Having a profitable Shopify business takes a lot of work. You have products to upload, customer service to master, and items to ship, among other responsibilities.
Website templates can save you time.
For example, a Shopify blog template prevents you from having to design your blog layout yourself, which can take quite a long time if you don’t know what you’re doing.
But is using a blog template a good idea?
Which is the best template Shopify offers?
And is Shopify even a good blogging platform, anyway?
We get these questions a lot, and we’re here to answer them. We’ll also offer some hacks, tricks, and blog template tips to help you get your e-commerce blog up and running ASAP.
Can I Use Shopify for Blogging?
Absolutely. You can add a dedicated blog page to your Shopify website and use it to:
- Attract and retain shoppers
- Alert customers about new products and services
- Promote your brand message
Adding a blog to your Shopify website is wise for several reasons.
A Shopify blog:
Enhances Your Marketing Strategy
Marketers in every field recommend blogging as a marketing technique because it gets results.
A blog can raise awareness about your store in the same way as traditional marketing strategies but doesn’t cost nearly as much.
Positions Your Store as an Expert in Your Niche
By covering topics related to your industry, linking to other reputable websites, and earning backlinks to your site from other industry sites, you can use your blog to position your company as a market authority.
As more and more people share your content with friends, you’ll earn a reputation as a go-to resource for information about your industry.
Builds Brand Loyalty
A blog helps you form a connection with your website visitors. When your customers feel a personal connection to your brand, they will be more likely to shop with you repeatedly.
In a sense, an e-commerce blog is similar to a social media page. You can customize it to suit your business, convey your message, and of course, keep customers engaged with your brand.
Excellent for SEO
Blogs with quality content, crisp images, interactive media, and strategic links throughout can help your website rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).
If you can get your site to show up on the first page for Google searches related to your industry, your blog can attract countless numbers of potential customers to your site.
Want help driving traffic to your store? Learn about our Shopify SEO services!
What Are the Benefits of a Shopify Blog Template?
There are many reasons why store owners find Shopify blog templates attractive.
The benefits of templates include:
Fast and Simple
By using a template, you can get a blog up and running in a day. This is a very attractive feature for busy entrepreneurs.
Templates turn Shopify into a DIY, drag-and-drop platform — no web design experience needed!
Shopify templates also offer “fill in the blank” hints, so you won’t forget to add key features, like an introduction and images.
Boost Your Brand Identity
If you used a Shopify theme to create your store, you can find a blog template that matches.
A cohesive website is crucial for brand identity and increasing sales through customer retention.
Functionality
Blog post templates generate web pages that look and function exactly like the other pages of your e-commerce store. So, your customers will experience a seamless transition from product pages to blog pages.
How Do I Embed a Shopify Blog Post on My Website?
For anyone who isn’t an experienced web developer, embedding a blog post may seem confusing. You put a lot of work into its appearance and content and don’t want it to disappear!
But by using a Shopify template, publishing your blog pages is exceedingly simple. They will be a part of your website for as long as you want them there.
To embed your post on the Shopify platform, follow these steps:
- From your Shopify admin page, click Online Store and then Blog Posts.
- Click Manage Blogs and then Add Blogs.
- Title your blog, choose if you want to have readers leave comments, and write your content.
- In the Template drop-down, choose the template you have or want to choose.
- Click Set a specific publishing date so that your post will be published at a set date and time.
- Finally, click Save. This will publish your blog and embed it on your website at the set date and time.
To delete your post:
- Go into Blog Posts and click on the specific blog.
- Click Actions, and then Unpublish selected blog posts to remove them immediately.
Maybe you intend to use the WordPress plug-in to get your blog up and running. It’s also simple to embed and remove a blog with it.
To embed a blog using your WordPress plug-in, do the following:
- Log into your WP admin account.
- Hover over Posts under Dashboard on the left-hand side of the screen, and click Add New.
- Enter the title, the content, body, any media, and your SEO information, like titles and tags.
- Once you’re happy with the post, hit Publish, and it will go live and embed on your blog homepage.
To delete your post:
- Log into your WP admin account.
- Under Posts, click All Posts.
- Select the post you wish to delete and hit the trash can icon.
What Are Some of the Best Shopify Blog Themes?
The very best Shopify blog themes are those that seem custom-made for your store. They are easy to navigate, customizable (so you can edit the colors, fonts, etc.), have a look that matches the store experience.
As you work on your store theme, consider the following:
Aesthetics
It’s crucial to choose a blog theme that matches your brand experience in terms of its appearance.
Since it’s on your store website, it should use the same color schemes and fonts used in other sections.
Customer Experience
The whole point of the blog is to engage customers, so you need to think like your ideal customers when choosing your blog theme.
Most blog templates have a test version you can use to get a feel for its functionality. Before you choose a template and implement it in your store, test it out to see if you like it.
If a template feels uncomfortable to you, your audience will probably feel the same way, so keep looking until you find one you like.
Mobile Compatibility
Don’t forget to pick a template that looks great on mobile devices.
Users visited websites via mobile device 61% of the time in 2020, versus 35.7% of the time on a desktop. It’s extremely important to ensure you choose a template that looks inviting for mobile users, as many of your shoppers are likely visiting through those devices.
Make sure the images look clear, the buttons are large enough to click, and that scrolling is smooth when the blog template you choose is accessed with a mobile device.
Is There an Alternative to Using Shopify Blog Templates?
Not every business owner is a natural blogger, which is completely understandable. And you may not have time for writing, brainstorming topics, editing header images, and doing all of the other work involved in making blog content.
And while blog templates can take some work off your to-do list, they simply can’t write customized blogs for you!
This is why many business owners contract out their digital marketing efforts. The right content marketing company can design a site for you and create blog articles to help you meet and exceed your marketing goals.
Hiring a Shopify Expert
Professional website developers have the skills to create a custom and comprehensive e-commerce store for you.
Some tasks you can hire an agency to do include:
Store Setup
Developers help you determine if a theme customization or complete overhaul is best for your needs. They then design a plan and create your store.
Migration
Maybe you operate a store on a different platform but want to move to Shopify. An agency can make your migration easy. They can also help you transition to the Shopify Plus platform from the traditional Shopify platform.
Design
Shopify developers know how critical your store’s design is to your future success, and customization is the key to it all. A well-designed e-commerce site takes shopper psychology into account, using it to design everything from shopping carts and sidebars to popups, and yes, blog pages.
Development
A visually stunning e-commerce site only goes so far. It needs to have a solid foundation upon which frontend and backend technologies work together harmoniously. This ensures your customer experience is top-notch and that nothing stands in the way of smooth transactions.
What to Look for in an Agency
You want to hire an agency that is excited to work with you from the ground up. Successful agencies listen to their clients and put their Shopify platform expertise into practice for you.
They should also be able to take on the tasks listed above. Many, many years of experience and happy clients in different niches never hurts, either.
But how do you know when website developers have the skills to build a prosperous Shopify ecommerce site?
When they’re named an official Shopify Partner & Expert, you can rest assured that they are recognized leaders in their field!
The Bottom Line
Hiring Shopify Experts is a smart idea for store owners.
They custom-build your blog and generate content that speaks to your brand identity, helping to grow a loyal customer following while improving your marketing and SEO efforts.
Check out our Shopify Design and Development services
Conclusion
Using a Shopify blog template is a quick way to join the blogosphere. And after reviewing these hacks, it should be even easier for you to start a blog on your site.
Remember, blogging carries many benefits for marketers, helping you:
Build brand loyalty with your customers
Become an authority in your niche
Enhance your SEO efforts
Supplement your existing marketing strategy
It’s also key to keep in mind that a highly authoritative blog doesn’t just happen when you download a template. Using a template may be the fastest way to get your blog up and running, but it takes a lot of time and effort to make a blog successful.
Contact SKU Agency to discuss how we can start building a custom Shopify store for you today.
