Proven Strategies to Skyrocket Shopify Website Traffic
Driving consistent traffic to your Shopify ecommerce store is one of the most important elements for growing a successful online business. The more high-quality visitors you can attract, the greater your sales opportunities become. However, with over 1.7 million online stores powered by Shopify alone, the competition for traffic is fierce. To increase traffic to your Shopify store, you need knowledge of proven strategies for boosting Shopify store traffic from various sources and channels.
This guide will explore 11 of the most effective methods for getting more people to your Shopify store. Implementing even just a few of these tactics can significantly increase your site’s overall traffic, leading to more conversions and revenue over time.
Key Takeaways
- Optimize your store for search engines by improving site speed, using relevant keywords, and creating unique meta descriptions. This helps increase organic search traffic.
- Leverage social media by actively posting engaging content and running ads. Drive referral traffic from platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
- Encourage repeat visits by offering an email signup popup, loyalty programs, and consistent blogging. Retarget visitors through email drip campaigns.
- Run paid ads through Google, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and other platforms. Target audiences are likely to purchase your products.
- Partner with influencers in your niche to promote your products and brand. Negotiate affiliate or sponsorship deals for reviews and shoutouts.
- Build brand awareness and credibility by getting featured in relevant online publications, podcasts, and videos—outreach to industry websites and bloggers.
- Attend local events like popup shops and fairs to connect with potential customers in person and drive them to your online store.
- Leverage SEO tactics like backlinks, alt text, site structure, and optimized content to rank higher in search engines.
- Create shareable content like videos, guides, and infographics. Encourage visitors to link back to your store.
- Run giveaways and sales promotions to incentivize sharing your store on social media for increased referral traffic.
- Analyze site analytics to identify top-performing traffic sources. Double down on what works while eliminating ineffective efforts.
11+ Tested Strategies to Increase Traffic to Your Shopify Store
- Optimize Your Store for Search Engines
- Leverage Social Media
- Retarget Visitors
- Run Paid Ads
- Partner With Influencers
- Get Featured in Online Publications
- Connect at Local Events
- Build Backlinks
- Create Viral Content
- Promote Sales and Giveaways
- Analyze and Refine Your Traffic Strategy
Strategy #1 Optimize Your Store for Search Engines
One of the most powerful ways to drive consistent traffic to your Shopify store is through organic search engine results. By optimizing your site for keywords and phrases that your target customers are searching for, you can rank higher in search engines like Google and Bing.
Here are some key search engine optimization (SEO) tactics to focus on:
- Improve Site Speed: Faster loading speeds help search engines index and rank your pages higher. To improve performance, use images judiciously, compress files, and leverage caching/CDNs.
- Target Relevant Keywords: Do keyword research to find terms people search when looking for your products. Then, strategically work these keywords into page titles, headers, content, URLs, alt text, etc.
- Create Unique Meta Descriptions: Write compelling meta descriptions of 155-160 characters that appear in search results and entice clicks to your site. Include keywords.
- Optimize Site Structure: Use a simple information architecture, sitemaps, and internal linking between relevant pages to make it easy for search engine bots to crawl and index your site.
- Produce Optimized Content: Regularly publish blog posts, guides, and other content that target your focus keywords while providing value for visitors.
Strategy #2 Leverage Social Media
Social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and TikTok are extremely influential in driving traffic to ecommerce stores. Leverage these networks to increase awareness of your brand and products.
Here are some of the top ways to use social media to generate more Shopify store traffic:
- Actively Post Engaging Content: Share images, videos, stories, Reels, and other content that provides value and aligns with your brand. Post consistently and respond to comments.
- Run Paid Social Ads: Create targeted ads on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and other ad platforms. Drive traffic directly to product pages or your online store.
- Partner With Nano/Micro-Influencers: Connect with relevant influencers in your niche to promote your products and store to their engaged follower base.
- Encourage User-Generated Content: Ask satisfied customers to share photos of them using your products on social media and tag your brand. Re-share this UGC.
- Promote Giveaways & Contests: Incentivize social followers to like, share, and comment on your posts for more brand visibility and traffic referrals.
- Share Behind-the-Scenes Content: Post Stories or Reels showcasing your team, office, production process, etc., to help customers get to know your brand better.
Strategy #3 Retarget Visitors
Getting first-time visitors is only part of the traffic equation. It would help if you also kept bringing previous site visitors back through retargeting efforts like:
- Offer an Email Signup Popup: Use a popup or embedded form to collect email addresses from visitors for future re-engagement. Offer a discount code as an incentive.
- Send Behavioral Emails: Remind visitors who abandoned their cart about products left behind. Or recommend complementary products based on past browsing behavior.
- Create Loyalty Programs: Encourage repeat purchases with loyalty programs that offer points, tiers, or discounts for engaged customers.
- Set Up Retargeting Ads: Remarket to visitors who browsed your site but still need to buy through tailored ads on platforms like Google and Facebook.
- Launch Email Drip Campaigns: Send a series of automated emails that provide value and promotions to subscribers over time after signup.
- Blog Consistently: Publishing new blog content gives readers a reason to return to your site. Update RSS feeds to notify subscribers.
Strategy #4 Run Paid Ads
While organic search and social traffic are ideal, paid advertising provides another proven way to drive targeted traffic directly to your Shopify store.
Some of the top paid ad platforms to leverage include:
- Google Ads: Reach people searching for related keywords through text, shopping, and display network Google Ads.
- Facebook and Instagram Ads: Create highly targeted ads based on detailed audience demographics and interests on these platforms.
- Pinterest Ads: Promote eye-catching product images and pins to Pinterest’s online shopper audience.
- Snapchat Ads: Run vertical video and collection ads on Snapchat to engage younger demographics.
- Reddit Ads: Sponsor relevant subreddit posts or promote posts to niche communities aligned with your products.
- Quora Ads: Target audiences interested in your niche by sponsoring answers to related questions.
The key to paid ads is narrowly defining your target customer audience and precisely tracking performance to optimize for the highest ROI. Drive traffic to specific product pages or category pages that are most likely to convert.
When done right, paid ads are a scalable way to attract qualified website traffic interested in your offerings.
Strategy #5 Partner with Influencers
Influencer marketing has become a major trend for ecommerce brands. Partnering with relevant influencers provides access to their follower base, resulting in direct traffic and sales.
Some tips for working with influencers as a Shopify store:
- Identify Nano and Micro-Influencers: Look for influencers in your niche with smaller, highly engaged followings of 1K-100K vs celebrities with millions of followers.
- Arrange Affiliate Partnerships: Offer influencers a commission on any sales driven through a special tracking link or affiliate program.
- Negotiate Product Sponsorships: Send complimentary products to influencers to feature in posts, videos, and stories in exchange for promotion.
- Leverage User-Generated Content: Repost engaging social content from influencers showcasing your products and properly tag their handle.
- Ask for Reviews and Testimonials: Request influencers to share their honest thoughts on trying your products through reviews and testimonials.
Strategy #6 Get Featured in Online Publications
Earning media coverage and features in online magazines, blogs, videos, and podcasts within your industry helps establish authority and raises brand awareness. This inbound publicity also drives direct traffic when these third-party sites link back to your Shopify store.
Some ideas for getting featured include:
- Pitch Guest Posts: Contact blogs and websites in your niche to contribute articles that provide value for their audience while organically linking back to your store.
- Offer Yourself as an Expert Source: Position yourself as an authority that reporters can interview as a source for relevant news stories or product roundups.
- Sponsor Relevant Podcasts or Videos: Buy sponsor spots on podcasts, YouTube channels, or other shows aligned with your target audience. Some will feature your brand in an episode.
- Share New Product Launches: Proactively reach out to publications when you launch new products or product lines to secure coverage.
- Distribute Press Releases: Write and distribute press releases to announce company milestones, events, awards, or other newsworthy items.
Strategy #7 Connect at Local Events
Attending vendor booths at local events like popup shops, craft fairs, trade shows, and industry conferences allows you to engage with potential customers in your area directly. You can then drive event attendees to your Shopify store afterward.
Some tips for converting local events into traffic include:
- Offer Special Promo Codes: Provide event-exclusive discount promo codes to incentivize visitors to shop online after discovering you locally.
- Collect Emails and Business Cards: Capture contact details for event attendees so you can follow up with emails about your store after meeting them.
- Distribute Branded Swag: To boost brand awareness at events, giveaway branded T-shirts, stickers, pens, or other merchandise at your booth.
- Showcase New or Bestselling Products: Highlight your most popular or newly launched products to attract attention at your local booth or popup shop.
- Educate Through Demonstrations: Draw crowds by demonstrating your products’ features and value through informative presentations.
- Leverage Contests and Giveaways: Encourage event attendees to share your brand on social media through contests for prizes or giveaways.
Strategy #8 Build Backlinks
Links from high-authority websites in your industry to pages on your Shopify store signal trust and relevancy to search engines. Having more quality backlinks can improve your domain authority for higher SERP rankings and organic traffic.
Some ethical ways to build backlinks include:
- Create Link-Worthy Assets: Develop in-depth blogs, guides, tools, and other resources that sites will naturally want to link to and reference.
- Guest Post: Publish articles with 1-2 relevant backlinks on authority sites that accept contributor submissions. Avoid over-optimization.
- Sponsor Influencers and Publishers: Negotiate sponsored posts or product placement on sites where backlinks would provide SEO value. Be selective.
- Collaborate and Cross-Promote: Partner with complementary but non-competitive brands in your niche to exchange backlinks on blogs and other owned media.
- Respond to Mentions: Use Google Alerts to find new mentions of your brand or products online. Add value by responding with insightful comments that include a link to relevant pages.
- Earn Directory Links: Submit your Shopify store to high-authority web directories related to your niche, along with a description.
Strategy #9 Create Viral Content
Unique, engaging, and shareable content can organically spread across social media and the web, exposing new audiences to your Shopify brand and driving viral spikes in traffic.
Some types of viral content to experiment with include:
- Funny or Emotional Videos: Short, entertaining, or heart-warming videos get widely shared, driving viewers back to your site.
- Memes: Create meme images related to your niche or brand using trending formats that people will want to share and embed links back.
- Buzzworthy Guides: Develop comprehensive guides, eBooks, or reports on trending topics that readers will link to as a resource.
- Popular Infographics: Design infographics that cleverly visualize interesting data or ideas in your niche for embedding across the web.
- Controversial or Contrarian Content: Respectfully challenge popular assumptions with well-reasoned contrary takes that get people talking.
- Useful Tools and Calculators: Build handy tools like product finders and calculators and design mockup generators that gain word-of-mouth traction.
Strategy #10 Promote Sales and Giveaways
Running promotions like sales, discounts, contests, and giveaways makes for highly shareable content across social media. This viral effect increases your Shopify store’s reach and referral traffic during the campaign.
Some promotion ideas include:
- Offer Sitewide Sales: Drive traffic and email list growth with sitewide sales during peak shopping times like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and holiday weekends.
- Give Away Products on Social: Partner with influencers or run your own contests, in which fans must like, share, and follow for a chance to win free products.
- Host a Contest: Ask entrants to post user-generated content like images with your product or reviews for contest prize eligibility.
- Share Discount Codes on Forums: Strategically share time-limited discount codes with Shopify forums, Reddit groups, and other online communities aligned with your niche.
- Give Bonuses with Purchases: Provide free giveaways like ebooks, stickers, or slightly discounted future purchases when customers spend a minimum amount.
- Offer Referral Discounts: Encourage sharing your store with friends by providing discounts for successful new customer referrals.
Strategy #11 Analyze and Refine Your Traffic Strategy
It’s important to constantly analyze your website traffic sources, campaigns, and engagement to determine which efforts are working and which are underperforming. Based on these findings, refine your strategy.
Some analytics tips include:
- Track Conversion Rates: Monitor which channels or campaigns drive the highest percentage of conversions from traffic to sales.
- Identify Top Referrers: Continuously assess which sites, ads, or other sources send the most relevant visitors who engage.
- Monitor Engagement Metrics: Look beyond just traffic volume to see which sources drive visitors who actually spend time exploring your store and content.
- Address Underperforming Areas: Cut back investment in lower-performing traffic areas to focus budget and time on what works.
- Tool Up with Analytics Software: Use tools like Google Analytics, Shopify Analytics, Facebook Analytics, and others to derive data-driven insights.
- Set Benchmarks and Goals: Establish KPIs for traffic volume, quality, conversion rates, and ROI to guide strategy.
Final Thoughts
Driving consistent traffic to your Shopify store is critical for growing an ecommerce business. This article explores 11 proven tactics for boosting qualified traffic, including leveraging SEO to rank higher in search engines, running paid ads on Google and social platforms, partnering with influencers to promote your products, and creating viral content that gets widely shared.
Additional traffic-building strategies include optimizing your website for conversions, collecting emails to retarget visitors, connecting with potential customers at local events, building high-quality backlinks, and analyzing traffic metrics to refine your strategy over time.
Implementing even just a few of these methods can help substantially increase visits and sales for your Shopify store. The key is testing different approaches and doubling down on what resonates most with your target audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I get 100 visitors a day to my new Shopify store?
Focus on a few quick-win tactics like running paid social ads, leveraging email marketing to your current follower base, promoting a giveaway on niche forums and groups, and reaching micro-influencers to feature your products in posts. Once you have some initial traction, you can scale further through SEO, content marketing, and other strategies.
What are the best times to post on social media for more Shopify store traffic?
Posting during peak user times when more of your target audience is active on social media can help maximize reach. For most platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok – late afternoons, evenings, and weekends tend to see higher engagement. Testing different posting times can help reveal when your followers are most responsive.
How much of my budget should I allocate to paid ads?
Aim to spend between 5% and 15% of your estimated revenue on paid ads, and monitor closely to optimize for positive ROI. Increase budget incrementally to scale ads that are consistently performing. Reduce budgets on any that are not generating a profitable return on investment.
How do I get influencers to share my Shopify store?
Start by identifying nano and micro-influencers in your niche with engaged but relatively smaller followings. Reach out to pitch a sponsored post, free product gifting, or affiliate partnership. Provide suggested post captions/messaging and any images or content assets needed to make it easy for them to feature you.
How long does it take for SEO to drive traffic?
It varies based on the competitiveness of the keywords targeted, but aim for 6-12 months of consistent SEO work to significantly increase organic search traffic. Leverage quick wins like keyword-optimized content and backlinks to accelerate rankings and traffic.