Getting traffic to your Shopify store is crucial for making sales and growing your business. With so many potential customers browsing online, the opportunity is there, but you need the right strategy to convert that traffic into paying customers. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore proven methods for driving targeted traffic to your Shopify ecommerce store.
Optimizing Your Shopify Store for SEO
One of the most effective ways to get sustainable and targeted traffic to your Shopify store is through search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the process of improving your website and content to rank higher in search engines like Google for relevant keyword searches.
Higher search rankings allow you to tap into a massive source of organic traffic from people searching for products or services related to your business. The higher you rank for those valuable keywords, the more traffic you’ll gain.
Here are some key SEO strategies to implement on your Shopify store:
- Research and target keywords relevant to your products or brand. Tools like Google’s Keyword Planner can help.
- Optimize page titles and descriptions using those keywords.
- Create SEO-friendly URL structures like domain.com/product-name.
- Add schema markup to product pages so they stand out in search results.
- Produce helpful, keyword-optimized blog content that links back to your store.
- Get backlinks from authoritative websites to improve domain authority.
SEO is an evolving process but consistently optimizing your Shopify store and content for search will pay dividends through higher organic traffic over time.
Leveraging Social Media
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and TikTok are extremely popular channels to promote your Shopify store and products. Leveraging these networks can expose your brand to new audiences and drive website traffic.
Here are some tips for driving traffic from social media:
- Create business accounts and build followers on each platform.
- Share visual content like product photos, videos, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes footage.
- Engage with users by responding to comments and messages.
- Use relevant hashtags to join larger conversations.
- Run both free and paid social media ads targeted to your audience.
- Promote giveaways, deals, and other incentives to increase sharing.
- Add social sharing buttons on product and blog posts.
A best practice is to create content specifically tailored to each platform based on what resonates most with users. This multi-channel social strategy will help multiply your reach and referrals.
Email Marketing
Email marketing is an underutilized but highly effective strategy for Shopify stores. Collecting emails through tactics like lead magnets and store pop-ups allows you to continually nurture leads into customers.
Some email marketing best practices include:
- Offer an incentive like a discount code or free gift for subscribing.
- Send targeted welcome and cart abandonment emails to re-engage shoppers.
- Promote sales, product launches, and other store events through emails.
- Share curated product recommendations based on purchase history.
- Send educational content like how-tos and tips to build trust and loyalty.
- Personalize and segment your email lists based on interests and behaviors.
Email is a revenue-driving channel, cultivating repeat purchases and lasting relationships with subscribers over time through consistent communication.
Influencer and Affiliate Marketing
Influencer and affiliate marketing leverages others with engaged followings to promote your Shopify store and products. This strategy expands your brand’s reach to new networks organically.
Relevant ways to use influencer and affiliate marketing include:
- Gifting products to micro-influencers aligned with your brand to build buzz.
- Collaborating on content like sponsored posts, reviews, and social giveaways.
- Offering commission for sales driven by an influencer’s exclusive promo code.
- Activating brand advocates with affiliate links to share your store.
- Partnering with content sites in your niche to cross-promote each other.
The influencer strategy that works best will depend on your audience, industry, and products. But tapping into influencer networks amplifies awareness with built-in audiences that know and trust them.
Paid Advertising
Paid advertising involves purchasing ads on platforms like Google, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and more. The benefit is the ability to target specific demographics, locations, keywords, interests, and browsing behaviors.
Some advantages of paid ads for Shopify stores:
- Get in front of motivated users as they search for related products.
- Remarket across the web to previous store visitors.
- Adjust campaigns dynamically based on performance and budgets.
- Reach larger audiences outside of just fans or followers.
- Increase product and brand visibility through display and video ads.
Start with small tests of paid ads to find winning products, creatives, and targeting. Apply what you learn to scale up successful campaigns.
Content Marketing
Content marketing involves consistently creating and promoting educational, inspirational, or entertaining content optimized for organic reach. This positions your brand as a trusted authority and resource.
Valuable content for Shopify stores can include:
- Product guides and comparisons
- Tutorials and FAQs
- User-generated content from customers
- Industry trend reports and insights
- Product launch announcements
- Behind-the-scenes company videos
- Infographics and visual content formats
Promote your content across all of the other channels in this article, including email, social media, influencers, advertising, and SEO. The more useful content you produce and share, the more authority your brand builds overtime.
Retargeting Ads
Retargeting ads target visitors who have already been to your Shopify store but didn’t purchase. This is a powerful form of paid advertising because you know they’re already interested.
Retargeting across the web through platforms like Google and Facebook allows you to:
- Remind users who browsed products but didn’t buy.
- Improve on-site conversion rates from existing store visitors.
- Recover cart abandonment by targeting those who left the checkout process.
- Showcase products they were viewing or have in their cart.
Dynamic remarketing lets you serve ads specific to each user based on their browsing history and activity. Follow-up frequently with compelling offers through retargeting.
Referral Programs
Referral programs reward existing customers for sharing and recommending your Shopify store. This could be through giveaways, discounts, or other incentives in exchange for referrals from new customers.
Examples of referral programs:
- Offer a coupon code after a referred customer makes their first purchase.
- Give a free gift for each new customer referral signup.
- Hold contests for top referrers based on volume.
- Provide unique referral links and promo codes to easily track.
Referrals capitalize on word-of-mouth and personal recommendations from those who already know and trust your brand. Satisfied customers can become your best brand ambassadors.
PR Outreach
PR outreach involves actively building relationships with media contacts and securing earned media coverage. Landing features and mentions on popular sites related to your niche can drive significant awareness and traffic.
Potential PR opportunities:
- Contribute expertise to relevant digital publications through guest articles.
- Get product reviews and roundups on sites your audience follows.
- Offer unique data or exclusives relevant to current news hooks.
- Send new product samples to unboxing YouTubers or bloggers.
- Pitch philanthropic initiatives and company values.
Target popular sites your ideal customers read when developing PR outreach lists. Securing authoritative endorsements through PR can enhance trust and credibility.
Pop-Ups and Lead Magnets
On-site pop-ups and lead magnets are effective for capturing visitor emails and driving conversions. Offering a high-value lead magnet in exchange for an email signup condenses the sales cycle.
Some lead magnet ideas include:
- Discount codes and vouchers
- Free trial offers
- Educational guides or templates
- Checklists or swipe files
- Software tools or calculators
- Curated swag bags or gift sets
Time pop-ups and offers strategically based on behavior, like when someone is about to leave your site. Personalize follow-up emails to deliver more value.
Live Chat
Adding live chat capabilities allows you to interact with prospects in real time. This provides quicker support and helps convert abandonment before it happens.
Benefits of live chat include:
- Answering questions immediately to remove friction.
- Qualifying leads with personalized engagement.
- Resolving issues faster with direct troubleshooting.
- capturing feedback and conversion data.
Look for a service with built-in CRM support, messaging automation, and analytics. Being available on live chat shows customers you’re there to help.
Webinars and Virtual Events
Webinars and virtual events let you connect directly with a captive, interactive audience interested in your brand. These real-time presentations position your company as an industry thought leader.
Tips for effective webinars include:
- Promote widely through email, social media, and paid ads.
- recruit influencers as hosts or speakers.
- Share exclusive tips, research data, or product reveals.
- Keep audiences engaged through live polls, Q&As, and contests.
- Record webinars to generate leads from replays.
The live format creates anticipation, urgency, and FOMO. Plus webinars allow you to qualify and convert many leads at once from a single event.
User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) involves leveraging photos, videos, testimonials, and reviews from real customers. This authentic social proof is highly persuasive for new visitors.
Effective ways to use UGC:
- Spotlight visuals from customers using your products.
- Share glowing testimonials and ratings across your store.
- Embed Instagram content showing your products in use.
- Use customer reviews and stories in retargeting ads.
Incentivize UGC creation through proactive requests, contests, and rewards programs. Verified customer content builds credibility at every touchpoint.
Exit-Intent Popups
Exit-intent popups activate when someone is about to leave your Shopify store. This last chance tactic converts abandoning visitors into subscribers or sales.
Examples of effective exit popups:
- Offer a discount code for signing up before leaving.
- Provide a free shipping incentive for a last-minute conversion.
- Collect emails by promoting your content upgrades.
- Run a poll or survey to gain useful visitor insights.
Personalize exit popup messaging based on where visitors are coming from. This converts your store’s existing traffic before they leave.
Conclusion
Driving consistent traffic to your Shopify store requires an integrated digital marketing strategy across many channels. Focus on high ROI tactics like SEO, social media, email marketing, influencers, content, and paid ads.
Test different messages, offers, and formats to see what converts best from your traffic sources. Track conversions to double down on what works. Traffic quality is just as crucial as volume, so keep refining based on performance.
Getting traffic is step one. Guiding that traffic down the funnel into paying customers is how you build a profitable Shopify ecommerce business.
