There are currently 5.46 million active ecommerce sites powered by Shopify, meaning the online market is becoming even more crowded and competitive.

But with so many stores out there, how do you get your products noticed in the first place? And once you’ve gained some traction, how do you keep that momentum going?

The real challenge is getting your store off the ground - creating an amazing product line, promoting it the right way, picking the best Shopify apps to support your growth, and driving high-quality traffic to your site.

But remember, growing your Shopify store isn’t just about handling more customers - it’s about building a business that can adapt and scale with changing market demands, leading to a stronger and more profitable store in the long run.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essentials of growing a Shopify business effectively, helping you reach your full potential, including…

• The reasons you may be seeing traffic but no sales
• Building a growth mindset for your Shopify store
• The top 13 ways to effectively grow your Shopify store

And more! Let’s dive in… 

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Why you're seeing traffic but no sales

One of the most frustrating things for any Shopify store owner is seeing plenty of traffic but not many (or any) sales. When it feels like growth is stagnant, even though you're attracting visitors, it can be tough to figure out what’s going wrong.

High traffic but low conversions usually comes down to a few common issues, including...

• Lack of trust signals. Customers look for reasons to trust the brands they shop with. Without elements like customer reviews, trust badges, or clear return policies, shoppers may hesitate.

• Unclear or overwhelming product pages. Cluttered layouts, poor-quality images, or missing product details can leave shoppers uncertain. Enhancing product pages with clear descriptions and high-quality visuals can make a big difference. 

• Poor mobile experience. If your site isn’t optimised for mobile, visitors may find the experience slow or frustrating. Make sure your site is optimised for mobile to capture the interest of shoppers on their phones, who make up a large part of online traffic.

• Wrong Audience. Attracting traffic from visitors who aren’t genuinely interested in your products can lead to high bounce rates. Refining your targeting to reach a more specific audience can help bring in shoppers who are more likely to convert. 

• Complicated or expensive checkout process. A lengthy or unclear checkout, especially with surprise shipping costs, often leads to abandoned carts. Streamlining checkouts and being upfront about costs can reduce drop-offs. 

• Misaligned messaging. If your store’s messaging doesn’t align with what your products actually offer, it can confuse or disappoint visitors. Adjusting messaging to better communicate value and meet customer expectations can make shoppers more confident. 

• Lack of clear calls to action (CTA). Without strong CTAs like “Add to Cart” or “Check Out Now”, visitors may be unsure of the next step. Well-placed, clear CTAs help guide shoppers along their journey. 

But once you start tackling these common issues, you'll see a big boost in your sales and get that momentum going again.

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Setting the foundation: Building a growth mindset for your Shopify store

Building a growth-focused mindset is key to successfully scaling your Shopify store. It all starts with understanding the essentials of ecommerce growth, which is about more than just driving traffic.

True growth happens when your brand, products, and customer base are all aligned in a way that not only brings in visitors but also builds loyalty, drives conversions, and encourages repeat purchases. This alignment is super important because it ensures a consistent experience at every touchpoint, laying the groundwork for long-term, sustainable growth.

A growth mindset also involves setting clear, actionable goals and KPIs to track your progress. Think about defining specific targets, like growing your monthly revenue, increasing your average order value (AOV), or expanding your customer base.

You can easily track these metrics using Shopify’s built-in analytics or by adding third-party apps from the Shopify App Store that give you deeper insights into customer behaviour, conversion rates, and more. By keeping an eye on these KPIs, you can tweak your strategy along the way, making sure every move is driving real growth.

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Top 13 ways to effectively grow your Shopify store 

1 - Create quality content that provides value

Creating valuable content for your Shopify store isn’t just about filling up space on a webpage; it’s all about building your brand’s authority, connecting with potential customers, and earning their trust.

Whether it’s videos, images, reviews, or detailed product descriptions, great content should do more than just look good - it should connect with your audience and drive conversions. Your content needs to answer customers’ questions, solve their problems, and make them feel more confident about hitting that “buy” button.

It’s easy for store owners to get caught up in creating flashy, attention-grabbing content - but if it’s not genuinely valuable, it can fall flat. Sure, eye-catching content might get a few clicks, but without real substance, it often leaves potential customers feeling unsatisfied or even a bit sceptical.

The key is a content strategy that’s all about quality, relevance, and real value; content that actually educates, inspires, and reassures your readers.

This can take many forms, such as high-quality images that really show off your products, informative videos that demonstrate how they work, reviews that build trust, and product descriptions that don’t just list features, but explain benefits in a way that actually resonates.

Supplementing this with educational blog posts or guides that address your customers’ interests or pain points can take engagement to the next level and boost your credibility.

High-quality content also helps boost your search engine rankings, bringing in more organic traffic and giving your Shopify store better visibility. We dive into this more in point 12!

2 - Produce high-converting emails 

High-converting emails are key to nurturing strong relationships with your customers and boosting sales. These emails connect with both potential buyers and existing customers at different touch points along their journey.

Each email has a specific job: to move them to the next step in the buying process and grow a loyal customer base for your Shopify store. And in the last 12 months, 54% of UK consumers have made a purchase from an email. 

Some simple, but effective, campaigns to run would include…

• Welcome emails. Make a great first impression and introduce customers to your brand and what they can expect from your store. 
• Post-purchase emails. Send a thank-you message, offer additional product recommendations, and encourage reviews to keep the relationship going. 
• Browse abandonment reminders. Remind customers of products they’ve viewed but didn’t purchase to bring them back to your store.
• Cart abandonment reminders. Gently remind customers about the items they left behind in their cart, often offering an incentive like free shipping or a discount.
• Product launches and company updates. Keep your audience informed about new products or upcoming sales, making them feel part of your brand’s journey. 
• Sharing discount codes & special offers. Share exclusive coupon codes or special offers to incentivise purchases, drive urgency, and reward loyal customers. 

Personalising these emails based on your customers’ specific needs, whether they’re first-time visitors, loyal buyers, or people who’ve abandoned their cart, makes sure you’re sending the right message when it matters most. 

And segmentation, such as behavioural or demographic targeting, lets you speak more directly to different groups of customers. By sending messages that match their individual behaviour or where they are in the buying journey, you’re boosting the chances of converting them into loyal buyers.

Just be careful not to overwhelm your customers with too many emails or risk ending up in their spam. Luckily, there are plenty of email marketing tools on the Shopify App Store to help you create, schedule, and track your emails effectively. Some of the most popular ones include Klaviyo, Omnisend, and Yotpo.

3 - Utilise no-code Shopify mobile app builders

Delivering a standout mobile shopping experience is a must for growing your Shopify store. With a huge 79% of Shopify traffic coming from mobile, it's obvious that shoppers prefer browsing and buying right from their phones.

While mobile-optimised websites are important, they can often fall short when it comes to user experience. Slow load times, tricky navigation, and clunky checkouts can frustrate shoppers and lead to abandoned carts. Simply put, a website alone can’t capture the smooth, seamless experience that today’s mobile-first customers are looking for.

The best way to deliver an exceptional mobile experience is by using a no-code Shopify mobile app builder. Mobile apps have a 157% higher conversion rate than mobile websites due to their user-friendly design and enhanced functionality. 

By getting a mobile app for your Shopify store, you’re making the shopping journey smoother—customers can browse, buy, and get push notifications without any hassle, which means a much more positive experience overall.

If you’re a Shopify SME wanting to grow your store through a mobile app, then we can help. With our Shopify mobile app plans including a fully designed, customisable iOS and android app, you can unlock higher sales, increase AOV, and drive customer loyalty. Learn more. 

4 - Run paid ads for a more targeted marketing approach

Running paid ads for your website, such as Google or Meta Ads, is a great way to reach potential customers with precision. You can target them based on their interests, behaviours, and demographics, so you’re not just casting a wide net, you’re connecting with the people who are most likely to be interested in your products.

For Shopify stores aiming to grow, this strategy helps you get your offerings in front of the right audience, boosting your chances of making a sale.

Platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram make it super easy to target the right customers with your ads. You can create segmented campaigns tailored to different buyer personas, helping you connect with new potential customers while also bringing back previous visitors. This way, you’re boosting your chances of turning those clicks into actual sales.

By reaching more relevant audiences, targeted ads help increase traffic, improve conversion rates, and reduce wasted ad spend. Plus, a targeted ad strategy can drive quick results, bringing immediate visibility to your Shopify store and keeping your brand top-of-mind with potential customers. This strategy supports scalable growth by turning casual browsers into loyal customers. 

As you go, you can keep an eye on the platforms’ built-in analytics tools to figure out how, when, and where to tweak your ad copy, visuals, and targeting to get it just right. The key metrics you’ll want to track include click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate, cost per click (CPC), return on ad spend (ROAS), and customer acquisition cost (CAC). 

5 - Personalise the customer experience

Personalising the customer experience lets you create a shopping journey that feels tailored for each individual visitor, tapping right into their interests. 

Not only does this make your Shopify store more engaging, but it also encourages larger purchases and builds a more unique, lasting connection with customers.

A ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to product recommendations and customer engagement often leads to missed sales opportunities because it doesn’t fully meet individual customer needs. 

71% of consumers today expect brands to deliver personalised experiences, and 76% are frustrated without it, so they might move on if they don’t feel seen or valued. 

So you’ll want to tailor the shopping journey for each customer based on things like their behaviour, preferences, and purchase history. Some ways you can add that personal touch include…

• Product recommendations. Show personalised product suggestions based on browsing and purchase history, with options like “Recently Viewed” or, “You might also be interested in”. 
• Dynamic content. Customise homepages and key sections to display targeted promotions and localised shipping options. 
• Wishlist and reminder emails. Let customers save items to wishlists and send reminders about those products via email. 
• Personalised discounts and promotions. Provide discounts for first-time buyers or personalised upsells for repeat customers. 
• Customer segmentation. For example, offering exclusive deals to your most ‘VIP’, loyal, and frequent shoppers.
• Post-purchase personalisation. Create personalised thank-you pages, using the shoppers name, also set up reorder reminders, and tailored follow-ups to encourage repeat purchases. 

With a personalised experience, you create a shopping journey that boosts conversions, raises average order values (AOV), and builds loyalty, all of which help grow your Shopify store.

Vitality features a ‘recommended for you’ section on their homepage, a great example of simple, but effective personalisation for your Shopify store. 

6 - Build high-converting landing pages 

Building high-converting landing pages is a game-changer when it comes to scaling your Shopify store. These pages are designed to get your visitors to take specific actions, whether that’s making a purchase, signing up for your newsletter, or grabbing a limited-time offer. 

When your landing pages are optimised for conversions, they can turn casual browsers into paying customers, helping your store grow faster and more effectively.

Many Shopify store owners make the mistake of cramming too much information onto their landing pages or trying to push too many offers at once. This ends up confusing visitors and leaving them feeling overwhelmed.

On top of that, slow loading times, poor mobile optimization, or unclear calls to action can drive potential customers away in seconds. If your landing pages aren’t optimised for conversions, they’re definitely not helping your store grow as fast as it could.

The trick is to create targeted landing pages that are laser-focused on one goal. Keep things simple with a clear headline, a tempting offer, and a standout call to action (CTA).

Shopify’s built-in tools, along with apps like PageFly, make it super easy to build custom landing pages that are mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and optimised to convert. Plus, you can A/B test different versions to see what really clicks with your audience.

This way, you’ll create landing pages that not only attract more visitors to your Shopify store, but also guide them to take action. 

7 - Place a key focus on customer retention

Customer retention is all about keeping your current customers engaged and coming back to your Shopify store time after time. Sure, it can be tempting to pour all your energy into acquiring new customers, but creating a loyal base of repeat buyers actually has a much greater impact on long-term growth. Plus, retaining existing customers is way more cost-effective - acquiring new ones costs about 5x as much as keeping the ones you already have!

One of the best ways to boost customer retention is by setting up a loyalty program that rewards repeat purchases, referrals, and other ways customers engage with your store. The Shopify App Store has some awesome apps like Smile.io that make it super easy to create personalised loyalty programs that incentivise customers to keep coming back. 

Giving rewards like discounts, exclusive products, early sale access, or points with every purchase adds a sense of value that encourages long-term loyalty. Plus, sending personalised follow-up emails or offering special perks on their birthday or anniversary with your store makes them feel genuinely appreciated.

Loyal customers don’t just bring in more over time, they also become your brand ambassadors, spreading the word about your products and offerings to friends and family. This means you can spend less on constantly acquiring new customers, while getting more revenue from each one. Plus, loyal shoppers are more likely to go for higher-value items and are way more open to upsell and cross-sell offers.

8 - Offer free shipping

You might be thinking, "How does offering free shipping actually tie into my Shopify store's overall growth?" Well, the connection is pretty straightforward: high shipping costs are a major reason why customers ditch their carts (48%).

When customers reach checkout and see unexpected shipping fees, it’s often enough to make them click away, leaving items in their cart. Even if customers are initially excited about your products, those high shipping costs can make them hesitate, or worse, abandon their carts entirely. And for a Shopify store aiming to grow, tackling cart abandonment is crucial for both maintaining and boosting conversion rates and sales. 

Offering free shipping - either across all items or for orders over a certain value - removes this barrier by making the shopping experience smoother and more transparent. And with no surprise costs at checkout, customers are way more likely to follow through with their purchases. Free shipping also creates an incentive to increase order value, as customers might choose to add a few extra items to their order to qualify for it. 

Learn more about how you can reduce and recover Shopify abandoned carts here. 

9 - Build trust through social proof & UGC

Showcasing reviews, testimonials, and user-generated content (UGC) is an effective way to build trust and credibility for your Shopify store. When potential customers see authentic feedback from others, it reassures them that your products deliver on their promises. Social proof is a powerful tool for influencing buying decisions and giving customers that extra boost of confidence.

Without visible reviews or UGC, customers may feel a bit unsure or hesitant about going through with a purchase. Lacking social proof, they may start to wonder about the product’s quality, reliability, or if other people are actually happy with it.

By displaying reviews and UGC on your product pages, homepage, and social media channels, you can address those concerns right away. When shoppers see real, positive feedback from others just like them, it builds trust and makes them more likely to buy. And it’s not just a feeling - 93% of shoppers say online reviews influence their buying decisions.

With the right social proof and UGC in place, you're not just selling a product, you’re building a community, which is key to scaling your Shopify store.

To gather UGC, reviews, and testimonials, try offering incentives such as discounts or loyalty points as a little “thank you” for feedback. You can also set up automated post-purchase emails requesting reviews or encourage customers to share photos or videos of their purchases using a branded hashtag. For example, give 10% off their next order for leaving a review or run a giveaway for the best product photo - both are great ways to inspire customers to share their experiences.

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Glossier pulls in a gallery of UGC in a ‘Get The Look’ feature on their product pages, showing off real, relatable experiences with products. 

10 - Enhance product pages for conversions 

Enhancing your product pages is a great way to make your products more appealing and give customers all the info they need to feel confident in their purchase. Since your products are the heart of your Shopify store, showcasing their value, features, and benefits clearly is key to boosting conversions.

Even though your customers are shopping online, they still want that in-store experience where they can really get a feel for the quality, details, and uniqueness of what you're offering. They want to know exactly what your product will look and feel like in person, just like if they were holding it in their hands, for example. 

This means using high-quality images from different angles, showing the product in real-life settings so customers can see how it fits into their daily life. Don’t forget detailed descriptions covering features, sizes, and materials. Adding customer reviews, product videos, and even an FAQ section can really help build trust. And, of course, include shipping details up front, so customers know what to expect before they get to checkout.

When shoppers have all the details they need to feel confident, they're more likely to go ahead with a purchase, and maybe even explore other products on your site. This smooth, informative experience is key to keeping customers happy and coming back for more, which helps drive steady growth for your Shopify store.

11 - Add chatbots/live chat functionalities to your Shopify store 

Adding AI-powered customer service options like chatbots and live chat to your Shopify store is a game-changer when it comes to creating a smooth online shopping experience, making it easier than ever to manage inquiries around the clock. AI-driven chatbots & live chat tools can manage everything from answering product questions and tracking orders, to providing personalised recommendations. 

With 51% of consumers saying a business needs to be available 24/7 to meet their modern-day expectations of convenience and accessibility, it will help you meet those demands and help your store grow by building customer trust, satisfaction, and loyalty. 

And by providing personalised product recommendations and handling order tracking, chatbots can help boost your average order value (AOV) and reduce returns - both essential factors for driving growth and increasing revenue. 

Tools like Tidio, which offers AI-powered product recommendations, and Gorgias, which can handle multiple inquiries at once, provide a seamless integration of chatbots/live chat on your Shopify store for that convenient and smooth customer journey. 

12 - Build a great SEO strategy

With 68% of online experience beginning with a search engine, building a solid SEO strategy helps your Shopify store rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs), bringing in more organic traffic and increasing the visibility of your products. 

For Shopify growth, an effective SEO strategy is essential because it not only brings in new visitors but also drives more targeted, high-intent shoppers who are actually ready to make a purchase.

• Keyword research. Start by identifying the high-volume keywords that are relevant to your products. This will give you a better idea of what your audience is actually searching for, so you can focus on the terms that are most likely to bring in traffic.
• Optimise product pages. Make sure each product page is SEO-friendly by adding targeted keywords to titles, descriptions, and alt tags. This helps search engines understand the focus of each page, improving its ranking potential.
• Improve site speed. Slow load times can hurt both user experience and your SEO ranking. To keep things running smoothly, compress your images, take advantage of Shopify’s speed optimization tools, and limit heavy scripts.
• Create quality content. Starting a blog on your Shopify store is a fantastic way to bring in organic traffic and rank for a wider range of keywords. By consistently publishing quality posts, you can position your store as an authority in your niche.
• Use internal links. Linking between related products, collections, or blog posts is a great way to help search engines understand your site’s structure while also encouraging visitors to check out more of your pages.
• Create great meta titles and descriptions. Compelling, keyword-rich titles and descriptions for each page can make your store stand out in search results, improving click-through rates.

Stores that keep working on their SEO climb the search rankings more and see better revenue growth. It might take some time to fine-tune an approach that fits your store just right, but the long-term results make it totally worth the effort. 

13 - Make the most of social commerce 

As a Shopify store owner, you’re probably already using social media to boost your brand’s visibility, promote your products, and connect with potential customers. 

With social commerce evolving, it’s not enough to just drive traffic to your website. Shoppers now expect a smooth buying experience right on the platforms they already love, like Instagram and TikTok. If you're not meeting them where they are, you could be missing out on some big sales opportunities.

Today, most social media platforms come with built-in shopping features that let you create shoppable posts and videos. This way, customers can buy straight from your content, all without ever leaving the app. 

And with interactive, shoppable videos boosting conversion rates by up to 70%, they’re definitely going to be one of the best channels for expanding your reach and growing your Shopify sales. 

And because the process is so smooth and convenient, it also increases chances of impulse buys. Shoppers can spot something they like, click, and buy right away - before they have time to second-guess or get distracted. 

Another great way to tap into social commerce is through influencer marketing. By partnering with influencers who really resonate with your audience, you can showcase your products in a way that feels authentic and engaging. They can create content, host live shopping events, and even share shoppable posts that link directly to your store. In fact, 63% of shoppers say they’re more likely to buy something if it’s recommended by a social media influencer they trust. Pretty powerful, right?

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Final thoughts

If you’re ready to grow your Shopify store to the next level, contact StoreLab today to learn more about how we can help you build a custom mobile app, optimise your paid social ads, and drive sustainable business growth. 

It’s a Dog’s life is a UK clothing and accessories business founded as a side project by long-time salesman, Mark Littlewood. 

Mark had been seeing some great results during big seasonal moments, such as Christmas and Black Friday, but was struggling to build consistent sales in between. 

With the help of our Pro and Meta Plans, Mark’s been able to drive more sales throughout the year - 400% more sales, to be precise. 

“Prior to working with StoreLab, sales were absolutely minimal. It was an absolute eye-opener, the increase they achieved.”

If you’d like to see this same success for your Shopify store, you can book a call with one of our Shopify growth experts.