How to Shopify WordPress

Have you always wanted to be an entrepreneur? Many people dream of doing just that. But as the cost of rent and workers keeps rising, having your own business can be risky. However, thanks to Shopify and WordPress software, you don’t need a physical location to set up a shop. And now you can Shopify WordPress, so creating an online shop has never been easier!

Ecommerce is growing, and you could be a part of that growth by starting your own online business. That growth, and the ease of entry for newcomers, make it easy to see why Shopify has a 100% year-to-date growth rate.

While running your own website, let alone an online shop, is hard, there are platforms out there that remove the complexities of coding and in-depth web development. Shopify is one. WordPress is another.

WordPress is essentially a gateway web development platform for bloggers, hobbyists, and, of course, entrepreneurs. So let’s start there.

While it is easy to navigate, this doesn’t mean you can create your own successful website in just a few clicks. I’m going to help you out on this journey by giving you a rundown on the things you should do.

How to Shopify WordPress

If you don’t want to host your own site, you can use WordPress.com.

There are various WordPress plans to choose from, but for an online shop you need to pick between the Business and eCommerce platforms, which are $23/month and $40/month respectively. 

The Business package is more suited to small businesses. It comes with all the essentials for running a small online shop, such as 200GB of storage space, dozens of themes to choose from, a slew of monetization tools, customer support, and third-party integration of useful analytics tools.

The eCommerce platform comes with everything that the Business plan has – plus, there are a few extra benefits. This includes access to payments from over 60 countries, integration with top shipping carriers, premium customizable themes, access to marketing tools, and more.

Obviously, you’d want to choose the Business plan if you are just starting up. WordPress allows you to upgrade your package at any time, so once your business grows, you can shift to the eCommerce package immediately. With that out of the way, let’s get you started on your WordPress online shop journey.

Integrate Shopify with WordPress

Like most things with WordPress, integrating Shopify with WordPress is fairly straightforward.

All you have to do is sign up for Shopify, install the plugin (more on that in a second), connect Shopify to WordPress (in the menu added after you install the plugin), and start adding products!

Once you set up your payment and shipping options in the plugin, you’re ready to open up shop!

Shopify WordPress Plugins

Whether you decide to host your own WordPress site or use WordPress.com, there are plenty of good Shopify plugins for WordPress. The Buy button lets you use Shopify to sell products on WordPress for only $9/month.

Combine that with some of the other great eCommerce plugins for WordPress, and you’re in business!

But That’s Not All

Obviously there’s more to starting an online store than just choosing your technology. Just about everything you have to choose when starting a brick and mortar business (other than a physical location) is in play when starting an online store.

Pick Your Passion and Niche

First you have to decide what you’re going to sell.

Your online shop will be fueled by your passion more than anything else. It is vital for you to choose a niche that not only suits your interest, but also suits what is currently popular online. There are many niches to choose from – video games, skin care, pet food and care, and even clothing.

If you’re finding it hard to choose a niche, drop by your local mall and see which stores are taking up the most customers. Use other shops as an inspiration, so you can assure yourself that there’s already a whole flock of customers waiting to avail of your products or services.

Come Up with a Catchy Domain Name

Your domain name will be based on several factors, which includes the niche you are in. As there are probably thousands of other shops within your field, you’ll have to create a domain name that’s really catchy. Don’t be discouraged by the competition, though, as creating a catchy name is relatively easy.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Create a name that even a baby can say.
• Secure the right domain extension – for businesses, “.com” is most advised.
• Keep it short and simple.
• Check for possible misspellings, as these could make it harder for people to find your shop.

You should also try to think of a domain name that adheres with SEO or search engine optimization. For instance, shops that sell natural products often have the words “natural” or “green” in them. This allows their shop to become more visible to consumers who are looking for such products.

Create a Beautiful and Intuitive Mobile/Desktop Shop

Online consumers value accessibility and aesthetics above anything else. You must find the balance between creating pages that are both beautiful and easy to use. Luckily, WordPress’s countless themes allow you to create such pages with ease. Whether or not you know coding, you’ll be able to make a standout page.

Don’t focus all your attention on the desktop version of your website, however. A lot of your customers are going to access your website via a mobile device. This is why mobile optimization is absolutely crucial. Although WordPress allows you to do this easily, make sure to double check the performance between your desktop and mobile websites.

Pick the Right Plugins (Like the Shopify WordPress Plugin)

WordPress is home to numerous plugins that improve the user and customer experience. If you find the right plugins for your website, you’ll be able to drastically improve your services, thus allowing you to make more sales. Here are some of the best free and paid plugins you should consider.

• WPForms – Every website needs a contact form, but nowadays this is more vital than ever for online shops. WPForms is a drag and drop form builder that allows you to create forms, such as those for email subscriptions, online orders, and payment. It comes in a free and paid version, so if you are unsure of whether or not you need it, try the free version first.
• Yoast SEO – SEO is also important for online shops. As we’ve said, this will direct potential customers to your site. Yoast SEO allows you to easily manage your website’s SEO and set up keywords, tags, and more. This is the most intuitive SEO plugin on WordPress, and it’s made by the people behind the web development platform itself.
• OptinMonster – Not every website visitor will stick around and buy something from you. With OptinMonster, you can convert those abandoners into buyers by adding them to an email subscription. The plugin also allows you to make each email personalized for the consumer, thus making conversion rates higher.
• Sucuri – When it comes to online security in WordPress, the name that many website owners rely on is Sucuri. This plugin monitors and protects your website from various attacks, including DDoS, malware, XSS, and more. It’s also a household name in internet protection, so once your visitors see that you are using this, they’ll trust you a little bit more.
• BeaverBuilder – If you have trouble creating eye-catching and easy to use pages, the BeaverBuilder is the plugin for you. It is a drag and drop page builder for WordPress that is used by many worldwide. This is also the perfect plugin for online shops, as the drag and drop system allows you to systematically organize your catalog.
• MemberPress – MemberPress helps you create membership and premium programs for your website. This is essential if you are planning something similar to a VIP rewards system, which gives benefits to frequent buyers. 
• RafflePress – People love it when stores give away free stuff. This is what RafflePress excels in. It is the top giveaway plugin on WordPress. Before giving customers the chance to win, RafflePress encourages them to subscribe to your social media pages, thus providing you with greater exposure.
• SEMrush – SEMrush is an all-in-one marketing toolkit for WordPress. The tools included in SEMrush help improve your SEO, paid traffic, and content & PR strategy. SEMrush essentially gives you an edge over the competition, making it a must-have if you are diving into a competitive niche.
• LiveChat – A lot of online shops have 24/7 live chat support. This makes your website accessible to consumers any time of the day. LiveChat brings the wonders of this 24/7 support system via AI chatbots. It’s a cost-efficient way to ensure that you are always accessible to consumers.

Create a Social Media Presence

Thanks to social media, marketing yourself has never been easier. One of the things you should do immediately upon launching your online shop is to make your presence known on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. This helps you access the billions of users on these social networks.

And WordPress easily integrates social media marketing on your online shop, which is a great start for this part of the journey. Consistently post content and reach out to customers whenever you are online. Eventually, those viewers could turn into paying customers. Also keep in mind that social media levels the playing field between you and bigger competitors.

Always Improve

Whether or not you are running a website via WordPress, Shopify or some other online shopping solution like KINGPIN, it’s vital for you to create a progressive platform.

Keep in mind that not everything that works today will work tomorrow. Listen to your customers and constantly update your website and its services. Your customers will appreciate it if you listen to their calls.

WordPress makes it easy to apply those changes, as it is an intuitive platform. In time, you’ll be able to create the perfect online shop of your dreams. 

With enough time, effort, and investment, you’ll be able to outrank your competition, and you’ll see that everything you’ve sacrificed so far will be well worth it.

Don’t limit yourself to this guide. There are many other tips and tricks you can do to improve the overall performance of your website.