How to Structure Shopify URLs for SEO

Why URL Structure Matters

URLs are one of the first things search engines analyse when crawling your site. A well-structured URL tells Google what a page is about before it even looks at the content. It also helps users understand where they are on your site and makes links more shareable.

Consider these two URLs for the same product:

The second URL immediately tells both Google and users what the page contains. This clarity provides several benefits:

• •Keyword relevance: URLs containing keywords can rank better for those terms
• •User trust: Clear URLs look more professional and trustworthy
• •Click-through rate: Descriptive URLs in search results encourage clicks
• •Link sharing: People are more likely to share URLs that clearly describe the content

Shopify URL Structure

Shopify uses a fixed URL structure that you cannot change. Understanding this structure helps you optimise within its constraints.

Default URL Patterns

Products:     yourstore.com/products/[handle]
Collections:  yourstore.com/collections/[handle]
Pages:        yourstore.com/pages/[handle]
Blog Posts:   yourstore.com/blogs/[blog-name]/[post-handle]
Cart:         yourstore.com/cart
Checkout:     yourstore.com/checkouts/[token]

The handle is the part you can customise. It's automatically generated from your product or collection title but can be edited manually.

What You Cannot Change

• ×You cannot remove /products/, /collections/, or /pages/ from URLs
• ×You cannot create nested product URLs like /collections/bags/blue-bag
• ×You cannot change the URL structure without significant custom development

Optimising Product URLs

Product URLs should be descriptive, keyword-rich, and easy to read. Here's how to create effective product handles.

Product URL Best Practices

1. 1
   Include the primary keyword

   If someone would search "blue leather bag", use that as the base of your handle.

2. 2
   Keep it concise

   3-5 words is ideal. Long URLs get truncated in search results and are harder to remember.

3. 3
   Use hyphens to separate words

   Hyphens are the standard word separator in URLs. Never use underscores or spaces.

4. 4
   Use lowercase letters

   URLs are case-sensitive. Stick to lowercase to avoid confusion and duplicate content.

5. 5
   Avoid special characters

   Stick to letters, numbers, and hyphens. Remove apostrophes, commas, and other punctuation.

Editing Product Handles

1. 1.Go to Products → select your product
2. 2.Scroll down to "Search engine listing"
3. 3.Click "Edit" to expand the section
4. 4.Edit the "URL handle" field
5. 5.Save the product (Shopify creates a redirect automatically)

Optimising Collection URLs

Collection URLs often target broader, higher-volume keywords. Getting these right can drive significant organic traffic.

Collection URL Strategy

• •Match search intent: Use the exact phrase people search for (e.g., "womens-summer-dresses" not "dresses-summer-women")
• •Keep it simple: One or two words is often enough ("handbags", "mens-shirts")
• •Be consistent: Use the same structure across all collections
• •Think about hierarchy: "summer-dresses" works better than "dresses-for-summer"

URL Best Practices

These guidelines apply to all URLs on your Shopify store, from products to pages to blog posts.

Handling URL Changes

Sometimes you need to change a URL after a page is already live and indexed. This requires careful handling to preserve SEO value.

When Shopify Creates Redirects Automatically

Shopify automatically creates a 301 redirect when you change a product or collection handle through the admin. This preserves the SEO value of the old URL and ensures customers with bookmarks or old links still reach your page.

When You Need Manual Redirects

• •Migrating from another platform with different URL structures
• •Deleting products but wanting to redirect to similar items
• •Restructuring your collections entirely
• •Fixing URLs that were set up incorrectly

Common URL Mistakes

Avoid these common mistakes that can hurt your SEO and create confusion.

Next Steps

With your URLs optimised, here's how to continue improving your store's SEO structure.

1. 1
   Audit your existing URLs

   Review all product and collection handles. Create a list of URLs that need optimisation.

2. 2
   Create a naming convention

   Document your URL structure rules so new products and collections follow the same pattern.

3. 3
   Check for redirect chains

   If you've changed URLs multiple times, you may have chains (A→B→C). Consolidate them.