What is a Handle?
Understanding Handle in E-commerce
Quick Definition
A handle is a unique, URL-friendly identifier for a product, collection, or page in e-commerce platforms like Shopify. It's typically lowercase, uses hyphens instead of spaces, and serves critical functions in SEO, navigation, and system organization. A clean, descriptive handle improves user experience and search engine indexing.
Understanding E-commerce Handles
What Makes a Handle Important?
- •URL Readability: Creates clean, human-readable web addresses
- •SEO Optimization: Helps search engines understand page content
- •System Identification: Unique identifier for internal platform management
Handle Formatting Rules
- summer-beach-towel
- organic-cotton-tshirt
- wireless-noise-cancelling-headphones
- Summer Beach Towel
- Organic_Cotton_Tshirt
- Wireless&Headphones
Best Practices for Creating Handles
Keep it Concise
Use 3-5 meaningful words that describe the product
Use Keywords
Include relevant search terms naturally
Avoid Special Characters
Stick to lowercase letters and hyphens
Ensure Uniqueness
No duplicate handles within your store
Handles in E-commerce Optimization
Strategically crafted handles contribute to better user experience and search performance. Tools like Growth Suite can help track how product page URLs impact conversion rates, allowing merchants to refine their handle strategies for maximum visibility and engagement.
A well-constructed handle is more than just a technical requirement—it's a subtle but powerful tool for improving online store performance.
Put Handle into Practice
Ready to apply these concepts to your store? Growth Suite provides the tools you need to implement effective handle strategies.
Other Terms in "H"
- H1/H2/H3 (Headings)
- H1 Tag
- Header
- Header Navigation
- Header Tags
- Headless Commerce
- Heatmap
- Hero Image