Video UpsellSEO Tools

How The Shopify URL Structure Works & Limitations

The Shopify URL structure plays an important role in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), navigation, and enhancing the user experience. Understanding how to optimize Shopify URLs, including the primary domain, improves your store’s visibility on search engines and helps customers find products easily.

Below we will look at Shopify’s default URL structures, from product pages to custom domains, and what the limitations are when working with URLs.

What is a Shopify URL?

A Shopify URL is a unique web address assigned to your Shopify store, serving as the gateway for potential customers to access your online store. By default, Shopify provides a URL in the format of a sub-domain: yourstorename.myshopify.com. While this default URL is functional, it’s not ideal for branding and credibility.

To build a strong brand presence, Shopify encourages store owners to move away from the default URL and adopt a custom domain. A custom domain, such as yourshop.com, not only looks more professional but also helps in establishing trust with your customers. It’s a small investment that can significantly enhance your store’s image and credibility.

Example:

Best Practice: Invest in a custom domain to create a memorable and trustworthy web address for your Shopify store.

Shopify Store URL Components

Understanding the components of a Shopify store URL is important for optimizing your store’s SEO and improving its visibility in search engine results. A typical Shopify store URL consists of several key elements:

Shopify URL Structure Basics

The Shopify URL structure follows a simple and logical format, which makes it easy for users and search engines to navigate. To access and manage your Shopify store URL, you need to log into your Shopify account. Shopify assigns specific directories for different types of content like products, collections, and pages. Each URL serves a distinct purpose and reflects the content it hosts.

Overview Of The Shopify URL Structure

URL Type URL Structure Use Case
Homepage URL https://yourshop.com/ The main landing page of your Shopify store, showcasing products and categories.
Product Page URL https://yourshop.com/products/product-name Displays an individual product’s details, description, and purchase options.
Collection Page URL https://yourshop.com/collections/collection-name Groups related products together based on category, theme, or promotions.
Blog Post URL https://yourshop.com/blogs/blog-name/post-title Displays an individual blog post, used for content marketing and store updates.
Blog Listing URL https://yourshop.com/blogs/blog-name Shows a list of all posts within a specific blog (e.g., news or announcements).
Cart Page URL https://yourshop.com/cart Displays the shopping cart with items that the user has added for purchase.
Checkout Page URL https://yourshop.com/checkout Initiates the checkout process, where users complete their purchase.
Custom Page URL https://yourshop.com/pages/page-name Displays custom pages like “About Us,” “Contact,” or other informational content.
Search Results URL https://yourshop.com/search?q=search-term Displays search results for user queries entered in the search bar.
404 Error Page URL https://yourshop.com/404 Shows a “page not found” error when a user navigates to a non-existent page.

Homepage URL

https://yourshop.com/

Purpose: The homepage serves as the central hub for your online store, typically hosting categories (collections), featured products, and store announcements.

Shopify uses a fixed subdirectory system, where specific URL structures are assigned based on the page type. This helps search engines categorize your pages correctly, improving SEO.

By default, the URL structure of Shopify cannot be modified, however there are ways to adjust the way URLs appear on specific pages.

Product Page URLs

Product pages in Shopify use a URL structure that is simple and SEO-friendly, reflecting both the product and its collections / category.

Configuring sales channels correctly is important for maintaining website authority and optimizing product visibility.

https://yourshop.com/products/product-name

Purpose: This URL displays an individual product. The /products/ directory is fixed, followed by the product name in the form of a slug.

Key Elements:

  • /products/: The fixed subdirectory for all product pages.
  • product-name: The title of the product, converted into a slug, making it easier for users to understand and search engines to index.

Example: 

https://yourshop.com/products/leather-jacket

Collection Page URLs

Shopify collection pages group products together, providing an easy way for users to navigate categories.

https://yourshop.com/collections/collection-name


Purpose: This URL displays a collection of products, categorized by similar attributes or themes. For example, a “Winter Collection” might include various cold-weather products.

Key Elements:

  • /collections/: The fixed subdirectory for collection pages.
  • collection-name: The title of the collection, converted into a slug.

Using collection-specific keywords improves SEO. Make sure the collection title reflects the products it contains, and consider how customers are likely to search for them. You can also utilize collections URL to create sub-collections.

Example:

https://yourshop.com/collections/winter-collection

Blog Post URLs

In Shopify, blogs provide an effective way to boost search engine rankings through content marketing and also provide more detailed information on specific products, collections, or the niche the store is in.

Each blog post has its own unique URL structure, supporting store updates, product launches, and SEO-rich articles.

https://yourshop.com/blogs/blog-name/post-title


Purpose: This URL displays an individual blog post. The /blogs/ subdirectory is fixed, followed by the name of the blog (e.g., “news” or “updates”) and the specific post title.

Key Elements:

  • /blogs/: Fixed directory for all blog-related content.
  • blog-name: Represents the blog itself, which can host multiple posts.
  • post-title: Represents the specific blog post and is crucial for SEO.

To optimize blog posts, use descriptive post titles that include relevant keywords for improved SEO performance.

Example:

https://yourshop.com/blogs/news/top-winter-fashion-trends

Other URLs

Below are the remaining URL structure options in Shopify.

Blog Listing URL Structure

https://yourshop.com/blogs/blog-name
  • Purpose: Displays a blog index page containing all posts from that blog.
  • Structure Breakdown:
    • /blogs/: Fixed subdirectory.
    • blog-name: The name of the blog.

Cart Page URL Structure

https://yourshop.com/cart
  • Purpose: Displays the user’s shopping cart page.
  • Structure Breakdown:
    • /cart: Fixed directory for cart functionality.

Checkout Page URL Structure

https://yourshop.com/checkout
  • Purpose: Initiates the checkout process.
  • Structure Breakdown:
    • /checkout: Fixed directory for checkout.

Page URL Structure (Custom Pages)

https://yourshop.com/pages/page-name
  • Purpose: Displays custom pages like “About Us” or “Contact.”
  • Structure Breakdown:
    • /pages/: Fixed subdirectory.
    • page-name: The title of the custom page, converted into a URL slug.

Search Results URL Structure

https://yourshop.com/search?q=search-term
  • Purpose: Displays search results for a user query.
  • Structure Breakdown:
    • /search?q=: Fixed query for search functionality.
    • search-term: The keyword or phrase that the user searched.

404 Error Page URL Structure

https://yourshop.com/404
  • Purpose: Displays a 404 error page when a page is not found.
  • Structure Breakdown:
    • /404: Fixed directory for not-found pages.

Popular Questions

Below are common questions people ask about working with Shopify URL.

How do I change my Shopify store URL?

To change your Shopify store URL, you need to purchase and connect a custom domain through the Shopify admin. Navigate to Online Store > Domains, and either buy a new domain or connect an existing one. Once connected, set the new domain as your primary domain under the domains section. Shopify will automatically redirect visitors from your old URL to the new one.

Can I remove “/products/” or “/collections/” from my Shopify URLs?

Shopify does not allow the removal of /products/ or /collections/ from the default URL structure. These subdirectories are built into the Shopify system to help organize content. However, you can optimize the URL slugs for clarity and SEO performance, ensuring they contain relevant keywords.

What is a 301 redirect, and how do I set it up on Shopify?

A 301 redirect permanently forwards traffic from one URL to another, preserving SEO value and preventing 404 errors. To set up a 301 redirect in Shopify, go to Online Store > Navigation > URL Redirects. Enter the old URL and the new destination URL, then click Save.

Does Shopify automatically optimize my URLs for SEO?

Shopify creates SEO-friendly URLs by default. It uses a simple structure that includes fixed subdirectories like /products/ and /collections/, along with the page or product name as the slug. Shopify also automatically generates canonical tags to handle duplicate content, but it’s recommended to manually optimize slugs with relevant keywords for better SEO performance.