How to Enable SeaText AI on a Shopify Development Store
To enable SeaText AI on a development store, create a separate SeaText account for that store's real domain, install the JavaScript snippet in your theme.liquid file, and activate agents one at a time. The...
To enable SeaText AI on a development store, create a separate SeaText account for the store's real domain. Then paste the JavaScript snippet before the closing </head> tag in theme.liquid. Finally, activate agents one at a time. This article explains each step in detail.
Why SeaText AI Requires a Real Domain
SeaText AI links each account to a single primary URL. It uses that URL to associate traffic with your account. If the URL changes often, the system cannot reliably track sessions.
Localhost is blocked for security reasons. Dynamic development URLs, such as temporary preview links, may not work. You need a stable, public domain for your development store.
For example, use dev.yourstore.com instead of a random Shopify preview URL. This gives SeaText a consistent place to attach data.
Prerequisites for Using SeaText AI on a Development Store
Before you begin, check the following:
- Real public domain: The store must have a valid domain. Free development stores can use one.
- Separate SeaText account: Each domain needs its own account. If you already have an account for your live store, create another one.
- Theme edit permission: You need access to edit the theme code in Shopify admin.
- An active theme: You must edit the theme that is currently published or set as the development theme.
Gather these items before starting. The actual setup takes about 10 minutes.
Step-by-Step Activation Process
Follow these steps exactly.
- Create a separate SeaText account. Go to seatext.com and sign up. Use the exact development domain as your primary URL.
- Copy the JavaScript snippet. In the SeaText dashboard, open the integration section. Copy the code shown there.
- Open Shopify theme editor. Log in to Shopify admin. Go to Online Store > Themes.
- Edit code. Next to your active theme, click the three dots and choose Edit code.
- Open
theme.liquid. In the left file list, open the Layout folder. Clicktheme.liquid. - Paste the snippet. Find the
</head>tag. Paste the SeaText code just before it. Click Save. - Verify the snippet. Visit your development store. Open your browser's developer tools and inspect the page source. Confirm the code appears inside the
<head>section. - Activate agents one at a time. In the SeaText dashboard, turn on the agents you need. Start with one, test it, then activate the next.
Pre-activation checklist:
- The development domain is correct in your SeaText account.
- The snippet is present on every page of the store.
- No other SeaText account is using this domain.
- You have a backup of your theme or can restore it.
What Happens After You Paste the Snippet
After you save theme.liquid, SeaText starts seeing your store's traffic. The AI remains inert until you activate agents. That means the snippet alone does not change your site.
When you activate an agent, it begins its work. For example, the Google Ads Agent rewrites landing pages to match ad keywords. The CRO Reading Analysis Agent studies how visitors read your pages.
Each agent works in real time. You control which agents run and when.
You can monitor each agent's behavior in your SeaText dashboard. Most agents show reports and logs.
How to Confirm Each Agent Is Live
To confirm an agent is active, check the dashboard first. The agent should show a status of 'Active'.
Then test the specific behavior. For the Google Ads Agent, send a test click from a Google ad if possible. Watch whether the page copy changes. For the CRO Agent, check its reading reports after a few visits.
Here are simple confirmation steps:
- Google Ads Agent: Visit a page with a keyword in the URL, and see if the headline adapts.
- Translation Agent: Change your browser language and see if content is translated.
- Bot Protection Agent: Check the agent's log for recorded suspicious sessions.
- Webchat Agent: Open the chat widget and send a test message.
If an agent does not respond, check that the snippet is still installed. Also confirm the correct domain is linked to the account.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using one account for live and development stores. Each domain requires its own SeaText account. Using one account for both causes data mixing.
- Installing on localhost. SeaText blocks localhost for security. Use a real domain.
- Using a dynamic preview URL. URLs that change break traffic attribution. Use a stable subdomain.
- Activating all agents at once. Activate one at a time to isolate issues and avoid confusion.
- Pasting the snippet in the wrong file. The snippet must go in
theme.liquidbefore</head>. Putting it in another template may not load on every page.
Troubleshooting Snippet Installation
If the snippet does not appear on your site, try these fixes.
- Check that you saved the file. Click Save after pasting the code.
- Clear your browser cache. Old versions of the page may hide the new code.
- Confirm the active theme. Make sure you edited the theme that is currently assigned to the store.
- Look for typo. Paste the code exactly as copied from the dashboard.
- Inspect page source directly. Use view-source in your browser to see the raw HTML. Do not rely only on developer tools.
If the code is present but agents still do not work, check your account's primary URL. It must match the store's current domain exactly, including the www part if that is how the store is served.
Moving from Development to Production
When you are ready to launch, remember that SeaText accounts are domain-specific. Your development account cannot be reused for your live domain.
Create a new SeaText account for the production domain. Install the snippet on your live theme and activate agents there.
Export any settings or configurations you want to replicate. Then recreate them manually in the new account. This avoids mixing data between environments.
Keep the development account active if you still need to test changes. Cancel it later if you no longer need it.
Key Facts About SeaText AI on Development Stores
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Account per domain | Each SeaText account is linked to a single primary URL. Separate domains require separate accounts. |
| Localhost restriction | Localhost is blocked for security. Use a real public domain. |
| Dynamic URLs | Dynamic development URLs may fail because traffic cannot be associated reliably. |
| Agent activation | Agents are inert until you activate them. You can turn them on one by one. |
| Trial | SeaText offers a free 1-month pilot trial you can use on a development store. |
| Number of agents | SeaText deploys 20 autonomous AI agents. You can pick which ones to activate. |
Limitations and When This Guide Does Not Apply
This guide applies only when your development store has a real, stable domain. It does not apply to local environments or temporary URLs.
If you use a Shopify preview URL or a changing staging URL, set up a dedicated subdomain first. Point that subdomain to your development store.
Some agents need live traffic to produce meaningful results. A development store with no visitors will not generate data for ad tracking or CRO analysis. Use test traffic or wait until production.
Agents that depend on paid ad clicks may not work well without real campaigns. Still, you can verify their setup and basic responses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use SeaText AI on a free Shopify development store?
Yes, as long as the store has a valid real domain. Create a separate SeaText account for that domain.
Do I need to pay for SeaText AI on a development store?
SeaText offers a free 1-month pilot trial. You can use that trial on a development store. After the trial, you need a paid plan.
What if my development store uses a subdomain of my live store?
Each subdomain is a separate domain. You need a different SeaText account for each. For example, dev.mystore.com and www.mystore.com are separate.
How do I remove SeaText AI from a development store?
Delete the JavaScript snippet from theme.liquid. Then deactivate the agents in your SeaText dashboard. The AI stops immediately.
Can I copy my SeaText configuration from development to live?
No, because each account is tied to a specific domain. You need to set up a new account for the live domain and configure the agents again.
Why does SeaText block localhost?
Localhost is restricted for security. The system cannot verify the domain or prevent abuse. A real domain gives SeaText a trustworthy way to attribute traffic.
How SeaText AI Helps Your Development Store
Using SeaText on a development store lets you configure and test the platform before going live. You can verify the snippet works, test agent behavior, and adjust settings without affecting real customers.
This is helpful for agencies building client stores. It is also useful for teams rolling out new SEO strategies. You can learn the platform in a safe environment.
Once you are comfortable, move to production with a new account. The development setup becomes your testing playground.
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