How to Manage and Optimize Dynamic URLs in Shopify

Dynamic URLs in Shopify pose challenges such as duplicate content, diluted link equity, and user confusion, making them a critical issue for SEO and usability. These URLs often include query parameters (e.g., ?variant=1234), which can lead to duplicate content, dilute link equity, and create confusion for users and search engines alike. In this blog post, we will explore everything you need to know about managing and optimizing dynamic URLs in Shopify to ensure your store runs smoothly and ranks well in search results.

What Are Dynamic URLs?

Dynamic URLs are web addresses that are generated dynamically and often include query parameters, session IDs, or tracking codes. For instance, when a user selects a specific product variant (e.g., size or color) in a Shopify store, the URL might update to reflect the variant, such as https://example.com/product?variant=1234. This helps track the variant selected but can lead to the creation of multiple URLs for the same product page. For example:

• Static URL: https://example.com/product-name
• Dynamic URL: https://example.com/product-name?variant=1234

While dynamic URLs can be useful for tracking or variant-specific pages, they often cause issues when they are not managed properly.

Why Are Dynamic URLs Problematic?

• Duplicate Content: Search engines may see dynamic URLs as separate pages, even if they display the same content.
• Dilution of Link Equity: If multiple URLs point to the same content, the SEO value of backlinks can be diluted.
• Confusion for Users: Dynamic URLs are often long and less user-friendly compared to static URLs.

Common Causes of Dynamic URLs in Shopify

In Shopify, dynamic URLs are primarily generated due to the following reasons:

1. Product Variants: Each product variant (e.g., size, color) generates a dynamic URL with query parameters like ?variant=1234.
2. Tracking Parameters: URLs may include tracking codes added by marketing campaigns or analytics tools.
3. Filters and Sorting: Collection pages with filters or sorting options can generate dynamic URLs, such as https://example.com/collection?sort_by=price-ascending.
4. Third-Party Apps: Apps integrated with your Shopify store may create dynamic URLs for their functionality.

How to Fix and Optimize Dynamic URLs in Shopify

Here are actionable strategies to address dynamic URL issues in Shopify:

1. Use Canonical Tags

Shopify automatically applies canonical tags to pages, which inform search engines about the preferred version of a URL. These tags are critical for SEO because they prevent duplicate content issues by consolidating multiple dynamic URLs into a single, authoritative URL, ensuring that search engines correctly attribute rankings and link equity to the right page. For example, if a product page has multiple dynamic URLs, the canonical tag will point to the main static URL.

Steps to Verify Canonical Tags:

1. Open your Shopify store in a browser.
2. Inspect the page source (right-click > View Page Source).
3. Look for the <link rel=”canonical”> tag.
4. Ensure it points to the static version of the URL (e.g., https://example.com/product-name).

Pro Tip: If canonical tags are missing or incorrect, you can customize them by editing your theme’s code (theme.liquid or product.liquid).

2. Redirect Dynamic URLs to Static URLs

Use Shopify’s built-in URL redirect feature to consolidate dynamic URLs and direct traffic to the preferred static URL. For example, if a customer accesses a product page using a URL like /product?variant=1234, you can redirect it to /product, ensuring that search engines index only the static version. This improves SEO by consolidating link equity and enhances user experience by providing cleaner, more memorable URLs.

Steps to Create a URL Redirect:

1. Go to Shopify Admin > Online Store > Navigation > URL Redirects.
2. Click “Create URL Redirect.”
3. Enter the dynamic URL in the “Redirect from” field (e.g., /product?variant=1234).
4. Enter the static URL in the “Redirect to” field (e.g., /product).
5. Save the redirect.

This ensures users and search engines are always directed to the correct version of your page.

3. Manage URL Parameters in Google Search Console

If your store has many dynamic URLs with query parameters, you can use Google Search Console to control how these parameters are handled.

Steps to Manage URL Parameters:

1. Open Google Search Console.
2. Navigate to Settings > Crawl Settings > URL Parameters.
3. Specify how Google should handle specific parameters, such as ignoring them or consolidating them with the main page.

4. Optimize Internal Linking

Ensure all internal links on your site point to the static version of your URLs. For example, use /product-name instead of /product-name?variant=1234 in:

• Navigation menus
• Collection pages
• Blog posts
• Footer links

How to Check and Update Links:

1. Crawl your site using tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs.
2. Identify links pointing to dynamic URLs.
3. Update these links to the preferred static version.

5. Customize Themes to Avoid Query Parameters

Dynamic URLs often result from product variant selection. You can modify your Shopify theme to avoid appending query parameters to URLs.

Steps to Customize Your Theme:

1. Go to Online Store > Themes > Edit Code.
2. Edit the product.liquid or product-template.liquid file.
3. Use JavaScript or Liquid to dynamically load variant data without changing the URL.
4. Test the functionality to ensure the user experience is not affected.

This method ensures that users stay on the static product page, even when selecting different variants.

6. Leverage Robots.txt for Unwanted Dynamic URLs

Shopify allows customization of the robots.txt file for Shopify Plus users. You can disallow search engines from crawling unnecessary dynamic URLs.

Example Rule:

User-agent: *

Disallow: /*?variant=

This prevents search engines from indexing URLs with ?variant= parameters, focusing their attention on static URLs instead.

7. Audit Your Sitemap

Shopify automatically generates a sitemap that includes the preferred URLs for your store. To verify that the sitemap has been updated correctly after making changes, navigate to https://yourstore.com/sitemap.xml and ensure the URLs listed reflect the adjustments you’ve made. Additionally, resubmit the sitemap in Google Search Console to help search engines index the updated URLs efficiently. Ensure your sitemap does not include dynamic URLs by:

1. Navigating to https://yourstore.com/sitemap.xml.
2. Reviewing the sitemap for unwanted dynamic URLs.
3. Submitting the sitemap to Google Search Console for better indexing.

8. Use Third-Party Apps for URL Management

Shopify’s App Store offers tools to help manage and optimize URLs. Examples include:

• SEO Manager: Simplifies URL and SEO settings.
• Smart SEO: Automates canonical tags and other optimizations.

These apps can provide additional features for managing dynamic URLs efficiently.

9. Monitor and Test Regularly

After implementing fixes, continuously monitor your site for issues:

• Use Google Search Console to identify crawl errors or duplicate content.
• Run regular site audits with tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Screaming Frog.
• Check your analytics to ensure traffic is directed to static URLs.

Key Takeaways

While Shopify’s platform doesn’t allow direct rewriting of dynamic URLs, there are multiple strategies to manage and optimize them:

• Use canonical tags to guide search engines to the preferred version of your URLs.
• Redirect dynamic URLs to static URLs using Shopify’s built-in tools.
• Manage URL parameters effectively in Google Search Console.
• Customize your theme and optimize internal links for static URLs.
• Block unwanted dynamic URLs from being indexed using robots.txt.

By taking these steps, you can reduce the impact of dynamic URLs on your SEO and improve the overall user experience for your Shopify store.

Optimizing dynamic URLs is an ongoing process, but it’s essential for the success of your online store. If you’re unsure where to start, consider consulting an SEO expert or a Shopify developer for personalized advice