How to Change URL Structure in Shopify: Pages, Products & Blogs?

Learn how to modify URL structures for different content types in your Shopify store. This guide covers all methods from basic to advanced approaches.

Understanding Shopify's Default URL Structure

Default Shopify URLs follow this pattern:

• Products: /products/product-name
• Pages: /pages/page-name
• Blogs: /blogs/blog-name
• Collections: /collections/collection-name

Method 1: Using URL Redirects (Recommended for Beginners)

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Go to Shopify Admin → Settings → Navigation
2. Scroll to "URL Redirects"
3. Click "Create URL redirect"
4. Add your desired URL in "Redirect from"
5. Add original Shopify URL in "Redirect to"

Example redirects:

From: /shop/product-name
To: /products/product-name

From: /about
To: /pages/about-us

From: /blog
To: /blogs/news

Method 2: Using Liquid Code (Advanced)

For Products:

{% if template contains 'product' %}
  <script>
    if (window.location.pathname.includes('/products/')) {
      const newPath = window.location.pathname.replace('/products/', '/shop/');
      window.location.href = newPath;
    }
  </script>
{% endif %}

For Pages:

{% if template contains 'page' %}
  <script>
    if (window.location.pathname.includes('/pages/')) {
      const newPath = window.location.pathname.replace('/pages/', '/');
      window.location.href = newPath;
    }
  </script>
{% endif %}

For Blogs:

{% if template contains 'blog' %}
  <script>
    if (window.location.pathname.includes('/blogs/')) {
      const newPath = window.location.pathname.replace('/blogs/news', '/blog');
      window.location.href = newPath;
    }
  </script>
{% endif %}

Method 3: Using .htaccess (For Custom Domain Setup)

Note: Only works with certain hosting configurations

RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^shop/(.*)$ /products/$1 [L,R=301]
RewriteRule ^blog/(.*)$ /blogs/news/$1 [L,R=301]

Important Considerations

SEO Impact:

1. Set up 301 redirects for all changed URLs
2. Update your sitemap
3. Give search engines time to recrawl (2-4 weeks)
4. Monitor rankings for affected pages

Before Making Changes:

• Backup your theme
• Document all current URLs
• Test on a development store first
• Update internal links
• Check analytics tracking

Common Issues and Solutions:

1. 404 Errors:
   • Double-check redirect rules
   • Verify URL patterns
   • Clear cache
2. Duplicate Content:
   • Implement canonical tags
   • Verify redirect chains
   • Check robots.txt
3. Lost Rankings:
   • Maintain old URLs with redirects
   • Submit updated sitemap
   • Monitor Google Search Console

Best Practices:

1. Keep URLs short and readable
2. Use hyphens for separators
3. Avoid special characters
4. Maintain consistent structure
5. Plan URL hierarchy carefully

URL Structure Tips by Content Type:

Products:

• Consider: /shop/category/product-name
• Alternative: /product/product-name

Pages:

• About: /about instead of /pages/about
• Contact: /contact instead of /pages/contact

Blogs:

• Main blog: /blog instead of /blogs/news
• Categories: /blog/category-name

Maintenance Tasks:

• Regular redirect audit
• Check for broken links
• Monitor analytics
• Update marketing materials
• Keep documentation current

Remember: Always prioritize user experience and SEO when changing URL structures. The simplest solution is often the best unless you have specific technical requirements.