Website traffic and online sales are closely connected. The more traffic you have, the more potential customers you get, and those visitors buy products. The opposite is true, too: If you’re not selling as much as you want, low traffic is usually to blame. To fix the problem, you need to discover how people find your Shopify store.
How Do Most People Find Shopify Stores?
There are more roads leading to your store than you probably think. Even smaller traffic sources add up to major gains over time.
1. Google Search
The granddaddy of search is still leading the pack when it comes to web traffic. Google searches make up over 50% of all internet traffic. That means users who are looking to buy something online usually search for it first with keywords like “gaming laptops,” “maxi dresses,” or “beard care products.” The higher you rank, the more likely you are to attract potential customers to your site.
2. Enhanced Search Features
Google Search also serves up special results for some keywords. These SERP features include:
- Product markup snippets: Product pages with star ratings, total reviews, and price ranges
- Review snippets: Main descriptors from customer reviews of your products
- Video carousels: A section with video-only search results
- Featured snippets: A short answer to question-style keywords that ranks above the top page result
These “extra” results can significantly increase your chances of getting valuable leads and sales.
3. Google Ads
Many Shopify stores “skip the line” with paid ads. Google Ads is the tool that lets you launch and customize campaigns for your website.
Ads on Google are precise, displaying your messaging to a specific audience, such as the 25 to 35 demographic, women only, or people who have visited your site before.
Search ads show up above the top search results for your target keyword (e.g. “high heels” “women’s footwear” or “women’s trainers”). Other paid options include Google Display ads for websites, Video ads on YouTube, and Shopping ads that show your products directly in search results.
4. Meta Ads
Another main way people find e-commerce businesses is through paid social media ads. Meta ads let you use videos, product collections, photos, and carousels to reach your audience on Facebook and Instagram.
Imagine that you sell boutique sunglasses. With paid social, you can show ads to people who follow similar businesses (Sunglass Hut, Ray-Ban, Maui Jim’s, etc.) or browse related content (e.g. summer, beachwear, vacations, or fashion).
5. Social Media
Having a presence on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn can win you followers even without advertising, but it takes longer. As more people hear about your brand, social media can become a major source of new traffic. In a recent survey, over 75% of participants said that social media was their main place to learn about brands.
With Shopify, you can also sell products directly on social media. One-click shopping makes deals more tempting.
6. Customer Reviews and Recommendations
Some people find your website after reading positive reviews about your products or customer service. In fact, over one-third of users discover new online brands thanks to reviews. The more happy customers you have, the more traffic you get.
When you provide an amazing shopping experience, customers may also rave about your brand to friends, coworkers, and family members. And if you get important influencers on your side? Expect your popularity to skyrocket.
How To Help People Find Your Shopify Store
Know that you know the main ways people find Shopify stores, the next step is to take advantage of those avenues for your business.
Optimize Your Product Pages for Google Search
It’s worth spending time to make your product pages unforgettable. Write descriptions that are exciting, engaging, and easy to understand. Include one or two keywords (e.g. “men’s long-sleeve flannel shirt” and “fleece-lined flannel”) and describe the product’s features clearly.
Create Amazing Content
Shopify stores have a blog section for a reason. Blog articles give you a chance to show off your expertise, connect with new clients, highlight your brand’s personality, and include SEO keywords. The best part? You can use the same awesome blog content for social media posts and YouTube videos, boosting your return on investment big time.
Get an Edge With Video
If you want to convince people that your products are amazing, videos are a great way to make an incredible impression. Explain the benefits, compare different items, and make it easy for customers to find the right fit for their needs.
YouTube videos also help your search rankings and traffic. Google often pulls from YouTube for search results. Fewer websites have videos, so if you do, you’re likely to outrank competitors.
Advertise Your Deals
Make your Facebook ads more effective by linking them with special offers. Use discount codes, bundles, or special pricing to get people through your “door.” In other words, always give people a reason to click on your ads.
Track How People Find Your Shopify Store
Instead of guessing how visitors are finding your store, use analytics to find out exactly. A free Google Search Console account shows you detailed traffic data for every channel (organic search, paid search, social media, etc.). That way, you know which avenues to prioritize.
Another must-have tool is Meta Pixel. This helps you track the behavior of Facebook and Instagram users who visit your site:
- Cart behavior
- Purchase history
- Page views
- Time on page
- Social media interests
Later, when you use Meta Ads, you can build lookalike audiences to show your ads to other users who are like your current customers. This saves you money and makes your ads more effective. The people who click are more likely to buy.
Provide the Best Experience for People Who Find Your Shopify Store
Getting people to visit your website is only part of the battle. Persuading them to make a purchase is even more important. To do that, you need to deliver amazing shopping experiences. See how our Shopify app integrations can supercharge customer satisfaction and make visitors happy they found your Shopify store.