Tired of
lengthy page building?
Try GemPages to create pages faster and smarter with AI-powered feature.
Back to Blog List
![GemPages]()
The Best Shopify Themes for SEO Success (2024)
Updated:
12
minutes read
The need to present your potential customers with a pristine website is important, but not everything. While having an appealing visual gives you tons of style points, catering to the search engines is the key to leveling up your eCommerce game. This is exactly why we have dedicated this blog post to aid you in finding the best Shopify themes for SEO that excel at site speed, layout, device compatibility, and more. Let’s see what they are all about.
Key SEO Features to Look for in a Shopify Theme
Before making yourself aware of which SEO features to lock your eyes on in a Shopify theme, let's circle back to the basics of what SEO is.
In layman’s terms, SEO, or search engine optimization is the process that website owners utilize to keep their sites ranking higher in search engine results. By following SEO guidelines, eCommerce sellers will be able to drive traffic to their stores and achieve higher conversion rates. In such a saturated scene, a solid knowledge of SEO is the secret to helping you stand out among the crowd.
That said, below is a handful of SEO features that one should search for while flipping through which Shopify theme to go with. Adding these to your checklist is a good practice while scouring for your next Shopify theme.
Fast Loading Speed
Search engines love eCommerce stores with lightning loading speed, as it is often seen as the first sign of a well-optimized website. When putting yourself in the shoes of the average online shopper, a mere 2-second delay is already seen as a red flag and a deciding factor for you to browse other stores. To nip it in the bud, a speed-focused theme will be your best buddy. To spot this feature, look for themes that promote speed boost, lazy loading, and overall media optimization. If you are not in need of a feature abundance, a minimalist theme usually performs more smoothly in regard to speed as well. Themes like Minimalista and Dawn are brilliant choices in this department.
User-Friendly Interface
Feature-rich themes are not everything if the interfaces are not user-friendly, so make sure to look for this component when going theme-hunting.
Customers are the backbone of your business, so the need to meet their standards is an ongoing journey. One of the first qualities that can make or break a user experience is the website interface, where sellers are met with a burning question: how to satisfy customers of all backgrounds with one singular store layout? The answer lies in the keyword ‘user-friendly’ - no matter if they are a first-timer or a regular shopper, it has to be effortless to navigate your website.
The telltale signs of an SEO-friendly theme are an intuitive navigation system, strategic CTA placements, breadcrumbs, an easy-to-read layout, and so on. If a visitor can complete their shopping journey easily without hiccups, bounce rates can be greatly minimized as a result. This gives search engines the green light to boost your site’s ranking higher.
More on this topic: eCommerce UI: Top Tips to Boost Your Conversion Rates
Cross-Device Compatibility
As more people start shopping on their mobile devices, cross-device compatibility is a surefire quality to look for in a Shopify theme.
As the mobile commerce scene is reported to reach a revenue of two trillion U.S. dollars by 2024, it comes with no doubt that shoppers are migrating to their portable devices to carry on their casual online shopping habits. This behavior shift calls for imminent actions from eCommerce merchants across all industries: buillding a digital storefront with top-notch cross-device compatibility. A theme that caters to this very purpose is understandably of much help. These themes often provide a mobile-first layout, thumb-friendly design, screen and button size adjustments, hidden menus, etc. to offer a visually pleasing as well as functional user experience. For maximum mobile adaptability, the Swipe theme from the Shopify Theme Store is a strong contender.
Image Optimization
Image optimization encompasses the ability to accelerate the load speed of the product and campaign images without sacrificing the quality. With an SEO-friendly Shopify theme, this feature comes alongside the ability to add custom captions and alt-texts - a great practice to let search engines index your images more accurately. By emphasizing the importance of image optimization, you will kill two birds with one stone, as your customers are presented with accessible product images and search engines are mindful of your store’s rankings.
Give your stunning product images the care they deserve with an image-focused theme like Icon.
Built-in SEO Features
Apart from the elements mentioned above, it is a positive sign when you come across themes that offer built-in, exclusive SEO features to take your website to the next level. Although these features often equate to a higher theme price tag, they are worth a try if your business requires a more extensive set of pre-existing components without the addition of a third-party app. Here are some points to keep an eye for if these types of Shopify themes are your jam:
- Auto-generated URLs
- Social media integration
- Built-in blogging functionality
- Meta titles and descriptions src
- Etc.
Not ready to commit but still want to kick the tires?
No problem! Get started with GemPages' free plan. Explore wonderful features that can amaze for your store.
Our Top Shopify Theme Picks to Maximize SEO
Warehouse
Get a clean and user-friendly look on your eCommerce website with the Warehouse theme from Shopify.
Price: $320 USD.
Our first pick is Warehouse - a Shopify theme designed for stores with large catalogs. Its industrial feel, along with clean navigation is perfect for electronics and hardware brands. SEO-wise, fast load time, advanced product filtering, and customizable layout are prominent features that merchants can benefit from.
Canopy
The Canopy theme highlights your campaigns and delivers an intuitive navigation system to ensure a complete sales funnel.
Price: $390 USD.
Canopy is a special treat for brands in the health, beauty, and wellness niches with an emphasis on aesthetics. It’s also made for SEO, where elements like mega menus, product quick view, and mobile responsiveness can be implemented seamlessly into your Shopify store. With an abundance of customization freedom, the price tag of this premium theme is fairly justified.
Expanse
Get your hands on the popular Expanse theme to up your SEO game for your brand.
Price: $380 USD.
If ‘chic’ and ‘contemporary’ are terms that capture your brand spirit, Expanse is your best bet. The theme reserves ample space to showcase visual elements that highlight your products, while still being fully functional with subtle details like product filtering and drop-down menus. With exclusive SEO optimization features, this theme flows effortlessly with large-scale brands in the fashion industry.
Turbo
Utilize the ample space provided by the Turbo theme to get your brand message across.
Price: $425 USD.
Turbo is all about speed and efficiency, that’s why it is crowned as a fan favorite among plenty of other Shopify themes. Its polished design is suitable for fitness brands that seek a no-bull approach, in harmony with many useful SEO features like high-speed performance, smart page preloading, clear CTA buttons, and more. By being a well-rounded theme, it’s understandable why many chose Turbo to lead their websites, despite the steep price tag.
Woodstock
Give your website a refreshing appearance while still being SEO-focused by adopting the Woodstock theme.
Price: $270 USD.
Woodstock stands out with its high-contrast design, where the dark palette is carried out throughout the whole page. Thus, tech and lifestyle brands are the number one users of this bold theme. Woodstock is also not short of helpful SEO features, including custom meta tags, a flexible product grid, and social media integration.
Your store could look like this!
Take your storefront to the next level with GemPages page builder. Free plan available. Upgrade as you scale.
How to Customize Your Shopify Theme for SEO
Shopify Theme Editor
Easily edit your theme from the Shopify admin, with built-in customization options that put you on top of the SEO game.
Whether you are a greenhorn or veteran Shopify merchant, it is as easy as pie to navigate the Shopify admin - your one-stop shop for all things related to your very own eCommerce store. To access the Shopify Theme Editor, follow the steps below:
- Log into your Shopify account
- In Shopify admin, click on Online Stores > Themes.
- When your current theme pops up on the screen, choose Customize.
- Start making adjustments as needed.
Shopify has made the theme editor tool as simple as possible, so if you are not tech-savvy - don’t sweat! Take the liberty to tweak the meta tags, change the font and color scheme, adjust menu navigation, etc. to create the best version of your website.
Shopify Liquid
Shopify Liquid is a template and programming language, created by the platform for a more intensive customization of the theme code. This option is understandably made for individuals with an existing knowledge of coding, so if it is well within your expertise, you are more than welcome to utilize this feature to its fullest. With Liquid, advanced customization like tailored SEO options for different pages is possible, further giving your website a seamless and professional look without crowding it with features galore.
Third-Party Apps
Third-party apps are the godsends in elevating your store’s performance with unique features and looks, with apps like GemPages standing at the forefront.
Third-party apps are a monumental part of Shopify, as they promote a multi-passage community between merchants, developers, and buyers. To help you ace your SEO goals, there are a sleuth of apps that perfectly complement your store, no matter which niche you are in. For direct SEO optimization, utilize apps like Booster SEO and SearchPie. For coding-free page builders that not only help you edit Shopify themes but also carry a variety of templates and themes on their own, opt for a foolproof choice like GemPages. The drag-and-drop tool is an excellent match to attain a unique store layout while still remaining functional.
Testing Tools
When all changes are applied, it is a good call to test and monitor your store performance before going public. This is when testing tools get to shine. Here are some amazing choices in terms of versatile site testing tools:
- Google PageSpeed Insights: test the load speed of your website while using different themes across all devices.
- Screaming Frog: a powerful tool to analyze your store’s performance via insightful data.
- GemX: a Shopify-compatible app that offers a complete assessment of multiple versions of your store to draw a definition conclusion.
More from GemPages: A Complete Guide to Shopify A/B Testing
Tips to Find the Best Shopify Theme for Your Store
Pick a Theme that Highlights Your Brand Identity
A crowd’s favorite is not always the most suitable choice for your business, since the utmost quality of a theme that you should pay attention to is how it showcases your brand identity. What is your brand story? What type of audience do you want to appeal to? These questions are vital in deciding which theme will benefit you the most. Take layout, color combinations, font, and overall appearance into consideration before making a purchase. Additionally, checking out the competitors first will grant you valuable information about what a typical storefront within your niche should look like. All these measures are critical in making the best decisions moving forward.
Pay Attention to the Reviews
The reviews are the MVP in online shopping, including theme hunting for sellers. Keep both positive and negative reviews in your evaluation of the theme’s look, performance, compatibility, quality, and support. Whichever facets you want to focus on need extra attention as well. Moreover, customer reviews come from users who have had tried-and-true experiences with the developers firsthand, so they will paint a real picture of their customer support - an imperative detail to ensure a long-term commitment.
Don’t Get Swayed by the Pricings
This tip goes both ways: do not underestimate free/cheap themes, but also do not shy away from high-cost themes.
The price tags are there for a reason, but as sellers, it is crucial to weigh out the value a theme can bring upon you instead of getting hung up on costs. If you are operating on a tight budget, going with a free theme at first is a smart move. As your store grows, begin looking for a new one that offers more room for customization and flexibility. This could mean a nifty $80 theme from the Shopify Theme Store, or a premium $360 one. Whichever option you decide to go with, make sure it is based on value first, and pricing second.
Key Takeaways
Now that we are all on the same page about what a top-tier Shopify theme can do for your store’s SEO performance, the power is now in your hands to pick the one that will make your business prosper. Leaf through the diverse options in the Shopify Theme Store, and if it still leaves you wanting more, try your hands at GemPages - a landing page builder made specifically for Shopify merchants with hundreds of templates for all your customization desires.
Selling on Shopify for only $1
Start with 3-day free trial and next 3 months for just $1.
FAQ about Best Shopify Themes for SEO
What makes a Shopify theme SEO-friendly?
An SEO-friendly Shopify theme is detected through a set of key features including fast loading speed, user-first interface, mobile compatibility, image optimization options, and more. These features are created to prioritize site visibility and user experience, which are the top criteria to target when it comes to managing an eCommerce store.
Do free Shopify themes perform well?
Yes, free Shopify themes can perform well, especially for newly launched stores that are looking for a surefire solution without breaking the bank. They are equipped with SEO-centric features such as mobile responsiveness and user-friendly layouts. That said, depending on one’s needs, the free themes might stand pale in comparison with the premium ones. As your business progresses, it is advised to upgrade to more advanced themes to obtain more flexibility.
Are SEO apps necessary for my Shopify store?
When you are a part of the Shopify ecosystem, the odds are in your favor, as the host platform comes with a plethora of built-in SEO features to get your store up and running. However, to make the most out of your business venture, SEO apps are a valuable addition. They are able to help your store with advanced site speed enhancement, exclusive customer insights, keyword optimization, and the like. Better yet, these apps are widely available for all Shopify businesses right on the Shopify App Store.
