Shopify SEO starts with product-level optimization because that's where most e-commerce traffic lands. Write unique product titles that lead with your primary keyword and include modifiers customers actually search for. Don't copy manufacturer descriptions verbatim—Google sees thousands of stores with identical Canon EOS descriptions, and you won't rank. Rewrite them with your target keywords while keeping them genuinely useful. Use the meta description field for every product and collection page. Technical fundamentals matter more on Shopify than most people expect. Compress images before upload because Shopify's automatic compression isn't aggressive enough—aim for under 150KB per product image. Limit apps to essentials since each one adds JavaScript that slows page load. We've seen stores hit 8-second mobile load times from app bloat alone. Use Shopify's built-in image lazy loading and enable HTTP/2 push if your theme supports it. Structure your collections logically and interlink them. Shopify's URL structure is rigid—you get /collections/ and /products/ whether you like it or not—so make collection pages substantial. Add 150-300 words of keyword-targeted content above or below products on each collection page. Link related collections in that content. This internal linking helps Google understand your site hierarchy when you can't control URL paths. Blogger outreach and building external links remains critical because Shopify sites often compete against Amazon, big-box retailers, and thousands of dropshippers with identical products. We prioritize links to collection pages over individual products because collections stick around while products go out of stock. For Canadian Shopify stores, geo-targeted content and local backlinks give you an edge in searches like "buy X in Canada" or "X Toronto"—important when competing against US-only retailers. Avoid Shopify's template blog structure for serious content marketing. The /blogs/news/ URL path and limited formatting make it weak for ranking competitive terms. If content marketing is central to your strategy, consider a headless WordPress blog on a subdomain or using a page builder app, though that adds complexity most stores don't need until they're doing seven figures.