Google Search Console Integration on Shopify

Google Search Console Integration on Shopify
Google Search Console Integration on Shopify

You think you have excellent products for a well-targeted audience and you plan to sell them through your Shopify store. Yet, like every business owner, you face that brutal truth: you can’t promote your products because Google doesn't know about you well enough.

And obviously, if Google doesn't, nobody can.    

Google Search Console can help you out at this point, acting as a super booster to your online presence if you execute the integration properly.

Now, let’s spend a few minutes on an easy Google Search Console & Shopify integration, and make sure your website is ready to be discovered by everybody searching for your products.

What is Google Search Console?

First, let's see what Google Search Console provides - as stated by Google:

"Google Search Console is a free service offered by Google that helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site's presence in Google Search results. You don't have to sign up for Search Console to be included in Google Search results, but Search Console helps you understand and improve how Google sees your site."

Basically, Google can scan the vast web world, find your website, and list it. By using Search Console, you make sure it does so, and benefit from the analytics showing you the outcomes.

So, this is how you utilize Google Search Console in short:

  • Google can find and crawl your website.
  • Your website gets indexed, and related problems are solved if there are any. Also, if you add new pages or content, re-indexing is requested automatically.
  • You get alerted if indexing, spam, or other issues occur.
  • You are provided with the precious Google Search Data of your website's performance.
  • You can display backlinks.
  • You can troubleshoot issues for AMP, mobile usability, and other Search features.

How to integrate Google Search Console & Shopify?

Before we start, make sure that you have completed your Google Analytics setup. You can check out these step-by-step guides and the free setup kit to make it easy for yourself.

If you also want to make the most of your Google ads in order to increase your sales and ad performance, you should have an accurate Google Ads integration with your Shopify store. You can check out this ultimate guide to perform the best Google Ads & Shopify integration possible.

Important: Remove the password from your Shopify store if it is password-protected before the first step. If you're not ready to go live just yet, enable password protection after completing the steps.

Google Search Console Integration on Shopify
Password protection - Shopify

To do that:

  1. Navigate to Shopify Store Admin > Online Store > Preferences
  2. Click Disable Password
  3. Uncheck the Enable Password box in the Password Protection section and click Save
Google Search Console Integration on Shopify
Password protection - Shopify - 2

Step 1: Verify your properties

There are a couple of ways to verify your properties such as DNS and URL Prefix. The latter doesn't require any coding experience, so we'll focus on that.

1.1 - Log in to Search Console with the same information used for Google Analytics.
1.2 - Find the Add property button on the Search Property menu & click.
1.3 - Use URL Prefix for Property Type

Google Search Console Integration on Shopify
Verifying with URL Prefix - Google Search Console

1.4 - Type up your website address ignoring the URL variations like “https/”, “http”, “www.” or non-www, etc.
1.5 - 'Continue' and choose HTML for Other Verification Methods.

Google Search Console Integration on Shopify
HTML tag for verification on Google Search Console

1.6 - Copy the tag.

Now you need to integrate this tag into your Shopify store.

1.7 - Go to your admin page, and find Themes under Online Store.
1.8 - Choose Actions and click Edit code.
1.9 - Find <head> and <body> in your theme.liquid file, and paste the code after <head>
1.10 - Save the changes.

Now, go back to Google Search Console and click Verify. If the verification is complete, you'll see an 'Ownership verified' sign-up. Click Go to Property for your GSC dashboard.

Google Search Console Integration on Shopify
Property verified - Google Search Console

Here are some important notes:

  • When using the HTML Tag option, repeat the verification steps for all URL variations
    HTTPS + WWW = https://ift.tt/fPnkXuI
    HTTPS + NON-WWW = https://yourwebsite.com
    HTTP + WWW = https://ift.tt/9BYovrH
    HTTP + NON-WWW = http://yourwebsite.com
  • If you change your Shopify theme, buy a custom domain or lose site verification, you'll need to add the tag again.

Other verification methods

If you're already using Google Analytics or Tag Manager, click either of those on the first screen and click verify.

Google Search Console Integration on Shopify
Using Google Analytics or Tag Manager for verification

For DNS verification: Shopify recommends this option if you own any third-party domains that haven't been transferred to Shopify. Type your address on the main screen without having to add www or https. Then, click Verify. Next, pick your DNS provider and copy the code and go to your domain provider. Sign in and paste the code to the relevant field.

Please note that DNS requires technical skills. However, it provides a more flexible structure when subdomain, http & https protocols, www & non-www are used. You can contact your hosting provider or a specialist for it.

Google Search Console Integration on Shopify
Verifying through DNS - Google Search Console

Now that you have successfully verified the sole ownership of the website, it's time to let Google know.

Step 2: Sitemap

2.1 - Type up your primary web address in your browser and add ‘sitemap.xml’ at the end. Check to see if your sitemap is accurate. If it is, copy the suffix.

Google Search Console Integration on Shopify
Finding your sitemap

2.2 - Go to Google Search Console and find Index Menu
2.3 - Click sitemaps, and paste the suffix you've copied.

Important: You don't need this step for other variations. Only your primary property can have the sitemap. Check other URL properties to prevent duplications.

After completing these, give Google Search Console some time to index your website correctly.

To check if it's worked, go to Google and search site:yourwebsite.com. It will list all your indexed web pages. If any of them are missing, simply paste the missing URL to the GSC search bar and re-index it.

Connect Google Search Console with Google Analytics 4

It's important to use Google Search Console along with Google Analytics to let Google platforms exchange the necessary information in order to provide the best possible data flow.

Follow the steps below to connect Google Search Console with Google Analytics 4:

1- Log in to your GA4 account and select the website.
2- In 'Admin,' click 'Property Settings'
3- Find Search Console Links, and click Link.

Google Search Console Integration on Shopify
Search Console Links - GA4

4 - Click Choose accounts

Google Search Console Integration on Shopify
Link to search console properties - GA4


5 - Select the related domain (property), click the Confirm button.

Google Search Console Integration on Shopify
Link to search console properties - GA4 - 2

6 - Add the primary URL from your GSC account. The domains must be the same for this step.
7 - Choose Web Stream, Review and submit the  changes.

You are all set!



Source: https://analyzify.app/hub/google-search-console-shopify/

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