How to Get Shopify Traffic: A Comprehensive Guide

23rd

July, 2025

 

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Getting more traffic is a top priority for every e-commerce entrepreneur, whether you’re new to Shopify or an experienced Amazon seller expanding to your own store. With over 2.5 million Shopify stores competing for attention and an average conversion rate of only about 1.4%, you need a steady stream of visitors to make sales. The challenge is driving qualified traffic in a sustainable way. This guide will walk through the main strategies – from leveraging micro-influencers to optimizing SEO – that new and experienced store owners can use to boost their Shopify traffic.

On average, only about 22% of website visitors come directly to an online store, while the remaining 78% find stores via channels like search engines, social media, email, and referrals. In other words, you can’t just build a site and hope people show up – you need proactive methods to attract shoppers. Below is a breakdown of typical e-commerce traffic sources by channel:

Typical e-commerce traffic sources breakdown by channel. Only ~22% of visitors arrive by typing your URL directly, while ~78% come through organic or paid channels (search, social, email, referrals, etc.). This underscores the importance of diversifying how you drive traffic to your Shopify store.

In the sections that follow, we’ll cover the most effective strategies to get traffic flowing, with influencer marketing as the top recommendation. We’ll also dive into SEO, content/UGC, social media, email, paid ads, and referral programs. Let’s get started!

1. Leverage Influencer Marketing (Micro-Influencers for the Win)

Getting more traffic is a top priority for every e-commerce entrepreneur, whether you’re new to Shopify or an experienced Amazon seller expanding to your own store. With over 2.5 million Shopify stores competing for attention and an average conversion rate of only about 1.4%, you need a steady stream of visitors to make sales. The challenge is driving qualified traffic in a sustainable way. This guide will walk through the main strategies – from leveraging micro-influencers to optimizing SEO – that new and experienced store owners can use to boost their Shopify traffic.

Influencer marketing – partnering with popular social media content creators – is one of the fastest ways to boost your Shopify traffic. Why? Because consumers trust influencers. In fact, 69% of consumers trust influencer recommendations more than information directly from brands. When a creator authentically showcases your product, their followers listen. Instagram is a prime example: as many as 70% of shoppers use Instagram to inform their purchasing decisions, so a single post or story from the right influencer can send a wave of traffic to your store.

Crucially, you don’t need to hire mega-celebrities. Micro-influencers (those with around 5,000–100,000 followers) often offer the best bang for your buck. They have niche, highly-engaged audiences and are seen as relatable content creators rather than distant celebrities. Collaborating with a group of micro-influencers can outperform a single big name in both engagement and cost-effectiveness. For example, micro-influencers typically see much higher audience interaction on their posts than macro-influencers do. Research shows a micro-influencer with ~10k–100k followers might get around a 3.8% engagement rate on Instagram, versus roughly 1.2% for a macro-influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers. That means their followers are liking, commenting, and clicking at a higher rate, which translates to more traffic and sales opportunities (see chart below).

Micro vs. Macro Influencer Engagement. Micro-influencers (smaller, niche followings) achieve far higher average engagement (~3–8% of followers interact) than macro-influencers (~1–2% engagement). This deeper engagement leads to more trust and traffic per viewer, giving micros an edge in driving ROI.*

Because of this high engagement and trust, partnering with multiple micro-influencers can “multiply” your reach and credibility. Micro-influencers often convert at higher rates while costing significantly less than a single celebrity endorsement. Many are willing to promote your product in exchange for a free sample or a small fee – influencer product seeding is a popular approach. You send a free product to relevant influencers and in return they share an honest review, unboxing, or demonstration to their audience. This tactic not only drives traffic from curious followers, it also produces user-generated content (UGC) you can reuse. Shopify’s own marketing guide notes that sending free samples to Instagram influencers is an effective way to boost brand visibility and traffic.

Tip: When using micro-influencers, focus on authenticity and fit. Look for creators whose niche aligns with your product and whose audience demographics match your target customers. A micro-influencer who genuinely loves your product will create content that resonates as a personal recommendation rather than an ad. Also, give them creative freedom – influencers know what content engages their followers best.

Some common ways to collaborate with influencers include:

  • Product seeding

Gift your product to influencers (often no monetary payment) for them to try and post about authentically. This often yields genuine reviews and word-of-mouth buzz.

  • Sponsored posts

Pay influencers to create content featuring your product, with agreed-upon deliverables (e.g. one Instagram reel and two stories).

  • Affiliate relationships

Give influencers a unique discount code or referral link so they earn a commission on any sales they drive. This incentivizes them to actively promote your store.

  • Brand ambassador programs

Form longer-term partnerships where an influencer regularly represents your brand in content over months in exchange for products or a stipend.

When evaluating influencers, remember that quality beats quantity. An influencer with 10,000 highly engaged followers in your niche will likely send more converting traffic than one with 100,000 disengaged or off-target followers. Prioritize engagement rates, audience relevance, and authenticity over just follower count.

Finally, leverage tools and platforms to streamline your campaigns. For example, Stack Influence is a leading micro-influencer marketing platform that connects brands with everyday creators and automates product-seeding campaigns. It allows you to pay micro-influencers with your product, resulting in genuine posts reflecting real customer experiences – essentially word-of-mouth marketing at scale. Using a platform like this, you can scale up your brand awareness, UGC, and online growth by running many micro-influencer collaborations at once. The result is a flood of authentic content about your products and a steady stream of interested traffic clicking through to your Shopify store.

2. Master Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

While social media hype is great, organic search remains arguably the most important long-term traffic source for e-commerce. In 2025, organic search is still the largest driver of website traffic overall – accounting for about 53% of visits on average. Ranking well on Google can funnel a constant stream of high-intent shoppers to your Shopify store for free. SEO is a must for sustained growth.

Start by making sure your Shopify site is optimized for the keywords your potential customers are searching. Think about what someone would type into Google when looking for products like yours (e.g. “waterproof hiking backpack” rather than just “backpack”). These specific phrases are called long-tail keywords, and targeting them can be very rewarding. Long-tail searches are more detailed (and often indicate a ready-to-buy intent) – they also face less competition in the search rankings. Optimizing your product pages or blog posts for long-tail terms can pay off with higher click-through rates and easier rankings. For example, a boutique running shoe store might write a blog post targeting “best running shoes for flat feet” to capture searchers with that specific need, rather than trying to rank simply for “running shoes”. By serving niche queries, you attract highly targeted visitors who are more likely to convert.

Here are some key SEO elements to focus on for your Shopify store:

  • Keyword Optimization

Research relevant search terms and incorporate them naturally into your page titles, product descriptions, and headings. Each product page should target a primary keyword (like “men’s organic cotton t-shirt”) and possibly a couple of variations or long-tail phrases. Craft unique meta titles and meta descriptions for each page that include these keywords and entice users to click.

  • Site Speed

Ensure your store loads quickly. Compress images, use fast hosting, and minimize unnecessary scripts/apps. Not only do faster sites rank higher on Google, they also keep shoppers from bouncing. Even a one-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by up to 7%, so speed is critical for both SEO and sales.

  • Mobile-Friendly Design

Choose a responsive Shopify theme and test your site on mobile devices. Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning the mobile version of your site is what gets evaluated for rankings. A smooth mobile experience (easy navigation, readable text, fast load) will help your SEO – and since most searches now happen on phones, it keeps visitors around.

  • Quality Content

Consider adding a blog or resource section to attract organic traffic beyond just product searches. Publishing helpful, keyword-rich content (how-to guides, style tips, product comparisons, gift guides, etc.) can rank in search results and funnel readers to your products. Aim to answer common customer questions through content. Not only does this establish your expertise, it naturally includes relevant keywords and creates more pages that can be indexed by search engines.

Optimizing for search is not an overnight effort – SEO is a long game, but it pays dividends. Over time, as your site climbs up the Google results for more keywords, you’ll enjoy a consistent, high-intent traffic flow without having to pay for each click. And unlike social media posts that have a short lifespan, a well-ranked page can keep pulling in visitors for months or years. Invest the time in SEO early: it’s like laying a foundation that all your other marketing efforts can build upon.

micro-influencer platforms

Unlock the Power of Micro Influencers and Elevate your Brand Today!

Getting more traffic is a top priority for every e-commerce entrepreneur, whether you’re new to Shopify or an experienced Amazon seller expanding to your own store. With over 2.5 million Shopify stores competing for attention and an average conversion rate of only about 1.4%, you need a steady stream of visitors to make sales. The challenge is driving qualified traffic in a sustainable way. This guide will walk through the main strategies – from leveraging micro-influencers to optimizing SEO – that new and experienced store owners can use to boost their Shopify traffic.

3. Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-Generated Content -Things like customer reviews, photos, videos, or social media posts created by your users – can be a goldmine for both traffic and conversions. Shoppers trust content that comes from real customers more than polished brand advertising. By actively encouraging your customers to create and share content related to your products, you boost your credibility and expand your reach.

Think about reviews and ratings: when potential buyers see lots of positive reviews on your product pages, they’re more likely to purchase (and also more likely to even find your site, since Google favors sites with fresh, relevant content like reviews). If you’re an Amazon seller, you already know how powerful reviews and customer photos are on that platform. Bringing that same strategy to your Shopify store is crucial. Enable product reviews (Shopify has apps for this) and actively ask customers for feedback after purchase – a simple email requesting a review in exchange for a small coupon can work wonders. Each review adds new content (keywords, photos, testimonials) to your pages, which can improve SEO and conversion rates.

Beyond reviews, get creative in prompting UGC on social media. For example, you could create a branded hashtag and encourage customers to share pictures of themselves using your product. Fashion and beauty brands do this effectively – customers post selfies with the clothing or makeup, tag the brand, and suddenly you have authentic word-of-mouth happening publicly. You can then repost that UGC on your own social feed (with permission) or even embed a gallery of real customer photos on your site. This not only provides social proof but also incentivizes those featured customers to share even more (they feel like a mini-influencer when a brand features them).

According to marketing studies, UGC promotes your brand through authentic voices, increasing engagement and reach among other consumers. People naturally trust the experiences of fellow shoppers more than polished brand copy – it’s perceived as more genuine. By reposting and highlighting UGC, you also encourage more people to contribute their stories and photos, creating a virtuous cycle. For example, if you run a home décor store, you might start a weekly “Customer Spotlight” blog post or Instagram story featuring a customer’s photo of your furniture in their living room. This not only makes that customer feel valued (building loyalty), but it shows new visitors real-life proof of your product in use, and might inspire them to submit their own content.

UGC can also come in the form of video content. Unboxing videos, customer testimonial videos, or how-to clips created by users are incredibly persuasive. You could run a contest for the best video review of your product, or simply encourage customers to share their unboxing on TikTok or YouTube. These platforms can generate traffic back to your store if you’re tagged or if you put your store link in the video description. Plus, you can embed the best videos on your product pages to enrich the shopping experience.

In summary, make it easy and rewarding for customers to create content about your brand. Feature their photos, highlight their stories, respond to their posts – show that you value their voice. This kind of community-building not only drives organic traffic (as the content spreads on social networks and search engines pick up on the buzz) but also significantly increases trust for anyone who lands on your site. A new visitor who sees genuine reviews, customer photos, and real-life testimonials will feel more comfortable buying from you versus a store with none of that social proof. UGC truly turns your happy customers into a marketing engine for your Shopify business.

4. Build an Engaging Social Media Presence

Being active on social media is another major traffic driver for Shopify stores. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube are essentially today’s shopping malls – they’re where people discover new brands and products during their daily scrolling. An engaging social media presence can attract followers and funnel them directly to your product pages.

Start by identifying which platforms your target audience frequents the most, and focus your energy there. For visually appealing consumer products (food, fashion, beauty, home decor, etc.), Instagram is a must-have. Over 62% of Instagram’s billion-plus users follow brand accounts to some degree, which means they are open to discovering and engaging with businesses on that platform. By regularly posting high-quality photos, Reels, and stories showcasing your products, you can convert your Instagram followers into website visitors. Use features like the link in bio, swipe-up links in Stories (if you have that enabled), and Instagram Shopping tags that let users click directly to your product pages. Engage with your community by responding to comments and DMs; this builds loyalty and keeps your brand top-of-mind.

TikTok is another game-changer for e-commerce. The app’s viral nature can catapult brand awareness overnight. Posting short, entertaining videos related to your niche – whether it’s demonstrating a product, sharing behind-the-scenes manufacturing clips, or jumping on trending sounds in a way that fits your brand – can expose you to thousands of potential customers. TikTok’s audience skews younger (Gen Z and young Millennials) who are highly influenced by what they see on social. In fact, for Gen Z, social influencers are now a primary channel for product discovery. If your target demo includes teens or 20-somethings, investing time in TikTok content and challenges could directly translate to traffic and sales (e.g. the viral hashtag “#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt” has driven many sell-outs of products).

Facebook is still relevant too, especially for reaching slightly older demographics and niche interest groups. Creating a Facebook Page for your business and updating it with content (and product links) can capture traffic from Facebook users who prefer that platform. Moreover, Facebook Groups related to your niche are great places to participate (genuinely) in discussions and softly promote your brand when appropriate. For example, if you sell eco-friendly pet products, being active in a “sustainable living” or “dog lovers” community group – by sharing tips or answering questions, not just dropping links – can establish your expertise and indirectly lead people to check out your store via your profile or mentions.

Pinterest is a powerful but sometimes overlooked traffic source for certain categories like fashion, DIY, home, wedding, and food. Users on Pinterest are often actively looking for inspiration and products to purchase. By creating Pinterest pins for your product images and blog content (with descriptive titles and your store URL attached), you can gain steady referral traffic. A pin showing “10 Ways to Style [Your Product]” or a beautiful lifestyle shot of your product can circulate on Pinterest for months, continuously bringing in visitors. Make sure to link the pins directly to your Shopify product or a relevant landing page for seamless conversion.

Don’t forget YouTube if video content fits your product. Tutorial videos, product reviews, unboxings, or behind-the-brand stories on a YouTube channel can attract subscribers and drive traffic via video descriptions and YouTube’s clickable cards/end screens. YouTube content also often appears in Google search results (bonus SEO traffic!). For example, a small electronics store might post how-to videos for using or installing their products – viewers find those on Google or YouTube and then click the link to purchase the item from the store.

To maximize your social media impact, keep these best practices in mind:

  • Consistency is key

Post regularly so that you stay visible in your followers’ feeds. Use a content calendar to plan posts around holidays, product launches, or seasons. Consistency builds momentum.

  • Optimize your bios

Ensure your Instagram bio, Twitter profile, etc., clearly state what you sell and include a link to your Shopify store (or Linktree if you want to link multiple things). This makes it easy for interested viewers to click through.

  • Use hashtags and trends

Research popular hashtags in your niche and use them strategically to expand your reach. Participate in trending challenges or memes if they suit your brand voice – this can expose you to a wider audience.

  • Cross-promote user content

Tieing back to the UGC point – share customer posts or testimonials on your social channels (with permission). It shows you appreciate your customers and provides social proof to your followers that real people love your products.

Social media can drive both immediate traffic (a single post can spike a bunch of clicks right away) and persistent traffic (as you grow an audience, you have a pool to market to continuously). Treat your social channels as extensions of your brand experience – not only will they bring visitors, but they’ll also often be the first impression of your brand for people (who may then decide to visit your store). In short, a strong social media game can significantly amplify all your other efforts to get Shopify traffic.

5. Leverage Email Marketing (Repeat Traffic on Autopilot)

Building an email list is one of the best investments for driving repeat traffic and sales. While many of the methods we’ve discussed (SEO, social, influencers) focus on bringing new visitors, email marketing shines at bringing past visitors and customers back to your site. Given that not everyone buys on their first visit, staying in touch via email can dramatically increase a customer’s lifetime value and keep that traffic pipeline flowing.

Email has incredible ROI – studies show businesses earn on average $36 for every $1 spent on email marketing. That’s a 3600% return, higher than practically any other channel. Why? Because the people on your email list are those who have already engaged with your brand (they may be past customers or at least interested enough to sign up), so they’re warm leads. A well-crafted email can directly prompt a flurry of revisits and purchases from that group. In fact, shoppers coming from email tend to spend more than those from other channels – one analysis found consumers spend 128% more when shopping via email than via other methods. It makes sense: if someone joined your newsletter or gave their email during checkout, they likely have a positive impression of your brand and are receptive to your messaging.

To get started, you’ll want to capture emails on your Shopify site. Use a signup form or pop-up (with a tempting incentive) to grow your list. Common tactics include offering a discount (e.g. “Join our newsletter for 10% off your first order!”), a free downloadable guide relevant to your products, or entry into a giveaway. Make sure whatever you offer appeals to your target audience so you get qualified subscribers (people who’d actually buy later). Also, assure visitors you won’t spam them – highlight the value they’ll get, like exclusive deals or useful content.

Once you have subscribers, plan out a mix of email campaigns to send regularly. A welcome email or series for new subscribers is crucial – it can introduce your brand story, highlight best-selling products, and perhaps give that discount code you promised. Beyond that, consider sending a content-rich newsletter monthly or bi-weekly, with product tips, new arrivals, or blog highlights. During promotions or holidays, send dedicated campaign emails (e.g. “Summer Sale – 20% off all swimwear!” with direct links). Be sure to also set up automated emails that trigger based on behavior: for instance, abandoned cart emails (to nudge those who added to cart but didn’t checkout – these often convert very well), post-purchase follow-ups (asking for a review or suggesting related products), and win-back emails (to re-engage customers who haven’t purchased in a while with a special offer).

Personalization can significantly boost email effectiveness. Use the customer’s name in the email, segment your list into groups (by past purchase behavior, preferences, location, etc.), and send targeted content. For example, you might have one email variant for customers who bought women’s shoes and another for those who bought men’s, featuring complementary products for each. Many email marketing tools (including Shopify Email or apps like Klaviyo, Omnisend, etc.) make segmentation and automation straightforward.

The beauty of email marketing is that it’s your owned audience – unlike social media followers, you’re not at the mercy of an algorithm deciding who sees your message. Nearly everyone checks their email daily, and your message lands directly in their inbox. Even if only a fraction of subscribers open and click, that’s recurring traffic you can reliably drive by simply hitting “send.” To maximize those clicks, spend time on writing compelling subject lines (to improve open rates) and include clear call-to-action buttons in the email that link to relevant pages on your store. For instance, a fashion boutique’s newsletter might include beautiful images of new dresses with a “Shop New Arrivals” button that brings people straight to the site.

One more tip: don’t spam or oversell. Make sure your emails provide value, whether that’s a promotion, useful information, or entertainment. If every email is just “Buy this now!”, people will tune out or unsubscribe. A good rule is the 80/20 rule – 80% of your emails should be content or value-focused, and 20% can be direct sales pitches. And always give an easy way for people to opt out or adjust their preferences.

In summary, email marketing turns one-time visitors into loyal repeat visitors. By nurturing your audience’s interest and regularly inviting them back (with compelling reasons), you create a cycle where each new customer potentially yields multiple sessions and purchases over time. It’s like having a direct line to your customer’s attention – use it wisely, and you’ll see your traffic (and revenue) grow steadily.

6. Invest in Paid Advertising (Fast Traffic Boosts)

Getting more traffic is a top priority for every e-commerce entrepreneur, whether you’re new to Shopify or an experienced Amazon seller expanding to your own store. With over 2.5 million Shopify stores competing for attention and an average conversion rate of only about 1.4%, you need a steady stream of visitors to make sales. The challenge is driving qualified traffic in a sustainable way. This guide will walk through the main strategies – from leveraging micro-influencers to optimizing SEO – that new and experienced store owners can use to boost their Shopify traffic.

Sometimes you need to pour a little fuel on the fire – that’s where paid advertising comes in. While organic methods (SEO, social, referrals) are crucial, they often take time to build up. Paid ads, on the other hand, can deliver immediate traffic to your Shopify store by putting your brand in front of targeted audiences within hours. The trade-off is cost, but when done right, paid ads can be a profitable engine of growth and a way to scale your traffic quickly.

The two primary avenues for e-commerce ads are search engine advertising and social media advertising:

  • Search Ads (PPC)

These are ads on platforms like Google Ads (and Bing Ads) that appear when users search for specific keywords. For example, a search for “ergonomic office chair” might show sponsored text ads or shopping ads at the top of Google’s results. With search ads, you’re capturing people who are actively looking for products or solutions you offer – often these clicks have strong purchase intent. You bid on keywords relevant to your products so that your ad shows up in those searches. The great advantage here is you’re getting in front of customers exactly at the moment they’re searching for something you sell. Google Ads offers formats like Search text ads (simple text results labeled as “Ad”), Shopping ads (product images with price, very effective for retail), and Display ads (banner ads that appear on websites in Google’s network). If you have the budget, consider starting with Google Shopping ads, which showcase your product photo, price, and rating right in the search results – these tend to attract clicks from shoppers who are ready to buy. Keep an eye on your cost-per-click and conversion rate – you want to ensure the sales generated exceed the ad spend. The nice thing is you can set daily budgets and adjust bids anytime, making it flexible to scale up or down.

 

  • Social Media Ads

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest offer powerful advertising tools to reach users based on their interests and demographics – even if those people aren’t actively searching for products. Social ads are great for discovery and building awareness among potential customers who fit your target profile. Facebook is the giant here, with over 3 billion monthly active users spanning all age groups – and its Ads Manager lets you target people by age, location, interests, behavior, etc. For instance, you could run a Facebook/Instagram ad campaign targeting “women ages 25-45 who are interested in yoga and sustainable living” if you sell eco-friendly yoga apparel. Instagram (which is managed via Facebook’s ad platform) is equally valuable, especially for visually appealing products; it has over 2 billion users itself and strong engagement. TikTok ads can help you reach the younger demographic with short video ads (and TikTok’s ad platform is rapidly evolving, with options for targeting interests and even creating “Spark” ads from existing organic TikTok content). Pinterest Ads (Promoted Pins) are fantastic for product-based businesses, as Pinterest users are often planning projects or shopping – a promoted pin of your product can look very native in their feed and draw in quality traffic. One advantage of social ads is that you can showcase your product in a lifestyle context (through images or videos) to generate demand, even when the viewer wasn’t actively looking for it. This can expand your market by finding new customers who didn’t know about you before.

Whichever platform you choose, start with a clear objective: do you want to drive traffic specifically (to increase brand awareness or retarget previous visitors), or drive conversions/sales right away? Platforms allow you to optimize for different objectives. For example, Facebook can optimize your campaign either for link clicks (traffic) or for conversions (it will show ads to people most likely to purchase, if you have the Meta Pixel set up on your site to track that). If you’re just starting out and need traffic, you might optimize for clicks to get people in the door, then later shift to conversion optimization as you gather data.

A few best practices for paid ads:

  • Set a budget and start small: Determine what you can afford to spend and maybe start with a test budget (e.g. $10-$50 a day) to gather data. Monitor results closely for a week or two, then scale up what’s working. Paid ads can burn money fast if unchecked, so always test and measure before pouring in a huge budget.

     

  • Define your audience: The more specific your targeting, the better the traffic quality. Use the filtering options to target the demographics and interests that match your customer persona. Avoid the temptation to go too broad (“everyone in the US ages 18-65”) because you’ll pay for a lot of irrelevant clicks. It’s better to niche down – you can always create separate campaigns for different segments.

     

  • Compelling Ad Creative: Invest in good visuals and copy for your ads. Scroll-stopping images or videos that highlight your product’s benefit will get more clicks. Make sure the ad text speaks to a pain point or desire of the customer and includes a clear call-to-action (e.g. “Shop now and get 15% off”). Also, ensure consistency – if your ad shows a specific product, the link should go directly to that product’s page, not your homepage, so visitors find what they expect.

     

  • Use Retargeting: A highly effective form of paid advertising is retargeting (or remarketing), which means showing ads to people who have already visited your site or added something to cart but didn’t buy. Since these folks are already familiar with your brand, a gentle reminder ad can bring them back to complete the purchase. Both Google and Facebook (as well as others) allow retargeting by installing a pixel or tag on your site. For example, someone looks at a pair of shoes on your site, then later they see a Facebook ad from you that shows the same shoes with a “Still interested? Get 10% off if you order today!” message – this can dramatically improve conversion rates.

     

  • Track performance and ROI: Use analytics to track how your ads are performing. Shopify can show you conversion data, and ad platforms have their own dashboards. Key metrics to watch include Click-Through Rate (CTR – how many people seeing the ad click it), Cost Per Click (CPC), and most importantly, Cost Per Acquisition (CPA – how much in ad spend it takes to get one sale). If your average order value is $50, and you’re paying $5 per click, you’ll want to see at least a 1 in 10 conversion from those clicks to break even (which would be a high conversion rate!). More realistically, you might pay $1 per click and get a 2% conversion, meaning $50 revenue per 50 clicks = $1 CPC * 50 = $50 spend to get $50 revenue – break even. Tweak your ads, targeting, and landing pages to improve these numbers over time so you’re profitable. Pause any ads or keywords that are not performing and reallocate budget to the winners.

Your existing community can reveal micro-influencers who are organically interested in your brand. These people will likely create very authentic UGC if they partner with you, since they already have enthusiasm. As Meltwater’s marketing experts note, a follower-turned-influencer is valuable because they’re already familiar with your brand and can represent you authentically.

micro-influencer platforms

Unlock the Power of Micro Influencers and Elevate your Brand Today!

Getting more traffic is a top priority for every e-commerce entrepreneur, whether you’re new to Shopify or an experienced Amazon seller expanding to your own store. With over 2.5 million Shopify stores competing for attention and an average conversion rate of only about 1.4%, you need a steady stream of visitors to make sales. The challenge is driving qualified traffic in a sustainable way. This guide will walk through the main strategies – from leveraging micro-influencers to optimizing SEO – that new and experienced store owners can use to boost their Shopify traffic.

7. Launch Referral and Affiliate Programs (Word-of-Mouth Boost)

Never underestimate the power of word-of-mouth when it comes to driving traffic and sales. Customers who come via referrals from friends or family often convert more readily and have a higher lifetime value, because trust is built in. You can encourage this by setting up a formal referral program for your Shopify store, and by working with affiliates who promote your products to their audiences. These programs essentially turn your existing customers and partners into a marketing force, incentivizing them to send new shoppers your way.

A classic referral program offers a reward to customers who refer a friend and to the friend who was referred. For example, you might give a referrer a $10 store credit for each friend who makes a purchase, and that friend might get a 10% discount on their first order as a welcome bonus. This “double-sided reward” structure is popular because everyone wins – your loyal customer gets a perk, the new customer gets an incentive to try your store, and you get a new sale and subscriber. Shopify has apps that can automate referral tracking and reward distribution (such as ReferralCandy, Smile.io, etc.), making it easy to manage. Promote your referral program visibly: mention it in post-purchase emails (“Loved your purchase? Refer a friend and you both get $10 off your next order!”), add a banner on your site, and periodically remind your social media followers.

Why go to the trouble? Because referred customers tend to be high-quality. People trust recommendations from someone they know far more than any ad or marketing you could do. In fact, a Nielsen study found 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over any form of advertising. When a friend raves about a product and sends you a referral link or code, you’re likely to check it out – that’s instant, warm traffic to your store that is primed to buy if the product fits their needs. Moreover, research indicates that e-commerce businesses see a 68% higher conversion rate from referral traffic compared to other channels. In other words, visitors who land on your site via a friend’s referral are much more likely to actually purchase something, making referral traffic extremely valuable.

In addition to customer referrals, consider an affiliate program to leverage bloggers, influencers, and industry partners. Affiliates are like commission-based ambassadors – they’ll promote your store or products using a special link, and for every sale that comes through their link, they earn a commission (percentage of the sale or a flat fee). This is a pay-for-performance model that can rapidly expand your reach. For instance, if you sell skincare products, you could partner with beauty bloggers or YouTubers who will review or mention your products, and give them a cut of any resulting sales. There are affiliate networks you can join, or you can run a program in-house with Shopify apps (or manually assigning coupon codes/links to partners). The key is to recruit affiliates whose audience aligns with yours – their recommendations will send targeted traffic your way. Affiliates essentially act as marketing extensions of your brand, and you only pay a commission when they successfully drive a sale, so it’s cost-effective.

When launching an affiliate or referral program, keep these tips in mind:

  • Make the rewards enticing

The incentive has to be meaningful enough for people to bother. For referrals, a coupon, discount, or cash credit works well. For affiliates, ensure the commission rate is competitive in your industry (many offer 5-20% of sales, depending on margins).

  • Communicate the program clearly

Dedicate a page on your website to explain how your referral program works or how affiliates can join. Remove friction – it should be easy to refer a friend (one-click sharing links, etc.) or for an affiliate to get their link and start promoting.

  • Monitor for abuse

With referral discounts or affiliate payouts, occasionally someone might try to game the system (self-referrals, fraudulent activity). Use the tools available (or manual checks) to ensure referrals are genuine new customers and that affiliates are following your guidelines (e.g., not spamming their links).

  • Show appreciation

Publicly or privately acknowledge your top referrers or affiliates. You might create a tiered system where super-referrers get extra perks. A little recognition can motivate them to keep spreading the word.

Word-of-mouth marketing is often called the oldest growth hack in the book, and it’s now supercharged by the internet – one happy customer’s recommendation on social media can send dozens of new shoppers to your site. By formalizing and rewarding these referrals, you amplify the effect. Many huge brands (Dropbox, Uber, etc.) owe a large part of their growth to referral programs that turned users into evangelists. As a Shopify store owner, even a modest referral program can steadily bring in new traffic every month as your customer base grows. And the best part: those referred customers might refer others in turn, creating a virtuous cycle of organic growth.

Conclusion

Driving significant traffic to your Shopify store requires a combination of strategies working in harmony. Influencer marketing stands out as a powerful way to quickly build brand awareness and trust, especially through micro-influencers who generate authentic buzz and UGC. But it shouldn’t be your only tactic. The stores that win in the long run are those that diversify their traffic sources – mastering SEO to capture searchers, cultivating a social media following, nurturing an email list of repeat visitors, leveraging paid ads for scale, and encouraging referrals to tap into word-of-mouth. Each channel complements the others: for example, your social media content can feed your email campaigns; your influencer collaborations can produce UGC that improves your site’s conversion rate; your SEO-driven blog posts can be shared on social media for extra reach, and so on.

Remember, growing traffic is not an overnight game. It builds over time with consistent effort. Stay patient and keep experimenting. Whether you’re a new Shopify entrepreneur or a seasoned Amazon seller, the methods in this guide – from collaborating with micro-influencers via platforms like Stack Influence to optimizing for Google and beyond – will set you on the path to sustainable traffic growth. With more of the right visitors coming in, you’ve set the stage for increasing those sales and taking your e-commerce business to new heights. Good luck, and happy selling!

Getting more traffic is a top priority for every e-commerce entrepreneur, whether you’re new to Shopify or an experienced Amazon seller expanding to your own store. With over 2.5 million Shopify stores competing for attention and an average conversion rate of only about 1.4%, you need a steady stream of visitors to make sales. The challenge is driving qualified traffic in a sustainable way. This guide will walk through the main strategies – from leveraging micro-influencers to optimizing SEO – that new and experienced store owners can use to boost their Shopify traffic.

By William Gasner

CMO at Stack Influence

William Gasner is the CMO of Stack Influence, he's a 6X founder, a 7-Figure eCommerce seller, and has been featured in leading publications like Forbes, Business Insider, and Wired for his thoughts on the influencer marketing and eCommerce industries.

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stack up your influence
turning creativity into currency

 

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111 NE 1st St, Miami, FL 33132

our contact info 

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stack up your influence
turning creativity into currency

our headquarters

111 NE 1st St, 8th Floor 
Miami, FL 33132

our contact info

[email protected]

Getting more traffic is a top priority for every e-commerce entrepreneur, whether you’re new to Shopify or an experienced Amazon seller expanding to your own store. With over 2.5 million Shopify stores competing for attention and an average conversion rate of only about 1.4%, you need a steady stream of visitors to make sales. The challenge is driving qualified traffic in a sustainable way. This guide will walk through the main strategies – from leveraging micro-influencers to optimizing SEO – that new and experienced store owners can use to boost their Shopify traffic.

© 2025 Stack Influence Inc

© 2025 Stack Influence Inc