Shopify Plus Crawling Issues: Fix Guide

1. Common Problems:

   • Duplicate content from filter pages and faceted navigation.
   • Dynamic URLs wasting crawl budget.
   • JavaScript blocking search engines from indexing product grids.

2. SEO Impact:

   • Poor indexing reduces search visibility.
   • Duplicate pages dilute ranking signals.
   • Unoptimized crawling affects organic traffic and conversions.

3. Solutions:

   • Use canonical tags and noindex directives to manage duplicate URLs.
   • Optimize robots.txt to block unnecessary pages.
   • Avoid relying heavily on JavaScript for essential content.

4. Advanced Tips:

   • Create custom XML sitemaps for better crawling efficiency.
   • Use hreflang tags for multiple storefronts to avoid duplicate content.
   • Redirect secondary domains to consolidate SEO value.

Get Your Content Discovered: Fix Google Indexing Issues

Frequent Crawling Problems in Shopify Plus

Shopify Plus stores often encounter crawling issues that can impact search visibility and overall performance. Below, we break down some common challenges faced by these enterprise-level stores.

Problems with Filter Pages and Dynamic URLs

Filter pages in Shopify Plus generate dynamic URLs by appending parameters to collection URLs. This can lead to indexing problems and negatively affect search performance. Here's how:

Filtered URL	Problem
/collections/coats-jackets/leather	Results in duplicate content
/collections/coats-jackets?color=black	Consumes crawl budget unnecessarily
/collections/coats-jackets/leather?size=large	Weakens ranking signals

To address these issues, managing these URL variations through robots.txt settings and implementing canonical tags is crucial. We'll cover this in more detail later.

JavaScript Blocking Crawling in Product Grids

JavaScript-heavy product grids can limit search engine crawlers' ability to index content. While search engines have improved at rendering JavaScript, relying on it for core content is still risky ^[1].

"Google (and some of the other search engines) are now a lot better at crawling JS-based content now, but I'd still say that the majority of technical SEOs would still not be comfortable relying on these search engines crawling a product grid that is being pulled in via JS." – Paul Rogers ^[3]

A better alternative is using tools like BoostCommerce. This solution retains Shopify's native grid structure while integrating AJAX for filtering, making essential content accessible to crawlers without losing dynamic functionality ^[3].

Duplicate Content from Faceted Navigation

Faceted navigation often produces multiple URL combinations that can overwhelm search engine crawlers. For example:

• domain.com/collections/shoes?color=black&size=10
• domain.com/collections/shoes?material=leather&color=black

These variations show similar content, which wastes crawl budget, weakens ranking signals, and confuses search engines trying to identify the main version ^[1][2]. To manage this effectively, apply noindex directives at the template level and use canonical tags ^[3].

Recognizing these challenges is the first step toward resolving them. We'll dive into specific solutions in the next section.

Fixing Shopify Plus Crawling Problems

Fixing Filter Page Issues

To handle filter page challenges, use canonical tags in collection-template.liquid to direct filtered URLs (like /collections/shoes?color=black) back to the main collection page (e.g., /collections/shoes). Add meta robots directives in theme.liquid to manage indexing, and adjust URL structures in collection-filtering.liquid to limit variations caused by filtering parameters. These steps retain SEO value while keeping filtering functional for users.

Once filter pages are sorted, the next focus should be refining crawling controls through robots.txt settings.

Updating Robots.txt Settings

Shopify's default robots.txt file comes with preset rules, but you can enhance crawling control with additional measures:

• Template-Level Adjustments: Add noindex directives to filter templates.
• Custom Rules: Use third-party apps like Transportr to implement tailored rules.
• Performance Monitoring: Track changes using Google Search Console.

After updating robots.txt, tackle duplicate product pages to maintain SEO performance.

Resolving Duplicate Product Pages

Duplicate product pages often result from inconsistent URLs in search results or navigation. Fix this by editing your Liquid templates to ensure uniform URL structures across your store.

Issue	Solution	Impact
Multiple Product URLs	Edit product-grid-item.liquid	Removes duplicate content
Search Result Pages	Add noindex tags	Conserves crawl budget
Category Duplicates	Use canonical references	Combines ranking signals

Tools like BoostCommerce can help create SEO-friendly product grids while supporting dynamic filtering. Regularly monitor through Google Search Console to ensure these fixes balance user experience with SEO goals.

sbb-itb-6dc743d

Advanced Crawling Optimization Tips

Using Custom XML Sitemaps

If you run a Shopify Plus store with a large catalog, managing crawling efficiently goes beyond tweaking your robots.txt file. Custom XML sitemaps are a powerful tool to guide search engine crawlers to your most important pages.

Leverage tools like Screaming Frog or XML-Sitemaps.com to create tailored sitemaps. Focus on including top-priority pages like key products, collections, and landing pages. Exclude filtered or duplicate URLs to avoid wasting crawl budget. Once your sitemap is ready, submit it to Google Search Console for tracking and updates.

Managing Crawling for Multiple Storefronts

When operating multiple storefronts, proper use of hreflang tags is essential. These tags help search engines understand which pages to show for specific regions and languages, preventing duplicate content issues.

Implementation Type	Purpose
Hreflang Tags & Regional URLs	Ensures correct regional pages are indexed
Content Variations	Targets specific audiences in different areas

Add hreflang tags to your HTML header to define the language and region for each storefront, helping search engines prioritize the right pages for the right audience.

Redirecting Secondary Domains

In Shopify's Domains settings, redirect secondary domains to your primary domain. This consolidation ensures search engines focus their crawl budget on one domain, improving your site's overall SEO performance.

"Localized pages with similar content can confuse search engines, leading to indexing issues."

Use Google Search Console to monitor these redirects and confirm they work as intended. Regular checks help prevent crawling errors and keep your site’s structure clear for search engines.

These strategies enhance your site's crawling efficiency. For a smooth setup, consider working with Shopify Plus professionals who specialize in these optimizations.

Working with Shopify Plus Experts

Tackling crawling issues in Shopify Plus stores often requires specialized knowledge. With large inventories and complex navigation, these stores face unique challenges, particularly with JavaScript and indexing ^[1].

Key areas like technical SEO, custom theme development, and faceted navigation optimization play a major role in addressing problems such as duplicate content, JavaScript issues, and crawl budget inefficiencies. Experts can refine faceted navigation to eliminate unnecessary pages and improve crawl efficiency.

Expertise Area	Impact on Crawling Issues
Technical SEO	Fixes duplicate content and JavaScript blocking
Custom Theme Development	Ensures accurate product grid rendering and URL structure
Faceted Navigation	Reduces duplicate pages and optimizes crawl budgets

Agencies like Codersy focus on solving Shopify Plus crawling challenges through tailored technical SEO approaches. They offer services such as:

• Fixing JavaScript blocks in product grids and optimizing canonical tags
• Ensuring category pages connect properly to product URLs by refining product-grid-item.liquid files ^[4]
• Applying advanced crawling strategies while maintaining fast page load speeds

These targeted solutions help resolve JavaScript issues, streamline URL structures, and address duplicate content, ensuring smoother crawling for Shopify Plus stores.

Summary and Next Steps

Addressing Shopify Plus crawling issues is crucial for improving both SEO performance and user experience. Here's a quick breakdown of the main challenges and their fixes:

Challenge	Impact	Solution
JavaScript Blocking	Products not indexed	Use Shopify's native product grids
Filter Pages	Creates duplicate content	Modify product-grid-item.liquid
Faceted Navigation	Wastes crawl budget	Apply noindex tags strategically

Action Plan

Start by auditing your Shopify Plus setup. Focus on optimizing templates and refining navigation to tackle crawling problems effectively. Then improve Shopify's default robots.txt file and sitemaps: highlight essential pages and exclude duplicates to maximize crawl budget.

Success Metrics

Track your progress using Google Search Console. Monitor:

• Fewer crawl errors
• Better indexing rates
• Efficient crawl budget usage
• Increased organic search visibility

Optimization Tips

• Create custom XML sitemaps that prioritize important pages.
• Set up accurate hreflang tags for multilingual storefronts.
• Regularly check redirect performance to avoid issues.

Consistent monitoring is key to maintaining crawl efficiency. For complex setups, consult Shopify Plus technical SEO experts.

FAQs

How do I set up robots.txt in Shopify?

To control how search engines crawl your Shopify store, customize your robots.txt:

• Go to Settings > Apps and sales channels > Online Store, then open Themes.
• Click the three-dot menu (...).
• Select Add a new template and choose robots.
• Click Create template.

What leads to duplicate content in faceted navigation?

Faceted navigation often creates multiple URLs for the same content, diluting SEO and confusing search engines ^[1].

How can I improve crawling for multiple storefronts?

Key actions:

Action	Purpose	Implementation
Custom XML Sitemaps	Highlight key pages	Upload separate sitemaps
Include/Exclude Rules	Manage crawl scope	Define rules per storefront
Domain Management	Avoid duplicates	Redirect secondary domains

What’s the best way to deal with JavaScript blocking?

Use Shopify’s native product grids to expose essential content without heavy JavaScript reliance ^[1].

How do I avoid wasting crawl budget?

To maximize crawl budget:

• Apply noindex to duplicate or low-value pages.
• Eliminate redundant URL parameters.
• Use canonical tags to point to primary pages ^[4].