10 Proven Strategies to Drive Traffic to Your Shopify Store

Getting people to visit your Shopify store can be tough, especially with so much competition out there. That’s why I’ve put together these 10 proven strategies below to drive traffic to your Shopify store and help boost visibility. 

After reading this article, you’ll know exactly how to attract more visitors and turn them into loyal customers, giving your store the boost it needs.

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Why traffic is crucial for the Shopify stores’ success

Traffic is the heartbeat of any Shopify store. Without visitors, there are no sales, no growth, and no success. When I started my first Shopify store, I spent weeks perfecting the design and products, only to realize no one was visiting. That was a wake-up call—traffic is everything!

In the section below, I will present several key reasons to explain why traffic is important for the development of your Shopify store:

• More Visitors = More Sales: The more people visit your store, the higher the chance of making sales. Think of it like having a shop in a busy mall versus a quiet alley—the busier location always wins.
• Spreads Brand Awareness: Every visitor learns about your store. Even if they don’t buy immediately, they might return later or tell a friend. I’ve had customers return months after their first visit simply because they remembered my brand.
• Boosts Your Store’s Credibility: High traffic shows your store is active and popular. This builds trust with new visitors—no one wants to shop in a ghost town!
• Improves SEO: More visitors mean search engines notice your store. When I focused on driving traffic, my store started ranking higher on Google, bringing in even more people.
• Learn About Your Customers: Watching what visitors do on your site gives you valuable insights. For example, I noticed most visitors left without buying, which led me to improve my product descriptions and checkout process.
• Helps with Retargeting: Only some people buy on their first visit. With enough traffic, you can retarget visitors with ads or email campaigns to bring them back. This strategy helped me turn casual visitors into loyal customers.

Main sources of traffic for your Shopify store

Before you learn how to drive traffic to Shopify store with specific strategies, it’s essential to understand the main sources of traffic that can help grow your store. Now, I’ll break down the main sources of traffic that you should focus on to drive visitors and potential customers to your store.

• Organic Search: Traffic that comes from search engines like Google. It’s free and relies on SEO strategies, like optimizing keywords and creating quality content. For example, I once optimized a product page for "eco-friendly bags," and it started ranking on the first page, bringing in steady traffic.

• Paid Search (PPC): Traffic is generated from paid ads on platforms like Google Ads. It’s a quick way to attract targeted visitors by bidding on keywords. You ran a PPC campaign for a flash sale, and within hours, you saw a spike in traffic and sales.
• Social Media: Traffic from platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. It’s great for engaging with your audience and promoting products. A single Instagram Reel I posted about my best-selling product went viral and doubled my daily visitors.
• Referral Traffic: Visitors from other websites that link to your store. Collaborations or mentions on popular blogs can drive this traffic. When a lifestyle blogger featured my store, I saw hundreds of new visitors daily.
• Direct Traffic: Traffic from people typing your store’s URL directly into their browser. It shows strong brand recognition. After attending a local event, I noticed a surge in direct traffic as people looked up my store after hearing about it.

• Email Marketing: Traffic driven by email campaigns sent to your subscribers. It’s perfect for engaging loyal customers. A simple "Back in Stock" email for a hot product brought in 20% of my weekly sales.
• Influencer Marketing: Traffic from influencers endorsing your products on social media. Their followers trust their recommendations. A YouTuber’s unboxing video of my product resulted in a noticeable traffic and sales boost.
• Affiliate Marketing: Traffic generated through affiliates promoting your store in exchange for a commission. It’s cost-effective and scalable. A fitness influencer I partnered with drove consistent traffic by sharing affiliate links on their blog.

• Display Advertising: Visitors from visual ads placed on websites or apps. These ads grab attention and increase brand visibility. A banner ad I ran during the holiday season brought in a surge of curious shoppers.
• Content Marketing: Traffic from blog posts, articles, and guides. It’s long-term and helps establish authority. My guide on "Sustainable Fashion Tips" brought in consistent organic traffic over several months.
• Video Marketing: Traffic from video platforms like YouTube or TikTok. Videos build trust and showcase products effectively. A "How-To" video I uploaded about my product became one of my best traffic sources.

• Online Communities/Forums: Traffic from platforms like Reddit or niche forums. Engaging in discussions helps attract interested visitors. Sharing advice on a Reddit thread about eco-friendly products brought targeted traffic to my store.

Each source has unique benefits and works best when tailored to your store’s audience. Experiment with a mix to find what drives the most traffic for you!

10 best ways to drive traffic to your Shopify store

Getting traffic to a Shopify store can feel like an uphill battle, especially when you're just starting out. To make it a bit easier, I’ve listed 10 of the best ways that can really help you get more visitors and, hopefully, more sales.

#1 - Create SEO-Friendly Blog Content

Writing blog posts that are optimized for search engines is one of the best ways to attract visitors to your Shopify store. By focusing on relevant keywords and creating helpful, engaging content, your store becomes easier to find on Google.

For example, when I started writing blog posts about the benefits of using eco-friendly products, my website traffic grew significantly. These posts brought in people who were actively searching for sustainable options, leading them to check out my products and make purchases.

• Cost: Low to Medium / Free (if you write the content yourself).
• Traffic Source: Organic Traffic, Direct Traffic.

#2 - Start a Customer Loyalty Program

A customer loyalty program encourages customers to come back by offering rewards for their purchases. This method not only brings repeat traffic but also increases customer loyalty, making them more likely to recommend your store to others.

In my experience, offering points for every purchase helped keep customers returning. They enjoyed collecting points for discounts, and many of them started visiting more often, boosting my store’s traffic and sales.

• Cost: Medium (depending on the software or incentives offered).
• Traffic Source: Direct Traffic, Referral Traffic.

#3 - Engage on Social Media

Social media is a great tool for connecting with your customers and driving traffic to your Shopify store. Regularly posting and interacting with your audience helps build a community that is more likely to visit your store.

I noticed a big increase in traffic when I started interacting with followers on Instagram. When I shared behind-the-scenes content and responded to questions, people became more interested in my store and visited to check out the products I mentioned in my posts.

• Cost: Free to Low (if organic, costs increase with paid promotions).
• Traffic Source: Social Media Traffic.

#4 - Run Ad Campaigns

Paid ads are a quick way to bring traffic to your Shopify store. By running ads on platforms like Facebook, Google, or Instagram, you can target specific audiences likely to be interested in your products.

When I first ran a Facebook ad promoting a sale, it brought in a lot of new visitors. With the proper targeting, I could reach people who hadn’t seen my store before, which resulted in more traffic and more sales.

• Cost: High (depending on the ad budget and platform).
• Traffic Source: Paid Search, Social Media Traffic.

#5 - Collaborate with Influencers

Influencer marketing is effective because influencers already have a trusted relationship with their followers. Partnering with them can introduce your products to a broader audience, driving more traffic to your store.

I teamed up with a fashion blogger who shared my product on her Instagram. As a result, I saw a boost in traffic from her followers, who were excited to try my products based on her recommendation.

• Cost: Medium to High (based on influencer reach).
• Traffic Source: Referral Traffic, Social Media Traffic.

💎Read more: How to Get Verified on Instagram?

#6 - Use Discount Codes & Offers

Discounts and special offers can be a great way to get people to visit your store. By promoting time-limited offers, you create a sense of urgency that drives visitors to check out your products quickly.

For example, you can run a "Buy one, get one 50% off" promotion for a weekend, which really helps attract many visitors. People wanted to take advantage of the deal, and it encouraged them to shop more than they might have initially planned.

• Cost: Low to Medium (depends on how much discount you offer).
• Traffic Source: Direct Traffic, Organic Traffic.

#7 - Use Google Shopping Ads

Google Shopping ads show your products directly in search results when someone is looking for something you sell. This type of ad can quickly bring targeted traffic to your store from people who are already interested in purchasing.

Listing your products with Google Shopping ads ensures potential customers see your store first when searching for related items, driving highly targeted traffic to your Shopify store.

• Cost: High (based on your ad spend).
• Traffic Source: Paid Search.

#8 - Try Promotional Push Notifications

Push notifications are a great way to keep your store in customers' minds. By sending updates on sales, new products, or exclusive offers, you can encourage people to visit your store more often.

I started using push notifications to tell my subscribers about flash sales, and it brought them back to my site. They didn’t want to miss out on special offers, which helped increase my traffic.

• Cost: Low (using free tools) to Medium (for advanced services).
• Traffic Source: Direct Traffic.

#9 - Share Email Marketing Newsletters

Email newsletters are an excellent way to remind your customers about your store. By sending regular updates with promotions, new arrivals, or helpful tips, you can bring previous visitors back to your site.

I’ve found that sending a monthly email with exclusive offers and new product information keeps my customers engaged. Many of them return to my site after receiving the email, which drives steady traffic to my store.

• Cost: Low to Medium (depending on email marketing tools).
• Traffic Source: Email Marketing Traffic, Direct Traffic.

#10 - Develop Pre-Release Product Pages for Big Launches

Creating a product page for upcoming launches builds anticipation and drives traffic before the product is even available. By offering sneak peeks or allowing early sign-ups, you can get people excited about your new products.

If you're launching a new collection of winter coats, you could create a dedicated page with a countdown timer and exclusive early access for subscribers. This creates excitement, boosts sign-ups, and drives traffic when the product launches.

• Cost: Low to Medium (based on design tools).
• Traffic Source: Organic Traffic, Direct Traffic.

Conclusion

To sum up, we have provided you with information regarding the types of traffic and how to drive traffic to your Shopify store. Hopefully, after reading the article, you will be able to put it into practice and manage your online store successfully. Bear in mind that to have a prosperous, you will have to be patient and hard-working. No pain, no gain!

❗Find out more: Top 11 Best Shopify Get Traffic Apps in 2024

FAQs

How do I get more traffic to my Shopify store? 

To bring more visitors, focus on SEO by using the right keywords in your product pages and blogs. Share your products on social media, run ads, and work with influencers. Offering discounts and sending email updates can also attract more people to your store.

How to drive traffic to your ecommerce store?

You can drive traffic by running ads on Google or social media, sharing interesting content like blog posts, and sending newsletters to your customers. Running sales or special offers and pushing notifications can also help bring more people to your store.

How do I attract customers to Shopify?

To attract customers, make your store easy to use and look great. Promote it with SEO, social media posts, and ads. Offering loyalty rewards or discounts for first-time buyers can also encourage people to check out your store.

How do I drive traffic to my dropshipping store?

Run ads on platforms like Facebook or TikTok to reach the right audience. Focus on a specific niche and create content that appeals to them. Offer free shipping or discounts to grab attention, and use customer reviews to build trust and attract more visitors.