If your Shopify product pages aren’t getting the traffic they deserve, your product titles might be part of the problem. A well-optimized title isn’t just a label; it’s one of the most important elements of Shopify SEO. In this guide, we’ll break down what Shopify product title SEO really means, why it matters, and how to get it right. 

In this article, LitOS will cover:

• The difference between a product name and an SEO title tag
• Actionable tips based on proven Shopify SEO product title best practices
• Real examples of good (and bad) titles

These insights will help you craft SEO-friendly product titles that improve search visibility, boost click-through rates, and ultimately drive more sales.

Let’s get started with what a Shopify SEO product title really is and why it matters.

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What Is a Shopify Product SEO Title?

Definition and purpose of Shopify product SEO title

A Shopify product SEO title is the meta title that appears in search engine results when someone searches for your product. It’s one of the most important on-page SEO elements for Shopify, helping search engines understand what the page is about while also attracting clicks from potential buyers.

In Shopify, this field is editable under the Search engine listing preview section of each product page. While your product name serves as the title on your storefront (and becomes the H1), the SEO title can be customized to target specific keywords, highlight features, and improve visibility on Google and other search engines.

A strong SEO title improves:

• Search engine rankings
• Click-through rates (CTR)
• Relevance in Shopify tags for SEO and filters
• Overall performance of your Shopify SEO efforts

SEO title vs product title vs product name

Term	Where it appears	Can you edit it?	SEO impact
Product name	Shopify Admin → Product editor	Yes	Moderate (becomes H1)
Product title (H1)	On the product page (front-end)	No (auto-generated from name)	High
SEO title tag	In Google SERPs	Yes (in “Search engine listing preview”)	Very high

Key differences:

• The product name is the name you enter when creating a product.
• The H1 title is automatically pulled from the product name and is visible on the product page.
• The SEO title tag is what search engines, such as Google, display; it can (and should) be customized for keyword optimization and conversion.

For example, if you have a product named ‘Organic Cotton T-Shirt’, then:

• Product name: Organic Cotton T-Shirt
• SEO title tag: Organic Cotton T-Shirt – Black, Size M | [Your Brand]

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Why Shopify Product Title SEO Matters

Titles impact search rankings and visibility

Your Shopify product SEO title is a key ranking signal used by Google and other search engines to understand your page content. When optimized correctly, it helps your product appear in the right search results for the right queries.

But here’s the nuance: what you write isn’t always what Google shows.

In 2023, Google updated its search documentation, adding og:title meta tags as a potential source for the title link shown in search results. That brings the total to nine possible sources Google may pull from for your search listing’s title link:

• <title> element
• Main visual title on the page
• <h1> or other heading tags
• og:title meta tag
• And more.

This means that even if you optimize your SEO title tag in Shopify, Google may override it with what it deems more relevant or consistent with user expectations.

For Shopify merchants, the takeaway is to align your product name, page H1, SEO title tag, and (if applicable) og:title to improve consistency and increase the chances Google displays your preferred version.

Titles influence click-through rate (CTR)

Even if you rank well, a weak or confusing title won’t earn the click. That’s why Shopify product title SEO isn’t just about keyword matching but about communicating value clearly to potential buyers.

Your SEO title should:

• Include key product details (size, color, model, etc.)
• Be easy to scan quickly
• Differentiate your listing from others in the same SERP

Here’s a best Shopify product title SEO example:

“Women’s Waterproof Hiking Boots – Brown, Size 8 | Free Returns”

This kind of title shows up cleanly on Google, improves CTR, and aligns with shopper expectations across platforms, especially when also reflected in your og:title and H1.

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How to Improve Shopify Product Titles for SEO

Optimizing your Shopify SEO product titles is one of the fastest ways to boost your product pages’ visibility and click-through rate. And the good news is, you don’t need to be an SEO expert to get it right.

Below are nine proven best practices to help you write high-converting, keyword-rich product titles that perform well across Google, Shopify search, and social platforms.

1. Keep titles under 60 characters

When it comes to product titles, shorter is smarter, especially for SEO. Google typically displays only the first 50-60 characters of your title tag in search results. Mobile search results often display fewer characters than desktop. To stay safe and avoid truncation, aim for under 60 characters total.

The example above from Lucky Brand shows a clean, concise title that includes relevant keywords (such as “jeans” and “denim”) while staying within the display limit, making it both skimmable and informative.

You should avoid this:

“Lucky Brand Mid-Rise Men’s Blue Denim Slim Fit Signature Jeans – Sizes 28-42” (90+ characters, gets cut off and loses clarity)

For the length preview, you can use the “Search engine listing preview” in Shopify to see how your title might look in search results before you hit publish.

For technical SEO approach, in Shopify, your product title in the admin is separate from the HTML tag. You should check your theme or use an SEO app to make sure the HTML title tag matches your optimized title so search engines can index it correctly.

2. Use relevant, descriptive keywords naturally

Your product title is a signal to search engines and shoppers about what you’re selling. The best-performing Shopify SEO product titles start with a clear, relevant keyword and naturally describe the product’s core features.

That means no vague labels like “Nice Shirt” or “Cool Bag.” You want your title to match what your customers are actually searching for like product type, use case, material, and style.

The Windsor example above uses “Women’s Jeans” as the lead keyword, followed by descriptive variants like “Cropped, High Waisted, Skinny & Flare.” It’s clear, relevant, and matches what shoppers are likely searching for.

You should avoid this:

“Women’s Jeans Denim Slim Fit Cotton Denim Jeans Blue” (overloaded, repetitive, and awkward to read)

You can use tools like Google Keyword Planner, Shopify’s search bar, or your own store’s search analytics to find keyword phrases your audience already uses. Then build your titles around that but just one keyword is enough.

3. Add variant details when it matters

When shoppers are scanning search results, they often know exactly what they want, whether it’s a 32oz bottle, size M, or a specific color or model. Including these variant details in your product title helps your listing feel more relevant and instantly clickable.

Judy Blue does this well with a title that highlights “Size Inclusive Women’s Jeans.” It immediately communicates a key attribute buyers care about (inclusive sizing), helping it appear in relevant long-tail queries like “plus size women’s jeans” or “curve jeans.”

Here are some useful variant details to include:

• Size: S, M, L, XL or 8oz, 32oz, etc.
• Color: Black, Rose Gold, Navy
• Material: Leather, Bamboo, Stainless Steel
• Model/version: Gen 3, Series 7, 2025 Edition

Pro tips:

Even the most optimized Shopify product title can work harder for you when paired with structured data (schema markup). Shopify themes and apps can add Product schema to your pages, helping search engines understand your product name, price, availability, and reviews.

This can lead to enhanced search results (rich snippets) where your product title appears alongside star ratings, prices, and stock status, making it more clickable without changing the title itself.
Shopify already includes basic schema in most themes, but you can customize it for more detail or check it with Google’s Rich Results Test.

4. Include your brand name (only when it helps)

One of Shopify’s best SEO product title practices is to mention your brand name in the SEO title. It can build trust and drive clicks but only if it actually adds value.

If people already recognize or search for your brand (like YETI®), then yes, show it off. But if you’re a newer or smaller brand without much branded search traffic, leading with your name might push valuable keywords too far back in the title.

YETI® includes its brand because it’s well-known, and shoppers trust it for quality. Plus, the brand is often the reason people are searching. But notice they still pair it with a product highlight “Our Lightest Bottle Yet.”

When to include your brand:

• You’re getting branded search traffic (check Search Console)
• You’re listed on marketplaces or comparison sites
• You want to build recognition and credibility

When to skip it (or move it to the end):

• You’re still building brand awareness
• Your brand name doesn’t add search value
• It pushes important keywords out of the visible part of the title

Best practice format is to put your brand at the end, separated with a pipe (|) or dash (–) like:

“Leather Crossbody Bag – Adjustable Strap, Tan | Luna & Co.”

Don’t lead with:

“Luna & Co. Leather Crossbody Shoulder Handbag with Adjustable Strap in Tan” (too long, and the important terms are buried)

You can check your branded traffic volume in Google Search Console. If no one’s searching your brand yet, focus your title space on what you sell, not who you are.

5. Avoid keyword stuffing

We’ve all been tempted to do it, stacking as many keywords as possible into a title to “help SEO.” But in reality, keyword stuffing hurts more than it helps.

Google sees it as low-quality. Shoppers see it as confusing. And more often than not, your title gets rewritten in search results anyway.

What keyword stuffing looks like:

“Men’s Shirt, Cotton Shirt, Casual Shirt, Slim Fit Shirt – Buy Shirts Online” (messy, unnatural, and trying way too hard)

Instead, let’s focus on one main keyword, use it early, and incorporate helpful descriptors that feel natural. Here’s a cleaner example:

“Men’s Slim Fit Cotton Shirt – Long Sleeve, Navy” (still keyword-rich, but readable and conversion-friendly.)

If your title reads like a robot wrote it, or if you wouldn’t click on it yourself, it’s time to simplify.

6. Monitor performance and keep optimizing

Even a well-written product title can miss the mark if it’s not bringing in clicks. That’s why optimizing your Shopify SEO product titles isn’t something you do once and forget.

After publishing, give your titles a few weeks, then check performance using tools like:

• Google Search Console to look at queries, impressions, clicks, and CTR
• Shopify Analytics to see which product pages are getting traffic (or not)
• SERP previews to make sure your titles aren’t getting cut off or rewritten

If a product is generating impressions but no clicks, your title may need adjustments, such as making it more specific, adding a benefit or detail (like size or use case), or rewriting it to sound clearer or more compelling.

You should also pay attention to seasonal patterns, for example, switch “summer dress” to “holiday dress” as buying behavior shifts.

Your Shopify product title SEO is often the first thing people see, and it plays a significant role in your SEO that many store owners may not realize. By keeping titles short, using the right keywords naturally, and making each one unique and descriptive, you’re guiding shoppers to the exact product they’re looking for.

Related article: How to write a high-converting Shopify product description 

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What to Avoid When Optimizing Product SEO Titles

Even if you follow all the right steps, a few common missteps can quietly hurt your visibility across Google, Shopify’s own search, and other engines that rely on title data. Below are key things to avoid if you want your product titles to rank and convert:

1. Write for search engines, not real people

It’s easy to fall into the trap of crafting titles that tick every SEO box but forget the person actually reading them. If your Shopify product title SEO is stuffed with keywords, overly mechanical, or hard to understand at a glance, it may show up in search results, but it won’t get clicked.

Search engines aim to deliver helpful and relevant results. If your title isn’t useful to humans, it won’t perform well long-term on Google, Bing, Shopify’s search, or anywhere else.

2. Be too minimal or too vague

On the flip side of over-optimization is the mistake of being too minimal. Titles like “The Classic,” “Product 01,” or simply “Shoes” may appear clean in your store, but they provide no context to search engines or shoppers.

If your title doesn’t clearly explain what the product is, you’re missing the chance to rank for relevant queries or to convince someone to click at all.

3. Ignore how different platforms handle titles

Here’s something many merchants overlook: search engines and platforms don’t always show your SEO title tag exactly as written. Google, for example, may rewrite your title based on:

• Your H1 heading
• Your og:title meta tag (used by social media platforms)
• Prominent on-page text
• Anchor links pointing to your page
• Structured data (like WebSite schema)

Even if you’ve optimized your Shopify product SEO title in the search engine listings, that doesn’t guarantee it’s what users will see in the SERPs or social previews.

4. Use the same structure for every product

Consistency is good until it becomes monotonous. If every product in your store follows the exact same title formula (like “[Product Type] – [Color, Size] | Brand”), they’ll start to blend together in Shopify collections, Google Shopping feeds, and even search results.

When every title looks identical, you lose opportunities to highlight what makes each item unique, and you risk overwhelming shoppers with repetition.

5. Misuse schema markup for titles in Shopify

Shopify automatically generates product schema (structured data) that includes your product title, price, and availability. If you override this in your theme code or with an SEO app to insert extra keywords, you risk mismatches between your visible title and your structured data.

Search engines may ignore your schema, rewrite your titles, or even flag the markup as spammy.
Let’s stick with accurate, relevant titles in your schema that match your actual product page as it helps Google, Shopify Search, and other platforms show your listings correctly in rich results.

For a deeper dive into how Shopify handles product schema, see Shopify’s eCommerce schema guide.

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Shopify Product Title SEO: FAQs

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Final Takeaway

Your Shopify product title SEO is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal to increase visibility, attract clicks, and drive sales. It helps your product appear in relevant searches across Google, Shopify, and other platforms, attracting the right people to click.

To recap:

• Keep titles short, specific, and unique
• Use relevant keywords naturally
• Avoid vague phrasing, stuffing, or duplication
• Align your SEO title with what customers are actually searching for

Let’s continue to review, test, and refine our approach. Over time, small title improvements can lead to meaningful gains in visibility, clicks, and conversions. 

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