More consumers than ever before are beginning to buy products online. If you're looking to start an online business, now is the time.

Creating an online business isn't as simple as just designing a website. You have to brand yourself.

How do you want your customers to view you? What do you want to sell? Who are you going to target?

Creating a digital marketing strategy that will help you make sales and gain customers is a must. Keep reading to check out seven Shopify tips you should know before making your online business go live!

What Is Shopify?

Shopify is an online, cloud-based shopping cart. Businesses can add their online store to process sales.

Shopify is one of the most used shopping services under the software as a service model. Because Shopify is easy to use and has a low fee to join, many business owners choose to set up their eCommerce here. It also has template designs and easy access to customer support.

If you're worried about setting up your own store, there are many professionals also available to help you. Most companies who specialize in services to help you set up your eCommerce website know how to bring marketing into the design.

1. Diversify Your Social Media Presence

Before you can sell products, you need to have customers that want to buy them. By diversifying your social media platforms, you can analyze and decide which has the best reach for you.

When you know which platform reaches the most amount of people, begin advertising your products there to gain customers. It's also important to maintain customer relations on other platforms as well. Some platforms you should be on before you start:

• Facebook 
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• TikTok
• Twitter

Diversifying your social media portfolio will bring in more sales!

2. Focus on Email Marketing

Email marketing is one of the best digital marketing strategies to employ to get sales on your Shopify store. Through email, you're able to promote sales, new products, and any events you may be hosting.

Emailing your customers every week will keep them engaged with the products you offer. The more you market to your customers and engage them, the more they will buy.

3. Personalize Your Brand

Personalizing your brand and shop is not just a Shopify tip, but it's also important for all businesses to gain attention and attract potential customers. There are a few things you need to personalize:

• Brand colors
• Logo
• Target audience
• Mission/Vision
• Values
• Specific product
• Name of your business

Humans are visual creatures, so the more appealing something is to us, the longer we'll stick around. Branding is the same way. If a person likes the way your brand looks and feels, they're more likely to stay and buy.

In addition to your physical branding, you also need to develop a vision for your brand. You should ask yourself why you started an online business in the first place. Your messaging should speak to specific people and attract a specific audience.

4. Change Product Inventory

No one wants to see the same products every time they go onto your website. You will lose customers this way.

When uploading products onto your website, you should batch upload over time. Instead of uploading all 578 products you offer the first day you are up and running, take your time. Upload 100 products on the first day and slowly add 40 more each week.

This way, you are consistently giving out new products and keeping your customers engaged.

5. Update Your Payment Options

There are so many different payment options to offer your customers online and on a Shopify store. By offering the most up-to-date payment options, your customers are more likely to purchase from you. It may also be easier for you to access the funds from newer platforms.

You should offer the following options for your customers:

• Venmo
• Zelle
• PayPal
• Credit/debit card
• Square
• Google Pay

Customers will feel more secure if you are offering more reputable payment methods and staying up-to-date.

6. Optimize for Mobile

To ensure that your ads and eCommerce are easily seen on a mobile device, you have to take steps to double-check how they are optimized. If they look sloppy, are cut off, or aren't visible, customers will be turned off from your brand.

Testing to ensure your mobile set-up is strong is simple. You need to visit your website or ad space on your phone to test the optimization. If there is an issue, you can then go back to fix the ad before publishing as part of your marketing strategy.

7. Commit to Sustainable Practices

As our world continues to change to be more environmentally friendly, companies who want to stay above water need to do the same.

When thinking about ways to be more sustainable, you should take into consideration shipping, manufacturing, and employee conditions at your company.

To make work more sustainable for employees, you should consider shorter days, creating more joy in the workplace, and increasing communication about mental health. To commit to sustainable practices regarding your products, you have to research to create sustainable packaging, delivery, and more.

Understand the Shopify Tips? Start Selling Online Now

If you've made it here, read all the Shopify tips, and you're ready to get started, we want to help! We can help you with social media marketing, brand design, eCommerce design, SEO, and so much more!

Contact us to help you get started with your online business.