How to Change the URL on Shopify: A Step-by-Step Guide

URL structure plays a crucial role in e-commerce websites, including Shopify. A well-optimized URL can improve user experience, increase search engine visibility, and enhance the overall performance of your Shopify store. In this comprehensive guide, we will discuss the importance of URL structure in e-commerce, the benefits of changing URLs on Shopify, common reasons for making URL changes, and how to go about the process step-by-step. By the end of this article, you will have a complete understanding of how to effectively change the URL on your Shopify store.

Understanding the Importance of URL Structure in E-commerce

The URL structure of your e-commerce store holds great significance in terms of both user experience and search engine optimization (SEO). A well-structured URL makes it easier for users to navigate your website, understand the category or product they are viewing, and even share the URL with others. From an SEO perspective, a clear and concise URL can improve search engine visibility, as search engines rely on URLs to determine the relevance and hierarchy of web pages.

When it comes to e-commerce, the URL structure becomes even more critical as it directly impacts the user’s ability to find and purchase products. A logical and descriptive URL helps customers understand the product they are viewing, enhances trust, and improves the likelihood of a successful conversion.

One important aspect of URL structure in e-commerce is the use of keywords. Including relevant keywords in your URLs can help improve your website’s visibility in search engine results. For example, if you sell shoes, having URLs like “yourstore.com/shoes/mens” or “yourstore.com/shoes/womens” can make it easier for search engines to understand the content of your pages and rank them accordingly.

In addition to keywords, it is also important to consider the length of your URLs. Shorter URLs tend to be more user-friendly and easier to remember. Long, complex URLs with unnecessary parameters or session IDs can confuse users and make it harder for them to navigate your website. Keeping your URLs concise and meaningful can contribute to a better user experience and encourage users to visit and revisit your site.

The Benefits of Changing URLs on Shopify

Changing URLs on Shopify can offer several benefits for your e-commerce store. Firstly, it allows you to improve the structure and organization of your URLs, making them more intuitive and user-friendly. This, in turn, enhances the overall user experience and makes it easier for customers to navigate your website.

Additionally, changing URLs can also positively impact your store’s SEO performance. By optimizing your URLs with relevant keywords and removing unnecessary parameters, you can help search engines understand the content of your web pages more effectively. This can lead to improved rankings, increased organic traffic, and ultimately, more conversions.

Common Reasons for Changing URLs on Shopify

There are several common reasons why you might need to change URLs on your Shopify store. One common scenario is when you restructure your website or make changes to your product categories. In this case, it’s important to update the URLs accordingly to maintain a logical hierarchy and ensure a smooth browsing experience for your customers.

Another common reason is when you decide to optimize your URLs for SEO purposes. This may involve removing irrelevant parameters, adding keywords, or making the URLs more concise and descriptive. By doing so, you can enhance the visibility of your store in search engine results and attract more targeted organic traffic.

Furthermore, changing URLs may be necessary when you update your product or collection names. Keeping the URLs aligned with the actual content helps maintain consistency and avoid confusion for both customers and search engines. It’s essential to ensure your URLs accurately represent the content they point to.

Additionally, changing URLs can be necessary when you migrate your Shopify store to a new domain or subdomain. This could be due to rebranding, expanding your business, or merging multiple stores. It’s crucial to update the URLs to redirect traffic from the old domain to the new one and avoid broken links.

Moreover, changing URLs may be required when you want to track the performance of specific marketing campaigns or promotions. By creating unique URLs for different campaigns, you can easily analyze the traffic, conversions, and overall success of each campaign using analytics tools.

Preparing Your Shopify Store for URL Changes

Before diving into the process of changing URLs on Shopify, it’s important to take some preparatory steps. This helps minimize any potential disruptions and ensures a smooth transition for your store and its visitors.

Firstly, create a full backup of your store, including all product data, collections, and blog posts. This way, you can easily revert to the previous state in case any issues arise during the URL changes.

Secondly, inform your team or any stakeholders involved in the process about the upcoming URL changes. This helps to avoid any miscommunication or unexpected surprises during the transition.

Additionally, it’s also crucial to consider the impact of URL changes on any existing external links or marketing campaigns. Depending on the situation, you may need to update those links or implement proper redirects to avoid any loss of referral traffic or potential negative SEO impact.

Thirdly, conduct a thorough analysis of your current URL structure and identify any potential issues or areas for improvement. This includes checking for any duplicate URLs, broken links, or URLs that are too long or complex. By addressing these issues before making any changes, you can ensure a more streamlined and optimized URL structure for your store.

Lastly, communicate the URL changes to your customers and visitors. This can be done through various channels such as email newsletters, social media posts, or pop-up notifications on your website. Providing clear and concise information about the changes, along with any benefits or improvements, helps to maintain trust and transparency with your audience.

Conducting a URL Structure Audit on Shopify

Before proceeding with URL changes, it’s essential to conduct a thorough audit of your existing URL structure on Shopify. This audit helps you identify any potential issues, inconsistencies, or areas for improvement.

Start by analyzing your current URL structure and noting any patterns or conventions. Look for any URLs that are too long, contain irrelevant parameters, or lack descriptive keywords. Identify any redundant or unnecessary URLs that can be consolidated or removed.

Next, review your product URLs, collection URLs, page URLs, and blog post URLs separately. Ensure that each URL follows a consistent structure, aligning with the category or content it represents. Consider how you can optimize these URLs to provide a more user-friendly and SEO-friendly experience.

During the audit, pay attention to any redirects or URL changes you’ve made in the past. Make a note of those redirects to ensure their proper implementation during the URL change process.

Additionally, it’s important to analyze the performance of your current URL structure. Look at metrics such as organic search traffic, bounce rate, and conversion rates for different URLs. This data can help you identify URLs that may need further optimization or restructuring to improve their performance.

How to Plan and Strategize URL Changes on Shopify

Once you have completed the URL structure audit, it’s time to plan and strategize the URL changes on your Shopify store. This step is crucial for a smooth transition and avoids any negative impact on your SEO or user experience.

Start by creating a detailed plan that outlines the changes you will make to each URL category, such as products, collections, pages, and blog posts. Determine the new structure you want to introduce and consider how it aligns with your store’s overall organization and user experience goals.

When planning, also consider the impact on your internal linking structure. Ensure that any internal links pointing to the old URLs are updated to reflect the new URLs. This helps maintain a seamless browsing experience and ensures all your pages are properly interconnected.

Additionally, think about the potential SEO impact of URL changes and plan for redirects accordingly. Properly implementing redirects from old URLs to new URLs helps preserve any existing search engine rankings and prevents users from encountering broken links.

Another important aspect to consider when planning URL changes on Shopify is the impact on your website’s analytics and tracking. Make sure to update any tracking codes or scripts that rely on specific URLs to accurately track user behavior and conversions. This will ensure that your data remains accurate and reliable after the URL changes.

Furthermore, it is essential to communicate the URL changes to your customers and other stakeholders. Consider sending out email notifications or updating your website’s announcements to inform visitors about the upcoming changes. This will help minimize confusion and ensure a smooth transition for your users.

Best Practices for Redirecting Old URLs on Shopify

Implementing redirects for old URLs is a crucial step to prevent any negative impact on SEO and user experience. When redirecting old URLs on Shopify, it’s important to follow best practices to ensure a seamless transition.

Firstly, use the appropriate redirect type. In most cases, a 301 redirect is recommended as it indicates a permanent move to a new URL. This helps search engines understand the intent behind the redirect and pass any existing SEO value to the new URL.

Secondly, set up individual redirects for each old URL. This ensures that users and search engines are directed to the corresponding new URL. It also helps prevent any potential loss of rankings or traffic.

Finally, test and verify the redirects to ensure they are correctly implemented and functioning as expected. You can use tools like Screaming Frog or Google Search Console to check for any redirect errors or issues.

Additionally, when setting up redirects on Shopify, it’s important to consider the impact on user experience. Make sure that the new URL provides relevant and valuable content to the user, so they don’t feel misled or frustrated by the redirect.

Furthermore, keep track of the old URLs that have been redirected. Maintain a record of the old URLs and their corresponding new URLs, as this can be helpful for future reference or troubleshooting. It’s also a good practice to periodically review and update your redirects, especially if there are any changes to your website structure or URL patterns.

Step 1: Configuring URL Settings in the Shopify Admin Panel

The first step to changing URLs on Shopify is to configure the URL settings in the Shopify admin panel. This allows you to define the structure and format of your store’s URLs.

To access the URL settings, log in to your Shopify admin panel and navigate to “Online Store” and then “Preferences.” Here, you will find the “URL and handling” section.

In this section, you can modify the format of your product URLs, collection URLs, and page URLs. Shopify provides various placeholders that allow you to customize the structure based on specific attributes or content.

Ensure that the URL format you choose is logical, descriptive, and aligned with your overall URL strategy. For example, you might include the product title or collection name in the URL to make it more informative and user-friendly.

After making the necessary changes, save your settings to apply the new URL structure to your store.

It is important to note that changing the URL structure of your store can have implications for search engine optimization (SEO). When you modify the URLs, search engines may need to reindex your pages, which could temporarily affect your search rankings. To minimize any negative impact, consider implementing 301 redirects from the old URLs to the new ones. This will help preserve your SEO value and ensure a smooth transition for both users and search engines.