Step 1. What Is Shopify SEO?
SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimisation.” It’s all about making changes so your store shows up when people search for the products you sell. If someone in Toronto types “organic skincare Canada” and you sell that, but your store doesn’t show up on Google, you might be missing out on a customer. With good SEO, your site can appear higher on search results. More clicks. More visits. More sales.
Step 2. Use the Right Keywords (That Canadians Actually Search)
Start by finding keywords your Canadian customers are typing in. Think like a customer. What would you type if you were looking for your product?
For example:
- “Best hiking boots Canada”
- “Vegan soap Toronto”
- “Winter jackets Montreal”
Use tools like:
- Google’s Keyword Planner
- Ubersuggest
- Keywords Everywhere (browser plugin)
- SEMrush (if you want more advanced tools)
Choose keywords that are:
- Relevant to your product
- Have enough people searching them
- Not too competitive
Then, add them naturally in:
- Product titles
- Descriptions
- Meta titles and meta descriptions
- Alt text for images
- Blog posts
- Page content
But don’t overdo it. Keep it human. Google knows when you’re forcing keywords in.
Step 3. Optimise Page Titles and Meta Descriptions
Each page on your store has a title tag and meta description. These appear in search results. Make sure they:
- Include your main keyword
- Sound natural
- Make people want to click.
For example:
- Title: “Handmade Soy Candles in Canada – Free Shipping | CozyWick”
- Meta Description: “Shop CozyWick’s eco-friendly soy candles, which are made in Canada. Enjoy calming scents and free shipping nationwide.”
You can edit these easily in your Shopify admin under each product or page.
Step 4. Structure Your URLs
Short and clean URLs are better for SEO.
- Bad: www.yourstore.ca/collections/winter-products-best-sale-deals2023
- Better: www.yourstore.ca/collections/winter-jackets
Keep URLs:
- Short
- Simple
- With real words
- Using dashes (not underscores)
Shopify often makes this easy, but double-check your product and collection URLs.
Step 5. Make Your Store Mobile-Friendly
Most people now shop using their phones. Google knows this, so it prioritises mobile-friendly sites. Luckily, most Shopify themes are already mobile-friendly. But here’s how to be sure:
- Visit your site on a phone
- Make sure the text is readable
- Buttons are easy to tap
- Pages load fast
You can also use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to check. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, that could hurt your rankings.
Step 6. Improve Site Speed
Slow sites = lost customers + lower rankings. Here’s how to speed up your Shopify store:
- Use fewer apps (remove the ones you don’t need)
- Compress large images before uploading
- Use Shopify’s built-in lazy loading
- Choose a fast, clean theme
- Avoid heavy sliders or pop-ups.
You can test your speed using Google PageSpeed Insights. Even shaving off a few microseconds can help a lot.
Step 7. Add Alt Text to All Images
Search engines can’t “see” pictures. They read the alt text instead. Alt text describes what’s in the image. It helps with SEO and accessibility. Example: Instead of nothing or “IMG1234,” use:
- Alt Text: “Brown leather hiking boots for men – Canadian outdoor gear”
Add this when uploading images to products, blogs, and banners.
Step 8. Start a Blog (Yes, It Helps)
Blogging helps bring more traffic to your store. Write posts around your products, your niche, or things Canadians are searching for. Some post ideas:
- “5 Best Natural Skincare Products for Canadian Winters”
- “How to Pick the Right Snow Boots in Alberta”
- “Gifts Under $50 from Canadian Small Businesses”
Each post is a new chance to rank on Google. Don’t worry about being a pro writer. Just be helpful and natural.
Step 9. Set Up Your Google Search Console
This tool is free and powerful. Go to Google Search Console and hook your site. You’ll get:
- Info on how your store is doing in Google
- Which pages rank well
- What people are searching for you
- Errors you can fix
It’s like a report card for your SEO. And it helps you improve over time.
Step 10. Use Shopify’s Built-In SEO Settings
Shopify gives you options to edit:
- Title tags
- Meta descriptions
- Alt text
- Page URLs
Make sure to fill these in for every product, page, and blog post. Also, go to Online Store > Preferences and add your homepage title and description. This tells Google what your store is about.
Step 11. Localise Your Content for Canada
Don’t forget your audience. Use Canadian spelling (colour, favourite), mention local holidays, offer prices in CAD, and add store info like:
- “Ships from Canada”
- “Proudly Canadian”
- “Based in Vancouver”
- “Made in Ontario”
You can also create region-specific pages. For example, if you offer delivery in Calgary, have a page like: “Same Day Delivery – Calgary Area.” This helps with local SEO, too.
Step 12. Get Backlinks (Gently)
Backlinks are links from other websites to your store. They tell Google your site is trusted. Some easy ways to get backlinks:
- Reach out to Canadian bloggers
- Get listed in Canadian business directories
- Ask customers or influencers to mention your store
- Join local business networks or the chamber of commerce.w
Start small. One good link can make a big difference.
Conclusion
Optimising your Shopify store for SEO in Canada doesn’t have to be complicated.
Start with small changes: clean up your titles, use better keywords, write alt text, and make your site faster. Little by little, your rankings will improve. More people will find you. And more sales will follow. You don’t need to be an expert. Just focus on making your store clear, useful, and easy to find for both search engines and real people.
If you ever feel stuck or want expert help, we’ve got your back. Contact Us at Rankingeek Marketing Agency. We help Canadian Shopify stores grow traffic and get real results with simple, smart SEO.
