Signing up for Shopify is easy. Creating a compelling Shopify store that truly stands out from the noise is much more difficult. We’ve compiled a list of our top tips to make sure your Shopify store is really setting itself apart from the competition.
Branding
The first and most obvious strategy to make your store stand out is to ensure that it’s branded in a unique and memorable way. Shopify defines branding as providing a strategic and consistent identity to products, services, and other public-facing materials so they are instantly recognizable by customers (and the larger public). There are a number of different ways to create this brand identity, but here are some of the main ones to focus on.
- Logo
A good logo is instantly recognizable to your audience and the public. It communicates the basic purpose and identity of your brand in an immediate and distinct way. It’s not easy to come up with the perfect logo, but a good one can make the right lasting impact on customers. You can check out random logo generators to get started or consult a graphic designer to create something that is completely unique to you.
- Store Name
Your store name goes hand-in-hand with the logo to create an instant feeling for your customer. Something that is punchy, memorable and unique is the key to creating brand recognition and hopefully interest in your store. It should be something that speaks to you and your values, while also appealing to your audience at large.
- Tone
The voice and tone of your store communicates your values and reaches out to your target customer in a way that will resonate with them and build brand recognition. It should be consistent across all copywriting, but don’t hesitate to add some fun to it. Personality will always impact your audience more than purely formal language.
- Design
Try to maintain consistent design across your brand through distinct coloring and visual assets. This contributes to creating a feeling that is unique to your store and that will keep your customers coming back.
Audience
Understanding your target audience is crucial to creating a successful and distinct Shopify store. Who are you selling to? What are they interested in buying? What do they value? How are they shopping? These are all questions you have to be able to answer to appeal to your target audience. Create a customer persona by asking real customers about themselves or just look into where your audience is coming from through google analytics or a social media audit. Make sure you are tailoring your branding and your marketing to appeal to this audience and to reach them where they are.
Core Values
Customers are increasingly choosing to buy from companies that care about social issues, have a specific mission, and have values that align with their own, according to research by The Harris Poll for Google Cloud. Listing your core values on your site not only shapes your company’s culture but also influences how customers feel about your brand. When focusing on which values to highlight for your customers, make sure they’re actually meaningful to you. For example, it’s obvious when a brand is being opportunistic and inserting itself into conversations around values like sustainability or social justice when it doesn’t have a history of voicing those values. The key to clear and consistent messaging is balancing authenticity with relatability.
Products
What is a store without an exciting and ever changing array of products? This is truly the most important part of creating a compelling Shopify store. There are a few things to consider when choosing products for your store. First you want to make sure that your products are carefully curated. Your store will look more professional if it’s selective in what it chooses to promote. Too many products looks like too many thoughts. It’s best to keep your product assortment purposeful and select, so that you can truly support every product you choose to sell. Second, your products should be consistent with your values. Your messaging won’t mean anything if you don’t follow through with the products you sell. Make sure you’re only selling products that uphold your values so you don’t appear inauthentic. Finally, you have to be conscious of how your products appear on your website. Do they have visual appeal online? Are they photographed well enough? Do they look high quality? These days, the standards for online retail are high. It’s important that your website doesn’t fall short because of ineffective product displays.
Customer Service
A solid ecommerce customer service strategy helps you retain loyal customers, acquire new ones, and improve overall conversion rates. In other words, good customer service is integral to the success of your online business. You can provide customer service through a variety of communication channels. But you have to pick those channels wisely—after all, you can’t be everywhere all at once. Choose support channels that fit your online store’s strategy and scope. A clear, user-friendly interface makes it easy for consumers to find what they’re looking for. Essentially, you want to make it easy to get in touch with your customer service team. A thoughtful strategy around ecommerce customer support can help to set your online store above and beyond the competition—and encourage your customers to keep coming back for more.
Order Fulfillment
Once a customer has placed an order, it may feel like the work is done, but this isn’t really the case. Inconsistent or slow order fulfillment can stop first-time customers from becoming regular ones. To make sure you’re fostering as much customer loyalty as possible, it’s essential to keep order fulfillment in top shape. One way to do this is to make sure that delivery is completed by a fast and reliable shipping partner. Even though you might not be technically responsible for a product after it’s shipped, the customer is not always going to care about that distinction. Your shipping partner has to be as quick and consistent as possible to ensure your customers are always getting their products on time. Another way to ensure seamless order fulfillment is by never selling sold out goods. It’s not uncommon for actual inventory numbers to trail behind the number reflected on your Shopify store. Having to tell a customer that they inadvertently purchased a product you don’t have can be disastrous for an independent retailer. Using a platform such as Matagora can ensure that you never have to worry about selling sold out goods as your inventory numbers will be constantly synced between your store and your partner brand.
Implementing these tips can really help your Shopify store stand out from the competition. Take a good look at your store, whether it’s already up and running or just in development, and see how you can put these tips into action.
If you want to learn more and get tailored recommendations on how Matagora can bring your store to the next level, book a chat below.
