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How to Change Product URL in Shopify: A Comprehensive Guide

How to Change Product URL in Shopify: A Comprehensive Guide

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Understanding the Importance of Product URLs
  3. How to Change Product URL in Shopify
  4. Best Practices for Structuring Product URLs
  5. The Role of URL Structure in SEO
  6. Monitoring and Analyzing URL Changes
  7. Conclusion

Introduction

Did you know that nearly 50% of online shoppers abandon their carts due to poor navigation and product organization? In the ever-evolving e-commerce landscape, optimizing every aspect of your online store is crucial for retaining customers and enhancing their shopping experience. One often-overlooked element is the product URL. A clean, descriptive URL not only improves your site's SEO but also helps your customers find what they're looking for more easily.

At Tevello, we are passionate about empowering Shopify merchants to maximize their online potential, and changing product URLs is a vital part of that process. In this blog post, we will dive deep into the importance of product URLs, how to change them effectively within Shopify, and best practices to ensure your URLs are optimized for both users and search engines.

We’ll explore practical steps for altering product URLs, discuss bulk editing options, and highlight the significance of URL structure in your overall SEO strategy. Are you ready to elevate your Shopify store? Let’s get started!

Understanding the Importance of Product URLs

Before we jump into the mechanics of changing product URLs, it's essential to understand why they matter. A product URL serves several key functions:

SEO Benefits

  1. Improved Search Rankings: Search engines favor clean and descriptive URLs, which can positively impact your rankings. A well-structured URL can provide valuable context to search engines about the page’s content.
  2. User Experience: A clear URL helps users understand what to expect when they click on a link. For instance, www.yourstore.com/products/handmade-ceramic-mug is more informative than www.yourstore.com/products/item12345.

Branding and Trust

  1. Brand Credibility: URLs that reflect your brand and product offerings can enhance trust with potential customers, making them more likely to click through.
  2. Shareability: Descriptive URLs are easier to share on social media and other platforms, as users can see what the link is about without needing to click it.

Redirects and Link Equity

When changing URLs, it’s crucial to set up proper redirects to maintain link equity. If customers have previously bookmarked or shared your old URLs, failing to redirect them can lead to broken links and lost traffic.

How to Change Product URL in Shopify

Changing a product URL in Shopify is a straightforward process. Below, we outline the steps for both individual and bulk URL changes.

Changing a Single Product URL

  1. Log in to Your Shopify Admin Panel: Go to the Shopify admin and navigate to the "Products" section.
  2. Select the Product: Click on the product for which you want to change the URL.
  3. Edit URL and Handle:
    • Scroll down to the Search engine listing preview section.
    • Click Edit website SEO.
    • In the URL and handle field, enter your desired URL. Ensure it is concise and descriptive.
  4. Save Changes: Click Save at the top right of the page.

Bulk Changing Product URLs

If you have numerous products to update, bulk editing can save you significant time. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Select Products: In the Shopify admin, go to the "Products" section, and select all the products you want to edit.
  2. Click on Bulk Actions: At the top of the product list, click on Edit products.
  3. Add URL Handle Column:
    • In the bulk editor, click on Add fields.
    • Select URL handle (SEO) to display this column in the editor.
  4. Edit URLs: Change the URLs as needed directly in the bulk editor. You can use Excel formulas if you're exporting and editing offline.
  5. Save Changes: After editing, ensure to save your changes to apply the new URLs.

For those seeking an even more efficient method, you can also use apps like Matrixify to handle bulk imports and exports seamlessly. This tool allows you to work with Excel files, making it easier to modify your URLs.

Example Case Study

Imagine you run an online store selling handmade crafts. You have a product called "Ceramic Coffee Mug," but the URL is currently set to www.yourstore.com/products/ceramic-coffee-mug-123. You decide to change it to www.yourstore.com/products/handmade-ceramic-coffee-mug for better SEO and user clarity.

By following the steps above, you can quickly update this URL. If you have many similar products, using bulk edit will save you time and ensure consistency across your site.

Best Practices for Structuring Product URLs

To maximize the effectiveness of your URLs, consider the following best practices:

Keep It Short and Descriptive

Aim for brevity while ensuring that the URL conveys the product's essence. A concise URL is easier to read and remember.

Use Keywords Wisely

Incorporate relevant keywords into your URLs to improve SEO. However, avoid keyword stuffing; the URL should remain natural and user-friendly.

Avoid Special Characters

Special characters (like &, %, #) can complicate URLs. Stick to hyphens to separate words, as they are more SEO-friendly.

Update Internal Links

If you change a product URL, make sure to update any internal links that point to that product to avoid broken links.

Implement 301 Redirects

Always set up 301 redirects from the old URL to the new one. This practice ensures that if someone visits the old URL, they will be redirected to the new one without losing traffic.

The Role of URL Structure in SEO

Beyond just changing URLs, understanding URL structure's role in your overall SEO strategy is crucial.

Hierarchical Structure

A well-organized URL structure reflects the hierarchy of your site. For example, www.yourstore.com/products/home-decor/ceramic-mug indicates that the ceramic mug is part of the home decor category. This organization helps search engines index your site more effectively.

Avoiding Duplicate Content

If your store has multiple variants of a product, ensure that each variant has a unique URL. This approach helps avoid duplicate content issues, which can negatively impact your SEO.

Keyword Relevance

Search engines look for relevancy when determining how to rank a page. Including relevant keywords in your URL can help search engines understand the context of your page better.

Monitoring and Analyzing URL Changes

After changing product URLs, it’s essential to monitor their performance. Here are some tools and strategies to help you track changes:

Google Analytics

Use Google Analytics to track traffic and conversion rates for the newly updated URLs. This tracking will help you understand if the changes positively impact user engagement.

Google Search Console

Submit your new URLs to Google Search Console. This submission helps speed up the indexing process for your updated pages and alerts you to any crawl errors.

Regular Audits

Conduct regular audits of your site to ensure all URLs are functioning correctly and that there are no broken links. Tools like Screaming Frog or SEMrush can be beneficial for this purpose.

Conclusion

Changing product URLs in Shopify is more than a simple technical task; it’s a crucial step in enhancing your online store's visibility and user experience. By following the outlined steps and best practices, we can ensure that your site is optimized for both search engines and customers alike.

At Tevello, we are committed to empowering Shopify merchants like you to unlock new revenue streams and build meaningful connections with your audience. Our all-in-one solution is designed to seamlessly integrate into the Shopify ecosystem, eliminating the need for external platforms. If you're ready to take your e-commerce strategy to the next level, we invite you to start your 14-day free trial of Tevello today.

FAQ

1. Can I change product URLs in bulk?
Yes, you can change product URLs in bulk by using the bulk editor in Shopify. Simply select the products you want to edit, add the URL handle column, and make your changes.

2. Will changing a product URL affect my SEO?
If done correctly, changing a product URL can enhance your SEO. Ensure you set up 301 redirects from the old URL to the new one to maintain traffic and link equity.

3. What is a 301 redirect?
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that sends both users and search engines from the old URL to the new URL. This practice helps preserve SEO rankings and user experience.

4. How can I track the performance of my new URLs?
You can track the performance of your new URLs using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. These tools will help you monitor traffic, conversions, and any potential crawl errors.

By employing these strategies and utilizing Tevello’s features, we can transform your Shopify store into a powerful platform that not only sells products but also offers valuable courses and community engagement. Let’s embark on this journey together!