10+ Methods to Boost Shopify Advertising (Free & Paid) in 2024

Ready to take your Shopify store to the next level? Whether you're on a budget and looking for free marketing or paid advertising for your Shopify store, we’ve got you covered with 10+ killer methods to boost your brand. Let’s dive in and discover how to advertise your Shopify store like a pro!

Read more:

• How to Start an Online Store from Scratch
• 10 Ways to Drive Traffic to your Shopify store
• Top 7+ Shopify Product Research Tools You Don’t Skip for 2024

Benefits of Advertising for Shopify Stores

Advertising isn't just about spending money; it's a strategic move to grow your business and increase visibility. Here's why it's worth it:

• Increased Traffic: Ads drive more visitors to your site, putting your store in front of potential buyers.
• Boosted Sales: More eyes on your products means more chances for conversions and sales.
• Brand Awareness: Advertising helps establish your brand and make it stand out in a crowded market.
• Targeted Reach: Get your products in front of the right people based on demographics, interests, and behavior.
• Quick Results: Unlike organic marketing, ads offer fast, measurable outcomes.
• Retargeting Opportunities: Ads let you bring back visitors who’ve checked out your store but didn’t buy.

Types of Advertising for Shopify Stores 

Free Approaches to Promote your Shopify store

SEO: The core of your free marketing efforts

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the cornerstone of driving organic traffic to your Shopify store without needing an ad budget. By optimizing your store’s content, product descriptions, meta tags, and technical structure, you improve your chances of appearing at the top of search engine results. This makes it easier for potential customers to discover your products naturally when searching for related terms.

Key strategies include:

• Keyword Optimization: Research and strategically use keywords that match what your target audience is searching for.
• Content Marketing: Publish engaging blog posts, guides, or product-related content to provide value and increase your store's visibility.
• Technical SEO: Ensure your site is mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and easy to navigate for both users and search engines.
• Link Building: Build credibility by earning backlinks from reputable websites in your niche.

With effective SEO, you can attract high-intent shoppers to your Shopify store, boost your brand's visibility, and enjoy long-term growth without relying heavily on paid advertising. 

Social Media Marketing (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest)

How to Use Social Media to Promote Your Shopify Store:

• Pick the Right Platforms:  When I used social media to attract customers, I realized that figuring out where my audience hangs out was crucial. For fashion products, Instagram and Pinterest were obvious go-to's, but I also found that TikTok could drive massive traffic.
• Create Engaging Content: Consistency is key when advertising your Shopify store. So, please mixing up photos, videos, stories, and user-generated content to attract customers. 
• Use Hashtags Wisely: Hashtags are like a secret weapon for visibility. You can use Hashtagify to find trending and niche hashtags, which has made a noticeable difference in your Shopify promotion efforts. 
• Use Paid Advertising: Run targeted ad campaigns to reach more customers based on demographics, interests, and behavior. Test carousel ads, video ads, or shoppable posts to drive traffic directly to your Shopify store.
• Leverage Influencer Marketing: Collaborate with influencers in your niche to promote your products to their followers. Offer free products or affiliate partnerships to increase exposure. 
• Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments, messages, and mentions promptly to build trust and loyalty. Or create polls, Q&A sessions, or contests to encourage interaction.
• Promote Offers and Discounts: Announce exclusive deals, discounts, or flash sales on your social channels.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is a powerful tool for Shopify stores to connect with customers, build relationships, and drive sales. Here’s how to leverage it effectively:

• Build Your Email List: Offer incentives like discounts or exclusive access. Or use pop-ups, social media promotions, and checkout forms to capture emails.
• Segment Your Audience: Target based on demographics, purchase history, or engagement level to send product recommendations. 
• Create Engaging Content: Welcome emails, promotions, newsletters, abandoned cart reminders, and post-purchase tips.
• Automate Emails: Set up sequences for new subscribers, order updates, and special occasions like birthdays.
• Optimize for Mobile: Use responsive designs, concise subject lines, and easy-to-click buttons.
• Track Performance: Monitor key metrics, clicks, and conversion rates. A/B test for continuous improvement.
• Use the Right Tools: Try Shopify Email, Klaviyo, Omnisend, or Mailchimp for effective email campaigns.

Influencer Marketing (Organic Partnerships)

By collaborating with influencers, Shopify store owners can build trust, reach new audiences, and significantly boost your Shopify store's visibility and sales.

1. Identify the Right Influencers: Focus on niche influencers with high engagement, even if their following is smaller.
2. Set Clear Goals: Define objectives like increasing brand awareness, driving traffic, or boosting sales, and then choose performance metrics like clicks, conversions, or engagement rates to measure success.
3. Choose the Right Platforms: Use Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube for visual product promotion. Choose LinkedIn for B2B products or services.
4. Collaborate Effectively: Offer free products, exclusive discounts, or affiliate commissions to influencers. Co-create authentic content like unboxings, reviews, tutorials, or lifestyle posts featuring your products.
5. Run Sponsored Campaigns: Plan influencer-hosted giveaways, product launches, or live streams to boost engagement.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is considered a powerful way to attract and engage potential customers for your Shopify stores. Creating valuable, informative, and entertaining content will build brand awareness, drive traffic, and increase sales to your website. So, here’s a breakdown of how to use it efficiently: 

• Identify Your Target Audience: Define their demographics, interests, pain points and online behavior. Moreover, you should determine which platforms and channels they use most (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Blogs, or YouTube)
• Determine Your Content Pillars: Choose topics are relevant to your audience and products. For example, if you sell eco-friendly clothing, your pillars might be sustainable fashion, ethical production, and minimalist lifestyles.
• Choose the Right Content Formats: Blog posts to share in-depth information, how-to guides, product reviews. Create product demos, tutorials, vlogs, or animated explainers. Or offer valuable resources in exchange for email sign-ups.
• Create High-Quality Content: Offer helpful, informative, and entertaining content. Be original, use visuals, and optimize for SEO to help people find your content.

Examples of Content Marketing for Shopify Stores

• A fashion retailer creates a blog post with style tips for the upcoming season, featuring items from their store.
• A beauty brand publishes a video tutorial on achieving a specific makeup look using their products.
• A food company shares recipes on social media that feature their ingredients.
• A tech accessory store creates an infographic comparing the features of different phone cases.

Online Communities & Forums

How to Use Online Communities to Promote Your Shopify Store:

• Find Relevant Communities: Join niche communities on Reddit and Facebook Groups that aligned with your products. 
• Engage and Answer Questions: Sharing advice in the communities helped build credibility and relationships, which in turn made people more open to checking out your store when the time was right.
• Share Helpful Resources: When I shared blog posts or guides relevant to the discussions in these groups, I saw a noticeable increase in traffic. The key was to ensure the content was genuinely helpful and not just a plug for my products.
• Create Your Own Community: I eventually created a small Facebook Group for my brand, offering exclusive content and sneak peeks of new products. It was a great way to build stronger connections with my customers and give them a space to connect and engage with each other.

Paid approaches to advertise your Shopify store

Social Media Ads

Facebook & Instagram Ads

Facebook and Instagram ads are a highly effective way to drive traffic and sales for your Shopify store. Here’s how to leverage them:

Target Your Ideal Audience

• Use Facebook's detailed targeting options:
  • Demographics: Age, gender, location, interests, behavior.
  • Custom Audiences: Target people who have interacted with your website, Facebook Page, or Instagram profile.
  • Lookalike Audiences: Reach new people who are similar to your existing customers.

Craft Compelling Ad Creatives

• Use high-quality images or videos: Capture attention and showcase your products.
• Write clear and concise ad copy: Highlight key features and benefits.
• Include a strong call to action: Tell people what you want them to do (e.g., "Shop Now," "Learn More").

Choose the Right Ad Formats

• Image ads: Simple and effective for showcasing products.
• Video ads: More engaging and can convey more information.
• Carousel ads: Showcase multiple products or features in a single ad.
• Collection ads: Allow users to browse products directly within the ad.
• Stories ads: Full-screen, immersive ads that appear between user stories.

TikTok Ads

Targeting: Use trending videos, viral challenges, and popular hashtags to engage younger audiences. Create fun, authentic video content that blends seamlessly with TikTok’s organic posts.

Example:
A fitness brand might run Facebook ads targeting users interested in health and wellness, using carousel ads to showcase their products. On TikTok, they could create a viral challenge that encourages users to show off their workout routines using the brand’s products.

Google Ads

Search ads are a powerful tool to drive targeted traffic to your Shopify store by displaying your products to users actively searching for related items. Here's how to effectively use search ads:

1. Choose the Right Campaign Type
   • Google Shopping Ads: Showcase product images, prices, and store names directly in search results, providing potential customers with essential information at a glance.
   • Google Search Ads: Display text-based ads above or below organic search results, targeting specific keywords relevant to your products.
2. Set Up Google Merchant Center
   • Create a Google Merchant Center account to upload your product data, which Google uses to generate Shopping ads.
   • Ensure your product feed is accurate and optimized with detailed titles, descriptions, and high-quality images.
3. Integrate with Shopify
   • Use Shopify's Google & YouTube app to connect your store with Google Merchant Center and Google Ads, streamlining the process of creating and managing campaigns.
4. Optimize Product Listings
   • Include relevant keywords in product titles and descriptions to improve ad relevance.
   • Ensure pricing and availability information is current to enhance user trust and ad performance.
5. Set a Budget and Bidding Strategy
   • Determine a daily budget that aligns with your marketing goals.
   • Choose a bidding strategy (e.g., cost-per-click) that suits your objectives, such as maximizing clicks or conversions.

Retargeting Ads

How to Use Retargeting Ads to Win Back Potential Customers

• Set Up Facebook Pixel or Google Remarketing: Install Facebook Pixel or Google Remarketing on your Shopify store to track visitors who abandon their carts or browse products without purchasing. Once they leave your site, you can use these platforms to show them personalized ads on Facebook, Instagram, or other websites they visit.
• Target Abandoned Carts: Create tailored ads for visitors who left items in their carts. Offer special discounts or highlight the benefits of the products they viewed to encourage them to complete their purchase.
• Fine-tune Ad Frequency: Be careful not to overdo it—retargeting ads should appear often enough to remind visitors but not annoy them. Monitor your ad frequency and adjust accordingly.
• Optimize for Conversions: Regularly test and refine your ads to ensure you’re reaching the right audience and delivering content that pushes them to convert. Experiment with different offers, creatives, and call-to-actions.

Shopify Apps for Paid Advertising

Common Shopify Apps to manage and optimize social advertising ads:

• Smartly.io: (Paid) Advanced automation and optimization features for larger businesses with complex campaigns.
• Madgicx: (Paid) AI-powered ad optimization and audience targeting tools.

• AdNabu: (Paid) Streamlines Google Ads campaign management and offers advanced optimization features.
• Varos: (Paid) Provides data-driven insights and recommendations for improving Google Ads performance.

• Shoelace Retargeting: Creates personalized retargeting campaigns across multiple platforms.
• RetargetApp: Focuses on retargeting ads to recover abandoned carts and re-engage website visitors.

• Omnisend: Combines email marketing, SMS, and push notifications with ad retargeting capabilities.
• Klaviyo: Powerful email marketing platform with advanced segmentation and Facebook ad integration.

Tips for choosing:

• Consider your budget: Many apps offer free plans or trials, while others have tiered pricing based on features and usage.
• Read reviews: See what other Shopify merchants say about their experiences with different apps.
• Look for features that meet your needs: Consider automation, audience targeting, analytics, and multi-platform support.
• Start with one or two apps: Don't overwhelm yourself. Focus on mastering a few key apps before adding more.

For Example:
A skincare brand could use Kit to automatically create and run ads on Instagram, promoting their latest products based on customer data. AdRoll would be used to retarget people who visited the store but didn’t complete a purchase, while Hextom could automate Google Shopping Ads to bring in more traffic.

Discover: Top 7 Shopify Ads Apps to Consider

How To Create Effective Ad Campaigns

Step 1: Setting Clear Goals

• Define your campaign objectives, such as increasing traffic, boosting conversions, or promoting a new product.
• Ensure your goals are measurable and align with your overall business objectives.

Step 2: Target Audience Research

• Identify the key demographics, interests, and behaviors of your ideal customers.
• Segment your audience to create personalized ads that resonate with different customer groups.

Step 3: Ad Copy and Visuals

• Write compelling and concise ad copy that directly addresses the needs or desires of your audience.
• Use high-quality, engaging visuals—images or videos—that showcase your products and their benefits.

Step 4: A/B Testing

• Run different versions of your ads to compare which headlines, visuals, or CTAs perform better.
• Analyze the results and refine your ads to improve performance and reach.

Step 5: Budgeting and Bid Strategies

• Set a realistic budget based on your goals and available funds.
• Choose the appropriate bidding strategy, such as cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM), to align with your objectives.

5 Best Practices for Shopify Advertising

To get the most out of your Shopify ads, follow these best practices and make your campaigns even more effective:

• Using Analytics and Tracking Tools: Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel to track performance and user behavior. Analyze metrics like CTR, conversion rates, and ROAS to see what's working and what needs tweaking.
• Optimizing for Mobile Users: Ensure your ads and landing pages are mobile-friendly. Keep your content clear, simple, and easy to navigate on smaller screens.
• Leveraging User-Generated Content: Share content your customers create—reviews, unboxings, and product photos—on your ads to build trust.
• Retargeting Strategies: Retarget users who’ve shown interest but haven’t converted yet—remind them of your products with tailored ads. Or create special offers or limited-time discounts to encourage them to return and complete their purchase.
• Stay up-to-date: Stay informed about new platforms, ad formats, and best practices. Be aware of the advertising policies of each platform you use to ensure your ads are compliant.

In Conclusion

Advertising your Shopify store, whether free or paid, is all about getting your products in front of the right audience with the right message. By mixing effective strategies like social media ads, influencer partnerships, and retargeting, you’ll build a strong online presence that drives traffic and boosts sales.

Shopify Advertising: FAQs

Can you use Shopify for advertising?

Yes! Shopify makes it super easy to run ads directly through their platform. You can integrate with Facebook, Instagram, Google, and more, all in one place. Just set up your account, pick your platform, and start reaching customers!

How to ads on Shopify?

Running ads on Shopify is simple! Set up an ad campaign through the Shopify dashboard, choose your platform (Instagram, Facebook, Google, etc.), and create an eye-catching ad. Don’t forget to target your audience and track performance to see what’s working!

How much do Shopify ads cost?

The cost of Shopify ads depends on your budget, platform, and goals. You can spend as little or as much as you want, but a general range for ads is anywhere from $1 to $3 per click.

How much does Shopify marketing cost?

Shopify marketing costs vary depending on which services you’re using—ads, email campaigns, influencer partnerships, etc. You can start with free social media or email marketing options, but paid ads will cost you more. On average, small businesses might spend anywhere from $500 to $2,000/month on marketing.