Foundation · 3 min
What you need to know
Did clicks, impressions, or rankings change?
An impression means someone was shown your page in a search result. A click means they opened it from that result. If impressions rise but clicks do not, check which searches show your pages and whether the result accurately describes them. If both fall suddenly for a group of URLs, check indexing and changes to those pages.
An average ranking number can hide different searches and devices. Look at the relevant pages and queries rather than one store-wide figure.
Why is an indexed page getting no traffic?
It may answer a question few people ask, appear too low for relevant searches, or have a title that fails to explain its value. Inspect the actual queries and compare the product page with the buyer’s likely intent. Also check whether the item is available and described accurately.
Indexing means eligibility to appear, not a promise of visitors.
What belongs in a practical audit?
Start with your main category page and your best-visited product pages. Can Google open and list them, and can a shopper reach them from the store menu? Look for wrong redirects, unexpected noindex rules, duplicate URLs, broken pages, inconsistent product data, and slow or unusable mobile journeys. Then review which pages attract relevant searches and orders.
Keep a simple list of each issue, the affected URLs, the evidence, and the fix. That helps you avoid changing a dozen things without knowing what caused the problem.
What should you check after a redesign?
List the old and new page addresses side by side. Send an old product address to its matching new page, update menu links, and check the preferred page address (canonical) and any instruction to hide a page from search (noindex). Then test the sitemap and a real buying path. Confirm that an old product URL reaches the new product page, not a generic homepage.
A platform migration includes more than SEO. Recheck product data, payments, stock, orders and other business operations; the dedicated migration guide should cover that larger project.
How long before SEO changes show results?
There is no fixed schedule. Google may take time to revisit a fixed page, and its position can differ by search. Check whether the original problem is gone before judging the traffic change. Track whether the specific technical issue was fixed and whether the affected pages recover over time, rather than expecting a guaranteed date.
Foundation · 2 min
Frequently asked questions
Why did my rankings fall after changing my store?
Check changed URLs, redirects, internal links, canonical and noindex settings, page content and performance. Compare the affected queries and dates before deciding on the cause.
How do I know whether SEO is working?
Track relevant impressions and clicks, useful page coverage, and what visitors do after arriving. More traffic alone is not success if those visitors cannot find or buy the products they wanted.