1/23/2025

How to Create SEO-Friendly URLs for Your Shopify Products

Creating SEO-friendly URLs is crucial for enhancing your Shopify store's visibility in search engines. URLs that are clean, descriptive, and logically structured can not only improve your rankings but also make it easier for customers to navigate your site. In this blog post, let's dive deep into the various strategies, techniques, and best practices to help you craft the perfect URLs for your products.

Why SEO-Friendly URLs Matter

URLs serve as the first impression for both users & search engines alike. SEO-friendly URLs help improve click-through rates, user experience, & even your site’s overall SEO score. A well-structured URL provides users with useful context about the content of the page, which can result in a better understanding of what to expect when they click on it.

Effective URL structures can

Enhance the usability of your site
Support better indexing by search engines
Increase the likelihood of generating backlinks
Improve user trust and reduce the bounce rate by making it clearer what they will find

Best Practices for Creating SEO-Friendly URLs

When creating SEO-friendly URLs for your Shopify products, consider following these best practices:

1. Use Descriptive Keywords

Incorporating relevant keywords into your URLs is one of the most effective ways to make them SEO-friendly. It’s vital to use descriptive words that reflect the actual content of the page. For example, instead of using a generic URL like

www.yourstorename.com/products/12345

, you could use

www.yourstorename.com/products/green-t-shirt

. This not only makes it more descriptive but helps search engines understand what the page is about.

2. Keep it Short & Sweet

Although it’s important to add relevant keywords, you should aim to keep your URLs concise. Shorter URLs are easier to remember & share. Ideally, a URL should be under 60 characters. Avoid unnecessary words or filler phrases.

Recommended:

www.yourstorename.com/products/red-dress

Not Recommended:

www.yourstorename.com/products/collection12345/item56789/abc

3. Use Hyphens Instead of Underscores

Search engines read hyphens (

-

) as space, while underscores (

_

) can be read as part of the words. This means that

red-dress

will be interpreted as two separate words by Google, while

red_dress

will be seen as one word. Stick with hyphens for the best results.

4. Avoid Dynamic Parameters

Dynamic URLs that contain parameters (like

?id=12345

) can be problematic from an SEO perspective. They can confuse search engines and make it harder for users to understand what content they're accessing. Instead, opt for static URLs which are more straightforward and keyword-rich.

5. Organize Your URL Structure Logically

A logical hierarchy adds great value not just for users but also for search engine crawlers. You can achieve this by structuring your URLs to reflect the organization of your site. For example, for a clothing site, this structure makes sense:

1www.yourstorename.com/womens/clothing/red-dress
1www.yourstorename.com/mens/shoes/blue-sneakers

This approach helps search engines understand the importance & relationships between pages.

6. Incorporate Product Variants Where Applicable

If your product comes in various styles, sizes, or colors, ensure each variant has its own URL. This can enhance the user experience & help with SEO. You might structure your URLs for variants like this:

1www.yourstorename.com/products/green-shirt
1www.yourstorename.com/products/green-shirt/size-small

Each variant URL is straightforward, descriptive & reinforces your keyword strategy.

7. Use Canonical Tags for Duplicate Content

If your product can be accessed through multiple URLs (for example, through different collections), you'll want to use canonical tags. A canonical tag tells search engines which version of a page to consider as the authoritative source. This prevents duplicate content issues that could harm your SEO. For example:

1
2

html
<link rel="canonical" href="https://www.yourstorename.com/products/red-dress" />

Ensure every variant consistently links back to the canonical URL.

8. Regularly Audit Your URLs

As your site grows, it’s important to regularly audit your URLs. Remove outdated products or redirects, and make sure all active products use the best practices discussed. This helps maintain a clean URL structure & ensures a great user experience. You can use tools like Google Search Console to get insights on how your URLs are performing.

Implementing SEO-Friendly URLs on Shopify

Now that we've covered the best practices, how do you implement them on Shopify? Here are some simple steps:

Step 1: Access Your Shopify Admin

Log in to your Shopify admin panel.
Navigate to the ‘Products’ section.
Select the product you want to edit.

Step 2: Edit the URL and Handle

Scroll down to the Search engine listing preview section.
Click Edit SEO.
In the URL and handle field, type in your new URL. Make sure it's concise & keyword-rich.

Step 3: Save Changes

After editing, click Save to update your changes.
Check whether the new URL points correctly to the intended product page.

The Role of Arsturn in Your Shopify Store

While you’re busy optimizing your Shopify store's URLs, don't forget about the power of engagement. This is where Arsturn comes in. Instantly create custom chatbots that can help engage your audience & boost conversions on your site. These AI-driven chatbots can answer FAQs, guide customers to products, and help streamline the shopping experience.

Benefits of Arsturn:

No Need for Coding Skills: Effortlessly create your AI chatbot without programming knowledge.
Customizable to Your Brand: Tailor the chatbot to match your brand voice & style.
Engage Before They Buy: Establish connections with your audience, increasing the likelihood of conversions.
Insights & Analytics: Gain insights into customer interactions & preferences, allowing you to refine your marketing strategies.

So, while you're building a solid foundation with SEO-friendly URLs, also focus on engaging & converting your audience with Arsturn.

Conclusion

Creating SEO-friendly URLs for your Shopify products is more than just a best practice; it's a step toward a more engaging and efficient online store. Keep things descriptive, concise, and logical, and watch your search engine rankings soar as users find navigating your site simpler. Remember, every bit of SEO adds up!

Get started today with Arsturn & enhance your customer interactions!