1/23/2025

Fixing Duplicate Collection Pages in Your Shopify Store

Managing an online store can be a bit tricky. One hiccup that many Shopify store owners face is dealing with DUPLICATE COLLECTION PAGES. Duplicate pages can really mess with SEO and hinder your store's performance. Let's dive into the nitty-gritty of fixing this issue so you can focus on what really matters: growing your business.

What Are Duplicate Collection Pages?

Duplicate collection pages occur when you have multiple URLs that lead to the same collection of products, which confuses search engines & users alike. Imagine searching for a specific sweater and ending up on multiple pages that all showcase the same product. It’s enough to make you want to throw your laptop out the window!

These duplicate pages not only affect user experience but can also dilute your SEO efforts. Google's crawl bots might struggle to determine which page should be prioritized, making it harder for you to rank on search engine results.

Common Causes of Duplicate Collection Pages

Paginated Collections: When a collection has a lot of products, Shopify automatically creates additional paginated pages (for example,
1/collections/sale?page=2
), which can sometimes lead to duplication in SEO.
Manual Collection Edits: Adding or deleting products can sometimes result in multiple collections containing similar items.
Theme Issues: If you’re using specific themes or apps that can impact how collections are displayed, they could inadvertently create duplicates.
SEO Settings: Sometimes, duplicate meta descriptions & titles can get you in hot water with search engines if they think you’re trying to rank for the same content over and over.

How to Identify Duplicate Collection Pages

Let’s face it, the first step to fixing a problem is identifying it. Here are a few ways to spot duplicate collection pages:

Manual Browsing: Go through your collections one by one & see if any appear similar or lead to the same products.
Google Search Console: This is a powerful tool for identifying duplicate content issues. Look for any warnings or suggestions Google may have flagged.
SEO Audit Tools: Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to spot duplicate content issues easily.

Fixing Duplicate Collection Pages

Once you’ve identified the problem, it’s time to roll up your sleeves & get to work. Here are effective strategies to fix those pesky duplicate collection pages:

1. Consolidate Similar Collections

If you have multiple collections that share a lot of products, consider merging them into one cohesive collection. This reduces duplication but also provides a more streamlined shopping experience for your customers. To do this:

Navigate to your Shopify admin, select Products & then Collections.
Choose the collections you want to merge, and add all products to a single collection.
Delete the now-empty collection.

2. Set Canonical Tags

Canonical tags tell search engines what the main version of a page is. This is crucial when you have variations of the same page. To set canonical URLs in Shopify:

Go to the collection page you want to edit.
Scroll down to Search Engine Listing Preview & click Edit.
Here, you can specify the canonical label for the main version of the page. Make sure it points to the primary collection URL.

3. Handle Pagination Correctly

If you're dealing with paginated collections, be sure to implement proper pagination handling:

Ensure that you include a canonical tag for the first page.
Add
1<link rel="prev" href="/collections/sale?page=1" />
&
1<link rel="next" href="/collections/sale?page=2" />
in the header of your catalog pages to guide search engines.
Consider switching to infinite scroll for a smoother browsing experience, which removes the need for pagination altogether.

4. Check & Revise Metadata

Take a good look at your meta titles & descriptions to ensure they are unique across your collections. Duplicate metadata can often confuse search engines:

Go to the collection page.
Click Edit website SEO.
Ensure your title and description are unique and reflective of the content on that page.

5. Utilize Shopify Apps

Sometimes it’s just easier to leave it to the experts. Consider using apps designed to handle SEO issues on Shopify. Some highly recommended ones include:

SEO Manager: This app allows you to optimize your store's SEO pains without fussing with code.
Duplicated Content Remover: This specialized app helps identify & resolve duplicate content issues automatically, saving you time.

6. Regular Audits

Setting aside time for periodic audits of your store can help catch any duplicate pages before they become a problem. Consider using a tool like Shopify SEO Audit or Google Search Console for regular checks. Making this a part of your routine ensures your store runs smoothly.

Conclusion

Phew! Fixing duplicate collection pages may seem like a daunting task, but breaking it down into manageable steps makes it easier. By consolidating collections, utilizing canonical tags, reworking pagination, checking metadata, leveraging apps, and conducting regular audits, you’ll ensure that NLP (Non-Linear Programming) problems don’t stall your store's success.

Quick Fix Recap:

Consolidate similar collections.
Utilize canonical tags.
Handle pagination correctly.
Check & revise metadata.
Use helpful Shopify apps.
Commit to regular audits.

If you’re looking to enhance your Shopify store's engagement while tackling these pesky duplicate collection issues, consider implementing a custom AI chatbot with Arsturn. Arsturn allows you to create sophisticated chatbots that engage your audience seamlessly while boosting conversions and saving time. Perfectly suited for influencers, businesses, & personal branding, it empowers your brand to enhance audience engagement without the heavy lifting! So why wait? Dive into the world of AI & revolutionize your customer interaction today.

And remember, try to keep your Shopify store organized & always prioritize user experience. It pays off in the long run!