How to promote your Shopify store: Ideas and tips

Search Engine Optimization

The primary goal of SEO is to enhance online content so that popular search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo recognize its relevance and quality.

Using SEO in your content will ensure it ranks higher when users search related keywords, for example, board games for adults or cat bandanas.

It’s a straightforward way to get noticed in a densely packed market.

How do you find relevant keywords?

• Carry out brainstorming.
  Make a list of what your customers might type into the search bar to find products like those you’re selling.
• Use online tools.
  Conduct keyword research through online services like Semrush or the Google Keyword Planner.
• Use long-tail keywords.
  These keywords contain three or more words. This initially offers less traffic but simplifies customer conversion and makes it easier to rank for more extensive keywords in the future.

Where to use those keywords?

• In product descriptions.
  Sprinkle your keywords naturally through your listings, highlighting benefits and clarifying why your product is a must-have.
• In meta titles.
  Craft a catchy title tag that includes your primary keywords. Keep it within 50-60 characters, or approximately 580 pixels, to ensure your content displays well in search results.
• In meta descriptions.
  Write a compelling 50-160 character (or roughly 920 pixels) meta description that includes keywords and entices users to click on your landing page. Think of it as a mini sales pitch.

• In URLs.
  Incorporate relevant keywords into your product URLs. Keep it clean and readable for both search engines and your target customers.
  Avoid using symbols and numbers to avoid seeming spammy.

Content marketing

One of the easiest ways to promote your Shopify store and drive qualified traffic to your website is by generating informative and engaging content.

That’s right – writing a memorable blog post isn’t just art. It’s a strategic promotional tool.

How do you promote your Shopify store through content marketing?

• First – create quality content.
  Craft content that’s not only informative but has the potential to resonate with target audiences.
  Think blogs, videos, or interactive infographics – whatever fits your brand’s vibe. Take advantage of sites like Canva or Piktochart to create web-based graphics easily.
• Try guest posting.
  Connect with reputable thought leaders in your industry and contribute articles to websites that speak to your chosen niche market.
  Guest posting will expose your brand to new audiences and build backlinks to boost SEO.

• Use social media.
  Share your content across popular social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Foster an engaged audience and promote your Shopify store to potential customers.
• Create email campaigns.
  Use your content to launch excellent Shopify email marketing.
  Whether it’s a monthly newsletter or more exclusive content drops, it’s a way to keep your existing customers engaged and coming back for more.
• Launch interactive content.
  Boost bringing in new customers by catching their attention and motivating engagement.
  Quizzes and polls can keep your audience hooked and provide valuable data for personalized marketing strategies.
• Make engaging videos.
  Increase brand awareness through product demos and exciting behind-the-scenes glimpses, letting your brand come to life in motion.
  Use the Canva video editor or hire an expert to create valuable content.

Social media

Let’s dive deeper into social media platforms and how they can help you increase sales.

These channels will drive traffic to your Shopify store, ensuring more customers find you.

How do you advertise your Shopify store through social media?

• Run social media ads.
  Invest in targeted social media ads to reach specific customer demographics based on age, location, interests, or language.
  Use the power of retargeting ads, which re-engage users who have previously interacted with your store or made purchases.

• Post original content.
  Tailor your strategy to each social media platform, packing social feeds with eye-catching visuals, engaging captions, and relevant hashtags.
  Consistency is key – maintain a regular posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and informed about your brand.
• Create shoppable feeds.
  Transform your social media presence into an interactive shopping experience for all new and existing customers.
  Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook allow you to directly tag products in posts, ensuring that a purchase is only a few clicks away.
• Enable user-generated content.
  Your customers are your best promoters. Encourage them to create content featuring your products.
  Share customer reviews and feedback on your social media platforms. This strategy will add authenticity to your brand, build a sense of community, and lead to new customers.

Paid ads on search engines

Using paid advertisements is a solid marketing strategy that brings you more sales and a devoted customer following.

Services like Google Ads can easily promote your Shopify store through various types of paid advertising, ensuring that your listings easily pop up in Google search results.

How do you promote your Shopify store through paid ads?

• Try display ads.
  Display ads are visual banners with images, text, and videos that allow you to secure new customer conversions.
  Launch a display ad campaign to strategically showcase visually compelling ads across the entire Google Display Network. This spans millions of websites, apps, and prominent Google-owned platforms like YouTube and Gmail.
• Use search ads.
  These text-based ads will appear at the top of search results with a Sponsored tag when users look for products or services on popular search engines.
  Consider the benefits of running a search ad campaign to boost brand visibility and engagement in your target market.
• Go for video ads.
  Much like ads on TV, video-based ads on YouTube are for engaging audiences through visual content and storytelling.
  Run a video ad campaign through Google Ads to connect with your target audience through YouTube, Google TV, and Google video partners.
• Mix things up with hybrid ads.
  These paid ads capture attention through visual appeal and search intent.
  Hybrid ads combine elements of display, search, and video ad formats and might be what you need to drive more qualified traffic to your website.

How do you launch a Google Ads campaign?

1. Start a campaign.

Go to Google Ads and click on Start now.

2. Add business information.

Fill out all the required fields and link your business profiles.

3. Select your campaign goal and create an ad.

Google will generate a custom view based on your goals and offer different ad formats like App, Discovery, and Smart ads.

4. Set up a budget and bidding.

Allocate a daily budget for your campaign and choose a bidding strategy.

5. Review and launch.

Double-check your ad content and click on Submit.

Email marketing

With the global email marketing revenue expected to reach a staggering $17.9b by 2027, it’s an effective way to connect with loyal customers and boost store sales.

Use targeted and impactful email marketing strategies tailored to your Shopify business goals and send up to 10,000 emails monthly for free.

What type of communication is ideal for email marketing?

• Welcome emails.
  Make a stellar first impression by personalizing the message and introducing new subscribers to your brand story.
  Consider offering a welcome discount or exclusive content to motivate engagement.
• Order status updates.
  Trigger emails when an order from your store is confirmed, fulfilled, shipped, and delivered.
  Make sure these emails include relevant order details and tracking information.
• Abandoned cart emails.
  Remind customers of items they’ve left behind and provide a link that leads straight back to their cart.
  Use compelling language and consider offering a limited-time discount to motivate a purchase.
• Product recommendations.
  Use information from previous purchases to suggest related or complementary products. It’s a great way to upsell and cross-sell your products.
  Include customer reviews and testimonials to build trust and confidence in the suggested items.
• Re-engagement emails.
  Target inactive subscribers with a friendly and personalized message to reignite their interest.
  Offer a special incentive like an exclusive discount or access to limited-time promotions and include a clear call-to-action (CTA), prompting them to visit your website.
• Customer loyalty program emails.
  Nurture your customers’ interest through exclusive emails with unique and personalized content.
  Provide regular updates and industry insights, showcase benefits, and exclusive offers, all while tailoring content to their individual purchase history.

What should you pay attention to when launching an email campaign?

• Customer segmentation.
  Prepare targeted content for specific customers to enhance relevance and engagement based on their behavior and demographics.
  Build customer segments for sending personalized emails, targeting high-value customers with discounts, and incorporating automation in your marketing efforts.
• Mobile-first design.
  Ensure your emails look great on a mobile device – 81% of people open emails on their smartphones.
• Clear CTA.
  Include a straightforward and enticing CTA in every email, guiding readers to take action.

Influencer marketing

Collaborating with individuals who have a significant and engaged following on social media channels will help promote your Shopify store through their network.

Influencer marketing is great for building brand awareness and selling products and services to a devoted audience.

How do you promote your Shopify store through influencer marketing?

• Identify relevant influencers.
  Find influencers whose values, content, and audience align with your target customers.
  Use platforms like the Influencer Marketing Hub and Heepsy to find influencers based on your criteria.
• Partner up.
  Reach out to influencers directly or via the chosen platform to establish a collaboration on mutually agreed-upon terms.
  This may involve a one-time sponsored post, a series of them, or an ongoing partnership.
• Measure results.
  Track relevant metrics like reach and engagement, as well as click-through and conversion rates, to measure the success of your influencer marketing campaign.
  These insights will show you the return on investment and shape upcoming influencer collaborations.

Referral marketing

Starting your own referral marketing program is a powerful way to drive traffic and increase profits for your Shopify business.

Motivate loyal customers to recommend your business to their friends and family, and start promoting through word-of-mouth recommendations.

What types of referrals should you use?

• Try incentivized referrals.
  Turn your customers into brand advocates with a referral program that offers enticing rewards for both the referrer and the referee.
  Consider giving exclusive discounts, complimentary products, or cash incentives for every successful endorsement.
• Go for direct referrals.
  Approach satisfied customers to organically expand your reach and attract new customers without a dedicated referral program.
  Ask them to refer your business to friends, family, or anyone else seeking products or services you provide.
• Set the stage for reputation referrals.
  Naturally, transform satisfied customers into brand advocates by prioritizing customer satisfaction and building a solid brand identity.
  If your brand has a good reputation, it is more likely to generate organic referrals based on reputation and trust.

Partnerships with other brands

Collaborating with another brand is a powerful promotional strategy that brings mutual benefits and significantly drives website traffic to your Shopify store.

It’s important that your partnership makes sense, so find a complimentary match.

For example, if you run a trendy urban streetwear clothing line, consider partnering with a well-established outdoor gear company.

How do you promote your Shopify store through a brand partnership?

• Offer co-branded products.
  Develop exclusive items that capitalize on the strengths of each brand.
  For example, Nike and Apple collaborated on creating the Apple Watch Nike, combining tech with athletic expertise.
• Engage in cross-promotion.
  Share marketing efforts by cross-promoting each other’s products or services.
  Take note of the long-lasting collaboration between Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, which has significantly boosted the popularity of both brands.
• Collaborate on projects.
  Join forces in launching compelling content, deals, and events that align with the values of both brands.
  Take inspiration from Samsung’s partnership with Netflix to bring an immersive pop-up experience to their latest Smart TVs and Galaxy smartphones.

Offline marketing

Step out of the digital realm into the real world, where billboards, print media, and in-person connections are essential in reaching your audience.

How do you advertise your Shopify store through offline marketing?

• Print promotional materials.
  Put ads with compelling visuals in newspapers, magazines, and brochures to reach a diverse audience.
  Go for postcards, catalogs, or personalized letters to create a tangible connection with existing customers.
• Try billboard advertising.
  Capitalize on high-traffic areas with strategically placed signs that advertise your company. Keep messages concise for quick recognition by passing audiences.
  Consider adding branded wraps or decals to company vehicles, turning them into mobile billboards.
• Go for radio and TV advertising.
  Connect with people who are less likely to find you online by placing ads on local TV and radio stations.
  Market your Shopify store effectively by sharing your brand story.
• Create branded merchandise.
  Distribute promotional items like t-shirts, mugs, notebooks, or keychains featuring your brand logo.
  Go to our Product Catalog with over 900 customizable products to find the perfect merchandise for your store.
• Participate in events.
  Gain valuable exposure and find potential customers by hosting, sponsoring, or attending industry conferences, trade shows, or other local events.
  It’s a way to showcase your products or services and establish lasting relationships within your industry.

Available resources and budget

Begin by assessing how much of your budget can be allocated to advertising without compromising other important aspects of your business.

Consider your products

Tailor your marketing approach to the visual appeal, functionality, and unique features of your items.

Know your audience

Create buyer personas to understand customer behavior, preferences, and their daily challenges. Find this information by researching online platforms, forums, and communities related to your products or services. 

Use these insights to create advertising campaigns that speak directly to them.

Align with your target customers’ values

Whether emphasizing sustainability, authenticity, or innovation, recognize the core values of your audience and include them in your brand messaging.

Check what similar brands are doing

Study other websites in your field to gain insights into what works and what doesn’t. Analyze their social media presence, website content, and advertising strategies.