If you are ready to set up an online store and grow your business, then one of the most trustworthy ecommerce platforms you should try is Shopify.
In this post, I will be telling you how you can easily create your own online store on Shopify – and no, it is not overwhelming or scary!
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Why you should start an online store on Shopify
Starting an online store on Shopify especially as a beginner or someone with no experience in this field is perfect because the platform is super easy to navigate and has all the tools you need as an online seller.
Even if you are not a tech whiz, Shopify’s simple setup and customizable, ready-made designs help you create a professional-looking store that matches your brand!
The best part is that Shopify offers a 3-day free trial + 3 months of Shopify for just $1, so you can try out the entire platform risk-free.
→ Click here to sign up on Shopify, use the “Start free trial” button
Benefits of selling on Shopify
There are many reasons why Shopify is a favorite choice for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and big brands worldwide. Here’s a breakdown of its biggest benefits in simple terms:
1. Easy to use
You don’t need to be a tech expert to use Shopify. Everything on the platform is straightforward. It provides a dashboard where you can manage your store, and it uses simple tools like drag-and-drop options to customize your website.
Even if you’ve never built a website before, Shopify makes it easy to create a professional-looking online store.
2. Can be used by everyone
Whether you’re starting with just a few products or selling hundreds of items, Shopify works for businesses of all sizes – from small business owners to established brands.
If your store grows and you get more customers, Shopify can handle the extra traffic and orders without any trouble.
3. Payment options
Shopify allows you to accept payments in many ways, such as credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and more. It even has its own payment system called Shopify Payments, which is super easy to set up.
This makes it simple for customers from all over the world to buy from you.
4. Helps your rank on Google
Shopify has built-in tools to help your store rank higher in Google searches. This is called SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and it’s important because it helps more people find your store.
Shopify also lets you create blog posts, which can bring even more visitors to your website.
5. Affordable to start
Shopify has pricing plans that start at $29 per month. This is great for people just starting out. Plus, you can try Shopify for free for 14 days to see if it’s right for you before committing.
How to set up a Shopify Store
But if you need a step-by-step guide on how exactly you can create a store within the Shopify platform, then read on because I am here to guide you in building a successful Shopify store:
Step 1: Identify Your Niche and Products
Before you set up your store, it is important to decide what your niche is and the products you will be selling. You can do market research to identify trends, competition, and customer preferences, or simply sell products that you love making.
Then, you can decide if you want to sell physical goods or digital products. It is best to at least have a brand identity or an outline of how you want your store to be before you start selling.
Step 2: Sign Up on Shopify
Once you have a clear idea of your niche and products, it’s time to sign up for Shopify! Go to Shopify’s website. You will see there that you have an option to start a free trial using my link. You will get 3 days free then 1 month for only $1!
Click on Start Free Trial and Shopify will just ask you a few questions in setting up your ecommerce store. Just click the options that fit your business the most.
Will you be selling your own products, or will you be dropshipping?
Step 3: Add Your Products
After signing up, you’ll be directed to the Shopify admin dashboard where it gives you the steps on what you can first do while setting up your shop. And the first step is to add your products!
Click on the “Products” tab in the Shopify dashboard and then select “Add product.”
Enter the details of each product, including the title, description, price, and images. Organize your products into categories and collections to make it easier for your customers to navigate through your store.
Step 4: Choose your Domain Name
Another important step if you want to build your brand and online store is to think of your domain name. By default, Shopify provides you a subdomain which is yourbrand.myshopify.com but if you want to remove the “shopify.com” part, then you can also register for your own custom domain name. This will become yourbrand.com
You can follow this official Shopify guide on how you can buy a domain within the platform.
Step 5: Customize Your Store
Now for the fun part: customizing your store appearance! Choose a theme that reflects your brand.
Customize the colors, fonts, and layout to create a visually appealing and user-friendly storefront. Generally, the simpler, the better so that your store will not look busy and overwhelming in the eyes.
To navigate to the Themes, go to Online Store on the left part of your dashboard, then click Themes. You will see there a bunch of ready made themes that you can simply tweak to fit your brand!
Step 6: Set Up Payment and Shipping Options
Shopify offers a range of payment options, including Shopify Payments, PayPal, Stripe, and more. Make sure you choose the payment options that best suit your customers’ preferences and your business needs.
Set up shipping rates and options based on your location, customer location, and shipping providers. You can also customize if you want free shipping, add discounts, and more.
Step 7: Optimize for SEO
Optimize your Shopify store for search engines so that you can easily put your store out there for online visitors to see and attract organic traffic!
This means that you need to use relevant keywords in your product titles, product descriptions, and meta tags. For example, if you are selling Digital marketing products, make sure you have “Digital Marketing” on the title and description field of your product listing.
Make sure that your site speed also loads quickly because some may get impatient and leave if your site does not load for more than 5 seconds.
Step 8: Launch Your Store
Before launching your Shopify store, make sure you test all of the steps I have provided to you, especially the product listings, checkout process, and payment gateways. Preview your store on different devices to ensure that your website is responsive and loads quickly. Once everything looks good, you’re ready to launch your store and start selling online!
Shopify also has a tutorial here on how you can place a test order on your store!
Step 9: Promote and Market your Store
How do you get more traffic to your store? One of the most important steps in building a successful online business is your marketing strategy.
Create strategies on how you can put your store out there. You can promote on social media, create a blog linking back to your products on your blog posts, and lastly, my personal favorite: promote on Pinterest!
Check this article out to see how you can use Pinterest to promote your Shopify store.
Step 10: Monitor Results and Analyze Performance
Once your store is live, monitor its performance and analyze key metrics, such as traffic, sales, conversion rate, and customer behavior. Shopify has built-in analytics tools that you can use!
You can also use third-party analytics platforms like Google Analytics to gain even more accurate insights into your store’s performance.
And with that, you are on to growing your online business and making more income!
What to sell on Shopify
Shopify is a great ecommerce platform for selling almost anything, but it’s important to choose products that people are looking for and that fit your niche and brand.
You can sell physical items like clothing, handmade crafts, home decor, or electronics. If you prefer digital products, options include e-books, courses, art prints, or music.
Some people also use Shopify to offer services like consulting, tutoring, or graphic design.
You can read more about this in my article here about selling digital products on Shopify.
And if you don’t want to manage inventory, you can use drop shipping to sell products directly from suppliers without having to store or ship them yourself.
Research your target audience and find products that meet their needs to increase your chances of success.
Helpful Features of Shopify
1. Product Management
Shopify makes it easy to organize and manage your products. You can add as many products as you want and group them into categories.
For example, if you sell clothing, you can create sections for “Women’s Clothing,” “Men’s Clothing,” “Accessories”, and such.
Each product listing can include important details like size, color, and material options. You can also add clear descriptions, photos, and even videos to show off your items.
All these features help customers understand exactly what they’re buying, which can lead to more sales.
2. Inventory and Order Management
Shopify helps you keep track of your products and orders automatically. When someone buys something, Shopify updates your inventory so you know how much stock you have left.
For orders, Shopify notifies you as soon as someone makes a purchase. You can see all the details, like what they ordered, their address, and the shipping method they chose.
Shopify even allows you to send order updates to your customers, so they always know the status of their purchase.
If you have a large number of products, Shopify supports bulk editing, making it faster to update multiple items at once.
3. Social Media Integration
Shopify lets you link your store to Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms. For example, you can tag your products in an Instagram post so customers can click and buy directly.
This makes a better customer experience for your buyers and social media followers.
You can read my article here about how to connect your Shopify to Instagram.
4. Analytics
Shopify gives you access to detailed reports about your store’s performance. You can track important numbers like:
- How many people visited your store.
- How many sales you made.
- Which products are the most popular.
For example, if you notice that a certain product is selling well, you might decide to stock more of it or create similar products.
Shopify also tells you where your traffic is coming from—whether it’s social media, Google searches, or direct visits—so you know which marketing efforts are working best.
5. Customer Support
Shopify provides 24/7 customer service to help you whenever you run into an issue. Whether you need help setting up your store, fixing a problem, or understanding a feature, Shopify’s support team is available through live chat, email, and phone.
The Help Center also has tutorials and guides for common questions, so you can learn how to solve problems on your own if you prefer.
How to Promote your Shopify Store
Here are some best practices on how you can promote your Shopify store for a successful business journey!
1. Promote on Pinterest
Pinterest is an underrated platform for promoting Shopify stores. It’s perfect for visual products like clothing, home decor, or DIY items, as people use Pinterest to discover new ideas and plan purchases.
All you have to do is create eye-catching pins that showcase your products. Use high-quality images and include detailed descriptions with keywords to make your pins more searchable.
Don’t forget to link your pins directly to your Shopify store so users can easily shop!
You can also create boards related to your niche. For example, if you sell home decor, make boards with themes like “Bedroom Home Decor” or “Living Room Essentials” This way, you can attract followers who are likely to be interested in your products.
To boost visibility, use Pinterest ads to target users searching for related products or ideas. Pinterest ads are often less competitive than other platforms, making them a cost-effective way to drive traffic.
2. Create a Blog
A blog is a great way to attract visitors to your store by sharing helpful or interesting content.
For example, if you sell skincare and beauty products, you could write blog posts about topics like “10 Tips for your Skincare Routine” or “How to Choose the Best Makeup for your Skintone”.
These posts will not only provide value to your readers but also help your store show up in search engine results.
Make sure to include links to your products in your blog posts so readers can easily find what you’re selling.
Over time, a blog can establish your store as an authority in your niche, build trust with your audience, and drive more traffic to your Shopify store.
3. Promote on Social Media
Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest are powerful tools for getting people to notice your store.
Millions of people use these platforms every day, making them a great way to connect with potential customers.
Start by choosing the platforms where your target audience is most active. For example, if you sell clothing or home decor, Instagram and Facebook are excellent platforms because they focus on visuals.
Here is how you can connect your Shopify store to your Instagram account.
On the other hand, TikTok can help you reach younger audiences with fun and creative videos.
Once you’ve picked your platforms, post regularly to keep your audience engaged. Share high-quality photos or videos of your products, talk about your brand story, and give your followers a behind-the-scenes look at your business.
Adding hashtags to your posts can help people who are searching for similar products find your store.
4. Optimize for Search Engines (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps people find your store when they search for products online. For example, if someone types “handmade home decor” into Google, you want your Shopify store to appear in the results.
Start by using keywords in your product titles, descriptions, and meta tags. Keywords are the words or phrases people type when they search for products.
SEO tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest can help you find the right keywords for your store.
Write clear and detailed product descriptions that explain the features and benefits of your products. Include keywords naturally so your store ranks higher in search results.
Another way to improve your SEO is to optimize your images. Add alt text to describe your pictures and compress them so your site loads faster. A faster-loading store keeps visitors from leaving before they even see your products.
5. Use Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the best ways to stay connected with your audience and encourage them to shop. It allows you to send updates about your store, promotions, and new product launches directly to your customers’ inboxes.
To get started, collect email addresses from visitors – whether it be from your blog, via social media, or via your store website itself.
You can offer a discount or a free gift in exchange for signing up for your newsletter. Once you have a list, send regular emails to keep your audience engaged.
For example, you can share exclusive deals, holiday promotions, or product recommendations. You can also set up automated emails such as reminders for customers who leave items in their cart without checking out.
Mistakes to Avoid When Using Shopify For Beginners
So now you are all set to start your ecommerce business. But with that in mind, it is still a good idea to double-check if you truly are fully prepared to launch your Shopify business.
But do not worry because I am here to make everything even easier for you! Here are some mistakes that you need to avoid when starting your Shopify website.
1. Not Knowing What to Sell
When starting your Shopify store, one of the most important decisions is deciding what to sell. A big mistake is choosing products just because you like them, but you have no idea what the product exactly is or if people actually want to buy them.
To avoid this, spend some time researching popular products. Look for items that are trending or solve a problem.
Use tools like Google Trends or browse sites like Amazon and Etsy to see what people are buying. When you sell something people want, it’s much easier to succeed.
2. Not Knowing Your Audience
When you don’t have a clear idea of who your ideal customer is, it’s hard to create a store that grabs their attention.
For example, if you are selling plant-related items or accessories for plants but your store’s design and wording don’t appeal to plant moms, they might leave your website without buying.
Take some time to figure out who your target customers are. Think about their age, interests, and problems they want to solve.
For instance, if you’re selling eco-friendly products, your audience might care about sustainability and saving money in the long run. When you know your audience, you can create a store that feels like it was made just for them.
3. Using Poor Quality Product Photos
Your product photos are one of the first things customers notice, and bad photos can make your store look unprofessional and not trustworthy.
If your pictures are blurry or too dark, people might think your products aren’t good quality. On the other hand, clear and bright photos can make your products look more appealing.
Take the time to get good pictures of your products. Use natural lighting or a simple background to make your items stand out.
Show different angles so customers know exactly what they’re getting. If you’re selling digital products like e-books, create a mockup that shows the cover in a realistic way.
4. Think About The Price
Setting the right price is tricky, but it’s important. If your prices are too high, customers might look elsewhere. If your prices are too low, you might not make enough money to cover your costs.
Beginners often forget to include extra costs like shipping, Shopify fees, or advertising expenses when deciding on a price.
To set the right price, research what similar products cost. Look at competitors’ stores and find a balance between affordability and profit.
For example, if you sell crochet bags, check what other sellers charge for similar bags and make sure your price is competitive. Don’t forget to consider discounts or sales you might want to offer in the future!
5. Not Promoting Your Products
A common mistake is thinking customers will find your store on their own. Just because your Shopify store is live doesn’t mean people will visit it.
You need to tell them about it through marketing strategies.
Share your store on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook so you can make use of your social media presence.
Post pictures of your products and tell your story to attract attention. Once you have a little budget, you can run ads to reach even more people.
The more you promote your store, the more customers you’ll attract.
Starting a Shopify store can be exciting, but can also be quite overwhelming. But just remember that all you need to do is to focus on choosing the right products, creating a simple and mobile-friendly store, and promoting your business through marketing.
A successful online store does not happen overnight. Just be patient with your store and put the love, passion, and time into it and you will see results and significant impact in no time!
I’m Anastasia and I’m a full-time blogger, online entrepreneur, and Pinterest marketing strategist. I help digital entrepreneurs and bloggers drive targeted traffic from Pinterest either through my online courses or through Pinterest consultancy.
