It’s never been easier for e-commerce entrepreneurs to set up an online store.
Platforms such as Shopify offer everything a new seller needs to get their business up and running in minutes, without the need for serious web design or coding skills.
But if you build it, will they come? Probably not—unless you’re working to build brand awareness, your business is as good as invisible. Here’s how to get more traffic to your Shopify store.
#1. Use SEO to increase your site’s visibility
Learning how to improve your online store’s SEO (search engine optimization) so that it appears at, or close to, the top of organic results in Google, Bing and other search results can significantly increase your traffic.
While Shopify does a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to SEO, you can go well beyond this and get the most of out of the platform.
First things first, find out what keywords your competitors rank for. This will help you determine what words you want your potential customers to search for to find you. The best way to do this is by using a keyword research tool, such as Google Keyword Planner or SEO Chat.
Once you have listed the keywords you want to rank for, you can work them into your website’s content, including page titles, product descriptions, images and more.
#2. Build customer engagement through content marketing
A surefire way to reach and interact with more consumers is producing high-quality, useful content that piques their interest.
This can be anything from blog posts and podcasts to videos and social media campaigns, but it must be relevant to your target audience and it should represent your expertise. Publishing regularly builds engagement with your audience and increases the entry points to your online store.
Rather than focusing solely on selling your own products, think about how you can provide value-added content that enhances the customer experience. Tapping into your audience’s interests and producing something they’ll want to share is key.
Keep in mind, however, that a good content strategy is not about quick wins—it requires patience and commitment over the long haul.
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#3. Reach your target audience on social media
Your target audience is on social media so you should be, too—but which platform is the best fit for your business?
It’s all well and good for established e-commerce companies to be everywhere; smaller startups with limited resources would be better served by focusing on one network.
With more than 2 billion monthly active users, Facebook is a good place to start sharing new blog posts and details of any promotions or special offers. You could also provide product advice and discussion on YouTube (more than 30 million visitors per days), while Pinterest’s female-dominated user base tends to use the platform for window shopping and making wish lists.
Whatever route you choose, include calls to action and links in all posts to direct people to a specific product page and drive traffic back to your website.
#4. Use influencers to get more traffic
Influencers—anyone with a large social media following who’s paid to promote products—are generating more traffic and sparking more sales for e-commerce sites than ever. In fact, four out of every five of Nordstrom’s mobile web visits in August came from influencer network RewardStyle.
Finding and pitching to the most respected and popular bloggers in your particular market is a solid strategy here. One mention of your product to their audience could significantly increase traffic to your online store.
It’s worth remembering that different influencers value different things. So while sending free samples of your product might be all it takes to get a shoutout on Instagram from one social media maven, others might only work with businesses that share their philosophy.
Conclusion
If your site traffic is in the doldrums, ignore sales for now. Focus on building brand awareness and customers will come.
Once visitors to your Shopify store increase, ensure you’re providing the best possible shopping experience by using an e-commerce help desk to respond to customer support queries quickly and accurately.
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