How to Get Your Shopify Website on Google: A Comprehensive Guide

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Understanding Google Indexing
3. Steps to Get Your Shopify Website Indexed by Google
4. Conclusion

Introduction

Did you know that over 90% of online experiences begin with a search engine? As Shopify merchants, we understand the significance of having our products and services visible to potential customers. However, simply having a beautifully designed Shopify store is not enough. We need to ensure that our website is indexed by Google and appears in search results.

Understanding how to effectively get our Shopify website on Google is essential for driving organic traffic and boosting sales. With the rise of the creator economy and the knowledge economy, more entrepreneurs are looking for ways to diversify their revenue streams. One of the most effective ways to do this is by enhancing our online presence through search engine optimization (SEO) strategies.

In this blog post, we'll delve into practical steps that Shopify merchants can take to ensure their websites are indexed by Google. We will explore the importance of Google indexing, common mistakes to avoid, and best practices for optimizing our Shopify stores. Additionally, we’ll highlight how Tevello can assist in building an online community and creating digital products that resonate with our audience, all while seamlessly integrating with the Shopify platform.

So, are you ready to elevate your Shopify store's visibility and accessibility to a wider audience? Let's dive in!

Understanding Google Indexing

Before we explore the practical steps to get our Shopify websites indexed by Google, it’s essential to understand what Google indexing is.

What Is Google Indexing?

Google indexing is the process by which Google analyzes, organizes, and stores webpage information in its vast database. When a user performs a search, Google retrieves relevant indexed pages to display in the search results. If our Shopify store is not indexed, it will not appear in searches, regardless of how high-quality our content or products are.

Why Is Google Indexing Important?

1. Visibility: A website that is indexed can be discovered by potential customers. If our store isn’t indexed, we are missing out on valuable organic traffic.
2. Credibility: Being indexed by Google adds a layer of credibility to our business. Customers are more likely to trust businesses that appear in search results.
3. SEO Benefits: Indexed pages can rank for relevant keywords, helping us attract targeted traffic that is more likely to convert into sales.

How Google Indexing Works

1. Crawling: Google's bots, known as Googlebots, crawl the web to discover new and updated content. This process involves following links from one page to another.
2. Processing: After crawling, Google processes the information and extracts key data from the pages, including text, images, and videos.
3. Indexing: Finally, the processed data is stored in Google's index, which is a massive database of all the web pages Google has found.
4. Ranking: When a user performs a search, Google's algorithms determine which indexed pages are most relevant and display them in the search results.

Now that we understand the importance of indexing, let's explore how we can ensure our Shopify website gets indexed by Google.

Steps to Get Your Shopify Website Indexed by Google

1. Verify Your Domain in Google Search Console

The first step in getting our Shopify website indexed is to verify our domain in Google Search Console. This platform provides valuable insights into how Google views our website and allows us to submit sitemaps and monitor indexing status.

How to Verify Your Domain

• Log into Google Search Console: If you don’t have an account, create one and add your website.
• Select Property Type: Choose ‘Domain’ for a more comprehensive verification.
• Follow the Verification Steps: Google provides various methods for verification, including adding a DNS record or uploading an HTML file to your Shopify store.

Once verified, we can gain access to essential tools and reports that will help us monitor our website's performance.

2. Create and Submit a Sitemap

A sitemap is a file that lists all the pages of our website, helping search engines discover and index our content more efficiently. Shopify automatically generates a sitemap for our store, which we can access at yourstore.com/sitemap.xml.

Submitting the Sitemap

• Navigate to Google Search Console: After verifying our domain, go to the 'Sitemaps' section.
• Enter Sitemap URL: Input the URL of our sitemap (e.g., https://yourstore.com/sitemap.xml).
• Submit: Click on the submit button, and Google will begin crawling our pages.

3. Ensure Your Store is Crawlable

For Google to index our Shopify store, it must be crawlable. We need to check our robots.txt file and ensure that it doesn’t block Google from accessing important sections of our website.

How to Check Robots.txt

• Access the Robots.txt File: Visit yourstore.com/robots.txt to view the current settings.
• Ensure There Are No Disallow Rules: Look for any "Disallow" directives that might block Googlebot. If found, we may need to adjust the settings in our Shopify admin panel under Online Store > Preferences.

4. Optimize Page Content for SEO

Google values high-quality, relevant content. We should ensure that our store's pages contain unique content that provides value to our visitors. Here are some tips for optimizing our content:

• Use Relevant Keywords: Research and incorporate keywords related to our products and niche. Place them strategically in titles, headings, and body content.
• Create Engaging Descriptions: Write compelling product descriptions that not only inform but also persuade customers to make a purchase.
• Utilize Alt Text for Images: Optimize images with descriptive alt text to enhance accessibility and improve SEO.

5. Monitor Indexing Status

After taking the above steps, we should monitor our website's indexing status in Google Search Console.

How to Check Indexing Status

• Use the URL Inspection Tool: Enter the URL of a specific page to see if it’s indexed.
• Check Coverage Reports: In the Coverage section, we can see which pages are indexed and if there are any issues preventing indexing.

6. Address Common Indexing Issues

If our pages are not being indexed, we may encounter common issues that we need to address:

• Noindex Tags: Ensure that noindex tags are not present on important pages that we want indexed.
• Slow Loading Times: Optimize page loading speeds, as slow sites may struggle to get indexed. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to test and improve loading times.
• Duplicate Content: Ensure that each page has unique content, as Google does not index duplicate pages.

7. Use Internal and External Links

Building a robust link structure can enhance our website’s crawlability and authority.

Internal Linking

• Link to Related Products: Create links between product pages and related content to help Google understand the structure of our site.
• Use Descriptive Anchor Text: Ensure that the anchor text is relevant and descriptive.

External Linking

• Gain Backlinks: Reach out to other websites in our niche for guest posting opportunities or collaborations that can lead to backlinks to our site.

8. Leverage Social Media and Content Marketing

Promoting our Shopify store through social media and content marketing can drive traffic and signal to Google that our content is valuable.

• Share Products on Social Media: Regularly post about our products on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
• Create a Blog: Start a blog related to our niche, providing valuable content that can attract visitors and backlinks.

9. Be Patient

It’s important to remember that indexing can take time. After submitting our sitemap and making the necessary changes, we should allow a few days to weeks for Google to crawl and index our pages.

Conclusion

Getting our Shopify website indexed by Google is a crucial step in driving organic traffic and increasing visibility. By following the steps outlined in this guide, we can enhance our chances of being discovered by potential customers.

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 simplifies the process of creating and selling online courses and digital products, integrated seamlessly into your Shopify store.

If you're ready to take your Shopify store to the next level, start your 14-day free trial of Tevello today and see how our powerful features can enhance your business.

FAQ

Can I request Google to index my page?

Yes, you can request indexing by logging into Google Search Console, adding your domain, and using the URL Inspection tool.

How do I check if my website is indexed by Google?

You can check if your site is indexed by typing "site:yourwebsite.com" into the Google search bar. If your pages show up, they are indexed.

How long does it take for Google to index my website after submission?

Typically, indexing can take from a few days to a couple of weeks after submitting a sitemap and requesting indexing.

What should I do if my website isn’t getting indexed?

Check for common issues such as noindex tags, robots.txt file restrictions, and duplicate content. Also, ensure that your website has high-quality, unique content.

By implementing these strategies and leveraging Tevello’s features, we can elevate our Shopify stores and thrive in the competitive e-commerce landscape.