If you’re planning to start an online store or already running one, you’ve probably heard about Shopify. It’s one of the most popular ecommerce platforms in the world. But there’s always one important question people ask before choosing it:
Is Shopify good for SEO?
Let’s break it down in simple terms and see whether Shopify can help your website rank well on Google.
What is SEO and Why Does it Matter?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is how your website becomes visible on Google and other search engines. For example, if someone types “best running shoes for women” and your store appears on the first page, that’s SEO working for you.
Good SEO brings in free traffic, which means more potential customers without spending money on ads. That’s why it’s important to know whether your ecommerce platform supports strong SEO features.
The Good Side: Why Shopify is SEO Friendly
Shopify is designed in a way that makes it easy for your online store to be visible on Google. Let’s look at the main features that help your website rank better:
1. Mobile Friendly Design
Today, most people shop using their mobile phones. Google knows this, so it gives preference to websites that look good and work well on smaller screens.
Shopify themes are responsive, which means your store automatically adjusts to different screen sizes mobile, tablet, or desktop without you needing to do anything extra. This makes your site user friendly, and Google rewards mobile friendly sites with higher search rankings.
2. Fast Loading Speed
Page speed is a direct ranking factor for Google. If your website is slow, people leave quickly (this is called a high “bounce rate”), and that can hurt your SEO.
Shopify has built-in speed optimization, which means your store usually loads fast without needing additional technical setup. Fast websites keep visitors engaged and also improve your position on search engine results pages (SERPs).
3. Built in SSL Certificate
Every Shopify store comes with a free SSL certificate, which turns your website URL from http:// to https://.
This “S” stands for secure. It protects your customer’s information and builds trust. Google has officially confirmed that secure websites are ranked higher in search results, so this feature directly helps your SEO and builds credibility.
4. Easy On Page SEO Edits
Shopify allows you to update key SEO elements on your own no developer needed. Here’s what you can edit easily:
- Meta Titles and Descriptions: These are the texts that appear on Google when someone searches. You can write custom ones for each product, page, or blog post.
- Image Alt Texts: You can describe your images using keywords. This helps Google understand your content and improves image search rankings.
- Custom URLs: Shopify lets you change the end of a page’s URL to make it more readable (e.g.,
/red-cotton-kurtiinstead of something random). - Header Tags (H1, H2, etc.): These are used to organize your content. H1 is your main headline, and H2 or H3 are subheadings. Using them properly improves readability and helps Google understand your page structure.
These are basic but powerful SEO tools, and Shopify makes them easy for anyone to use—even if you’re not tech-savvy.
5. Automatic Sitemap and Robots.txt File
Search engines need to know which pages to look at (and which to ignore). For that, they use two important files:
- Sitemap: A list of all the pages on your site that should be indexed.
- robots.txt: A file that tells search engines which pages or files they should or shouldn’t crawl.
Shopify automatically creates and updates both of these files for you, so your store is always ready for Google to crawl and index properly. You don’t have to set up anything manually.
6. SEO Apps and Tools
If you want extra help with SEO, Shopify offers many apps in its App Store. Some popular ones include:
- Plug in SEO – Scans your website for common SEO issues and gives you simple suggestions to fix them.
- SEO Manager – Gives more control over metadata, structured data, and helps with technical improvements.
- Smart SEO – Automatically generates meta tags, alt texts, and structured data using templates.
These tools are helpful for both beginners and advanced users. You don’t need to hire a full time SEO expert many of these apps guide you step by step.
In short, Shopify covers all the basic SEO needs for an ecommerce business. It’s a platform that helps your website meet Google’s requirements without needing advanced technical skills. That’s why it’s considered SEO-friendly for most online store owners.
The Not So Good Side: Shopify SEO Limitations
Shopify offers many SEO benefits, but like any platform, it also has a few drawbacks. It’s important to understand these limitations so you can plan your strategy better.
1. URL Structure Can’t Be Fully Customized
Shopify has a fixed URL structure for certain pages. For example:
- Product pages will always have
/products/in the URL
➤yourstore.com/products/red-kurti - Collection pages will always include
/collections/
➤yourstore.com/collections/womens-wear
You can’t remove these parts, which means you can’t create cleaner URLs like yourstore.com/red-kurti.
From an SEO point of view, this isn’t a huge problem, but many SEO experts prefer shorter and simpler URLs. Google can still understand Shopify’s structure, but having full control over your URLs would have been better.
2. Duplicate Content Risk
Shopify sometimes creates multiple versions of the same page due to features like tags, filtering, or different navigation paths.
For example:
- A product might be accessible from both the main collection and a tag-based filter.
- This results in different URLs showing the same product content.
This can confuse search engines, as they may not know which version to rank. The good news is that Shopify adds canonical tags automatically. These tags tell search engines which version is the “main” one, reducing the risk of duplicate content penalties.
Still, if your site has many collections or uses complex filters, it’s a good idea to double check your URLs and use an SEO app to keep things clean.
3. Basic Blogging Features
Shopify does include a built-in blog, but it’s very basic compared to platforms like WordPress.
You can:
- Create blog posts
- Add tags and categories
- Include featured images
But you can’t:
- Use advanced plugins for SEO optimization
- Easily customize blog layout and design
- Add rich content formats or widgets without coding
If your marketing strategy depends heavily on blogging to drive organic traffic, you might find Shopify’s blogging tools limited. A common workaround is to connect a separate WordPress blog with your Shopify store, which gives you the best of both worlds.
In Summary
| Limitation | What It Means | How Much It Affects SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed URL Structure | Can’t fully customize URLs | Minor issue |
| Duplicate Content | Multiple URLs for same content | Moderate, but manageable |
| Basic Blog Tools | Limited features for content marketing | Affects long-term SEO if blogging is key |
While these issues are real, they don’t make Shopify bad for SEO. Most small to mid sized online stores can still rank well with the right strategy. The key is being aware of these points and using available tools and apps to manage them.
So, Is Shopify Good for SEO?
Yes, Shopify is good for SEO for most ecommerce businesses.
It covers all the essential SEO needs like mobile optimization, fast loading, secure connection, editable metadata, and structured data support. It also supports growth by offering various SEO apps and integrations.
However, if your SEO strategy requires full control over technical details, URL customization, or advanced blogging, then you may need to combine Shopify with external tools or platforms.
Quick SEO Tips for Shopify Store Owners
To make the most out of Shopify’s SEO features, follow these simple tips:
- Use relevant keywords in your product titles and descriptions
- Write original content for each page (avoid copy-paste)
- Optimize images with proper alt text
- Add internal links between related pages and products
- Keep your website fast and mobile-friendly
- Post regular blog updates (even short ones help)
- Use SEO apps to fix errors and track progress
Let’s Wrap Up
Shopify offers a solid SEO foundation that works well for small and medium sized businesses. It simplifies most technical tasks, making SEO more accessible even if you’re not a tech expert.
While it has a few limitations, they are manageable in most cases. For anyone starting an ecommerce store and looking to grow their online visibility, Shopify is a reliable and SEO-friendly platform.
