Shopify website SEO optimization: the choice of flat and tree structures and their SEO applications
Shopify is an important platform for independent website operations. Its SEO optimization work not only involves technical details, but also covers the design of the website structure. SEO optimization is mainly divided into two parts: website optimization and website promotion. Website optimization aims to improve the natural ranking of search engines through reasonable website architecture layout and high-quality content creation, thereby obtaining more natural traffic. On the Shopify platform, there are two common website structures to choose from: flat structure and tree structure.
The application and characteristics of flat structure
The flat structure is suitable for small websites. All web pages are located in the root directory of the website, which results in fewer structural levels and higher indexing efficiency by search engines. However, this structure also has some shortcomings. For example, the semantics of the URL are not obvious enough. As the amount of website data increases, it becomes difficult to organize web pages. Therefore, the flat structure is more suitable for small websites with fewer web pages. For Shopify, the default template does not support flat structure, and sellers need to adjust the template navigation or code to achieve it.
Advantages and applicable scenarios of tree structure
In contrast, the tree structure is more suitable for large and medium-sized websites. It organizes content by setting up subdirectories according to categories or columns under the root directory. The advantage of this structure is that it is clear and easy to manage, and the semantic recognition of the URL is high. Although the weight transfer from the homepage to the page is not as good as the flat website structure, due to the large number of internal links, the weight transfer is still relatively easy. It should be noted that the tree structure should not be set to an excessively deep directory level, so as not to affect the search engine indexing efficiency. Shopify’s default template generally supports tree structure, which can be achieved by setting up product series and navigation.
Detailed explanation of SEO Booster application
To better achieve SEO goals, Shopify provides tools such as SEO Booster. This automated SBO app can help sellers quickly complete multiple SEO tasks, including SEO health checks, meta tag optimization, Google sitemap settings, and more. After installing and activating SEO Booster, the system will automatically test the website’s SEO score and provide repair suggestions. In addition, SEO Booster also provides a variety of functional modules, such as SEO Basic (basic optimization), SEO Advanced (advanced optimization), etc., covering many aspects from meta tag editing to content optimization, internal link detection and other aspects.
Specific practices to meet Google SEO requirements
In order to ensure that the website can be effectively indexed and displayed by Google, sellers also need to use Google Search Console, an official tool, to monitor website performance. Through this tool, sellers can understand the coverage, experience and enhanced functions of the website, and optimize accordingly. At the same time, Google Search Console also provides the “Index” option, which includes three sub-options: “Coverage”, “Site Map”, and “Delete”, which are used to view the status of web pages, submit site maps in XML format, and request removal of inappropriate content. The content you want to be indexed.
In short, whether you choose a flat or tree structure, or use specialized tools such as SEO Booster to optimize, the purpose is to enable the Shopify website to occupy a favorable position in search engine results and attract more potential customers to visit.