Maintain SEO Rankings During Shopify Plus Migration | IT Geeks

How to Maintain SEO Rankings While Migrating to Shopify Plus

One of the most hard earned and highly valued assets of an ecommerce store can be its SEO rankings. And ironically enough they are usually at the high risk of website migration to shopify plus. How to preserve SEO during migration (hyperlink - https://www.itgeeks.com/digital-marketing/search-engine-optimization) is a concern that highly affects many of the store owners, and in most cases stops them from leaving their low performing ecommerce platform and migrating to Shopify Plus (hyperlink - https://www.itgeeks.com/migration). But it doesn’t have to be like this. Maintaining SEO rankings while migrating to Shopify Plus is possible - you just need to plan, execute, and master. 

A short answer is You can maintain SEO rankings during a Shopify SEO migration by auditing your site, using redirects, and monitoring performance.
But if you want to learn - how to maintain SEO rankings while migrating to Shopify Plus 

Why do SEO rankings drop during migration?

Migrating to Shopify Plus (https://www.itgeeks.com/migration) introduces several SEO migration risks that can threaten existing search rankings and organic traffic if not managed properly. These risks are primarily technical in nature, and understanding them in depth is vital for planning a successful transition.

Common reasons for drop in SEO while migrating to Shopify Plus

1. URL Structure Changes

Shopify Plus enforces a clean, standardized URL format for products, collections, and blogs. For example, /products/widget.html might become /products/widget. 

While this shift requires proper redirects, the consistency is intentional, it makes sites easier for search engines to crawl, reduces duplicate content risks, and ensures scalability across markets. In other words, a right SEO migration strategy (hyperlink - https://www.itgeeks.com/migration) will consist of all the small adjustments upfront that leads to a stronger SEO foundation long term.

2. 301 Redirect Mistakes

During migration, every changed URL needs a 301 redirect to its new equivalent. Without them, backlinks and referral traffic hit dead ends, damaging both user experience and domain authority. The real power of Shopify Plus lies in how cleanly it handles redirects during a Shopify SEO migration (hyperlink - https://www.itgeeks.com/migration), when implemented correctly, link equity flows seamlessly, and rankings remain intact. The key is precision: each old page should point to its closest match, not just the homepage, to preserve SEO value.

3. Duplicate Content Issues

Shopify can generate multiple URLs for the same product when it appears in different collections, a feature designed for flexible merchandising and user navigation. However, this can create duplicate versions of a page.
Hence it is important to implement the canonical tags. Canonicals basically tells Google, if there is more than one result, I want you to pick this one.
With the right setup, merchants benefit from Shopify’s flexible structure without sacrificing Shopify SEO (https://www.itgeeks.com/digital-marketing/search-engine-optimization) clarity.

4. Metadata and Schema Loss

Meta titles, descriptions, alt text, and structured data don’t always transfer automatically during migration. If missed, pages can temporarily lose visibility and rich results. The fix is straightforward: a proper backup and reimplementation. Done right, Shopify Plus supports structured data and schema at scale, making your store more discoverable in search and more clickable in results.

5. Internal Linking Breakdowns

Internal links guide both users and search engines, distributing authority across your site. Migration can disrupt these pathways if URLs change without updates. But when we talk about Shopify SEO (https://www.itgeeks.com/digital-marketing/search-engine-optimization), restructuring links isn’t just maintenance, it’s an opportunity to strengthen site architecture, highlight priority products, and improve crawl efficiency.

SEO rankings often dip during Shopify Plus migration due to technical issues like URL structure changes, broken or missing 301 redirects, duplicate content from multiple product URLs, loss of metadata or schema, and disrupted internal linking.

Must read for businesses migrating to Ecommerce - Shopify vs. Other E-commerce Platforms: Which is Right for You?

SEO Planning: The stages and Cautions

Search engines currently understand your site based on its existing structure, links, and Search Engine Optimization setup. A sudden platform change without preparation can confuse Google, break links, or tank rankings. A proper SEO migration strategy (hyperlink - https://www.itgeeks.com/migration) and pre-migration SEO planning creates a safety net, so your rankings, traffic, and sales move with you.

Essential Pre-Migration Search Engine Optimization Steps

1. SEO Audit

Identify your top-performing pages, keywords, and backlinks. Tools like Google Search Console or SEMrush help you see what’s driving traffic today, and what must be preserved tomorrow during your SEO website migration.
Pro tip: An audit often uncovers hidden issues (broken links, duplicates) you can fix before migrating.

2. URL Mapping

Shopify Plus uses a different URL structure. Create a spreadsheet that pairs each old URL with its new Shopify equivalent.Why it matters: This protects years of rankings and backlinks from being lost during a website migration.

3. Content & Asset Backup

Export product descriptions, blogs, SEO tags, and images. Test them on a staging site before launch.
Bonus: Migration is the perfect chance to refresh outdated content.

4. Internal Linking Check

Menus, recommendations, and blog links should still connect the right pages. A quick review prevents orphaned products and keeps Google crawling efficiently during your website migration (hyperlink: https://www.itgeeks.com/migration)

5. Benchmark Rankings & Traffic

Record current keyword rankings, organic traffic, and conversions. This gives you a baseline to measure post-migration success in your SEO migration strategy.

6. Technical Safeguards

Back up robots.txt, sitemaps, schema, and meta tags. Reimplement them immediately on Shopify Plus to retain rich snippets and technical SEO value.

What Most Businesses Miss

• Even one missed redirect can wipe out years of SEO gains.

• Analytics migration is just as important as content migration.

• Shopify Plus simplifies many SEO fundamentals, but custom setups still need a careful eye.

Site Performance and Mobile Optimization

Your store can look amazing, but if it loads slowly or struggles on mobile, both customers and Google will notice. Performance and mobile optimization aren’t just nice-to-haves, they directly impact your SEO rankings and sales.

1. Speed Optimization for Shopify Plus

A fast store = happy visitors + better SEO. Here’s how to keep your new Shopify Plus site lightning fast during a Shopify SEO migration:

• Compress images without losing quality.

• Use Shopify’s CDN (built-in) to deliver content faster worldwide.

• Lazy load images and videos so they only appear when users scroll to them.

• Clean up your scripts by removing unused code, deferring what’s not essential, and using async loading for extras.

• Pick a lightweight theme, the fewer bells and whistles, the faster the load.

Keep an eye on Google’s Core Web Vitals:

• LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): How fast the main content loads.

• FCP (First Contentful Paint): How quickly users see something on screen.

TBT (Total Blocking Time): How long scripts block interaction.

2. Mobile SEO Considerations

Since Google uses mobile-first indexing, your mobile site is the version that really matters for Search Engine Optimisation during a SEO website migration (hyperlink: https://www.itgeeks.com/migration)

• Test with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.

• Make sure navigation is thumb-friendly and fonts are easy to read.

• Use a responsive design that adapts across all devices.

• Keep mobile load times fast, especially on slower networks.

In short: your store should feel just as smooth on a smartphone as it does on a desktop.

Technical Migration Execution

1. Data Migration with SEO Preservation

Migrating isn’t just about moving products and customers, it’s about protecting the SEO value built over years. The sequence matters: products, then customers, then orders, to preserve relationships between data. Shopify Plus makes this easier with bulk import tools and APIs, but precision is key. Keeping SKUs, product URLs, and alt-tagged images consistent ensures Google recognizes your new store without losing visibility.

2. Implementing 301 Redirects

Redirects are the glue between your old site and your new one. Each old URL should point users and search engines to the most relevant new page, not a generic homepage. Shopify Plus has a built-in redirect manager, but for large catalogs, bulk imports and systematic testing are essential. Done right, your rankings and backlinks transfer seamlessly as part of a strong SEO migration strategy (hyperlink: https://www.itgeeks.com/migration).

3. Preserving Technical SEO Elements

Rich snippets, structured data, canonical tags, and robots.txt rules often get overlooked during migrations, yet they’re critical. Shopify Plus natively supports JSON-LD schema and canonical tags, but verifying implementation ensures Google continues to display reviews, breadcrumbs, and product details in search results. Think of this step as protecting not just your traffic, but the quality of your visibility.

Post-Migration Monitoring and Optimization

1. Site Performance and Mobile Optimization

Google rewards speed, and Shopify Plus provides a strong foundation with global CDN and mobile-first themes. Still, performance depends on configuration: lean themes, optimized media, and minimal app bloat. Post-migration is the best time to refine Core Web Vitals and mobile responsiveness, because even a fraction of a second in load time impacts both rankings and conversions.

2. Immediate Post-Launch Actions

Once live, resubmit your sitemap to Google Search Console (hyperlink - https://search.google.com/search-console/about) , double-check robots.txt, and verify analytics tracking. These quick steps accelerate re-indexing and preserve continuity in reporting.

3. Ongoing Performance Monitoring

The first 30 days are critical. Expect minor fluctuations, but monitor rankings, traffic, and crawl errors daily. If drops persist beyond a month, it signals issues like broken redirects or indexing gaps that need immediate attention.

Ask your Shopify Plus Partner (hyperlink - https://www.itgeeks.com) if they provide after migration support or not. 

4. Continuous Optimization

A migration isn’t the finish line, it’s a reset button. Use it as an opportunity to strengthen internal linking, update content, and optimize for speed. Regular audits and reviews ensure your Shopify Plus store keeps pace with both search engines and customer expectations.

Check out the common mistakes to avoid when you migrate to Shopify Plus here.

Successful SEO website migration (hyperlink: https://www.itgeeks.com/migration) starts with solid SEO planning. Begin with an audit to identify top-performing pages, map old URLs to new ones, and back up all content, metadata, and technical files. Benchmark rankings, preserve internal linking, and prepare redirects to avoid traffic loss. Optimize for speed and mobile-first indexing by compressing media, using lightweight themes, and monitoring Core Web Vitals. During migration, prioritize clean 301 redirects and preservation of schema, canonicals, and structured data. After launch, resubmit sitemaps, check tracking, and monitor performance daily. With the right Shopify SEO migration strategy, you minimize ranking dips and set up a stronger, faster, and more scalable foundation for growth.

Ready to migrate your store?

If you’re set to move to Shopify Plus but worried about your SEO rankings dropping, the steps in this guide will help safeguard your traffic and visibility. The key lies in flawless execution, because even the smartest plans can fail without the right hands handling them.

Talk to your Shopify Plus agency (hyperlink: https://www.itgeeks.com/) about their process, techniques, and track record. After all, your store deserves an expert-led migration.

Your search for a Shopify Plus agency ends at IT Geeks

At IT Geeks, we’ve spent the last 10 years perfecting Shopify migrations that don’t just move your store but also preserve, and even grow, your SEO value. Our team ensures that every redirect, schema, and technical safeguard is implemented with precision, so your business can transition without compromise.

Let’s migrate your store the right way.

Frequently Asked Questions About SEO Website Migration to Shopify Plus

Q1. Does migrating to Shopify Plus always hurt SEO rankings?

Not necessarily. SEO drops usually happen due to missed redirects, broken internal links, or loss of metadata. With proper planning and execution, rankings can be preserved or even improved.

Q2. How long does it take for SEO to stabilize after migration?

Most sites see temporary fluctuations in the first 2–6 weeks. With correct redirects and monitoring, rankings generally stabilize within 60–90 days.

Q3. What is the most common SEO mistake during Shopify migration?

The biggest mistake is failing to implement precise 301 redirects. One broken redirect can lead to major traffic and revenue losses.

Q4. Can I migrate my store design without affecting SEO?

Yes. SEO depends on URLs, redirects, and content structure—not design. You can redesign your store during migration if technical SEO safeguards are in place.

Q5. How do I monitor SEO performance after migrating to Shopify Plus?

Use Google Search Console, analytics tracking, and daily monitoring of traffic, rankings, and crawl errors. The first 30 days are the most critical for spotting issues.

Q6. Should I hire an expert for Shopify Plus SEO migration?

If your store has significant organic traffic, yes. Experts help with URL mapping, redirects, schema, and avoiding common mistakes that could harm rankings.