A complete guide to Shopify store customization
Instant Team
A complete guide to Shopify store customization
Do you have a Shopify store that isn’t performing as you hoped? You’re not alone. Many store owners struggle with low sales despite having nice-looking stores. If you want to boost your sales, one of the best places to start is with Shopify conversion rate optimization. The higher your conversion rate, the better. As you increase your Shopify store’s conversion rate, you’ll make more money on your existing traffic, which means you can scale your business, reinvest in more traffic, or both. Store customization is one of the best ways to improve your Shopify store’s conversion rate. The more you tailor your store to your target audience, the better. This article will discuss how to customize a Shopify store and theme to improve your conversion rate.
Instant's Shopify landing page builder is one of the best tools for customizing Shopify stores. With this solution, you can create custom landing pages that help you target specific audiences and improve your conversion rate.
Table of Contents
Can I customize my Shopify store?
Yes! You can customize your Shopify store!
You can customize your Shopify store! Shopify makes it easy for store owners to tweak the look and feel of their online shop so it perfectly reflects their brand.
You can pick a Shopify theme that suits your style at the most basic level. Themes control how your store looks, from the layout to colors, fonts, and your products' display. And Shopify’s theme library has plenty of options, whether for something minimalist or more feature-packed. Once you have a theme, you can dive into the settings to change color schemes and fonts and add your logo.
Advanced customization options with drag-and-drop editors for Shopify stores.
But that’s not all! You can go beyond the standard theme customization if you want even more control. For example, with Shopify’s drag-and-drop editor, available in Online Store 2.0 themes, you can move sections around, hide or add new ones, and rearrange content on different pages without touching any code.
If you want to make your store stand out and need more flexibility, there are page builders like Instant that you can add to your theme. These tools allow you to create unique, custom-designed pages using a drag-and-drop interface, making building something more tailored to your brand easier, with no coding required. Whether you stick to your theme’s built-in options or use extra tools, you can customize your Shopify store and make it your own.
Related Reading
Shopify themes vs page builders
When deciding between using a Shopify theme or adding a page builder, consider the theme as the foundation of your store’s design and the page builder as a tool for added flexibility and customization.
Shopify theme
Your Shopify theme is the base that controls your store's layout, features, and overall style. Themes like Dawn or Debut come pre-loaded with easy-to-setup templates, giving you a well-structured store right from the start. Themes ensure your site looks good across devices and provide the basic functionality for your products and checkout process.
Page builder
A page builder is an extension that lets you go beyond what your theme offers. While themes have built-in customization options, they can be somewhat limiting if you want to create a unique, standout design. Instant's page builder allows you to drag and drop elements, customize layouts, and create personalized sections without needing any coding skills.
The added value of page builders for enhanced store design and customer experience.
Think of it this way: your Shopify theme is like the sponge of a cake—it’s essential for the structure. A page builder is the icing that adds style and flair. While you can have a solid, functional store with just a theme, using a page builder allows you to add creative, eye-catching elements that might convince customers to stay longer and purchase.
Using a page builder gives you more control over the visual aspects of your store, allowing you to craft a more personalized experience. But it’s optional—if your theme already fits your needs, you might not need the extra layer of customization a page builder provides.
Seamless integration and enhanced design control with Instant's Shopify page builder.
Instant is a user-friendly Shopify landing page builder that allows eCommerce teams and agencies to create fully customizable and advanced pages without any coding knowledge. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, users can quickly design and publish:
High-converting landing pages
Product detail pages
Sections
Instant also offers seamless integration with Figma and other eCommerce tools, making it a versatile choice for enhancing online store performance and increasing conversions.
Try Instant's Shopify landing page builder today!
Why customization is so important for online stores
Customization lets you showcase your brand’s personality, mission, and values through your store’s design elements. By incorporating your logos, colors, and messaging, you’ll create a:
Consistent
Memorable
Recognizable brand identity
Stand out from the competition with Shopify store customization
Offering a one-of-a-kind shopping experience sets you apart from competitors in a crowded online marketplace. Customizing the appearance and features of your store helps you create a clear and unforgettable impression in your customers' minds.
Personalize the user experience with Shopify store customization
Every business has a different target audience with specific preferences and needs. Customization allows you to tailor the user experience to meet the expectations of your target audience. A customized Shopify website improves user satisfaction and encourages repeat visits by providing simple navigation and personalized product recommendations.
Effectively showcase your products with Shopify store customization
Customization allows you to display your products as attractively and strategically as possible. Highlight the key features and benefits of your offering, which may increase store conversion. You can choose:
Layout
Image
Product organization
Build trust and credibility with Shopify store customization
A well-designed and professional-looking online store attracts the trust and credibility of potential customers. A customized store reflects your dedication to your business so visitors can see your brand as trustworthy and reputable.
Optimize conversion rates with Shopify store customization
A customized user experience can increase conversion rates. You can easily guide customers through the sales funnel with your:
Store layout
Call-to-action buttons
Checkout process
Adapt to trends and changes with Shopify store customization
The eCommerce environment is constantly evolving. Customization allows you to change the look and feel of your store to reflect current trends and technological innovations, helping you stay relevant and competitive.
Foster customer engagement and loyalty with Shopify store customization
Customization allows for interactive elements, personalized recommendations, and engaging content that interests customers. Customers are more likely to become loyal repeat buyers if they are engaged with your store.
Navigating Shopify themes
Navigating Shopify themes is a key step in making your store stand out. Suppose you’ve set up your Shopify store recently. In that case, you might already be using Dawn, Shopify’s latest default theme built for Online Store 2.0, which allows sections on every page for greater customization. If your store is older, you may still be using Debut, a simple theme designed to get it running quickly, though it lacks some of the flexibility that Dawn offers.
Both themes are functional right out of the box; you just need to:
Add products
Personalize your store’s admin settings
Customize the content
But if you want to go beyond these defaults and give your store a more unique feel, finding and installing a new theme can be a game-changer.
Where to find new Shopify themes
If you’re looking to upgrade from Debut or Dawn, there are two primary places to find new themes: Shopify’s Theme Store and third-party marketplaces like ThemeForest. Shopify’s theme store offers free and premium themes, all vetted for functionality and compatibility. Here, you can filter themes by:
Price
Industry
Layout complexity
Design style
Third-party marketplaces like ThemeForest have a large selection of themes created by independent developers. These themes are often peer-reviewed so that you can sort them by popularity or rating. These themes can be great if you want something that is unavailable in the Shopify Theme Store.
How to upload and customize your theme
Purchasing a theme from the Shopify Theme Store will automatically appear in your Theme Library within the Shopify dashboard. From there, you can click Customize to start personalizing it. To make it live, click Actions > Publish.
If you’re uploading a theme from a third-party marketplace, you must manually upload the theme file.
Head to Online Store > Themes
Under Theme Library, click Add Theme
You can upload your theme as a ZIP file or connect from GitHub if you’re using version control. Once the file uploads, it will appear in your Theme Library and be ready for customization.
Related Reading
How do I make my Shopify store stand out? Shopify theme customization 101
With your ideal base theme in place, it’s time to customize it to look exactly how you want. Your Themes dashboard will show your current theme and theme library. Your current theme will show a simple preview of how it looks out of the box. You can customize your current theme or one waiting in your library by clicking the customize button.
There are two major ways of customizing your store’s theme:
Editing page templates
Changing theme settings
Editing Shopify templates gives you:
Control over the layout of different page types for reuse across your store.
You will have multiple-page templates for building out your store.
Your general theme settings will affect color, typography, styles, and more globally across your store.
Shopify template customization in the theme editor
Setting up the theme header is the first thing that comes up. The Header section of your Shopify website should consist of the elements below:
Business Logo
Navigation links or Menus
Search field
Login field
Announcement bar (optional)
Language or Currency selector (optional)
Most of the above elements are already included in the Shopify themes. You just need to personalize them according to your needs. Let’s set up the header elements one by one!
Add your business logo
Adding your business logo means giving your online store an identity. By default, the theme keeps the logo from the brand details of your store. But, if you haven’t added your brand details to your store from Shopify settings, you can also add your business logo from the theme editor.
Here are the steps to add a logo to your Shopify theme:
In the theme editor, click on the Header section.
In the Header section, (1) click on the Edit brand link to add the default logo for your store. Or (2) click on the Change and Select image to add the logo directly to the theme. Both methods will help you display your store's latest business logo image.
Adjust the size of your logo using the Custom logo width option (if required).
Select the Desktop logo position to choose where to place the logo in the desktop view.
Scroll down to the Mobile logo position and choose where to place the logo in the mobile view.
Customize navigation menus
By default, the Shopify theme shows the main menu with three navigation links on the header section. To add more links to the menu, click on the main menu and add menu items. You can also change the existing menu items or rearrange the sequence of the menus here. Once you changed the menus, don’t forget to hit the save menu to save the changes.
Add announcements to your store
You may want to promote your launching event or other offers when building a new Shopify store. So, you can use the announcement section to show the news, latest updates or offers to your site visitors. Here are the steps to add the announcement:
In the Theme editor, click on the Announcement bar section. The default announcement block is available in this section.
Click on the Announcement (block) inside the section.
Change the Announcement text, adjust the text alignment and color scheme, and add a link if necessary.
In the same way, you can also add more announcement blocks in the section to highlight multiple news or offers.
Design your homepage
When selling online, you cannot afford an eCom store like the thousands of online stores that start and shut down periodically. You need to ensure your homepage looks professional and convincing.
The homepage is only sometimes the first page to welcome my shoppers, but they can eventually go through it. You should make a homepage that portrays your brand better. Before you start customizing the homepage template, be handy with the necessary things such as:
A rough layout design for your homepage
The story behind your brand
The value proposition of my business
List of trending products
Product categories that I want to feature
Attracting offers
High-quality images
FAQs
Contact details
Testimonials
Blogs section (optional)
Once you have everything required to design an exceptional homepage, you can edit the template in your Shopify theme. You can craft a homepage that takes your store to the next level using Shopify sections and blocks.
Personalize the product page
The product page is where you show off the products in your Shopify store, where people will start looking for a product they’re interested in and initial their purchase. Shopify themes offer a standard layout for product pages. It’s common for all product categories. Therefore, you need to create product pages based on your product types.
For example, if you are using the Dawn theme for my fashion store, you will get a common product page for all my product categories, such as:
Clothing
Handbags
Sunglasses
I may add a size chart on the product page for clothing, but it’s not required for handbags and sunglasses. I should have a dedicated product template for clothing, handbags, and sunglasses to represent each product more precisely. To do that, I need to create custom product templates for different types of products.
How to create custom product templates in Shopify
Here are the steps to create a new product page template in your Shopify theme:
In the theme editor, click on the templates drop-down menu.
Select Products and click on Create template.
Enter a name for my new product template.
Click on the Create template button.
This will create a new copy of the default product template. You can add or remove sections and blocks for a custom page layout.
Personalized product pages improve user experience and help you attract more buyers than regular product pages. They’re also a great way to create an impression that you’re more than just a seller of products. To make an excellent first impression on your customers, you must use the best practices to personalize every aspect. Once your product template is ready, don’t forget to update the theme template for your products.
Customize all the necessary pages
Undoubtedly, the homepage and product pages are the backbone of an eCommerce site. But, you cannot build a trustful online store without other pages such as:
About Us
Contact Us
Blogs
Terms & Conditions
Shipping & Return policy and so on
The next phase in Shopify theme customization is preparing other necessary pages for your store. You can find templates for some pages in the Shopify theme that you can directly customize, but you may need to create new templates for other pages based on your needs.
Open the templates and see what changes are needed to match your site requirements. Customize the theme templates one by one. You can also create a new template for a custom web page for your Shopify store.
Improvise the shopping cart
The shopping cart is where shoppers add products they want to purchase. According to successful store owners, the cart page is the best place to boost sales by upselling or cross-selling. You must optimize your store's cart page or drawer with Shopify theme customization. You can access the cart template from my theme editor and customize it to improve your customers' shopping experience. Go to the Templates drop-down and select Cart to open the cart page template.
By default, it will show you an empty cart. To see the actual cart page layout, you must add some products to my cart within my theme editor. You can add sections and blocks to a Cart template to get a customized cart page for your shoppers. As shown below, you can explore the theme settings for more customization options. There are many third-party apps for in-cart:
Upsell
Rewards
Announcements
Coupons and more
That you can use to optimize your cart page and reduce cart abandonment, if you’re not sure which apps you should add to your store that don’t affect your online store, you can consult our Shopify experts to choose the set of reliable third-party apps.
Customize the checkout page
It’s time for customizing the Shopify one-page checkout! Whether you have an online grocery store or clothing store, Shopify offers a common checkout page for all online stores. You can customize the checkout page to add your brand identity and maximize the personal user experience. Here’s how to customize the checkout page in Shopify.
Steps to customize the checkout page in Shopify
From the Theme editor, open the checkout page template.
Click on Open Checkout settings.
Scroll down and open the checkout section in the theme settings.
Using the options, you can customize the default Shopify checkout page's appearance according to your needs.
Save the changes.
Set up the footer section
Like the Announcement bar and header, the footer is a static section in Shopify themes. You cannot move it within the templates. You can customize the footer of your online store using various section blocks, as shown below. If required, you can add more blocks by clicking Add block. The theme will automatically align the blocks within the footer section.
While customizing the footer, you may have noticed Powered by Shopify at the bottom of the section. The good news is that you can remove it if you don’t wish to show it on my site.
How to remove powered by Shopify?
Follow the steps below to remove “Powered by Shopify” in a few minutes:
From your Shopify Admin, go to Online Store > Themes.
In your current theme, click on Actions > Edit language.
Use the Search box to find the Powered by Shopify text fields.
The Powered by Shopify text fields are already filled with default text. Add blank space to both text fields.
Hit the Save button.
Changing your Shopify theme settings
In addition to customizing your theme on a template-to-template basis, you can change some of the overarching settings that govern how your theme looks and works.
To change your Shopify theme settings, head to the bottom left corner of your theme editor and click on Theme Settings. Here, you'll find several categories that allow you to update how your store looks and functions. These options vary depending on your theme, but here's a breakdown of some key settings you might encounter:
Colors
This setting lets you adjust the colors across your store. You can change the colors for buttons, accents, text, and backgrounds. If your brand has specific colors, this is a great way to align your store's look with your brand identity.
Typography
You can choose fonts for your headings and body text in the Typography section. If you've added custom or Google fonts to your store, you can select them here to give it a more personalized feel.
Styles
Here, you can adjust color schemes and icons for specific scenarios, such as sales or out-of-stock products.
Social media
This option lets you add your social media accounts to your store. Connecting your profiles will make it easier for customers to find and follow you. You can also decide which social sharing buttons to display.
Favicon
The favicon is the small image that appears in the browser tab when someone visits your store. You can upload your favicon here, and Shopify will resize it to 32x32 pixels. If you don’t have a favicon, Shopify offers free images, or you can convert your logo into one.
Checkout
Checkout is one of the most important parts of your online store, and you can customize it here. You can change your checkout page's images, colors, and typography to ensure it matches the rest of your store. Options include:
Adding a banner image
Changing the logo size and position
Setting background colors for the checkout experience
Currency format
You can enable or disable showing the currency codes beside the amount using the currency format option.
Cart
You can find the cart template in your Shopify theme to customize your store’s shopping cart. You get additional customization options in the theme settings. Here, you can select the type of cart you want to show to your shoppers and other options like showing:
Cart notes
Vendors
Collections
Search behavior
These options allow you to choose whether to show product suggestions when shoppers search for any term. You can also show vendors and prices along with the products.
Blog cards
Like the product and collection cards, the blog cards can be customized in your Shopify store.
Content containers
Content containers are where you add text (content) using Shopify theme sections or blocks. These settings allow you to change the appearance of the content containers.
Media
The media settings allow you to customize the appearance of the media placeholders, such as images or videos, just like the content containers.
Dropdowns and pop-ups
These options will help you customize dropdowns and popups in your online stores, such as navigation dropdowns and cart popups.
Drawers
You can customize the appearance of the cart drawer or filter drawers in your store using the Drawer settings.
Badges
You may find badges on your product when you add different selling and cost prices. These options will allow you to customize the badges in your store.
By using these theme settings and customizing your page templates, you can fine-tune the look and feel of your store. If you want to take your customizations even further, you might need help from a developer or use a drag-and-drop editor like page builder.
What are the Shopify store customization limitations?
Shopify offers a range of customizable themes, but there are inherent limitations on how much you can modify them. While you can change:
Colors
Fonts
Layout-options
More advanced customizations
It may require coding skills or third-party apps. If you want to implement specific design elements like background videos or unique layouts, Shopify's options might be restrictive compared to other platforms.
App block customization limitations
With the introduction of app blocks, Shopify has set a maximum of 25 interactive settings and six non-interactive settings per app block. This limitation can be frustrating for developers who previously offered highly customizable widgets. The strict limits mean that developers may need to simplify their offerings, potentially reducing the flexibility available to users.
Checkout customization restrictions
Shopify Plus users have more flexibility with checkout customization through the checkout.liquid file. For standard Shopify plans, customization options are limited to certain areas, which can restrict how businesses present their checkout processes and branding.
Payment customization limitations
Shopify restricts payment customizations to handle no more than 100 tags or collections per customization. This limitation can complicate payment setups for stores with extensive product lines, requiring merchants to create multiple customizations to manage their tags effectively.
5 Shopify store customization best practices
1. Keep it simple
Simplicity is vital. The more widgets you add to each page, the more you risk frustrating and confusing your visitors. Whenever you add a new section, ask yourself: Will this feature improve the chances of conversion without cluttering it, and is it necessary? If not, it may be time to rethink whether you need to add it.
2. Design for mobile users
Over 50% of website visits are now via mobile devices. So, create responsive designs that look good on mobile. Then, run your site through Google's mobile-friendly test for a performance report and suggestions for improvement. Electro is undoubtedly a theme you should explore if you are looking for a mobile-first theme. After testing, we discovered that demo pages generated by the Electro theme achieve an impressive 90+ Google page speed score on mobile devices.
3. Information hierarchy matters
What you put where on your web pages dramatically impacts how well your site converts.
4. Create focal points with accent colors
Accent colors aren't just to break up white space; they can highlight focal points on-page, like the checkout page.
5. Make your CTAs pop
Each page should have a purpose and a CTA to reflect that purpose. Ensure your CTAs stand out amongst the other elements by using highly contrasting colors and attractive button designs.
Related Reading
Optimize your Shopify store for conversions without breaking the bank with Instant's Shopify landing page builder
Instant is a user-friendly Shopify landing page builder that allows eCommerce teams and agencies to create fully customizable and advanced pages without any coding knowledge. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, users can quickly design and publish:
High-converting landing pages
Product detail pages
Sections
Instant also offers seamless integration with Figma and other eCommerce tools, making it a versatile choice for enhancing online store performance and increasing conversions.
Try Instant's Shopify landing page builder today!
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