To adjust Shopify SEO settings, edit page titles, meta descriptions, URLs, media alt text, and indexing controls in your admin.
Here’s a clean, field-tested walkthrough to update search basics without breaking layouts or drowning in jargon. You’ll learn where each control lives in Shopify, what to change first, and how to check that search engines can crawl and index your pages. The steps below apply to themes using Online Store 2.0 and the current admin menus.
Change SEO Settings In Shopify Store: Step-By-Step
Work from broad to specific. Start with the home page, then product and collection templates, then single pages and posts. Finish with crawl settings. This order keeps titles and descriptions consistent and avoids rework.
Quick Reference: Where To Edit Core Fields
| Setting Area | Where To Edit In Shopify | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Store Title & Home Meta | Online Store > Preferences | Sets the title and description for the root URL and social shares. |
| Product Titles & Meta | Products > Open Product > Search Engine Listing | Controls SERP text and can lift click-through for product pages. |
| Collection Titles & Meta | Products > Collections > Open Collection > Search Engine Listing | Explains group pages and helps match shopper queries. |
| Page Titles & Meta | Content > Pages > Open Page > Search Engine Listing | Shapes how static pages appear in results. |
| Blog Posts | Content > Blog Posts > Open Post > Search Engine Listing | Gives posts clear titles and summaries in search. |
| URL Handle | Search Engine Listing > Edit Website SEO | Creates clean, readable URLs. |
| Image Alt Text | Media > Edit alt text | Helps image search and improves accessibility. |
| Noindex/Visibility | Search Engine Listing > Visibility or theme code | Hides drafts and low-value pages from results when needed. |
| Robots Rules | Online Store > Themes > Edit Code > robots.txt.liquid | Fine-tunes what crawlers can access. |
| Sitemap | yourstore.com/sitemap.xml | Gives search engines a complete URL list. |
Set The Home Page First
From Online Store > Preferences, set the site title and meta description. Keep the title clear and branded. Write a description that matches your core offer and target shoppers. Aim for natural language that reads like a store window, not a tag cloud.
Strong Home Page Patterns
- Title: Main product theme + brand name.
- Description: What you sell, who it suits, standout benefits, and shipping or return highlights.
Tune Product And Collection Pages
Open a product, scroll to Search Engine Listing, and click Edit Website SEO. Change the title, description, and handle. Keep titles close to real product names buyers recognize. Handles should be short, lowercase, and hyphenated. Repeat for collections so shoppers land on the right group page from broad searches.
Write Titles That Win Clicks
Lead with the product name, then a short qualifier such as material, size, color set, or top feature. Keep the strongest phrase near the front. Avoid brackets, pipes, and emoji that add noise on small screens.
Craft Meta Descriptions That Sell
Use one or two clean sentences that speak to the buyer: use case, top benefit, and trust signposts such as shipping speed or guarantees. Skip coupon codes; those age badly inside snippets.
Clean URL Handles
Use hyphens, no spaces, and keep words you would actually say. Remove stop words only when the phrase still reads naturally. If you change a handle on a live page, add a 301 redirect in Settings > Apps and sales channels > Navigation > URL redirects.
Fix Titles And Headings Sitewide
Search engines pull title links from several signals. Keep one main H1 per page, match it to the intent, and avoid duplicate headings with equal weight. If your theme repeats large headings in sections, reduce their size or demote them to H2/H3 so the main title stays obvious (title link guidance).
Make Sure The Store Can Be Crawled
Every store gets a sitemap at /sitemap.xml. Submit it in Search Console so Google can find fresh product and collection URLs (Shopify sitemap help). Leave crawl access open unless you have a special case such as a private staging subdomain.
robots.txt.liquid Edits
Most stores never need to touch robots rules. If you must block a tag or an internal filter series, use the robots.txt.liquid template in the theme so Shopify can keep base rules updated. Test any change and keep the default groups intact.
When Noindex Makes Sense
Hide thin search pages, duplicate sort views, or temporary promo pages. Use theme logic or meta tags added by a trusted app. Don’t hide money pages like products, collections, the home page, or key CMS pages.
Image SEO Without The Myths
Add alt text to product media and key images. Describe what’s in the image in plain terms a shopper would say. Keep file names readable at upload, and compress images so pages load fast on mobile. Good alt text can help image search and screen readers at the same time.
Blog And Content Pages
Use posts to answer buying questions, sizing guidance, care steps, and gift guides. Set a unique title and description for each post. Link to collections and products in context to help shoppers move from research to purchase.
Check Your Work In Search Console
After edits, run key URLs through the URL Inspection tool and request a recrawl for a handful of pages. Watch coverage, sitemap status, and page experience reports during the next few days. New pages and large changes can take time to settle.
Recommended Order Of Operations
- Home page title and description in Preferences.
- Top product pages: titles, descriptions, handles, and alt text.
- Top collections: titles, descriptions, and handles.
- Key static pages: About, Shipping, Returns.
- Blog posts that drive sales.
- Sitemap submitted and valid.
- Light robots rules only if you have crawl traps.
Template Defaults And Bulk Editing
In many themes, collection and product templates include theme settings for titles and content blocks. Keep those fields tidy so page headings don’t repeat or crowd the main H1. For bulk edits, use the product list view’s bulk editor to change titles and handles in one pass.
Use Metafields For Reusable Snippets
Create metafields for short selling points or specs, then reference them in templates. This keeps copy consistent and shortens page builds for large catalogs.
Troubleshooting: Why A Change Isn’t Showing Yet
- The page hasn’t been recrawled: Use URL Inspection and request indexing for a small set of top URLs.
- Duplicate titles exist: Remove repeated headings in sections so the main title is clear.
- Theme sections override text: Check the customizer for alternate headings or SEO fields.
- Blocked by robots: Review the theme’s robots template and any crawl apps.
- Redirect chain: If you changed handles, confirm the 301s go straight to the live URL.
Quality Signals That Help Rankings And Clicks
Good internal links help crawlers find deep products and help shoppers move through the store. Link from guides and posts to the best collections and from collections to top products. Keep anchor text short and descriptive, not a paste of the full title.
Page Types And What To Set
| Page Type | Set These Fields | Checks Before Publish |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Title, meta description | Brand name shown; no duplicate big headings |
| Product | Title, meta description, handle, alt text | Only one H1; 301 in place after handle change |
| Collection | Title, meta description, handle | Filters don’t create crawl traps |
| Page | Title, meta description | Links to key policies and top collections |
| Blog Post | Title, meta description | Links to related products or collections |
Practical Writing Tips For Titles And Descriptions
- Keep titles under ~60 characters where possible so they read clean on phones.
- Write naturally, avoid stuffing, and match how shoppers search.
- Make each page’s title unique. Don’t copy the same pattern everywhere.
- Descriptions should read like ad copy that earns the click.
Light Technical Touches That Move The Needle
Pick one H1 per template and keep it visible near the top. Use H2s and H3s to break content into logical chunks. Keep media sizes lean and add descriptive alt text. Submit the sitemap and keep an eye on coverage in Search Console.
International Markets And URLs
If you sell in multiple regions, keep one clear URL format per market. Use Shopify Markets to manage domains or subfolders. Keep titles and descriptions localized, not just translated. Avoid sending crawlers through endless currency or language parameters; stable URLs are easier to index.
Facets, Filters, And Crawl Traps
Layered navigation can create long chains of filter URLs. Leave base collection pages open and resist the urge to index every filtered view. If a filter view earns links and real sales, create a curated collection page for it rather than indexing parameters.
Redirects And Handle Changes
When you rename a product or collection, the handle may change. Add a single 301 from the old path to the new one. Avoid chains. Keep external links alive by testing the old URL after the change.
Theme And App Pitfalls
Some themes print multiple large headings by default. Trim those down so one page title stands out. Be careful with SEO apps that inject extra tags or duplicate fields. Keep one source of truth for titles and descriptions to avoid mixed signals.
Search Console Workflow That Pays Off
- Submit the sitemap once.
- Inspect the home page, a top collection, and a top product.
- Fix coverage issues flagged for canonical, blocked, or soft 404.
- Re-inspect key pages after large changes, then let the crawler work.
Simple Maintenance Plan
- New product added? Fill title, description, handle, and alt text before publish.
- Out-of-stock item? Keep the page live if it has links; link to an in-stock alternative.
- Seasonal campaign? Set a clean landing page with a short URL and retire it with a redirect when done.
- Quarterly sweep: recheck top pages for duplicates and thin snippets.
What Not To Change
- Don’t block cart, account, or checkout paths.
- Don’t noindex products you plan to sell again.
- Don’t stuff titles with models, colors, and sizes if that makes them unreadable.
Wrap-Up: Your Next Three Actions
- Set the home page title and description.
- Fix the top 10 products and top 5 collections.
- Submit the sitemap and spot-check with URL Inspection.