Complete SEO Checklist for Shopify Stores: From Setup to Scale

(A WTF Media Guide for Brands That Want to Be Found… Not Forgotten)

Most brands think SEO is complicated.
At WTF Media, we think it’s simply the discipline of not ghosting Google - he foundation of bold Shopify SEO strategy and organic visibility.

If you want your Shopify store to rank, convert, and stay relevant in 2026, you don’t need magic - just structure, consistency, and a team that won’t let your website sleep on the job.

Here’s our straightforward checklist to take your Shopify SEO from setup to scale.

Start With a Clean Setup

Good SEO begins with a store that behaves. Think of it as your website’s manners.

Your Shopify setup should include:

- Logical URL structure
- Fast-loading theme
- Clean code (no leftover app junk)
- Responsive design
- Clear navigation and collections hierarchy

When we redesigned and cleaned up stores like The Plated Project, Nama Home, and Glass Forest, the biggest jumps happened by fixing what slowed the website down — improving Crawlability, Core Web Vitals, and site indexing.

Sometimes the best SEO win is removing chaos.

Nail the Basics (Most Brands Don’t)

Before dreaming of page-one rankings, make sure your basics are not broken.

Essential Shopify SEO optimisation tasks:

- Title tags and meta descriptions
- Alt text for every image
- Keyword-led product descriptions
- Consistent H1 and heading structure
- Unique content across products and collections

If you’ve skipped these, Google has probably skipped you too.

Speed Is Non-Negotiable

A slow site is a quiet site.
And a quiet site is a store Google doesn’t bother inviting to the party.

What we optimise:

- Compressing images
- Removing bloated apps
- Lazy loading
- Theme clean-up
- Script management

With Nama Home, performance optimisation alone cut load time dramatically - and conversion followed.
Speed isn’t an upgrade. It’s survival in modern Shopify performance SEO.

Optimise for the Humans, Not Just the Robots

E-commerce SEO is more than keywords.
It’s about how users move, click, browse, and bounce.

We optimise for:

- Better product storytelling
- Clear CTAs
- Internal linking that feels natural
- Collection pages that answer questions
- Filters that actually make sense

SEO is 50% search engines, 50% user psychology.
And yes, you need both.

Strengthen the Technical Backbone

The part no one wants to do… but everyone wants the results.

Technical SEO essentials:

- Sitemap clean-up
- Robots.txt optimisation
- Broken link fixes
- Structured data (schema)
- Canonical tags
- Redirects without harming SEO

During Shopify maintenance services for clients like Glass Forest, the stability and cleanliness of the backend improved rankings more than random keyword stuffing ever could.
This is real Shopify technical SEO strength.

Build Content That Actually Serves a Purpose

Shopify blogs aren’t just for “Top 10 XYZ” filler content.

You need content that:

- Targets “buying intent Keywords”
- Answers pre-purchase questions
- Educates
- Drives internal links
- Supports authority with topical relevance

This is where we help brands turn their expertise into discoverable, search-friendly content that converts.

Track, Improve, Repeat

SEO isn’t a one-and-done project.
It’s maintenance, refinement, and staying ahead of your competitors - quietly and consistently.

Our ongoing SEO services include:

- Monthly audits
- Keyword refinements
- New opportunities tracking
- UX audits
- Fixing issues before they become problems

Think of WTF Media as that friend who keeps your life organised - even when you forget.

Why WTF Media?

Because SEO is not just a checklist for us - it’s part of how we build strong, clean, future-ready Shopify stores.

Whether it’s:

- Shopify SEO optimisation
- A full Shopify website redesign
- Monthly Shopify maintenance
- Scaling organic growth
- Migrating your existing store with correct SEO migration mapping. 

We bring structure, clarity, clean code, and strategy - without the fluff.

Our clients trust us because we fix what needs fixing, build what needs building, and always prioritise long-term brand health over shortcuts.

Ready to Scale Your Shopify Store?

If you want SEO that actually moves the needle and a team that’s fun, sharp, and fast - WTF Media is here for it.

Bring your goals.
Bring your vision.
We’ll bring the strategy, structure, optimisation, and results.

WTF Media  - Where Strategy Meets Clean Code and a Little Fun.