10 Things to Check Before Launching Your Shopify Store
Launching a Shopify store is exciting but it can also feel like there's a million little things to remember. By the time you've chosen a theme, uploaded your products, write your copy and connect your payment gateways, it's tempting to hit Publish and start selling.
Before you do, wait!! A successful launch isn't just about having a beautiful website, it's about making sure every part of the customer experience works the way it should. Here are the ten things I always recommend checking before you go live.
1. Make sure visitors know exactly what you sell
When someone lands on your homepage, they should immediately understand who you are, what you sell and why they should keep browsing. If your messaging is too vague or relies on clever taglines, new visitors will leave before they've even explored your products.
Ask yourself: Would someone who has never heard of my brand understand what I offer within five seconds?
2. Test your entire customer journey
Don't just click around your website, pretend you're a customer and ask your friends to do the same. Browse your collections, add products to your cart, apply a discount code, complete checkout and read the confirmation emails you receive. You'll often spot little issues that are easy to miss when you've been working on your own website for weeks.
3. Double-check your product pages
Your product pages should answer the questions customers are already thinking. Have you included sizing information, materials, ingredients, shipping details, care instructions, or FAQs where relevant? The more confident customers feel, the more likely they are to purchase.
4. Make sure your website works on mobile
For many ecommerce brands, most visitors will be shopping from their phone which is why you need to check every page on mobile. A great desktop experience rarely auto transfers to mobile.
5. Set up your SEO before launch
One of the biggest mistakes I see is businesses waiting until after launch to think about SEO. Instead, make sure every important page has a unique page title and meta description, your images are optimised and your website has a logical structure from day one. Getting the foundations right early makes future growth much easier.
6. Build trust throughout your website
Customers buy from businesses they trust. Before launching, check that your shipping policy, returns policy, contact information, About page and payment options are all easy to find. If you're using customer reviews, make sure they're displaying correctly too. Max out on trust signals!
7. Check your website speed
A slow website can cost you sales before customers even see your products. Remove any apps you're not using, optimise your images and test your website on both desktop and mobile. Fast websites create better customer experiences and they're better for SEO too.
8. Connect your analytics
Once your website is live, you'll want to understand how people are using it. Before launching, make sure you've connected Google Analytics, Google Search Console and any other tracking tools you use. You can't improve what you aren't measuring.
9. Think beyond launch day
Launching your Shopify store isn't the finish line. Think about how you'll continue improving your website through SEO, content, email marketing, customer feedback and regular updates. The most successful ecommerce brands are constantly refining their online experience.
10. Ask someone else to review your website
One of the most valuable things you can do before launching is ask someone who hasn't been involved in the project to use your website. Fresh eyes notice things you've become blind to.