Key takeaways
- Short collection description: add it in the collection editor - it shows above or below the product grid depending on your theme.
- Rich text sections: add them via Theme Editor > Collections template (applies to all collection pages).
- For unique text per collection, use collection metafields connected to a text section.
- Adding relevant text to collection pages improves SEO rankings for category keywords.
Collection pages are often stripped of text, showing only products. Adding well-written, relevant text improves SEO, helps customers understand the range, and gives you room for conversion-focused copy.
Why you can trust us
We’ve built and customised hundreds of Shopify storefronts. We also built Fudge - an AI storefront editor with a 5.0 rating on the Shopify App Store.
Method 1 - Collection description (built-in)
Every collection in Shopify has a Description field. This is the quickest way to add text.
Step 1. Go to Products > Collections > click the collection.
Step 2. In the Description text field, write your content. The editor supports basic rich text (bold, italic, headings, bullet lists, links).
Step 3. Save.
Where it appears: Most Shopify themes display the collection description either above or below the product grid. Exactly where depends on your theme - some themes show it above the grid as a short intro, others below as a longer category description.
This method is per-collection - each collection can have its own unique description text. It’s also indexed by Google, making it valuable for SEO.
Related: Edit Text on Any Page in Shopify.
Related: Add Metafields to Shopify Products.
For more detail, see our guide on customize a collection page in shopify.
Method 2 - Theme Editor text sections
For richer layouts - a text block with an image, a multi-column feature section, or a promotional banner below the product grid - use the Theme Editor.
Step 1. Go to Online Store > Themes > Customize.
Step 2. Navigate to a Collection page.
Step 3. In the left sidebar, scroll to see the sections layout. Below the product grid section, click Add section.
Step 4. Add a Rich text, Image with text, or Text columns section (or whatever section types your theme offers).
Step 5. Write your content in the section settings.
Step 6. Save.
Important: Adding sections via the Theme Editor on the collection template applies them to all collection pages using that template. The text will be the same on every collection page.
Method 3 - Unique text per collection via metafields
To show different text on each collection page without using the basic description field, use collection metafields connected to a Theme Editor section.
Step 1. Go to Settings > Custom data > Collections > Add definition.
Step 2. Create a metafield called something like “Featured text” with type Rich text or Single line text.
Step 3. Go to each collection and fill in this metafield with the collection-specific text.
Step 4. In the Theme Editor > Collections template, add a Rich text section. In the text field, click Connect dynamic source and link it to your new metafield.
Step 5. Save.
Each collection now shows its own unique text from the metafield, managed in the collection editor.
Where should text appear on a collection page?
Above the grid: A short 1-3 sentence intro that names the category, describes what’s in it, and includes relevant keywords. Helps users immediately confirm they’re in the right place.
Below the grid: A longer text section (150-400 words) that provides more detail about the category - materials, use cases, brand positioning. This is valuable for SEO without pushing products down the page for shopping-intent visitors.
Most high-performing category pages put a short text above and longer SEO text below.
Related: Add Alt Text in Shopify.
SEO value of collection page text
Collection pages are often the highest-value organic landing pages for Shopify stores - they rank for category-level searches like “women’s running shoes” or “organic skincare”.
Text on collection pages gives Google more context about what the page covers. Targeted, relevant text that naturally includes your category keywords (without keyword stuffing) will improve your rankings for those terms over time.
Aim for at least 150 words of relevant text per important collection page. Include the collection name, key product attributes, and use cases naturally in the text.
Related: Edit Meta Descriptions in Shopify.
Editing text above the product grid
By default, most themes only allow text above the grid via the collection description field or a specific banner/header section. Adding a fully custom text layout above the grid - especially one that varies per collection - typically requires a custom collection template.
If you need this level of control, describe it to Fudge: “On each collection page, show the collection title, description, and a custom intro paragraph above the product grid. The intro paragraph should come from a collection metafield.”
FAQ
Position varies by theme - Dawn shows it under the title above the grid; Sense and Craft do similar. Some themes (and many older ones) push the description below the grid or hide it entirely. Open the Theme Editor → Collections template → look at the section list to see where your theme renders it.
Yes, when the text is genuinely relevant. 150-400 words of natural, non-stuffed copy that uses the category's keywords helps Google understand the page's topic. Avoid pure keyword stuffing - copy that exists only for SEO with no value to the visitor performs worse than no copy at all.
Yes, three options: (1) write per-collection descriptions in the collection editor (simplest), (2) use a collection metafield connected to a Theme Editor section via dynamic source, or (3) create separate templates per collection. Option 2 scales best for many collections — describe what you want to Fudge ("add a metafield-driven intro paragraph below the collection title, with a fallback to the collection description") and it builds the section wired to your metafield.
Both, ideally. A short 1-3 sentence intro above sets context for the visitor; a longer 200-400 word block below provides SEO depth without pushing products down. Avoid putting a 300-word block above the grid - shopping-intent visitors want to see products first.
Most likely your theme doesn't display it on the current template, or the Theme Editor has a "Show description" toggle that's disabled. Check the Collections section settings in the Theme Editor. If it's still missing, the theme may render the description only on collection cards (in collection-list pages), not on the collection page itself.
