Many Shopify beginners assume that launching an online store automatically includes good SEO. But Shopify, while user-friendly, has several built-in SEO limitations that can hurt your visibility on Google if ignored. From duplicate content issues to poor URL structure, missing metadata, and slow site speeds — these technical and on-page errors can stop your store from ranking well.
Understanding and fixing these SEO issues early helps your products get discovered more easily and improves your chances of converting search traffic into sales. This guide walks you through the most common SEO problems beginners face on Shopify — and how to fix each one effectively.
Duplicate Content from Product and Collection URLs
Shopify automatically creates multiple URLs for the same product — one through the product page and another when the product is accessed via a collection. For example:
- Primary URL:
yourstore.com/products/sample-product - Collection URL:
yourstore.com/collections/shirts/products/sample-product
While both URLs lead to the same product, search engines may view this as duplicate content. This can dilute your ranking potential because Google may not know which version to prioritize.
Why This Is a Problem
Duplicate content confuses search engines and can lead to indexation issues. Instead of consolidating ranking signals to one URL, the same product may compete against itself in search results.
How to Fix It
Shopify uses canonical tags to tell search engines which version of the URL should be considered the “main” one. Make sure:
- Your product template includes a canonical tag pointing to the main product URL (
/products/slug) - You avoid linking to products through collection-based URLs in menus and internal links, when possible
You can check your site’s canonical tags by viewing the source code of a product page or using SEO tools like Screaming Frog.
Poor URL Structure and Non-Editable Slugs
Shopify’s URL structure is rigid. You can customize the end of your URLs (called “slugs”), but you can’t remove predefined parts like /products/, /collections/, or /pages/. This limits how clean and keyword-friendly your URLs can be.
Why This Is a Problem
Short, clean URLs that include target keywords are better for SEO and user experience. Shopify’s forced structure can make URLs unnecessarily long and less optimized, especially when products appear under collections.
Also, when you change a product or collection name, Shopify creates a new URL and automatically redirects the old one. Over time, this can create redirect chains that hurt SEO.
How to Fix It
- Use concise, keyword-rich slugs when naming products and collections
- Avoid frequent changes to slugs — changing URLs too often leads to multiple redirects
- Regularly check for and remove redirect chains using tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs
Missing or Poorly Optimized Title Tags & Meta Descriptions
Title tags and meta descriptions are two of the most important on-page SEO elements. They help search engines understand what your page is about — and they also influence whether users click your link in search results.
Many Shopify beginners either leave these fields blank or let Shopify auto-fill them with default content, which often pulls directly from product names or descriptions. This leads to unoptimized, duplicated, or irrelevant metadata.
Why This Is a Problem
- Default titles may not include relevant keywords
- Duplicate meta descriptions across pages reduce SEO effectiveness
- Missing metadata can lead to poor click-through rates from search results
How to Fix It
- Write a unique, keyword-optimized title (max ~60 characters) and a compelling meta description (max ~155 characters) for each important page
- Focus on primary keywords, product benefits, and a call to action
- Use apps like Smart SEO or SEOmatic to help manage metadata in bulk
Thin Content on Product and Collection Pages
Shopify store owners often rely on minimal text or manufacturer-provided descriptions for product and collection pages. While clean layouts are good for user experience, too little content gives search engines little context to understand and rank your pages.
Why This Is a Problem
- Thin content offers low keyword relevance
- Duplicate content can be ignored by search engines
- Collection pages with no unique text are often skipped in indexing
How to Fix It
- Write original, keyword-rich product descriptions
- Add short intro paragraphs to collection pages
- Use semantic keywords to build context naturally
- Aim for at least 300 words on key pages
Lack of Image Optimization
Images are critical for eCommerce success, but if not optimized properly, they can hurt both SEO and site performance.
Why This Is a Problem
- Large image files slow down page speed
- Missing alt text lowers image SEO and accessibility
- Poor file naming offers zero keyword value
How to Fix It
- Compress images before uploading
- Use descriptive filenames (e.g.,
blue-running-shoes.jpg) - Add alt text to every image with relevant keywords
- Use apps like Crush.pics or TinyIMG for batch optimization
Slow Page Load Speed
Speed is a ranking factor and critical to user experience. Many Shopify stores are slowed down by bloated themes, unoptimized assets, and too many third-party apps.
Why This Is a Problem
- Slower load = higher bounce rates
- Mobile users drop off quickly on laggy pages
- Google penalizes slow sites in rankings
How to Fix It
- Test with Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix
- Remove unused apps
- Use a lightweight theme
- Lazy load images, compress files, and limit custom fonts
- Consider performance-focused apps like Hyperspeed
Broken Links and Redirect Chains
Deleting or renaming products without updating links can create broken URLs or long redirect chains.
Why This Is a Problem
- 404 errors frustrate users and waste crawl budget
- Redirect chains dilute link equity and slow performance
How to Fix It
- Use tools like Ahrefs or Screaming Frog to detect issues
- Manually manage redirects in Shopify under Navigation > URL Redirects
- Ensure all internal links point directly to final URLs
- Remove old or broken links promptly
Conclusion
Shopify gives beginners a powerful platform to launch an online store quickly — but SEO isn’t fully optimized out of the box. If you ignore common issues like duplicate URLs, missing metadata, slow load times, and thin content, your store will struggle to rank and attract organic traffic.
By identifying and fixing these SEO problems early, you can improve your site’s visibility, drive more qualified visitors, and ultimately grow your sales without relying solely on paid ads. Start with small improvements, and over time, your SEO efforts will compound into long-term success.