The Complete Shopify SEO Checklist for Australian Online Stores (2026)

This is the most practical Shopify SEO checklist you’ll find — written specifically for Australian eCommerce stores. No generic US-focused advice. Just a clear, step-by-step checklist you can work through right now.

Work through each section systematically. Many items can be completed directly within your Shopify admin without coding knowledge.

Section 1: Technical Setup (Do These First)

• Connect your own domain (e.g. yourbusiness.com.au) — do not use a myshopify.com subdomain
• Set up Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and connect it to your Shopify store
• Set up Google Search Console and verify your domain
• Submit your XML sitemap to Google Search Console (auto-generated at yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml)
• Ensure SSL is active — all Shopify plans include free SSL (URL should show https://)
• Set your preferred domain — decide whether to use www or non-www and redirect the other
• Check robots.txt — ensure key pages are not accidentally blocked from Google
• Enable Shopify’s built-in CDN for fast global image loading

Section 2: Site Structure and Navigation

• Organise products into clear, well-named Collections (e.g. Women’s Activewear, Kitchen Appliances)
• Keep navigation shallow — every product reachable within 3 clicks from the homepage
• Use keyword-rich collection names that match what people search for
• Add breadcrumb navigation to product and collection pages
• Ensure your homepage links to your most important collections
• Remove empty or unpopulated collections from navigation
• Build a logical internal linking strategy — blog posts → relevant product/collection pages

Section 3: Keyword Research

• Use Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or Semrush to identify target keywords
• Look at Google’s ‘People Also Ask’ and ‘Related Searches’ for content ideas
• Identify one primary keyword per page — do not target the same keyword on multiple pages
• Target Australian-specific terms (e.g. ‘buy online Australia’, ‘free shipping Australia’)
• Research long-tail keywords (e.g. ‘bamboo bath towels Australia’ not just ‘towels’)
• Check what keywords your competitors rank for using Semrush or Ahrefs

Section 4: On-Page SEO — Product Pages

• Write unique product titles that include the primary keyword
• Write unique product descriptions — never use manufacturer copy or duplicate content
• Include the primary keyword naturally in the first paragraph of each description
• Add an SEO title to each product — include keyword, keep under 60 characters
• Write a meta description for each product — include keyword and CTA, keep under 155 characters
• Ensure product URL slugs are clean and keyword-rich
• Add descriptive alt text to every product image
• Use H2 and H3 headings within product descriptions to structure content
• Add customer reviews to product pages — improves click-through rates and adds unique content

Section 5: On-Page SEO — Collection Pages

• Write a unique 100–200 word description for each collection — include the primary keyword
• Add an SEO title and meta description to every collection page
• Ensure collection URL slugs are clean and descriptive
• Use heading tags (H1, H2) correctly on collection pages
• Include internal links to related collections within collection descriptions

Section 6: Technical SEO — Speed and Mobile

• Test your store speed at Google PageSpeed Insights (aim for 70+ on mobile)
• Compress all product and banner images — use WebP format where possible
• Limit the number of installed Shopify apps — each adds code that slows your store
• Use lazy loading for images below the fold
• Choose a fast, well-coded Shopify theme — avoid bloated themes with excessive animations
• Test your store on multiple mobile devices — check product pages and checkout
• Check Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console — fix any LCP or CLS issues

Section 7: Structured Data (Schema Markup)

• Add Product schema to all product pages — include price, availability, and SKU
• Add AggregateRating schema to products with reviews
• Add Organization schema to your homepage — include business name, address, phone, and logo
• Add BreadcrumbList schema to collection and product pages
• Add FAQPage schema to any FAQ sections
• Validate all schema using Google’s Rich Results Test (search.google.com/test/rich-results)

Section 8: Local SEO (For Sydney and Australian Businesses)

• Set up and fully complete your Google Business Profile listing
• Ensure your business name, address, and phone (NAP) are consistent across all platforms
• Add your suburb and state to relevant page titles and descriptions
• Create a Contact page with your full address, phone, and a Google Maps embed
• List your business in Australian directories — Yellow Pages, True Local, Yelp Australia
• Encourage satisfied customers to leave Google reviews
• Add LocalBusiness schema to your Contact or About page

Section 9: Content Marketing and Blogging

• Publish at least 1–2 blog posts per month targeting relevant keywords
• Write posts that answer questions your customers actually ask (use ‘People Also Ask’ for ideas)
• Use H2 and H3 headings in blog posts to structure content clearly
• Add internal links from blog posts to relevant product and collection pages
• Write posts of 1,000–2,000 words for competitive keywords
• Add images and/or video to blog posts
• Add an FAQ section to the bottom of each blog post and apply FAQPage schema
• Update older blog posts regularly — Google favours fresh, accurate content

Section 10: Off-Page SEO — Building Authority

• Identify Australian websites, blogs, and directories relevant to your industry
• Reach out to complementary businesses for partnership links
• Submit guest posts to Australian industry publications and blogs
• Create linkable content — original data, guides, or tools that others will reference
• Monitor your backlink profile in Google Search Console and disavow toxic links if needed

Section 11: Monitoring and Ongoing Maintenance

• Check Google Search Console weekly for crawl errors, manual actions, and coverage issues
• Monitor keyword rankings monthly
• Review organic traffic trends in GA4 monthly — investigate any drops immediately
• Fix 404 errors promptly — set up 301 redirects for deleted or renamed pages
• Update product descriptions and blog posts at least quarterly
• Run a full site audit with Semrush or Screaming Frog every 6 months

Frequently Asked Questions