How Shopify Stores Rank High With Fewer Backlinks?

Why Are Backlinks No Longer Everything?

Backlinks were once the gold standard of SEO. While they still matter, their influence has diminished as Google’s algorithm has evolved. Today, technical SEO, page speed, mobile experience, and structured data play an equally if not more important role in rankings.

Search engines aim to show users content that loads quickly, displays well on mobile, is easy to navigate, and offers a strong user experience. If your website gets these elements right, it can still outrank competitors with more backlinks.

The Modern SEO Equation

SEO is no longer just about how many backlinks you have. Google now considers several key factors when ranking websites, and many of them are technical or experience-based. Here’s what matters in 2025 and beyond:

• Page Speed: Slow-loading websites not only frustrate users but also miss out on ranking opportunities. Google prioritises fast sites in its results, so it’s worth taking the time to improve page speed to stay competitive.
• Mobile Usability: Over 60% of all traffic is mobile. If your site isn’t mobile-optimised, it’s not going to rank well.
• Structured Content: Search engines love organised, easy-to-read content with headings, internal links, and schema markup.
• User Experience (UX): Sites that offer a smooth, intuitive experience tend to keep visitors engaged longer and reduce bounce rates both of which are positive signals for SEO. Prioritising strong mobile UX design is especially important, as it directly impacts how users interact with your site on smaller screens.
• Core Web Vitals: Google now considers technical performance metrics like loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability as part of its ranking algorithm. Following the latest core web vitals recommendations can help ensure your site meets these performance standards and stays competitive in search results.

Shopify addresses many of these ranking factors by default, giving its users a powerful head start without needing deep technical knowledge or expensive SEO tools.

Shopify’s Built-In SEO Strengths

Shopify was designed with non-technical users in mind, but it doesn’t compromise on performance. Here’s how the platform gives your site an SEO edge:

• Clean URL Structure: Shopify automatically creates SEO-friendly URLs, making it easier for search engines to understand your site.
• Mobile-Responsive Themes: All Shopify themes are mobile-optimised by default, which directly helps with Google’s mobile-first indexing.
• Fast Hosting & CDN: Shopify includes secure, high-speed hosting with built-in CDN support, helping your site load quickly anywhere in the world.
• Automatic XML Sitemap: Shopify generates and updates your sitemap automatically, so Google can always find your latest content.
• Meta Tag Management: Users can easily customise page titles, meta descriptions, and alt text for images essential elements for on-page SEO.
• Structured Data Support: Shopify themes often come with schema markup, which can improve how your listings appear in search results (e.g., rich snippets).

These features reduce the need for complex setups or third-party plugins, allowing store owners to focus more on products and content while still staying competitive in search. If you’re looking to make the most of these built-in advantages, exploring proven shopify seo strategies can help you optimise your store further and boost your online visibility.

Real Case Studies: Blakely & Westwing

1. Blakely: Boosting Conversion and Global Sales

Blakely, a UK-based fashion and lifestyle brand, migrated to Shopify to address site reliability issues. Read the full Shopify case study on Blakely to learn how they boosted conversion rates and site performance. After the migration, they achieved an 85% increase in conversion rate, a 44% increase in year-on-year site traffic, and a 13% increase in average order value. The improved technical performance and faster site speed contributed directly to stronger SEO metrics.

2. Westwing: Seamless Global Expansion with SEO in Mind

Westwing, a premium European home and living brand, chose Shopify to enable faster international rollouts while preserving its existing SEO value. Explore the full Westwing Shopify case study to see how they expanded globally without compromising search visibility.

Common SEO Challenges Shopify Solves

Many eCommerce platforms require heavy lifting when it comes to SEO. Shopify solves several common pain points right out of the box:

• Slow Site Speed: Shopify’s cloud infrastructure and CDN ensure your site loads fast, a must-have for rankings and conversions.
• Technical SEO Gaps: Unlike some platforms that require custom coding or extra plugins, Shopify provides SEO basics like sitemaps, robots.txt, and clean URLs by default.
• Mobile Unfriendliness: No need to build a separate mobile version Shopify themes are responsive and optimised across all devices.
• SEO Knowledge Barrier: With Shopify, you don’t need to be an SEO expert. The backend is beginner-friendly and guides you through best practices.
• Maintenance Overload: Shopify handles security, speed, and hosting. You don’t need to worry about regular technical updates that could affect your SEO.

By solving these issues from the start, Shopify lets store owners focus on creating great content, managing products, and serving customers instead of fixing technical SEO problems.

Actionable SEO Tips for Shopify Users

• Optimised Site Architecture
  Shopify enforces a clean and consistent URL structure, making it easier for search engines to crawl and index pages. The platform automatically generates XML sitemaps and allows for straightforward navigation, enhancing overall SEO performance.
• Mobile Responsiveness and Speed
  All Shopify themes are mobile-responsive by default, catering to the increasing number of users accessing websites via mobile devices. Additionally, Shopify’s hosting infrastructure is optimised for speed, a critical ranking factor in Google’s algorithm.
• Built-In SEO Features
  Shopify provides built-in tools for editing meta titles, descriptions, and alt text, allowing store owners to optimise their content without needing extensive technical knowledge. These features simplify the SEO process and ensure that essential elements are not overlooked.
• Structured Data Implementation
  The platform supports structured data (schema markup), which helps search engines better understand the content on your site. This can lead to enhanced search result listings, such as rich snippets, increasing click-through rates.
• Robust App Ecosystem
  Shopify’s extensive app store offers numerous SEO-focused applications, enabling store owners to further enhance their SEO strategies with tools for keyword optimisation, backlink tracking, and more.
• Optimise Your Product Pages
  Write clear, keyword-rich product titles and descriptions. Use headings (H1, H2) naturally and include relevant phrases that shoppers are searching for.
• Add Alt Text to All Images
  Google can’t “see” images, but it reads alt text. Describe each image accurately this helps with SEO and improves accessibility.
• Create SEO-Friendly Collections
  Use collection pages to group related products, and optimise them with descriptive titles, meta descriptions, and relevant keywords.
• Improve Site Navigation
  Make sure your menus are simple and intuitive. Good navigation helps both users and search engines discover more of your site.
• Use Internal Links
  Link to other relevant pages within your product descriptions or blogs. This spreads SEO value across your site and helps users find what they’re looking for.
• Install an SEO App (If Needed)
  Shopify’s App Store offers helpful tools like “Plug In SEO” or “Smart SEO” to monitor and improve your SEO performance.
• Focus on Speed
  Avoid heavy themes and large, uncompressed images. A fast site boosts both SEO and user satisfaction.
• Blog Regularly
  Publishing helpful content around your niche can attract backlinks naturally and improve your ranking for long-tail keywords.

Final Thoughts

Shopify’s technical foundation gives it a strong SEO advantage in 2025. Even without an aggressive backlink profile, many Shopify stores rank well thanks to speed, mobile design, and search-friendly structure.

If you’re struggling with ranking despite building links, it may be time to re-evaluate your platform. At Verz Design, we build SEO-optimised Shopify stores that not only look great but are also primed for Google rankings. Contact us to explore how we can help grow your online visibility.