How to Use Shopify Metafields for SEO

Including extra information about your products with metafields would enhance both the customer experience and your business performance. Detailed product descriptions, such as materials, dimensions, care instructions, and technical details, give customers the confidence to make informed purchasing decisions. This level of transparency reduces returns and increases customer satisfaction while also improving SEO by incorporating niche keyword-rich content. By showcasing comprehensive information, you differentiate your products from competitors and build trust and credibility with your audience.

Here are examples of additional product details you can add to your product description pages in Shopify with metafileds, which will help increase your search engine traffic:

Materials

Highlighting product materials is an awesome way to inform customer choices and improve keyword relevance. You can include metafields with environmental or social impact data, such as what energy-saving policies are in place. For instance:

• Exact Material Names: (e.g., “100% organic cotton,” “recycled stainless steel,” “bamboo fiber”)
• Material Certifications: (e.g., GOTS for organic textiles, FSC for sustainably sourced wood)
• Material Origins: (e.g., “Locally sourced wool,” “Fair Trade certified cotton from India”)
• Material Properties: (e.g., “Waterproof,” “Breathable,” “Antimicrobial”)

Choose details important for customers and convince them to purchase from you.

Product dimensions

Include precise details on size and weight for accurate customer expectations, especially for goods like furniture.

• Offer size comparisons to common objects to help customers visualize. For instance, describe a lamp as “approximately the size of a basketball in diameter and two feet tall.” You can also include a photo of the product alongside a familiar object, such as a soda can or ruler.
• If applicable, include volumetric information, like how much the product holds or the internal capacity. For a teardrop-shaped bowl, you might say, “Holds approximately 3 liters.”

Example for dimension descriptions of a non-standard vase:

• Height: 12 inches / 30.5 cm
• Maximum Diameter (Middle): 8 inches / 20.3 cm
• Opening Diameter (Top): 4 inches / 10.2 cm
• Base Diameter: 5 inches / 12.7 cm
• Volume: Holds up to 2 liters of water

Example of dimension description for a sculpted chair:

• Seat height
• Backrest height
• Armrest width
• Overall footprint

Care instructions

Providing clear and specific care instructions for your products within metafield sections helps customers maintain their longevity and quality. For instance:

• Care instructions for a wool sweater: “Hand wash in cold water with mild detergent, lay flat to dry,”
• Care instructions for a cast iron skillet: “Wash with warm water and a stiff brush, dry thoroughly, and apply a light layer of oil.”

Including these details enhances the user experience and reduces the likelihood of product damage, returns, or dissatisfaction.

Product history

Including history details about your products adds a compelling narrative that engages customers and highlights their uniqueness. Here are some ideas of what you can tell your users:

• Product origin: How the company or brand came to be, its founding principles. Where the product was first conceived, developed, or manufactured (e.g., “Handcrafted in Italy,” “A family recipe passed down for generations”).
• Cultural significance: Is the product linked to a specific culture, tradition, or historical period (e.g., “Inspired by ancient Greek pottery,” “A modern interpretation of a classic Victorian design”). Was the product created in response to a historical event or need (e.g., “Developed during the space race,” “Designed for wartime use”)?
• Product evolution: How the product has evolved over time, including any significant design changes or innovations. How technological advancements have improved the product’s functionality or performance.

Here are some examples:

• History details for a leather-bound journal: “Handcrafted using traditional techniques from Tuscany, inspired by Renaissance-era bookbinding,”
• History details example for a vintage-inspired clock: “Designed as a tribute to mid-century modern aesthetics, popularized in the 1950s.”

These details enrich the shopping experience by connecting products to their origins, craftsmanship, or cultural significance, making them more appealing to buyers.

Technical details

Providing technical details for products ensures customers clearly understand their functionality and specifications. Here are some ideas on what type of technical details you can include in your product descriptions:

• Speed/Power: (e.g., “Max speed 120 mph,” “1500W motor”)
• Features: (e.g., “Water-resistant,” “Scratch-resistant,” “Noise-canceling,” “Touchscreen”)
• Compatibility: (e.g., “Compatible with all iOS devices,” “Works with Alexa”)

Examples:

• Technical details example for wireless earbuds: “Battery Life: Up to 8 hours per charge, Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, Waterproof Rating: IPX7.”
• Technical details example for a blender: “Motor Power: 1200W, Blade Material: Stainless Steel, Capacity: 64 ounces.”
• A downloadable user manual or compatibility guide alongside a smartphone listing.

Including these details helps customers compare options easily, ensures compatibility with their needs, and establishes your brand as transparent and knowledgeable.

Structured data for SEO:

Metafields are perfect for embedding structured data formatted with Schema markup, which makes your product pages eligible for rich snippets in search results. For example:

• Product ratings (“4.8/5 from 120 reviews”)
• Availability (“In Stock”)
• Price (“$49.99”).
• FAQs like “Is this suitable for sensitive skin?” or “How often should I use this cream?”

This additional information helps search engines better understand your content and can significantly increase click-through rates by displaying appealing, data-rich snippets directly in search results.

Managing Metafields

Shopify metafields can be added and edited quickly with a spreadsheet bulk editor app like Mixtable. You can organize the additional information in tab navigation for better user experience.

SEO is a long-term effort that requires time, dedication, and knowledge, but it leads to improved customer experience, builds trust, and contributes to a higher conversion rate. Congratulations on choosing this path, and good luck with implementation!