How & Where to Add Keywords to Your Shopify Store (2024)

Adding keywords to your Shopify site is crucial for improving your search engine rankings and driving more traffic to your online store. 

As in any other site, adding keywords helps Google and other search engines to figure out what is that page all about, but human visitors are benefiting as well. 

Nowadays, we spend less and less time actually reading stuff, we are mostly skimming through content. 

So, having well-optimized articles with keywords gives visitors what they searched for without wasting any time.

In this article, we will walk you through what keywords are, where to place them on your Shopify store, and how to optimize each section effectively. 

By the end, you'll have a clear understanding of how to strategically integrate keywords into your Shopify site for maximum benefits.

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What exactly are keywords?

Keywords are specific words or phrases that people use to search for products or information online. These terms help search engines understand the content of your web pages and match them with relevant search queries. 

By incorporating relevant keywords into your site, you can increase the chances of your store appearing in search results when potential customers are looking for products you sell.

In other words, keywords are ideas and topics that should define your content. They are telling search engines and human visitors what your content is about. 

Everything on your page should contain primary and secondary keywords, starting from the text to the images and video.

Where to put keywords in your Shopify store

Effective keyword placement is essential for SEO. There are certain rules to follow, and below, we will explore various key areas in your Shopify store where you should add keywords to optimize your site for search engines. 

If you use these guidelines on your Shopify store, we guarantee you won’t be asking yourself where to put SEO keywords in Shopify site ever again.

1. Title tags & meta descriptions

Title tags and meta descriptions are crucial for on-page SEO. The title tag is the clickable headline that appears in search engine results, while the meta description is the brief summary that appears below the title.

For example, if you sell handmade candles, a good title tag might be "Handmade Candles | Natural Soy Wax Candles Online." This title includes relevant keywords that potential customers might use when searching for your products.

In the meta description, you could write: "Discover our range of handmade candles made from natural soy wax. 

Perfect for gifts or home decor. Shop online now!" This description not only includes keywords but also provides a compelling reason for users to click on your link.

For electronics stores, the title might be: Smartphone Cases On Sale | TechWorld.

Meta description could be: Shop smartphone cases at TechWorld. Find great deals on cases and more. Fast shipping and excellent customer service!

For a pet store, the title can be: Pet Supplies Online - Food, Toys & Accessories | Pet Paradise

Followed by a meta description: Find everything your pet needs at Pet Paradise. Shop for high-quality food, toys, and accessories. Fast shipping and great prices on all orders!

If you want more examples and explanations about this topic, we talked about Shopify titles & and meta descriptions in a separate blog post.

To set your title and meta description, you should click on Sales channels > Online store > Preferences in your Shopify admin.

2. URLs

The URL structure of your Shopify site should also include keywords. A clean and keyword-rich URL helps search engines understand the content of your page.

For instance, instead of using a URL like "www.yourshop.com/product12345," you should use "www.yourshop.com/handmade-soy-candles." This URL clearly indicates the content of the page and includes relevant keywords.

If you are wondering how Shopify URL blog structure should look like, you should definitely check out our guide on that topic.

3. Headings and subheadings

Headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) and subheadings help structure your content and make it easier for both users and search engines to read. Including keywords in your headings and subheadings can improve your SEO.

If we return to our first example above, about soy candles, an H1 heading could be "Handmade Soy Candles," and an H2 subheading could be "Benefits of Natural Soy Wax Candles." These headings are not only informative, but also keyword-rich, helping to signal the content of the page to search engines.

It is very important to properly use the H tags to structure the content. It is not only for Google or SEO purposes, it is also helping users to skim through content faster, and the page looks more pleasing to the eye.

4. Page content

The main body of your page content is another critical area for keyword placement. Incorporate keywords naturally throughout your content without keyword stuffing, which can negatively impact your SEO.

For example, in a blog post about the benefits of soy candles, you might write: "Soy candles are a popular choice for environmentally-conscious consumers. Made from natural soy wax, these candles burn cleaner and longer than traditional paraffin candles." This content includes relevant keywords and provides valuable information to the reader.

However, your page can be much more than that. Let’s take a look at Gymshark, which is one of the most successful Shopify stores.

They mostly use visual content, pictures, and videos, to present their products. This makes sense, because by using good-looking models that are wearing their products, they are not just selling gym ware, they are selling the dream of looking healthy and good, which is often elusive for ordinary people.

When you first look at their products and their page, you will want to look like their models. Since they are using Gymshark products and looking so good in them, you will feel that a natural first step towards your goals is buying Gymshark products.

That’s how effective page content can be.

5. Alt text

Alt text, or alternative text, is used to describe images on your site. This text helps search engines understand the content of your images and can improve your site's SEO.

For example, if you have an image of a soy candle, your alt text might be "handmade soy candle in a glass jar." This description includes relevant keywords and accurately describes the image.

6. File names for images

When uploading images to your Shopify store, ensure that the file names are descriptive and include keywords. This practice helps improve your image search rankings and overall SEO.

For example, instead of naming your image file "IMG_1234.jpg," you should name it "handmade-soy-candle.jpg." This file name is descriptive and includes relevant keywords.

How to research keywords

Before startingstarting the start, it's essential to have a clear understanding of your niche and target audience. Let’s take Gymshark for example one more time. Since it is a fitness apparel and accessories brand catering to fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and casual gym-goers, it will dictate the keywords they are using on their website.

First, they should identify seed keywords. These are broad terms related to the products or services. For Gymshark, seed keywords might include "workout clothes," "fitness apparel," "gym wear," and "athletic wear." These terms are foundational and will lead to more specific and targeted keywords.

There are various tools available to help you expand your list of keywords and analyze their potential. Both free and paid tools offer valuable insights:

• Ubersuggest (Free Tool): Ubersuggest provides keyword suggestions, search volume data, and competition analysis. By entering a seed keyword like "gym wear," you can generate a list of related keywords and their search volumes. This tool also offers insights into content ideas and backlink opportunities.
• Ahrefs (Paid Tool): Ahrefs is a comprehensive SEO tool that offers in-depth keyword research features. It provides keyword difficulty scores, search volume, and click-through rates. For Gymshark, Ahrefs can help identify high-traffic long-tail keywords such as "best gym leggings" or "men's workout shorts." It also allows you to analyze competitors' keywords and uncover gaps in your keyword strategy.
• SEMrush (Paid Tool): SEMrush is another powerful SEO tool that offers extensive keyword research capabilities. It provides keyword suggestions, search trends, and competitive analysis and also audits of your website Using SEMrush, you can discover keywords that competitors are ranking for and identify opportunities to improve your rankings. For example, Gymshark might find keywords like "compression shorts" or "sports bras" to target in their content and product descriptions.

Once you have a list of potential keywords, it's time to analyze and select the ones that will be most effective for your e-commerce store. Consider the following factors:

• Search Volume: Keywords with higher search volumes can drive more traffic, but they may also be more competitive.
• Keyword Difficulty: This metric helps you understand how challenging it is to rank for a specific keyword. Balancing high-volume keywords with lower-difficulty ones can help you achieve better results.
• Relevance: Ensure the keywords are closely related to your products and services. Irrelevant keywords might attract visitors who are not interested in your offerings.

After selecting the right keywords, it's essential to incorporate them into your SEO strategy. This includes optimizing product titles, descriptions, blog content, and meta tags. Additionally, creating high-quality, informative content around these keywords can help improve your search engine rankings and attract more visitors to your site.

FAQs

How often should I update my keywords?

Keywords should be updated regularly to reflect changes in search trends and consumer behavior.

Can I use the same keywords on multiple pages?

Avoid keyword cannibalization by using variations of keywords to target different aspects of your products or services.

How can I find the best keywords for my Shopify store?

Use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to identify popular search terms and analyze competition.

Summing things up

Adding keywords to your Shopify site involves strategically placing them in title tags, meta descriptions, URLs, headings, page content, alt text, and image file names. 

By following these guidelines, you can improve your search engine rankings and attract more visitors to your online store. 

Regularly update your keywords to stay current with search trends and ensure your content remains relevant and optimized.