Running an online shop isn’t just about listing products and hoping for the best. There’s a whole behind-the-scenes world that helps customers find you buy from you and come back for more. If you want your shop to show up on Google run smoothly and actually make sales you’ll need to sort out a few important but totally doable things

Let’s break it down into easy steps so you can focus on selling without getting lost in the tech jungle.

1. Get Google to Notice Your Shop

You could have the best products in the world but if Google doesn’t know about your site no one’s going to find them. This is where Google Search Console comes in. It’s a free tool that tells Google your shop exists and helps you fix any problems

Things to do

• Submit your sitemap which is basically a map of all your pages so Google can index them properly

• Check for errors or broken links that could stop your site from showing up in search results

• Find out which keywords people are using to discover your products so you can tweak your listings

It’s like giving Google directions to your shop so it knows exactly where to send people

2. Make Sure Your Products Stand Out in Search Results, Yes We’re Talking SEO.

When someone searches for products like yours you want your shop to grab their attention. That’s where SEO (search engine optimisation) comes in. It’s just a fancy way of saying you need to set up your product pages the right way

Here’s what helps

• Titles should be clear and include important keywords. Instead of “Cute Tote Bag” try “Handmade Cotton Tote Bag with Fun Illustrated Print”

• Meta descriptions are the little blurbs under the title in search results. They should be catchy and tell people why they need your product

• Alt text for images helps Google understand what your pictures are about and also makes your site more accessible

Think of these details as your shop window if they look good people are more likely to click inside.

3. Get Your Shop on Meta Commerce Manager

If you sell on Facebook and Instagram you’ll want to set up Meta Commerce Manager. This lets you manage your shop across both platforms and even tag products in posts so people can buy straight from their feed

Things to set up

• Your product catalogue so you can list items directly on Facebook and Instagram

• Instagram shopping tags so people can tap on a product in your post and go straight to checkout. This currently only works with physical products, I tend to list my digital goods on my store as ‘physical’ so I can Insta tag them, and then set up an automation email with download links.

• Ads with product links to help you reach more potential buyers

The easier you make it for people to shop the more likely they are to buy.

4. Make Sure Your Site Loads Fast

If your website takes too long to load people will leave before they even see your products. Plus Google ranks slow sites lower in search results so you could be missing out on traffic

Quick ways to speed up your site

• Optimise your images use compressed formats like WebP or JPEG so they load faster. Ideally use PNGs only when you require a transparent background to your image, like a logo.

• Cut down on unnecessary plugins or apps too many can slow things down especially on WordPress or Shopify

• Use a good hosting provider a cheap slow hosting plan could be hurting your business

A speedy site keeps customers happy and boosts your rankings at the same time.

5. Make Your Shop Mobile Friendly

Most people shop from their phones so if your site isn’t easy to use on a small screen you’ll lose customers fast

Here’s what to check

• Does your website adjust properly to different screen sizes

• Are buttons and menus big enough to tap easily

• Is checkout quick and simple without too many steps

You can test this using a Mobile-Friendly Test to make sure everything works smoothly.

6. Keep Customers Coming Back with Email Marketing

Not everyone buys on their first visit so you’ll want ways to bring them back

• Email marketing send discount codes product updates or abandoned cart reminders to encourage purchases. Giving visitors a reason to sign up in the first place is as important, for example have a home page pop up offering a digital freebie when they sign up.

• Loyalty perks offer discounts or rewards for repeat customers to keep them engaged.

A little reminder at the right time can turn a maybe into a sale.

7. Keep an Eye on What’s Working and What’s Not

You don’t need to guess how your shop is doing there are free tools that tell you exactly what’s happening

• Google Analytics shows where your visitors come from and what they do on your site

• Google Search Console helps you track what keywords bring people to your shop

• Meta Business Suite lets you see how your Facebook and Instagram shop is performing

Checking in now and then helps you spot what’s working so you can do more of it. Don’t forget to check into your web hosting’s native analytics and SEO tools.

Final Thoughts

Setting up the tech side of your shop might seem overwhelming but once you get the basics in place everything runs smoother. Google and social media send you more traffic customers find what they need easily and your sales start to grow.

You don’t need to do everything at once just take it step by step, experiment and see what works for you! A personal experience for me is ads, I have had more traffic from Pinterest and Etsy ads than I ever had from Instagram ads. What experiences have you had and what works for you?