Shopify URLs: Best Practices for SEO

Want better search rankings for your Shopify store? Your URLs are a great place to start. Most Shopify stores overlook their URLs, letting them become cluttered, confusing, and SEO-unfriendly. But cleaner URLs mean better visibility, more clicks, and happier customers. In this guide, you'll learn how to optimize your Shopify URLs quickly—without needing a tech background.

Shopify's default URL structure often creates long, cluttered links that can harm your search rankings and confuse users. Here's how to fix that:

• Keep URLs short and clear: Remove unnecessary details like size, color, or SKUs.
• Use keywords wisely: Include relevant terms at the start of your URLs.
• Simplify collections: Create logical hierarchies like /collections/womens-dresses instead of vague or cluttered paths.
• Set up 301 redirects: Avoid broken links when updating URLs.
• Use canonical tags: Consolidate SEO value for product variants and collections.

Shopify's Default URL Structure

Shopify automatically creates URLs, but these may not align with SEO best practices. Here's a breakdown of the default setups.

Shopify uses these formats for its URLs:

Page Type Default URL Structure  Example Products /products/product-title yourdomain.com/products/mens-blue-cotton-t-shirt-size-large Collections /collections/collection-name yourdomain.com/collections/summer-sale-items-2025 Collection + Product /collections/collection-name/products/product-title yourdomain.com/collections/mens-clothing/products/mens-blue-cotton-t-shirt-size-large

These URLs often include full product names, attributes, and other details that might not work well for an SEO-focused approach.

Tip: It’s a good idea to add details like colour or size at the end of your URL slug—keeping your main keywords up front helps with SEO. 

SEO Impact of URL Structure

The default structure can negatively impact search rankings in several ways:

• Keyword Dilution: Long URLs packed with unnecessary details can weaken keyword focus. For example: /products/mens-blue-cotton-t-shirt-size-large-spring-collection-2025.
• User Experience: Overly complex URLs can deter clicks in search results. Simpler, cleaner URLs are easier for users to engage with.
• Crawl Efficiency: Duplicate paths to the same product confuse search engines, making it harder to identify the primary version.
• Mobile Display: On smaller screens, shorter URLs ensure key terms are visible without being cut off.

Fortunately, Shopify allows you to address these issues. In the next section, we'll cover strategies for optimizing product and collection page URLs.

Product URL Optimization Tips

Short and straightforward product URLs improve both SEO and user experience. Stick to the essentials and remove anything unnecessary:

Once refined, make sure to include relevant keywords to boost visibility.

Using SEO Keywords in URLs

• Start URLs with your primary keyword for better ranking.
• Use hyphens (-) to separate words for readability.
• Leave out stop words like "a", "the", "and", or "or."
• Aim to keep URLs under 50-60 characters for simplicity

If your product comes in different options, handle variants without cluttering the URL.

Managing Product Variants

When dealing with product variants, it's important to maintain a clean and organized URL structure. Use one main product URL for all variations, adding query parameters to specify options:
yourdomain.com/products/classic-cotton-tshirt?color=blue&size=large

To avoid duplicate content issues, use canonical tags to point all variant URLs back to the main product page. This setup keeps your URLs tidy, helps search engines understand your site structure, and ensures all SEO value is consolidated effectively.

Collection URL Optimization Tips

Just like product URLs, collection URLs should be clear, concise, and keyword-rich to improve SEO and user experience.

Your collection structure should align with your store's navigation. Here's a simple breakdown:

Stick to 2-3 levels in your collection paths. This keeps navigation simple and helps search engines better understand your site.

Collection URL Keywords

Use keywords that reflect common search terms and clearly describe the collection. Avoid vague or overly generic terms. For instance, opt for /collections/spring-dresses instead of something like /collections/ss2025-new-arrivals.

This approach ensures your URLs make sense to both users and search engines.

Subcollection URL Setup

1. Create Logical Hierarchies
   Ensure your URL structure is easy to follow. For example, a women's clothing store might use:
   /collections/womens-clothing/dresses/maxi-dresses
2. Incorporate Keywords at Every Level
   Each part of the URL should include relevant keywords to clarify the hierarchy. Compare these examples:

Finally, clean up your URLs by removing special characters, accents, and unnecessary punctuation. Use hyphens to replace spaces, ensuring compatibility across platforms while maintaining SEO effectiveness.

Made4Fighters keeps their collection names short, clear, and consistent across their site—just like the examples below.

Technical URL Requirements

Proper URL setup improves both SEO and user experience. Here's a breakdown of key technical practices:

Setting Up 301 Redirects

A 301 redirect is essential when updating URLs to avoid broken links and retain SEO value.

Tip: Always test redirects after setting them up to ensure they work as expected.

You can manage these redirects directly in your Shopify admin by navigating to Settings > Navigation > URL Redirects.

Using Canonical Tags

Shopify automatically generates canonical tags, but it's important to confirm their correct setup:

• Product Pages: Make sure all product variants point to the main product URL.
• Collection Pages: Check that filtered views link back to the main collection URL.
• Pagination: Ensure paginated pages mark the first page as canonical.

These steps prevent duplicate content issues and help search engines understand the preferred URL.

Changing URL Prefixes

Shopify assigns fixed URL prefixes, like /products/ for product pages and /collections/ for collection pages. While these prefixes can't be changed, you can optimize the customizable part of your URL (the handle) by including relevant SEO keywords. If you update a URL handle, remember to:

• Set up a 301 redirect for the old URL.
• Update all internal links to the new URL.

For stores targeting multiple regions, maintain consistent URL structures and use hreflang tags to direct users to the appropriate domain. This ensures a smooth experience for international visitors.

URL Maintenance Guide

Keeping URLs in good shape is just as important as crafting them for long-term SEO success.

Regularly review your URLs to avoid SEO problems. Use these tools and checks:

Key areas to monitor:

• Product URLs after inventory updates
• Collection URLs following category changes
• Navigation links when menus are modified
• Internal links in blog posts and landing pages

Once you've identified issues, address them quickly to maintain a smooth user experience and SEO performance.

Fixing URL Problems

Act fast to fix any URL issues and protect your SEO value:

• Broken Links
  Go to Shopify Navigation > URL Redirects to repair broken links, fix internal navigation, and update collection handles.
• Redirect Optimization
  Cut down on unnecessary redirects by pointing directly to the final URL.
• Simplify URL Structure
  Eliminate extra parameters. For example:
  /collections/winter-sale/products/wool-sweater?variant=12345
  can be simplified to:
  /products/wool-sweater

After making these changes, test your URLs to ensure they're performing as expected.

Measuring URL Success

Use Google Analytics and Search Console to track how your URLs are doing. Keep an eye on:

• Click-through rates
• Bounce rates
• Page load times
• Search rankings

If performance dips, revisit and tweak redirects, internal links, sitemaps, and canonical tags. Set up custom alerts to catch and fix sudden performance issues right away.

UltraLabs SEO Services

Optimized URLs are crucial, but expert services can take your Shopify store's performance to the next level.

UltraLabs creates Shopify stores designed for peak performance, with a strong focus on SEO-friendly URLs. Here's what they offer:

• Shopify store designs tailored for better conversions
• SEO-focused URL structures to improve search rankings
• Platform migrations for seamless transitions

For instance, UltraLabs managed the migration of Aqua Training Bag from BigCommerce to Shopify, achieving a 40% increase in conversions through effective URL and redirect management.

Summary

Here's a quick recap to help you fine-tune your approach.

Optimizing Shopify URLs improves both search rankings and the shopping experience by creating a clean, consistent structure that works well for search engines and customers alike.

Key tips for URL optimization:

• Use clear, logical URL structures
• Set up 301 redirects and canonical tags
• Perform regular URL audits to keep SEO on track

A well-optimized URL structure brings several advantages:

Regular audits and updates are essential for keeping your store's SEO in top shape. For advanced stores looking to scale, teaming up with specialists like UltraLabs can refine your URL strategy and strengthen your overall SEO performance.

Start applying these strategies to build a stronger SEO foundation and grow your store effectively.