The problems
- Auto-generated titles like 'Product Name — Store Name' waste the strongest ranking signal.
- Missing alt text on product images blocks image search traffic.
- Thin variant descriptions create duplicate content.
- Poor internal linking leaves collection pages disconnected from products.
Approaches
Field-level optimization
Write unique SEO titles and meta descriptions for every product. Templated titles are better than empty ones but weaker than crafted.
Image and schema hygiene
Alt text and valid Product schema unlock Google Shopping and image search.
Internal linking
Link collections to related guides and top products, and link products back to their collection.
Best practices
- Front-load the primary keyword in the SEO title.
- Keep meta descriptions under 155 characters and product-specific.
- Compress product images without sacrificing quality.
Checklist
- 1Audit missing SEO titles
- 2Audit missing meta descriptions
- 3Audit missing alt text
- 4Validate Product schema
- 5Fix internal links from collections
FAQ
Shopify handles the technical basics — sitemaps, canonical tags. Everything else is on you.