Installation Guide
1. Find the App
Search for “Video SEO Alt Tags” on the Shopify App Store. You can also find the app by browsing the SEO or Media categories. Install from the Shopify App Store →2. Install the App
Click the “Add app” button on the app listing page. You will be asked to review the required permissions — the app needs access to read themes, and write products and files. Once you’ve reviewed the permissions, click “Install app” to complete the installation.3. Open the App
After installation, navigate to Shopify Admin → Apps → Video SEO Alt Tags. Click on the app to open the dashboard.4. Initial Data Sync
When you first install the app, it will automatically sync your product and media data from Shopify. No action is needed on your part — the sync begins immediately and runs in the background.How to Use
Dashboard Overview
At the top of the dashboard, three stat cards provide a quick overview of your optimization status:- Videos Optimized — Total videos successfully optimized with AI-generated alt tags.
- Failed — Number of videos where alt tag generation encountered an error.
- Sync Status — Shows whether your data sync is Active (up to date) or Syncing (importing from Shopify).
Choose Your Plan
Select your desired plan and click Save to apply the changes:- Free — Optimize up to 3 videos at no cost. Great for trying out the app.
- BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) — $4.95/month. Unlimited optimizations using your own OpenAI API key.
- Pro — $9.95/month. Unlimited optimizations with built-in AI — no API key required.
Configure Fallback Rules
Determine what alt text is used when a video thumbnail is not yet ready for AI analysis:- Store Name — Uses your Shopify store name.
- Product Title — Uses the title of the product the video belongs to.
- Custom Text — Enter your own custom fallback text.
Sync & Optimize Videos
Click the ‘Sync & Optimize Videos’ button to fetch your latest videos from Shopify and automatically generate AI-powered alt tags. This is the primary way to manage your optimization:- Detect New Media: Use this after uploading new videos to Content → Files or products.
- Automated Analysis: It scans for videos without tags, analyzes thumbnails via GPT-4o, and applies the results directly to Shopify.
Reset All Alt Tags
Located in the Recent Activity section, this button allows for a complete clean slate:- Action: It clears all alt text from your videos on Shopify and deletes all activity records.
- Behavior: After resetting, automatic syncs will NOT re-generate alt tags. To start fresh and re-optimize your entire library, you must manually click ‘Sync & Optimize Videos’.
Monitor Activity
The Recent Activity table logs every optimization attempt, including the generated text, success/fail status, the AI provider used, and a timestamp. Use the Clear Activity button to remove log entries without affecting your Shopify metadata.Verify in Shopify
Our app optimizes videos across your entire store, ensuring SEO-ready content for both products and site pages.Check Product Videos
- Go to Products in your Shopify Admin.
- Select a product that has video media.
- Click on the video thumbnail to open the media details.
- Check the Alt text field — it should now contain the AI-generated description.
Check Site Content & Files
Many videos are used in Blog Posts, Landing Pages, or Theme Sections. To verify these:- Go to Content → Files in your Shopify Admin.
- Search for your video file and click it to open settings.
- You will see the optimized Alt text saved directly to the file.
Tips & Best Practices
- Run Sync & Optimize early: Run this immediately after install to ensure all existing videos get alt tags.
- Keep descriptions concise: AI works best when describing the visual action of the video.
- Check the Failed count: Review the activity log for common issues like missing thumbnails or API rate limits.
Visual Examples
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this work with YouTube or Vimeo embeds?
Does this work with YouTube or Vimeo embeds?
No. This app is specifically designed for Shopify-hosted videos (files uploaded to your Content > Files or Product Media). Shopify allows us to write metadata directly to these files, which is what gives you the massive SEO boost in Google Video search.
Will adding Alt Text slow down my store?
Will adding Alt Text slow down my store?
Not at all. Our app works entirely on the “backend” of Shopify. We update the metadata of the file itself. There is no heavy Javascript library loading on your storefront, so your PageSpeed scores remain 100% unaffected.
Can I test the Video SEO app for free?
Can I test the Video SEO app for free?
Yes! We offer a “Try Before You Buy” period that includes 3 free video optimizations. This allows you to sync your first few videos and verify the SEO metadata is live on your storefront before starting a paid subscription.
How long does it take for Google to see the changes?
How long does it take for Google to see the changes?
Once the app generates and saves the Alt Text to your Shopify media, it usually takes 3 to 7 days for Google to re-crawl your pages and update their video index.
Can I edit the AI-generated text manually?
Can I edit the AI-generated text manually?
Yes! You can see every change the AI makes in the Recent Activity log. If you want to tweak a description, you can do so directly in your Shopify Admin under Products or Files, and our app will respect your manual changes.
What happens if I uninstall the app?
What happens if I uninstall the app?
The Alt Text we generated stays on your videos. We believe you should own your SEO. If you uninstall, the data remains in Shopify, but you will lose access to automatic optimization for new videos you upload.
Need Support?
If you have specific questions about bulk syncing or custom AI rules, our engineering team is ready to help. Contact Amethyst SupportStart Optimizing Your Videos Now →