ☐ Publish buying guides for each major product category (e.g., "How to Choose the Right Yoga Mat for Your Practice"). Target awareness-stage informational keywords
- ☐ Create comparison content targeting "vs." and "best" queries (e.g., "Cork vs. Rubber Yoga Mats"). These attract consideration-stage shoppers close to purchasing
- ☐ Write product roundups and gift guides that link directly to your product pages. Target seasonal keywords like "best gifts for runners 2025"
- ☐ Optimize every blog post with a keyword-rich title (H1), meta title and description, keyword in the first paragraph, H2/H3 subheadings with secondary keywords, and a table of contents for long posts
- ☐ Include 2 to 3 internal links per blog post to relevant product and collection pages using descriptive anchor text. This passes topical authority to your commercial pages
- ☐ Optimize Shopify blog URL handles to be short and keyword-rich. Change the default blog name from "news" to something descriptive like "guides" or "journal"
5. Link Building Checklist
Backlinks remain one of the strongest ranking signals for Shopify stores. However, ecommerce link building requires different tactics than content-based sites because product and collection pages are inherently harder to earn links to. A diversified approach is essential.
Link Acquisition Strategies
- ☐ Reclaim unlinked brand mentions by monitoring mentions of your brand, products, or founders using Google Alerts or Ahrefs Content Explorer. Request a link where one is missing
- ☐ Pursue product review placements by reaching out to bloggers, YouTubers, and niche publications in your industry to review your products
- ☐ Submit products to roundup lists and "best of" articles in your niche. Many publishers update these annually and welcome new product suggestions
- ☐ Create linkable assets such as original research, industry surveys, interactive tools, or comprehensive guides that naturally attract backlinks
- ☐ Leverage supplier and manufacturer relationships to earn links from their "where to buy," dealer, or stockist pages
- ☐ Fix broken competitor links by finding sites that link to competitors' 404 pages and offering your relevant page as a replacement resource
- ☐ Guest post on industry publications with author bios that link back to your store. Focus on publications your target customers actually read
6. Local SEO for Shopify Checklist
If your Shopify store has a physical location, showroom, or offers local delivery and pickup, local SEO is a powerful additional channel. Even pure-play online stores benefit from local signals if they serve specific geographic markets or want to build trust with a local audience.
Local SEO Essentials
- ☐ Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile with accurate business name, address, phone number, hours, product categories, and high-quality photos
- ☐ Ensure NAP consistency (name, address, phone number) across your Shopify store, Google Business Profile, social media profiles, and all business directories
- ☐ Add LocalBusiness schema markup to your Shopify store with business name, address, phone, hours, and geo-coordinates
- ☐ Build local citations on relevant directories: Yelp, Yellow Pages, Apple Maps, Bing Places, and industry-specific directories
- ☐ Create location-specific content if you serve multiple geographic areas. Each location page should have unique content about your products and services in that market
- ☐ Encourage and respond to Google reviews. Review quantity, quality, recency, and your response rate all influence local rankings. Add a review link to your post-purchase email sequence
7. Analytics Setup Checklist
SEO without measurement is guesswork. Proper analytics infrastructure lets you track what is working, identify problems early, and demonstrate the ROI of your Shopify SEO investment to stakeholders.
Analytics and Tracking
- ☐ Configure GA4 with enhanced ecommerce to track organic sessions, revenue, conversion rate, and average order value segmented by traffic source
- ☐ Set up Google Search Console and verify ownership. Monitor the Performance, Coverage, Core Web Vitals, and Enhancement reports weekly
- ☐ Install a rank tracking tool (Ahrefs, SEMrush, or SE Ranking) to monitor your top 50 to 100 target keywords. Track rankings daily or weekly
- ☐ Create a custom SEO dashboard that tracks organic traffic trends, organic revenue, top landing pages by revenue, and keyword ranking distribution
- ☐ Set up automated alerts in GA4 for sudden drops in organic traffic (more than 20 percent week over week) and in Search Console for spikes in crawl errors
- ☐ Configure conversion tracking for micro-conversions (add to cart, email signup) and macro-conversions (purchases) from organic traffic
8. Ongoing Maintenance Checklist
SEO is not a one-time project. The stores that maintain strong organic rankings are the ones that treat SEO as an ongoing discipline. These maintenance tasks should be performed on a regular cadence to protect and grow your rankings over time.
Weekly Tasks
- ☐ Check Search Console for new crawl errors and indexation issues. Fix 404 errors, server errors, and redirect problems promptly
- ☐ Review page speed after any app installations or theme changes. Catch speed regressions before they impact rankings
- ☐ Monitor keyword rankings for your top revenue-driving terms. Investigate any significant drops immediately
Monthly Tasks
- ☐ Publish at least 2 optimized blog posts targeting informational or commercial keywords relevant to your product categories
- ☐ Audit newly added products to ensure every new product has a unique description, optimized meta tags, descriptive alt text, and proper schema markup
- ☐ Check for broken internal links using a crawler tool or Shopify SEO app. Fix broken links to maintain a clean link architecture
- ☐ Review organic traffic and revenue trends in GA4. Compare month-over-month and year-over-year performance
- ☐ Optimize underperforming pages. Identify pages with high impressions but low click-through rate in Search Console and improve their title tags and meta descriptions
Quarterly Tasks
- ☐ Run a full technical SEO audit using Screaming Frog, Ahrefs Site Audit, or Semrush. Address any new issues that have appeared since the last audit
- ☐ Audit your backlink profile to disavow toxic links and identify new link building opportunities based on competitor analysis
- ☐ Update existing blog content with fresh data, current year references, and expanded sections. Content freshness is a ranking factor for informational queries
- ☐ Review your app stack. Uninstall apps you no longer use and evaluate whether each remaining app justifies its speed impact
- ☐ Conduct a competitor SEO analysis. Check what new keywords competitors rank for, what content they have published, and what backlinks they have earned. Identify gaps and opportunities
- ☐ Perform a full checklist review. Work through this entire Shopify SEO checklist and re-check every item. New products, theme updates, and app changes can introduce regressions
Prioritizing Your Shopify SEO Checklist
With 40+ items on this checklist, trying to do everything at once is overwhelming and counterproductive. Instead, prioritize based on impact and effort. Here is the recommended sequence for maximum results in minimum time:
Phase 1: Foundation (Week 1 to 2)
Complete the Store Setup checklist and the Technical SEO checklist first. If search engines cannot crawl and index your store properly, nothing else matters. This includes verifying Search Console, submitting your sitemap, auditing your theme, and fixing any Core Web Vitals issues.
Phase 2: High-Value Pages (Week 3 to 4)
Optimize your top 10 product pages and top 5 collection pages from the On-Page Optimization checklist. Focus on the pages that generate the most revenue or have the highest traffic potential based on keyword research. Write unique descriptions, optimize meta tags, add alt text, and implement schema markup.
Phase 3: Content and Links (Month 2 to 3)
Begin executing the Content Strategy and Link Building checklists. Publish your first buying guides, start building backlinks through product reviews and supplier relationships, and establish your publishing cadence. These activities take longer to produce results but create the compounding authority that drives long-term organic growth.
Phase 4: Scale and Maintain (Ongoing)
Expand on-page optimization to your full product catalog. Complete the Local SEO and Analytics checklists. Then shift to the Ongoing Maintenance cadence: weekly monitoring, monthly content and audits, quarterly deep reviews. This is where SEO becomes a sustainable, compounding growth channel for your Shopify store.
FAQ
Shopify SEO Checklist FAQ
Conclusion
Ranking a Shopify store is not about knowing a secret tactic that your competitors do not. It is about executing a comprehensive set of optimizations consistently and thoroughly. This checklist gives you every item you need to cover, organized in the sequence that produces the fastest results.
The most successful Shopify stores treat SEO as an ongoing discipline, not a one-time project. They configure their foundational settings correctly from day one. They optimize every product and collection page with unique content and proper technical markup. They invest in content marketing and link building to build authority over time. And they maintain their work with regular audits, monitoring, and updates.
Bookmark this checklist. Work through it systematically. Return to it quarterly. Every item you check off is an incremental improvement that compounds over time. Six months from now, the gap between your store and competitors who skip these fundamentals will be significant—and it will only continue to widen.
Want help working through this Shopify SEO checklist?
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