Goal: Update the SEO meta titles and descriptions for your smart collections and manual collections to improve search engine optimization without manually editing each collection individually.
Prerequisites:
You have Altera installed on your Shopify store
Collections already created in your Shopify store
Basic understanding of SEO meta titles and descriptions
Step 1 - Export Your Collections
In Altera, go to Export and select either Smart Collections or Manual Collections depending on which type you want to update.
In the field selection, choose only:
General category (for the ID and Title fields)
Metafields and SEO category (for the SEO metafields)
Click Export to download your collections data.
Step 2 - Prepare Your Spreadsheet
Open the downloaded spreadsheet and delete all columns except:
ID column (required to identify which collection to update)
Metafield: title_tag [single_line_text_field] column (for SEO meta titles)
Metafield: description_tag [single_line_text_field] column (for SEO meta descriptions)
Step 3 - Fill in Your SEO Values
For each collection, enter your desired SEO values:
Meta titles: Keep under 70 characters for optimal search engine display
Meta descriptions: Keep under 160 characters for optimal search engine display
Leave any cells blank for collections where you don't want to change the existing SEO values.
Step 4 - Import Your Updated Data
Return to Altera and go to Import. Upload your modified spreadsheet and select the same collection type you exported (Smart Collections or Manual Collections).
Review the import preview and click Run Import to update your collections' SEO data.
Outcome
Your collections now have updated SEO meta titles and descriptions that will appear in search engine results. You can verify the changes by viewing your collections in the Shopify admin or checking the source code of your collection pages.
Important Notes
Shopify's SEO Metafield Behavior:
Shopify stores SEO meta titles and descriptions as metafields, not as direct collection properties
If a meta title exactly matches the collection title, Shopify will show it as blank in exports. This allows the SEO title to automatically update when you change the collection title
The same behavior applies to meta descriptions that match the collection description
If you see blank SEO columns in your export but know you have SEO values set, this is likely why
Example Spreadsheet Format
ID | Metafield: title_tag [single_line_text_field] | Metafield: description_tag [single_line_text_field] |
123456 | Best Summer Dresses 2024 - Free Shipping | Shop our curated collection of summer dresses with free shipping on orders over $50. |
789012 | Premium winter coats and jackets for the whole family. Stay warm in style. | |
345678 | Holiday Gift Guide - Unique Presents | Find the perfect holiday gifts with our curated selection of unique presents. |