How to Configure Shopify Blog Settings: A Comprehensive Guide

To be distinct from the intense competition, you should, and need, to consider creating great blog posts on your Shopify store. Once you have started to create one, you might wonder “How to configure Shopify blog settings?”

I've been there, and I can help! This article will show you every step of the way to configure any Shopify blog settings. Let’s get started!

Understanding Shopify Blog Settings

Shopify blog is a built-in feature that empowers you to create and manage a blog directly within your online store to connect with your audience. Since natively integrated, Shopify blogs inherit the design and layout of your Shopify theme, meaning you can maintain consistent branding. That's why choosing a Blog-Friendly Shopify Theme is very important!

Shopify provides various settings to tailor your blog to your specific needs and preferences, including:

• Blog title and meta description
• SEO
• URL
• Visibility (public or private)
• Appearance and layout
• Comments
• Schedule
• Tags and categories
• Author
• Analytics

I’ll walk you through configuring every setting in the next sections!

How to Configure Shopify Blog General Settings

Now, let’s move on to setting up your Shopify blog with the basics.

Edit Blog Title

Your blog title is more than just a name—it’s the first impression visitors get when they encounter your content. Choose a title that reflects the purpose and content of your blog.

To add or edit your Shopify blog’s title:

• From your Shopify admin, go to Online Store > Blog Posts.

• Click Manage blogs

• Select an existing blog or click Add blog to create a new one.

• In the Title field, enter a descriptive name that reflects the content you’ll be sharing (e.g., "November News" for updates, "How to" for tutorials).

• Click Save.

Edit Blog SEO

You can adjust the text that shows up in search engine results for your Shopify blog. To make it easier for a new customer to find your online store and entice them to click on the link, you can make use of a descriptive page title (this title will show up on Google when customers search for your store or certain related keywords) and meta description.

To configure Shopify blog’s SEO settings:

• In the blog editor, scroll down to the Search Engine Listing Preview section and click Edit website SEO.

• Add or edit the Page Title: Include relevant keywords within 60-70 characters.
• Write a compelling Meta Description in 150-160 characters with a call to action.

• Don’t forget to set up the Shopify blog’s featured image and add descriptive alt text for images by clicking Update > Edit image

Edit Blog URL

When you create a blog, Shopify automatically creates a web address for it. You might want to change or shorten it. Here's how:

• From the Edit website SEO page, click the URL and handle field.
• You’ll notice that the text in the field has 2 different colors. The text with the gray color is the default for all of your Shopify blogs, so you can’t change that. You can only change the text in the black color.

• Keep the URL Handle short and relevant, such as “/clean-leather-jacket” or “/banana-bread-recipe.

Set Blog Visibility

You can choose to make your blogs public or hidden on your Shopify website and even set the schedule for these actions. Here’s how to do it:

• In your Shopify admin, navigate to Online Store > Blog Posts and select the post you wish to publish or unpublish. 

• In the visibility section, click either Visible or Hidden.

• If you want to set the time to publish a blog post, click Set visibility date and select your preferred date and time.

• Click Save.

How to Configure Shopify Blog Advanced Settings

The advanced settings in Shopify’s blog configuration give you control over design, engagement, and structure. Here’s how you can fine-tune these options:

Customize Blog Appearance and Layout

Your Shopify blog will automatically use the look and layout of your Shopify theme. So, it's important to choose a theme that matches your brand.

You can also further customize the theme’s layout and setting by following these steps:

• Navigate to Online Store > Themes.
• Select Customize for your current theme or any theme you want to publish in the future.

• Choose Blog.

• Now, you can choose to adjust the number of columns, image orientation, pagination, show author or not, and more from the right-bar menu.
• Once you’re happy with the customization, remember to click Save.

• You can also add your blogs to your homepage by clicking Add section > Blog posts.

• Adjust the number of columns, image orientation, pagination, show author or not, and more from the right-bar menu.

Set Blog Comment Settings

Shopify allows you to encourage customers to leave comments on your blog. Here’s how to set it up:

• Go to Online Store > Blog Posts in your Shopify admin.

• Select Manage blogs and choose the blog you want to edit.

• Under the Comments sections, select one of the following:
  • Comments are disabled
  • Comments are allowed, pending moderation
  • Comments are allowed, and are automatically published

• Click Save
• If you choose to moderate comments, all customers' comments will be pending until you decide to publish them. Click Manage comments and choose to publish or delete each comment.

Add Blog Tags

Using tags and categories helps with both user navigation and SEO. Tags allow readers to find related posts more easily, while categories group similar types of content together.

To add tags to your blog posts:

• Click Add blog post or click an existing post.

• Scroll down to the Tags section.

• Enter keywords or phrases that are relevant to the content of your post.
• Click Save.

Integrate Analytics and Tracking

Tracking your blog’s performance is essential to understand what content resonates with your audience. 

Currently, there is no way to see the specific amount of views on each Shopify blog post. However, there is a workaround:

• From your Shopify admin. Click Analytics, then Reports.
• Choose the Sessions by landing page report.
• Filter the report to show only blog articles.

You can also add Google Analytics to Shopify to see how much traffic your blog is getting. The Google Analytics dashboard shows you how many visitors your website has, where they're coming from, what pages they're looking at, and how long they stay on each page. You can even see information about your visitors' demographics, interests, and behavior.

Bottom Line

Now that you have a better understanding of the Shopify blog and have figured out how to configure Shopify blog settings, I hope that you can manage your online store more effectively.

FAQs

How often should I post on my Shopify blog?

Consistency is key to building an engaged audience and improving SEO. Aim to post at least 1-2 times a week if possible. However, it’s better to publish high-quality content less frequently than to rush lower-quality posts.

Is there a way to track the performance of my Shopify blog?

Yes, you can integrate tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel to track your blog’s traffic, visitor engagement, and conversions. These analytics tools provide insights into which blog posts are performing well and how visitors are interacting with your content.

Can I import a blog from another platform to Shopify?

Yes, you can use the BlogFeeder app to import blog posts from other platforms like WordPress, Tumblr, or RSS feeds. Simply connect your external blog, map the fields, and schedule regular imports to automate the process.

How do I promote my Shopify blog to increase traffic?

Promoting your Shopify blog can be done in several ways:

• Share posts on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Include links to recent blog posts in your email campaigns.
• Optimize posts with keywords to rank higher in search results.
• Collaborate with influencers or brands to reach their followers.