Here’s a focused summary of the SEO-specific changes and improvements introduced in PrestaShop 9, especially those that directly impact search engine visibility, crawling/indexing, and URL management:
🔍 Key SEO-Related Changes in PrestaShop 9
1. Cleaner, More SEO-Friendly URLs
- Product URLs no longer include the category path by default, resulting in shorter, cleaner URLs like
domain.com/p/product-namerather than longer hierarchical structures. This reduces duplicate URLs and keeps URLs consistent even if a product moves categories. (prestashop-project.org) - You can optionally remove the default language prefix from URLs (e.g., omit
/en/for the default language), which avoids unnecessary redirects and shortens links. (prestashop-project.org)
👉 Why it matters: Shorter URLs are easier for users and search engines, can improve click-through rates, and reduce crawl waste.
2. Indexing Controls & Redirect Management
- Filtered/Faceted listing pages (e.g., layered navigation) are now excluded from indexing by default, helping prevent search engines from crawling thin or near-duplicate content. (prestashop-project.org)
- Inactive categories (disabled categories) can be handled with custom 301/302 redirects, preserving SEO value when reorganizing or removing sections of the catalog. (prestashop-project.org)
👉 Why it matters: Controlling what gets indexed improves crawl efficiency and reduces the risk of search engines indexing low-value or duplicate URLs.
📈 Performance & Technical SEO Improvements
3. Native Support for Modern Image Formats
- PrestaShop 9 includes native support for WebP and AVIF images, which are significantly smaller and faster to load than older formats. (prestashop-project.org)
👉 Why it matters: Image performance is a ranking factor under Core Web Vitals — faster images help improve page load performance and SEO.
4. Better Handling of Language & Regional URLs
- Option to omit default language code in URLs (e.g., no
/en/prefix) helps simplify international SEO setups and can reduce unnecessary redirects and indexing complexity. (prestashop-project.org)
5. Redirects & Canonicalization
- Improved ability to manage 301/302 redirects for category and product organization changes. (PrestaShop Project)
👉 Why it matters: Proper redirects help preserve link equity when restructuring your site.
🔧 Practical SEO Adjustments With PS9
6. Reduced Duplicate URLs
- By default, URLs are more stable and predictable — reducing duplicate URLs when products belong to multiple categories. (en.blog.agti.eng.br)
7. Lower Reliance on SEO Modules for Basic Needs
- Many SEO best practices that previously required modules (clean URLs, noindex controls, redirect handling) are now part of the core. (prestashop-project.org)
🧠 Summary of What Changed
| Feature | Impact on SEO |
|---|---|
| Clean & category-less product URLs | ✅ Better readability, fewer duplicates |
| Optional language prefix removal | ✅ Simpler multilingual URLs |
| Exclusion of filtered pages from indexing | ✅ Better crawl budget use |
| Custom 301/302 for inactive categories | ✅ Preserves SEO value on cleanup |
| WebP & AVIF support | ✅ Faster loading & improved Core Web Vitals |
| Native SEO controls | ✅ Less dependency on 3rd-party SEO modules |
🛠 Recommended SEO Tasks After Upgrading
- Review your URL settings in Shop Parameters → SEO & URLs.
- Generate a fresh sitemap and resubmit to Google Search Console.
- Check robots.txt to ensure new noindex rules are correctly applied.
- Audit redirects for old URLs (especially if migrating from PS 8).
- Monitor Core Web Vitals after enabling WebP/AVIF.