RankEngineRankEngine Help

Theme setup — the app embed and app blocks

RankEngine adds its storefront features through Shopify's theme app extension — a switch and a few blocks in Shopify's theme editor. You never edit theme code. Settings › Theme setup shows what is on, what is placed, and opens the theme editor at the right spot.

Who this is for

Every store. The app embed is what puts RankEngine's structured data (the code that tells Google and AI assistants what each page is), noindex for hidden pages, speed hints and canonical and social tags on your live store. The app blocks are optional extras such as FAQ, HowTo or recipe structured data on a particular template.

What you need

  • Permission to edit your online store's theme in Shopify.
  • Your published (live) theme. Changes saved on an unpublished theme do not reach your storefront.

Switch on the app embed

  1. Open Settings from the app menu and choose Theme setup under Connections (the Dashboard's Manage theme setup link goes to the same place).

  2. Under App embeds, find any embed marked Off and click Turn on. Shopify's theme editor opens in a new tab with that embed already selected. Names match what you see in the theme editor.

  3. In the theme editor, make sure the embed's switch is on, then click "Save" at the top right. Changes stay in draft until you save.

  4. Come back to RankEngine and click Re-check. The embed now shows On.

Place app blocks (optional)

  1. Under App blocks, each block shows Placed or Not placed, and whether it is Optional. Use Filter blocks to find one, or show the rest of the list.
  2. Click the "Add to …" button for the template you want (for example a product or blog post template). The theme editor opens with that block ready to add.
  3. Position the block, click "Save" in the theme editor, and come back.
  4. Click Re-check. The block moves to Placed.

What you should see

  • Every embed marked On (for example "1 of 1 embeds on"), and how many blocks are placed.
  • The same status on the Dashboard: the Store health footer reads "App embeds: N of N on · N of N app blocks placed".
  • Under Tags your theme already provides, any tags your theme prints itself — RankEngine's embed does not print a second copy of those, so you never get duplicate canonical links or social tags.

Troubleshooting

  • The embed is on in the theme editor but RankEngine still says Off. You switched it on without clicking "Save". Open the editor again, save, then click Re-check.
  • "We could not read your theme just now." The status is unknown, not off. Open the editor to check, or click Re-check in a moment.
  • You saved on the wrong theme. Only the published theme counts. Switch on the embed in the theme that is live.
  • A new RankEngine version does not show on your store. After an app update, Shopify can ask you to update the app in your admin (Apps › RankEngine SEO AEO). Your embed keeps its on/off state.
  • A heading issue says to change the theme. RankEngine does not edit theme code. Those issues are listed in Needs you with the file and line, for your theme developer.

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