How to Fix Shopify SEO Problems: Meta Viewport

Have you ever opened a website on your phone and found the text blurry or the layout stretched out weirdly? This can be frustrating, especially if you're trying to find important information. Thankfully, there's a little line of code behind the scenes working to prevent these issues: the meta viewport attribute.

Think of the meta viewport attribute as a pair of virtual eyeglasses for your web browser. Just like eyeglasses adjust how you see the world, the viewport attribute tells your device how to display a webpage. It ensures that the website fits the size of your screen, whether you're browsing on a phone, tablet, laptop, or even a giant desktop monitor. This responsiveness to different screen sizes is crucial in today's world, where we access websites from all sorts of devices with varying screen sizes.

Here's how the meta viewport attribute works its magic:

• Controlling the Viewport: Imagine the webpage as a document, and the viewport on your device is the window you use to see it. The viewport attribute can define the size of this window. For instance, it can tell your phone's browser to display the entire webpage content within the available screen space, preventing horizontal scrolling and ensuring everything is visible.
• Zooming and Scaling: The viewport attribute can also control how much users need to zoom in or out to see the webpage clearly. By specifying an initial zoom level, it ensures the website opens at a comfortable viewing size on your device. This is particularly helpful for websites with a lot of text or detailed information.
• Orientation Matters: Some devices, like phones and tablets, can be used in both portrait and landscape modes. The viewport attribute can be used to define how the webpage adjusts to these different orientations. This ensures that the website elements stay organized and readable no matter how you hold your device.

Overall, the meta viewport attribute plays a vital role in creating a smooth and user-friendly experience across all devices. By incorporating this simple line of code, website creators can ensure their content is accessible and visually appealing to everyone, regardless of their screen size or device. So, the next time you browse a website that perfectly fits your phone screen, remember the invisible magic of the meta viewport attribute working behind the scenes.

The Meta Viewport Attribute in Shopify Themes

Not having the Meta Viewport attribute can hurt you from SEO perspective particularly for users that have accessibility issues and mobile user segments.

Shopify requires all themes used in it's stores are accessible and responsive. As a result most themes developed by Shopify or third party providers will include the viewport attribute. However, if your site is flagged for not having this very important attribute, you should strongly consider changing themes or working with the theme developer to fix this issue.