Google Ads and SEO for Shopify Stores: How to make it work

Google Ads and SEO for Shopify Stores That Are Struggling to Convert

Google Ads and SEO are often treated as separate strategies, but for online retail stores, especially Shopify stores, they work best together. If you are spending money on Google Ads and not seeing consistent sales, the problem is rarely the platform. The issue is how Google Ads and SEO are being used, or ignored, as a combined growth strategy. Many online retailers come to us after months of ad spend with little to show for it. Traffic is there, but sales are not. This is where alignment matters.

Why Google Ads Alone Is Not Enough for Online Retail

Google Ads can drive traffic fast. That is its strength. But traffic without trust, relevance, and structure rarely converts. Common issues we see with struggling Shopify stores include:

• Ads driving users to unoptimised product pages
• No keyword alignment between ads and on-page content
• Thin product descriptions with no SEO value
• Slow page speed affecting Quality Score
• No long-term visibility outside paid ads

When Google Ads runs without SEO support, every click costs you. The moment you pause ads, traffic stops.

How Google Ads and SEO Support Each Other

Google Ads and SEO share the same foundation. Keywords, search intent, landing page experience, and relevance.

When they work together:

• SEO improves landing page relevance, which lowers cost per click
• Google Ads data reveals high-intent keywords to target with SEO
• Strong content increases conversion rates from paid traffic
• Organic rankings reduce reliance on ongoing ad spend

Google rewards consistency. When your Shopify store shows strong organic signals and paid relevance, performance improves across both channels.

Talk To Katrina Puranik about Google Ads & SEO - She is an expert at getting these two marketing strategies to fit together and work for you. 

Shopify Case Study Insight: Turning Ads into Sales

One Shopify retailer came to us after spending over $4,000 on Google Ads with minimal return. Their products were strong, but their site was not supporting the ads.

Why Shopify Stores Need SEO to Make Google Ads Profitable

Shopify makes it easy to launch, but it does not automatically make your store visible or persuasive.

SEO supports Google Ads by:

• Improving Quality Score
• Increasing on-page trust signals
• Supporting long-tail keyword searches
• Capturing buyers earlier in the decision process

When a shopper clicks your ad and sees detailed, helpful, keyword-aligned content, they stay longer and buy with confidence.

SEO Content Is Not Just Blogs

For Shopify stores, SEO is not something that should be ignored. Its necessity shows itself in the lack of sales and visibility that your site has at present. It is your product descriptions that answer real buying questions, in collection pages that guide people toward the right choice, and in FAQs and buying guides that remove hesitation before purchase. It is also built into the internal linking structure, quietly helping both users and Google understand how everything connects. Ads may bring the visitor to your store, but it is SEO that builds confidence, earns trust, and gives them a reason to buy.

The Real Cost of Ignoring SEO

Without SEO:

Customer acquisition costs keep rising

Competitors build visibility while you rent traffic

• Every sale relies on paid traffic

• Growth stalls once ad budgets cap out

Google Ads should amplify what already works. SEO makes sure something is working underneath.

What to Focus On First If Your Store Is Struggling

If your Shopify store is not converting from Google Ads - You need to triage the setup, and the customer journey. As a pert of the setup it helps to have some coupon codes ready to go. But usually the issue is that many is being spent on the ads but not the Landing Pages! 

Have you seen the impact on your SEO visibility when you start runnings ads??

You need to align your SEO strategy with your Google Ads Target Keywords as well. 

Most Shopify store owners we speak to start in the same place. They are running ads, watching clicks come in, and wondering why sales are not following. When we dig in, the pattern is familiar. The ads are saying one thing, but the product pages are saying another. The first shift is aligning ad keywords with the language used on product pages, so shoppers land exactly where their intent is met. From there, we focus on the products that already drive the most revenue and optimise them for SEO, rather than spreading effort too thin. Google Ads search terms then become a goldmine, guiding what content needs to be created next to support buying decisions. Along the way, we improve page speed and mobile usability so nothing gets in the way of a sale.

Mostly importantly. You need to pay attention to the numbers - What is costing money, and where growth is actually coming from. Everything needs to be tracked in one clear dashboard, so store owners can see what is working, what's not and make informed decisions about marketing. Once you know what going on - This is where things will finally turn around.

Google Ads & SEO Go Hand-in-hand at Ranking Australia

At Ranking Australia, we work with online brands who want clarity, not guesswork. Our team combines Google Ads expertise with SEO strategy, supported by real performance data through our dashboards. You see what is working, what is costing you money, and where growth opportunities exist. We specialise in helping Shopify stores build sustainable traffic, not short-term spikes. When Google Ads and SEO are aligned, results become predictable and scalable.

Ask Us about a Free Google Ads and SEO Audit for Shopify Stores

• Google Ads Review - Analysis of Tracking codes, and content for success.
• Website SEO Audit - Review of Content, Tools, Metadata and Visibility of Your Website.
• Recommendations - Reporting on low-hanging fruit opportunities to improve your store's performance

Call 1300 762 496
Email us on info@rankingaustralia.com.au