Launching Your Shopify Store

While it may sound straightforward, there are many details that require consideration in launching your eCommerce website. It is more than just launching a lovely Website design, with your corporate color palette and digital marketing. With timing, marketing/advertising, and online/social media campaigns in mind, we will be covering the Shopify Store aspects below.

From our previous Blog “Launching a Shopify Store in 13 Steps” which covers things like a Shopify Theme, Web Design elements and how the process of a shopping cart would work for your business – we outlined the following Shopify Store readiness before launch.

a. Receiving and connecting your domain.

b. Having sales channels defined and activated.

c. Personalising your email notifications and SMS notifications.

d. Setting up the store for tracking and analytics so as to work on your online marketing.

A. Setting up your Domain

Getting your domain from GoDaddy or other Registry service is straightforward in obtaining it, however, did you know you can get your domain straight within Shopify? Just go to your Shopify Login, and get into your admin area, under Online Store/Domains you can get your domain right there. Otherwise, you can connect your store with another registrar.

B. Setting up Sales Channels

Within Shopify, you have Sales Channels so you can monitor and do reports on how your business is operating. Understanding how your customers interact and purchase your goods is important for inventory, your marketing, and your cost of sales.

Not all Sales Channels that are in Shopify may apply, however, they are there for you to explore and add as necessary.

Social Networks: With Facebook Shop and Instagram you can connect those channels as you sell through them.

Marketplaces: You have the ability to expand your reach to client bases and have your products on eBay and Amazon.

Shopify POS: Shopify has its own POS offering, and its own rates regarding it. Additionally, it will sync inventory from the premises with your online inventory. For any brick and mortar or kiosk, this on-the-ground solution is a definite plus.

Google Channel: The Google tab from a search result is now available to be linked and can then run Google campaigns and have a free listing of your products.

Buy Button: you can add a Shopify Buy Button within website pages outside of your online store. This could be affiliates, referral pages, and can even create checkout links and have them sent to customers to take them checkout with the product automatically in the basket.

Shopify Shop: This is a more recent development of Shopify, where Shopify Shop adds a location element within its App, so you can then see which Shopify store is near you, and pick out your goods for curbside pickup.

C. Customizing Email/SMS Notifications

Like all things that need branding for clients to know it relates to your business, adding your logo, business address, and format to your correspondence is important for Brand equity. A list of Email formats are listed in Settings/Notifications where you can edit the content of the standard message, and then customize their format to suit.

D. Tracking and Analytics Setup

In order to see and track your online store's “Authority” and how you are performing in getting your reach to your customers, setting up the key elements of tracking is important so as to see how your marketing spend is performing.

Setting up Analytics: Shopify reports which are accessed under Analytics/Reports will start tracking your performance in getting traffic to your store. It will also then calculate your conversion rate, overall sales per month, and various other metrics.

Google Analytics: This feature is by default the key ingredient to monitor online activity with your store, your campaigns, and how users experience your store (Reach, Bounce Rate, etc.)

Facebook Pixel: A learning algorithm that allows you to profile and remarket to an interested audience, especially if you plan and set up Facebook as a channel.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization): This can be a vast subject when it comes to increasing your authority, your organic traffic with keywords, and driving interest through content marketing. With the addition of social media posts, blogs, pages, and the use of relevant titles for products and meta descriptions – they are all part of the basics in getting your SEO set up. Getting your word out, and carving out your voice in the market via social media groups, having backlinks from other domains, and having articles being written about your products and company all add up.

An eCommerce business encompasses many skills to have your eCommerce store to be successful. From Graphic Design to SEO where search query from google searches or alternative search engines reach your store. Your search terms and keywords also have to be considered in various types of social media settings, from FaceBook/Instagram to other social media platforms. Your eCommerce store is more than a marketing tool, its web design is your brand, and your online business is the core for your product and services.

While this may be straightforward in getting up and running, due diligence and verification are required to ensure that the connections are set up correctly and registering as expected. If you need assistance, feel free to check in with us at wish@thegenielab.com and we would be happy to help you.