What are Shopify's real SEO limitations?
Fewer than the blog posts claim, but real: the enforced /products/ and /collections/ URL structure (fine, stop fighting it), collection-product duplicate paths (fixed properly with canonicals in theme code), tag-page index bloat, limited server-side control (no log files, no server redirects beyond the redirect tool), and robots.txt editable only via robots.txt.liquid. Everything else attributed to "Shopify SEO problems" is usually theme quality or app bloat, both fixable.
How does collection architecture decide Shopify rankings?
Collections are Shopify's category pages, and category pages win e-commerce SEO: "linen bedding" outranks strategy happens at collection level, not product level. The work: a collection tree mapped to real search demand, collection descriptions that read as buying guides rather than three filler lines, smart-collection rules that keep merchandising fresh, and internal linking from content to collections. Most Shopify stores have thin collections and over-optimised products: precisely backwards.
Do SEO apps solve Shopify SEO?
Mostly they add JavaScript weight and false comfort: schema apps injecting invalid or duplicate markup, "image optimizer" apps re-compressing what Shopify already serves via CDN, and bundles of meta-tag editors replicating native features. The honest stack is small: theme-code fixes for canonicals and schema, native metafields for structured data, and maybe one review platform. We remove more apps than we install, and speed scores usually thank us.
What does product schema require on Shopify?
Valid Product markup with real offers, price, availability and review data, aligned with your merchant-centre feed so Google sees one consistent truth (mismatches suppress rich results). OS 2.0 themes ship partial markup of varying quality; we audit rendered output, fix it in Liquid, and wire metafields for GTINs, brands and variants properly. Rich results on category-level queries are where Shopify stores visibly out-click competitors.
Can Shopify stores hit good Core Web Vitals?
Yes, on disciplined themes: the platform CDN is fast, and the damage is almost always accumulated apps (each injecting scripts), oversized hero media and font pile-ups. The fix path: app audit and removal, script deferral in theme code, image discipline, and font consolidation. We measure against CrUX field data, not Lighthouse lab runs, because field data is what ranks.
How does Shopify SEO handle internationalisation?
Shopify Markets makes multi-currency and multi-region genuinely workable, but hreflang correctness depends on configuration: market subfolders or domains need consistent alternates, and translated content (native apps or theme-level) must avoid auto-translation thinness. For UK/US/EU stores we design the market structure before scaling content: retrofitting market architecture on an indexed store is expensive.
What does Shopify SEO cost?
One-off technical overhauls (canonicals, schema, speed, app cleanup) from £1,200 fixed-scope. Ongoing retainers from £950/month covering collection architecture, content programmes and link work. DTC stores in contested niches typically run £1,500-£2,500/month. Theme-code work is included, we write Liquid, not tickets to your developer.