Shopify Tips: 5 Key Rules for Creating a Successful Store

Introduction

If you are thinking about creating an online store with Shopify, you have already made a solid choice. Shopify is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms, and this is for good reason. From its scalability to its customisation, Shopify gives merchants everything they need to create successful stores.

However, that’s not to say everything always works out. Around 50% of Shopify stores fail after 5 years. This may concern you, but fear not. With a handful of key tips, you can use statistics to your advantage and make sure you don’t become a part of the aforementioned 50%. Here are 5 key rules for creating a successful Shopify store.

1. Create a User-Friendly Website

The importance of great website design is often undervalued. When a customer lands on your store, they need to instantly know what you are selling and be able to get around the site comfortably.

Don’t just take our word for it; businesses that focus on design generate 32% more revenue than those that don’t. Small changes to performance, design, and branding can make a huge change in sales, so much so that the investment is almost always worth it.

Start with a clean, professional design. Shopify offers a plethora of customisable themes to choose from, so choose one that's a good fit for your brand while also keeping the customer experience in mind.

Keep navigation as simple as possible; customers should be able to get around without thinking. Also, try not to add too many unnecessary functions to your site - this can slow down page speed. A good bonus tip is to put your best products and promotions on the homepage - this will allow you to hone in on what works.

Another crucial factor is mobile responsiveness. Many customers now shop on mobile, so if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you're missing out.

2. Optimise SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of, if not the most important factor when it comes to driving organic traffic to your store. You can have an incredible product and a jaw-dropping website, but if you don’t pay attention to SEO, it’s likely no one will ever find your store in the first place.

Fortunately, improving SEO on your Shopify store is quite simple; anyone can do it. The main factor is keyword research. Make sure you include the main keywords that your customers will be searching for in your product titles and descriptions.

Taking things a step further, you can also include keywords in meta titles and descriptions - this is the information search engines use to categorise your content.

Don’t forget about alt text for images. This is a short description of an image that helps with SEO and accessibility.

Finally, creating content on a regular basis is an excellent way to improve SEO and drive more people to your site. It provides you with another way to draw people in besides your products and services, which is invaluable. It also helps to build your brand and create an aura of authority if your content is well-written and provides genuine value.

Here’s a quick look into a general SEO process for Shopify:

1. Research keywords (look for what customers are searching for)
2. Include keywords in product titles & descriptions, meta titles & descriptions, image alt text, and tags
3. Create content to drive customers to your website (stay in your niche and research keywords)
4. Include links in your content to other websites as well as your own website
5. Build authority through creating quality content, reaching out to like-minded businesses, getting involved in the community, link-building, and building a social media network

There’s one thing you should keep in mind while optimising SEO; you need to prioritise customers, not search engines. Not only can Google and other search engines pick up when you are keyword stuffing (including a ton of keywords in an unnatural way), but it will diminish the quality of your site and turn customers away.

3. Build Social Proof

Many customers are cautious when shopping online, and for good reason. There are hundreds of thousands of online businesses out there that have no problem misleading customers or following poor business practices, and that goes without mentioning the added difficulty of returns when shopping online.

This means that building trust should be one of your top priorities. It’s not only important for building a strong brand; it heavily affects sales. A study by Retail TouchPoints concluded that 66% of consumers are swayed by positive reviews when making a purchase. This is just one example of the many statistics that show social proof is integral for sales.

So, where do we start? The best place is right on your home screen. Include testimonials and reviews front and centre, preferably from well-known businesses or connections.

Something that is just as important as testimonials is transparency. Make sure your return, shipping, and refund policies are straightforward and easily accessible. This will make customers more relaxed, knowing exactly what’s in store if they don’t like the product/service for whatever reason.

Then, there’s social media. On top of being one of the most cost-effective forms of marketing out there, there is no better way to show social proof than having a strong social media network that is regularly updated, high-quality, and tailored to your customers’ tastes.

Many merchants don’t bother with social media because of how long it can take to grow, but you’d be surprised how quickly sales will begin to come from this avenue. Remember, social media marketing is incredibly inexpensive, so the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll start to see returns.

Here is a list of some of the ways you can build social proof:

• Include reviews and testimonials on your home screen
• Build an active social media network
• Be transparent
• Do things you say you are going to do
• Mention large brands and clients you have worked with
• Display any qualifications or awards you may have won

4. Personalisation/Customisation is Key

Convenience is key when it comes to online shopping. If a customer experiences any friction at all at checkout, they are much more likely to abandon their cart. This is especially the case in a world where consumers can go to one of your competitors in just a few clicks.

This means that you should offer as much freedom as possible to make sure your customers are able to get exactly what they want. A good starting point is postage and shipping.

Statista reports that 73% of respondents say that free shipping greatly influences what products they buy. For most store owners, it’s likely a better idea to just factor the price of shipping into the cost of your product and then offer free shipping.

You can enhance the shipping experience even further by using apps like Wizship, which offers enhanced protection, or Planet, a carbon-neutral shipping option.

Payment methods are another vital consideration. Aim to offer a wide range of options to ensure that customers are able to use their preferred payment method - you’d be surprised at how big of a difference accepting a few different payment methods can make to your sales.

It’s not only checkout and shipping that gives merchants the opportunity to personalise - marketing is the perfect field to hone your craft.

There are apps like Pop Convert that allow you to insert pop-ups or banners on your store, or email/SMS apps like Wizpop that can further enhance conversion rates.

Wherever you can make the experience more convenient or personalised for customers, do so. It’s worth the extra effort.

5. Solve a Real Problem

We saved the best for last. No matter how you spin it, if you don’t have a product or service that brings genuine value to customers or solves a real problem, you are destined to fail.

History has shown us time and time again that businesses that prioritise product quality and are the best at what they do prevail. Think Apple, Facebook, Shopify - they all brought genuine value and filled a gap in the market.

Ask yourself whether or not the products or services you offer are unique. Even if you aren’t the first to do something, are you doing it better than everyone else? You don’t necessarily have to reinvent the wheel, but you do have to do at least one aspect better than your competitors to gain an edge.

It’s equally important to listen to customer feedback and reviews. Use this feedback to continually improve your product or service - there are usually thousands of ways to improve. If you ever think there is nothing more you can do, you have probably surrounded yourself with the wrong people.

Final Thoughts

Creating a successful Shopify store is about more than listing a few products and waiting for the sales to roll in. It requires great UI design, SEO, personalisation, and social proof. Not to mention offering a great product or service.

It might seem like a lot, but by optimising the areas we have touched upon today, you can gain a significant statistical advantage and give your business every chance in the world to succeed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Easy is it to Build a Shopify eCommerce Store?

Shopify stores are built with functionality in mind and are generally easy to create and manage. Anyone who is well acquainted with technology will likely have no issues creating an exceptional store.

How to Start a Shopify Store?

To create a Shopify store, you first need to create an account and choose a tier. From here, choose a theme, set up navigation, and then add products or services.

Is Shopify Free?

No, Shopify isn’t free. Shopify offers various plans at different price points, with the most affordable being £5 a month. Although, they do offer a free trial.