About the Project

The Challenge:

Shopify’s default filtering system doesn’t create by default indexable URLs for filter combinations. This meant the client was missing out on significant organic search opportunities for specific product attributes such as colour, size, or style — all common long-tail search queries.

My Approach: Building a Facet Navigation System

To solve this, I developed a custom facet navigation solution that allowed us to:

• Create Indexable Filtered Collection Pages:
  Each filter combination (e.g., "Men’s Jackets in Black, Size Large") generated a clean, SEO-friendly URL structure.

• Target Long-Tail Keywords:
  These new collection pages were fully optimised to target highly specific search queries with clear search intent.

• Avoid Duplicate Content & Crawl Issues:
  Canonical tags, crawl directives, and proper hierarchy were implemented to ensure clean indexation without bloating the site structure.

  Implementation Process:

1. Technical Audit & Platform Review:
   Identified Shopify’s filter limitations and assessed the client's product taxonomy

2. Keyword Research & Opportunity Mapping:
   Carried out long-tail keyword research to identify high-intent search terms related to product attributes.

3. Custom URL Parameter Handling:
   Developed a bespoke URL structure and filtering logic that allowed filter combinations to be indexed where relevant.

4. On-Page Optimisation:
   Optimised each facet page with unique titles, meta descriptions, and supporting content relevant to the filter combination.

5. Internal Linking & Breadcrumbs:
   Enhanced internal linking to ensure new facet pages were discoverable and supported by relevant category pages.

6. Ongoing Monitoring & Indexation Management:
   Regularly monitored crawl activity, indexation status, and organic performance of the facet pages to ensure continued SEO value without creating thin or duplicate content.

Results:

• Indexed over 500+ new collection pages targeting long-tail search terms.

• Significant uplift in organic traffic to product and collection pages.

• Increased visibility for high-converting, low-competition keywords.

• Reduced reliance on paid search by capturing long-tail demand organically.