Managing URLs Effectively in Shopify

Posted by August 30, 2023 August 25, 2023
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Shopify is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms in the world. For store owners and managers, understanding how to handle URLs effectively is key to maintaining a seamless user experience and a robust SEO profile. Let’s explore the essentials of URL management within the Shopify ecosystem.

Understanding the Importance of Clean URLs

Clean, descriptive URLs not only look better, but they also convey more information to both users and search engines.

User Experience

  • Predictability: Users can often guess the content of a page based on its URL.
  • Shareability: Clean URLs are more likely to be shared and remembered.

SEO Benefits

  • Keyword Presence: URLs are an opportunity to include keywords.
  • Ranking: Descriptive URLs can contribute to better page ranking.

The Structure of Shopify URLs

Shopify has a set URL structure for its stores. Familiarizing oneself with this structure can make URL management more intuitive.

Products:

https://storename.com/products/product-name

Collections:

https://storename.com/collections/collection-name

Pages:

https://storename.com/pages/page-name

Customizing Shopify URLs

Shopify offers flexibility in customizing your URLs.

Editing URLs

To edit a URL for a product, collection, or page:

  1. Navigate to the desired section in your Shopify dashboard.
  2. Click on the product, collection, or page you want to edit.
  3. Find the Search engine listing preview section.
  4. Click on Edit website SEO.
  5. Change the URL in the URL and handle field.

Note: Always ensure you set up a redirect when changing a URL to avoid broken links.

Implementing URL Redirects in Shopify

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Redirecting URLs in Shopify allows store owners to seamlessly guide customers from old or outdated links to the relevant pages, ensuring a smooth browsing experience.

  1. From Shopify’s dashboard, go to Online Store > Navigation.
  2. Click on URL Redirects.
  3. Click on Add URL Redirect.
  4. Enter the old URL in the Redirect from box and the new URL in the Redirect to box.
  5. Click Add.

Best Practices for Shopify URL Management

  • Consistency: Try to keep a consistent structure.
  • Descriptiveness: Use URLs that describe the content.
  • Avoid Duplicates: Duplicate content can hurt SEO. Ensure each page has a unique URL.
  • Regular Audits: Regularly check your URLs for issues or opportunities for optimization.

Final Remarks

URLs might seem like a small detail, but they have a significant impact on user experience and SEO. By understanding the structure of Shopify URLs and using the platform’s tools effectively, you can maintain a site that’s user-friendly and optimized for search engines.