Here’s the quick answer: Shopify doesn’t support traditional parent-child page hierarchies out of the box, but you can still create sub pages by using Shopify’s navigation menus, custom pages, or page builder apps.
These methods help organize your content visually and structurally, even though the URLs remain flat. For full control, you can also customize your theme code.
Whether you’re building a large ecommerce site or just starting out, structuring your store the right way helps your customers navigate with ease and boosts your SEO. This guide breaks it all down and gives you everything you need to know to start creating sub pages in Shopify.
Why Sub Pages Matter for Your Shopify Store
Sub pages (also called child pages or nested pages) are pages that live under a parent page in your site’s navigation or structure.
For example, you might have a main page called “Collections” with sub pages like “Men’s Clothing,” “Women’s Clothing,” or “Sale Items.”
Even though Shopify doesn’t support sub page URLs like /collections/mens, you can still create a logical hierarchy using Shopify’s navigation settings, custom pages, apps, and a bit of creativity.
Benefits of Sub Pages:
- Improved User Experience: Makes it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for.
- Better Site Structure: Helps organize your content logically, especially if you have a large product catalog.
- Stronger SEO Signals: A well-organized internal linking structure improves crawlability and ranking potential.
- Increased Time on Site: When people can navigate easily, they stick around longer and view more pages.
Here’s how to build sub pages in Shopify step by step.
Option 1: Use Shopify Navigation to Structure Sub Pages
The simplest way to create the appearance of sub pages is by using Shopify’s Menus and Navigation feature. This method doesn’t change your URLs, but it visually organizes your store for users.
How to Create Sub Pages Using Navigation:
- Go to your Shopify Admin Panel
- Click on Online Store > Navigation
- Choose your Main Menu
- Click “Add Menu Item” to create a parent item (e.g. “Shop”)
- Add other menu items (e.g. “Men’s”, “Women’s”, “Sale”) as sub items
- Use drag-and-drop to nest them under the parent item
This menu structure will appear in your site’s header or wherever your theme displays it.
| Menu Item | Sub Pages |
|---|---|
| Shop | Men’s |
| Women’s | |
| Sale |
While the URLs will still look like /collections/mens, this creates a visual hierarchy that mimics sub pages.
Pros:
Cons:
- URLs remain flat (not nested)
- Limited SEO benefit from URL structure
This method is best for small to medium-sized stores or stores that want simplicity without apps or code.
Option 2: Create Manual Sub Pages With Custom URLs
If you want more control over your pages and a bit more SEO structure, you can create individual pages or collections and link them logically under a “hub” or parent page. This gives you better control over SEO elements and page content.
Steps:
- Go to Online Store > Pages
- Create a page (e.g. “Shop All” or “Collections”)
- Create more pages or collections for each category (e.g. “Men’s Clothing,” “Women’s Clothing”)
- Use internal links to link the parent page to the child pages
- Optionally, use breadcrumbs and a well-structured internal linking strategy to guide users and search engines
Sample URL Structure:
/collections/collections/mens-clothing/collections/womens-clothing
Even though these pages are technically flat in Shopify’s backend, they appear like a nested structure when users navigate your store.
Table: Parent-Child Page Mapping
| Parent Page | Sub Pages/Collections |
|---|---|
| /collections | /collections/mens-clothing |
| /collections/womens-clothing | |
| /collections/sale |
Pros:
- Better SEO control (title tags, URLs, metadata)
- Allows for richer content on each page
- Great for creating landing pages or SEO silos
Cons:
- Requires more manual setup
- Needs consistent internal linking strategy
Option 3: Use a Page Builder App
If you need full design flexibility or are building custom landing pages, using a page builder app is your best bet. These apps let you create beautifully designed pages that can mimic sub page structures with visual layout tools.
Top Shopify Page Builder Apps:
| App | Price (Starting at) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| PageFly | Free – $24/month | Drag-and-drop editor, responsive design |
| Shogun | $39/month | A/B testing, advanced page elements |
| GemPages | $29/month | Templates, SEO tools, mobile-ready |
These tools let you create custom pages with layouts that guide users from one section to another — all without touching code.
How to Use a Page Builder to Create Sub Pages:
- Install a page builder app
- Create your main parent page (e.g. “Shop by Category”)
- Create sub pages using the app’s templates (e.g. “Accessories,” “Shoes,” “New Arrivals”)
- Link sub pages within the parent page using buttons, images, or internal links
- Add these pages to your navigation for seamless user access
Pros:
- Fully customizable design
- Mobile-friendly layouts
- Quick visual changes without dev help
Cons:
- Can be expensive depending on app and features
- Adds third-party code to your site (may affect speed)
Option 4: Customize Your Shopify Theme Files
For stores with development resources or more advanced needs, editing your theme files gives you full control. You can create custom templates, breadcrumb navigation, and even structure how pages appear based on tags or collections.
What You Can Do With Theme Customization:
- Add breadcrumbs to create hierarchy
- Display related sub pages or collections dynamically
- Create different templates for parent vs. child pages
- Add custom sections with Liquid (Shopify’s templating language)
Basic Steps:
- Go to Online Store > Themes > Actions > Edit Code
- Duplicate your theme first as a backup
- Edit
theme.liquid,page.liquid, or create custom templates - Use conditional statements to display content based on parent/child relationships
- Update your navigation and link structure to match
This method offers full control, but should be handled carefully—especially in live stores.
Pros:
- Total flexibility
- Can mirror any structure you want
- Better for SEO if done properly
Cons:
- Requires coding knowledge (HTML, CSS, Liquid)
- Mistakes can break your site
- Takes longer to implement
Best Practices for Sub Pages and SEO
Even if your sub pages don’t live in actual subdirectories, you can still structure them in a way that benefits both users and search engines.
SEO Best Practices:
- Use Internal Linking: Always link from parent to child and vice versa.
- Add Breadcrumb Navigation: Helps users navigate and sends hierarchy signals to search engines.
- Keep URLs Simple and Keyword-Focused: Use
/collections/mens-running-shoesinstead of something generic. - Include Structured Data Markup: Especially for product and collection pages.
- Optimize Each Page Individually: Write unique meta titles, descriptions, and H1 tags for each sub page.
- Avoid Duplicate Content: If you’re using similar templates, make sure the content is unique.
Example Breadcrumbs:
- Home > Collections > Men’s Clothing > Running Shoes
Breadcrumbs are supported by many Shopify themes or can be added manually with code or apps.
Tools and Apps That Help With Sub Page Structure
You don’t have to do it all manually. Shopify’s app ecosystem gives you plenty of tools to speed up and automate parts of the process.
Useful Apps:
| App | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Linkcious | Smart internal linking based on behavior |
| Smart Menu by qikify | Advanced menu structure, mega menus |
| Shopify SEO Manager | Helps manage meta titles, tags, and more |
| Crumbs Breadcrumbs | Adds SEO-friendly breadcrumbs |
| Easy Tabs | Lets you organize content within pages cleanly |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Sub pages can be powerful—but only if done correctly. These mistakes can hurt SEO or user experience.
Top Pitfalls:
- No internal links between related pages
- Duplicate content across sub pages
- Confusing navigation menus
- Broken or orphaned pages not linked anywhere
- Pages with thin or no content
Make sure every page has a purpose, is linked from other pages, and has unique content.
Final Thoughts
Creating sub pages in Shopify isn’t as straightforward as in WordPress or other CMS platforms, but it’s definitely doable.
Whether you’re using basic menus, custom pages, third-party apps, or custom code, you have a range of tools to organize your store in a way that makes sense for users and boosts your visibility in search.
Start with navigation if you’re just getting your feet wet. As your store grows, look into using page builders or custom coding to take more control. Whatever method you choose, keep your customers and SEO in mind, and make sure everything is easy to find, link, and browse.
