Strategies To Keep Your Audience Engaged Long-Term

Strategies for Shopify Affiliates for Long-Term Engagement

As a Shopify Affiliate, your influence extends beyond an initial referral.

Providing expanded content for pre and post-store creation will help your referred merchants leverage the full potential of the Shopify platform, and ultimately contribute to their long-term success as a store owner. Below are strategies to keep your audience & referred merchants engaged, and encourage their continued growth as a business.

Provide Content and Resources to Keep Merchants Informed

Regularly share content that speaks to both new and seasoned Shopify merchants. These can include:

• Actionable Business Strategies: Share insights that help merchants refine their online stores and navigate common challenges, like tips on how to market their stores, bring in new customers or improve customer retention strategies.
• Comprehensive Guides: Develop or curate in-depth how-to guides exploring advanced topics, such as optimizing for mobile commerce, enhancing user experience, or utilizing analytics for growth.
• Webinars and tutorials: Create webinars and tutorials to address topics that can help businesses scale.
• Share your experience as a Shopify merchant: If you’re a Shopify merchant, share tips, tricks, and best practices with your audience. They will appreciate your insights. 

Offer Coaching for Business Owners: 

• Courses and coaching services are invaluable for merchants looking to keep their businesses growing. Course creators can offer coaching opportunities that are specifically designed for new business owners. By providing personalized guidance, these programs can help merchants navigate challenges and sustain growth.

Continue To Communicate

• Send newsletters or personalized follow-up messages to check in on a new merchant’s progress. Show that you care about their success and provide additional tips, resources, and encouragement.

Share Shopify Resources and Updates: 

• The Shopify Blog houses articles that cover a wide range of topics essential for running an ecommerce business. 
• The Shopify YouTube channel provides detailed tutorials and content that help business owners understand Shopify's features and apply effective growth strategies. 
• Shopify Editions is a comprehensive update published twice a year that highlights the latest tools and features released by Shopify. 
• The Shopify Affiliate Growth Center (you’re already here!) can help you stay informed with resources that both you and your referred merchants can use to grow. 
• Shopify Academy provides essential education for anyone wanting to use, extend, or build with Shopify. Highlight specific learning opportunities that align with their business goals, like the Marketing Fundamentals path, for merchants wanting to expand their customer base and increase sales. Or "Expanding Your Shopify Business Internationally” for those wanting to reach global markets.

Share Inspiring Success Stories

Share your first-hand experience as a Shopify merchant, and/or feature case studies from fellow Shopify merchants. The Shopify Masters Podcast is another great resource, highlighting successful entrepreneurs and experts who share their journey and advice on building and scaling a business. These narratives can not only offer valuable insights but exemplify best practices and innovative solutions that led to their success.

Find more resources here.

For Businesses Looking To Scale:

Shopify Apps

Help merchants elevate their businesses by showcasing relevant Shopify apps. With over 13,000 apps, they can find tools suited to their specific needs across various categories, including sales channels, marketing, product sourcing, order fulfillment, and store management.

Selling Internationally

Help merchants expand globally through Shopify's Managed Markets, which simplifies international selling by automatically handling currency conversion, language translation, local payment methods, and more.

Shopify Partner Directory

As merchants grow, they may need to hire help to scale. If you offer these services as part of your business, be sure to communicate them to your audience. For merchants looking for additional help, the Shopify Partner Directory includes developers, designers, marketers, and other specialists who can provide services.

Shopify POS Pro

If your audience includes brick-and-mortar retailers, they can integrate and enhance their in-store capabilities through Shopify POS Pro, which includes a suite of features designed to improve workflows and inventory management. As an affiliate, you can earn an additional commission when eligible merchants upgrade to POS Pro. Learn more. 

Foster a Community of Knowledge Sharing

Encourage your audience to actively participate in the Shopify Community, where they can ask questions, share experiences, and connect with other merchants. This community provides invaluable support to merchants navigating their entrepreneurial journey.

By implementing these strategies, you can effectively keep your referred merchants informed, engaged, and empowered to succeed within the Shopify ecosystem while reinforcing your experience and expertise with the platform.