How To Optimize SEO During and After Shopify Migration?

Want to have a stand-out digital presence in 2024? Selling products and having an online store alone will not work if they all together are not SEO optimized. SEO is a secret that drives your business to the top of search engine results to attract more customers and more sales. However, what happens when you go for Shopify Migration? We understand that is where things may get tricky.

Migrating to Shopify is like moving to a new home for your business. It comes with the challenge of keeping your SEO rankings intact. Worried about about losing your SEO rankings during migration? It is a situation no entrepreneur wants to face.

Keyword optimization is one such element that keeps your SEO rankings safe and sound. Ready to make the move in the SEO race? Let's discover how to migrate your store to Shopify without sacrificing your SEO rankings.

Also Read: Step-by-Step Guide to Migrate to Shopify

Pre-Migration SEO Checklist

Your SEO should be optimized and implemented way before your migration process starts. It is like arranging essentials before making a big move for Shopify Migration. Missing this step may cause you great loss in multiple ways. 

1. Audit Current SEO Performance

Imagine starting an online business without quality products, digital presence, and mainly, SEO. This way, you are not building the business foundation but weakening it. You need to understand your existing SEO performance to make a plan for improvement and implementation during migration.

You can use On-page optimization alongside detective hat skills and tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, or Ahrefs. Top-performing keywords, page load times, and traffic acquisition analyze the general SEO health of your business.

2. Identify and Map Out URLs

URLs are digital addresses that navigate your customers to your store. If URLs change, your customers and search engines might not recognize you. 

Keep data of your current URLs and their future counterparts for successful Shopify Migration. This way, you create a treasure map for search engines to follow and ensure they find your valuable content easily.

3. Back-Up Data

A backed-up data is like an insurance policy for your digital presence. You can make copies of your important SEO data such as meta titles, keyword optimization, descriptions, and keyword rankings. SEO data export tools like Screaming Frog can help you fetch data from your current CMS. 

During Migration SEO Strategies

Suppose you are shifting your home but want your logistic service providers to easily find your new location. You would leave directions for them. It is what 301 redirects do for your Shopify Migration. They inform search engines that you have changed to a new address. It ensures your transition is smooth, customers are redirected and SEO rankings are unaffected. 

DesignRush SEO Insights

Although Shopify has its own data to reflect, Design Rush is one such agency that collects experts-given SEO tips and suggestions to help merchants like you to migrate seamlessly to Shopify or Shopify Plus. Get more details here https://www.designrush.com/agency/shopify/trends/shopify-seo-tips

How To Set Up 301 Redirects in Shopify? 

Step 1: Go to Shopify admin 

Step 2: Click on "Online Store" 

Step 3: Go to "Navigation"

Step 4: Choose "URL Redirects" 

Step 5: Click "Add URL Redirect"

Step 6: Enter the old URL in the "Redirect from" field 

Step 7: Enter the new Shopify URL in the "Redirect to" field.

Step 8: Click "Add" 

Congratulations! You have created a digital signpost guiding search engines and visitors to your new site.

The on-page optimization process includes updates or modifications in the meta titles and descriptions on your web pages. These elements make your store irresistible to search engines and users alike.

How To Add Meta Titles and Descriptions?

Step 1: Go to "Online Store" 

Step 2: Select "Pages" 

Step 3: Choose a page (During Shopify Migration Process)

Step 4: Enter the meta title and description in the "Search engine listing preview" 

How To Use Keywords?

Use your keywords wisely throughout your content, titles, and descriptions. However, make sure that you do not overuse the keywords!

In addition, you will not win the e-commerce race if your store is slow-loading. Besides keyword optimization, speed is equally important for SEO because search engines and users love fast sites. A speedy site = happy customers + better SEO rankings.

Tips For Shopify Speed Optimization: 

Use Google PageSpeed Insights to check gives you a speed score and improvement tips.

During Shopify Migration, optimize images using tools like ImageOptim or TinyPNG to reduce image size without losing quality.

Reduce Apps and Plugins to reduce the weight on your store. 

Post-Migration SEO Optimization

Your Shopify migration journey does not end here! Now you have to ensure the search engines recognize and index your new Shopify store effortlessly. Continuous on-page optimization will work wonders for your migrated store. Imagine having a website link that search engines do not reflect to the audience. Would you like that? 

How To Make Your Site Visible?

Step 1: Submit Your Sitemap through Google Search Console 

Step 2: Verify your site and monitor its indexing status after Shopify Migration 

Step 3: Monitor and Fix Broken Links using Screaming Frog or Ahrefs 

Step 4: Fix broken links by redirecting them to the correct pages or removing them 

Step 5: Regularly Update Content with the latest information, keywords, and trends

Step 6: Perform SEO Audits to identify areas for improvement

FAQs

1. Will your SEO rankings drop if you migrate to Shopify?

Not if you play your cards right! With careful planning and execution, you can maintain or even improve your rankings.

2. How long does it take for SEO to stabilize after Shopify Migration?

It varies, but typically, you should start seeing things settle within a few weeks to a couple of months.

3. Can you keep the existing URL structure when moving to Shopify?

Shopify allows for custom URL structures, so you can keep things consistent.

Conclusion

A roadmap to optimized SEO is about staying vigilant– from the pre-migration prep to the post-migration. Keyword optimization can be daunting, especially when it comes to your online presence. However, prioritizing SEO will give your online store a superpower to survive and thrive in your arena.

Ready to take the migration leap without losing your SEO stride? If the thought of going it alone sends shivers down your spine, fear not about it before, during, and after Shopify Migration! MS Web Designer will make your brand emerge shining brighter than ever.