How to Fix Duplicate SEO Title Tags in Your Shopify Store

Understanding the Issue

What are Duplicate SEO Title Tags?

Duplicate SEO title tags occur when multiple pages on a website have identical or very similar title tags. This can confuse search engines and potentially harm your site’s SEO performance. In Shopify, this issue often manifests as two identical title tags appearing in the HTML of a page, with one possibly including additional text like the store name.

Why Duplicate Tags are Problematic

Search engines use title tags as a key indicator of a page’s content. When multiple pages have the same title, it becomes difficult for search engines to determine which page is most relevant for a given search query. This can lead to lower rankings and reduced organic traffic.

Common Causes in Shopify

In Shopify stores, duplicate title tags often stem from conflicts between the default theme settings and third-party SEO apps. Sometimes, the theme and an app might both be generating title tags, resulting in duplication.

Identifying the Problem

Using SEO Tools

Many Shopify store owners use SEO apps like SEO Now to identify issues on their websites. These tools can quickly highlight duplicate title tags across your site, making it easier to spot and address the problem.

Manually Checking Source Code

For a more hands-on approach, you can view the source code of your pages. Look for the section and check if there are multiple tags present. This method can help you pinpoint exactly where the duplication is occurring.

Understanding the Pattern

Often, the duplicate tags will be identical except for additional text at the end, such as your store name. For example, you might see:

<title>Product Name | Your Store</title>
<title>Product Name | Your Store - Store Name</title>

Fixing Duplicate Title Tags

Remove Conflicting Apps

The most likely solution to this issue is to remove any SEO apps that might be causing conflicts with your theme’s built-in SEO features. After removing the app, check your pages again to see if the duplicate tags have been resolved.

Edit Theme Files

If removing apps doesn’t solve the issue, you may need to edit your theme files. The most common place to look is the theme.liquid file. Here’s what you can do:

1. Go to your Shopify admin panel
2. Navigate to Online Store > Themes
3. Click “Actions” on your current theme and select “Edit code”
4. Look for the theme.liquid file
5. In the “ section, find the code that generates the title tag
6. Ensure there’s only one instance of title tag generation

Use Shopify’s Built-in SEO Fields

Shopify provides built-in SEO fields for products, collections, and pages. Using these can help ensure that you’re not inadvertently creating duplicate tags. To access these:

1. Go to the product, collection, or page you want to edit
2. Scroll down to the “Search engine listing preview” section
3. Click “Edit website SEO”
4. Enter your desired title in the “Page title” field

Best Practices for SEO Titles in Shopify

Keep Titles Concise and Descriptive

Aim for titles that are 50-60 characters long. They should accurately describe the page content while including relevant keywords.

Use a Consistent Format

Develop a consistent format for your titles across your site. For example:

Primary Keyword - Secondary Keyword | Brand Name

Avoid Keyword Stuffing

While it’s important to include relevant keywords, don’t overdo it. Focus on creating titles that are readable and appealing to humans, not just search engines.

Monitoring and Maintaining SEO Health

Regular SEO Audits

Conduct regular SEO audits of your Shopify store to catch issues like duplicate title tags early. You can use Shopify apps or external SEO tools for this purpose.

Stay Updated on Shopify SEO Best Practices

Shopify regularly updates its platform and SEO capabilities. Stay informed about these changes by following the Shopify blog and developer documentation.

Consider Professional Help

If you’re struggling with SEO issues or want to optimize your store further, consider hiring a Shopify SEO expert. They can provide tailored advice and implement advanced SEO strategies for your store.

By following these steps and best practices, you can effectively address the issue of duplicate SEO title tags in your Shopify store, improving your site’s SEO performance and potentially boosting your organic search visibility.