Customize SEO for Shopify Collections Page without Affecting Homepage

Are you struggling to customize the SEO elements of your Shopify collections page without affecting your homepage? You’re not alone. Many Shopify store owners face this challenge, especially when using themes like Dawn 2.0. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the process of changing the title and meta description for your main collections page while keeping your homepage intact.

Understanding the Challenge

The Importance of Unique SEO Elements

Having unique titles and meta descriptions for different pages on your Shopify store is crucial for SEO. It helps search engines understand the content of each page and can improve your visibility in search results.

The Collections Page Dilemma

The main collections page (typically found at yourdomain.com/collections) often shares SEO elements with the homepage by default. This can lead to missed opportunities for optimization and potentially confuse search engines about the specific content of your collections page.

Theme Limitations

Some Shopify themes, including the popular Dawn 2.0, don’t provide a straightforward way to customize the SEO elements of the collections page separately from the homepage. This is where custom code solutions come into play.

The Solution: Custom Liquid Code

Implementing the Code

The most effective way to change the title and meta description for your collections page is by adding custom Liquid code to your theme. Here’s the recommended solution:

1. Go to your Shopify admin panel and navigate to “Online Store” > “Themes”
2. Click “Actions” > “Edit code” for your current theme
3. Locate the theme.liquid file
4. Find the “ section of the file
5. Add the following code just before the closing “ tag:

{% if canonical_url == 'https://your-store-name.myshopify.com/collections' %}
  <title>Add your custom title here</title>
  <meta name="description" content="Add your custom meta description here">
{% else %}
  <title>
    {{ page_title }}
    {%- if current_tags %} – tagged "{{ current_tags | join: ', ' }}"{% endif -%}
    {%- if current_page != 1 %} – Page {{ current_page }}{% endif -%}
    {%- unless page_title contains shop.name %} – {{ shop.name }}{% endunless -%}
  </title>
  {% if page_description %}
    <meta name="description" content="{{ page_description | escape }}">
  {% endif %}
{% endif %}

Customizing the Code

Make sure to replace your-store-name in the URL with your actual Shopify store name. Also, update the custom title and meta description with your desired content.

Placement is Key

It’s crucial to place this code above the existing `tag in yourtheme.liquid` file. This ensures that your custom title and description will override the default ones for the collections page.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Duplicate Titles and Descriptions

If you notice duplicate titles and meta descriptions after implementing the code, it’s likely because the custom code is being added in addition to the existing SEO elements. To fix this:

1. Ensure the custom code is placed above the existing “ tag
2. Check for any other SEO-related liquid tags or apps that might be adding duplicate information

Code Not Working

If the code doesn’t seem to be working:

1. Double-check that you’ve replaced your-store-name with your actual store name
2. Verify that the code is placed in the correct location within the theme.liquid file
3. Clear your browser cache and refresh the page to see the changes

Advanced Customization

Targeting Specific Collection Pages

For more granular control, you can modify the code to target specific collection pages:

{% if template contains "collection" and collection.handle == "your-collection-handle" %}
  <title>Custom title for specific collection</title>
  <meta name="description" content="Custom description for specific collection">
{% endif %}

Dynamic Titles and Descriptions

To create dynamic titles and descriptions that change based on collection content:

{% if template contains "collection" %}
  <title>{{ collection.title }} - {{ shop.name }}</title>
  <meta name="description" content="Explore our {{ collection.title }} collection featuring {{ collection.products_count }} products.">
{% endif %}

Best Practices for SEO Optimization

Crafting Effective Titles

• Keep titles under 60 characters
• Include your main keyword
• Make it compelling and relevant to the collection

Writing Impactful Meta Descriptions

• Aim for 150-160 characters
• Summarize the collection’s content
• Include a call-to-action to encourage clicks

Regular Updates

Periodically review and update your titles and descriptions to keep them fresh and aligned with your current inventory and SEO strategy.

By following this guide, you should now be able to successfully change the title and meta description for your Shopify collections page without affecting your homepage. Remember to test your changes and monitor your search engine performance to ensure the best results for your online store.