How to a Create Stunning Performance Shopify Store [Our Process]

Creating a Shopify website that drives results is a complex and multi-stage process. It involves several vital phases to ensure that the final product is functional, user-friendly, and visually appealing.

In this blog post, I’ll share how we at Gazizoff Digital create stunning websites at scale on Shopify. So you can understand the work behind it and learn how to plan and design your organization’s site.

From strategy through creativity to development and launch, I take you through our everyday process of creating high-performing websites.

The key to a great Shopify store is a holistic approach

Our approach lets us consistently create stunning, functional websites that drive results and make everyone happy – us, the client, and their users.

Strategy

We design and develop custom websites strategically tailored to your business needs and goals. We work closely with our clients to understand their unique challenges and objectives and create a website that helps you achieve your goals.

User Experience & Flows

We create websites that are easy to use, with intuitive navigation and minimal clicks, guiding users through your funnel without distractions. We aim to make it as easy as possible for users to find what they’re looking for and take the next step (convert).

Performance Creative

We convey businesses and products in an engaging and informative way through beautiful, functional design and thought-out content. We create great Shopify websites that effectively communicate messages and drive sales with thought-out call to actions.

Branding

We don’t just design beautiful e-commerce sites; we create consistently-branded, functional Shopify stores that convey trust and build credibility. We help clients establish a strong online presence that aligns with their brand and resonates with the target audience.

Technology

Our goal is to create a website that is not only beautiful but also functional and easy to manage. We use the latest technology, apps and third-party tool to improve, automate, and simplify online business. We strike the perfect balance between user-friendly and extendability.

Site Management

Our custom setup helps save you time and money with all the tools you need to manage and grow your store. Our e-commerce stores offer easy-to-use CMS, a page builder, and other tools that reduce administration, design, and development costs and efforts.

The 5-stage Process – Overview

Our web design process typically involves five stages:

1. Strategy and discovery – our team gathers information about the client’s goals and target audience to create a solid foundation for the project.
2. Design and content – we focus on creating structure, a visually appealing design, and a compelling content strategy.
3. Development – we build and develop the website and bring the vision and design to life.
4. Launch – we present the site to the client, do revisions, do a final check, and launch it.
5. Support – we provide ongoing maintenance and management to keep the website relevant and effective

By following this process, the end result is a well-designed e-commerce that meets the needs of the client and the people they serve.

Stage 1 – Strategy and Discovery

To build a performance-driven Shopify website, we need to understand the client’s needs and goals beyond an RFP or an initial conversation. So we conduct a series of interviews and research to better understand them and their target audience’s needs.

Strategy / Discovery Consultation – We dive deep into client’s business, understand their goals, objectives, and messaging. We do it to cover gaps, improve weaknesses, and emphasize strengths.

Target Audience – We look into your target audience’s needs, behaviors, and pain points, so we can build a store that caters to them and their expectations.

Competition/Market – We thoroughly research clients’ direct and indirect competition and their strategies to understand current trends and opportunities.

Stage 2 – Design & Content

Our fundamental approach focuses on people – understanding their needs and designing the website to meet them, allowing them to easily find, get and do what they need.

Information Architecture

We organize the information, pages, sections, and media logically, clearly, and intuitively, helping users find the information they need while guiding them to take action.

• Information Hierarchy
• Website structure
• Site map
• Site Layout (header & footer)
• Page structure and layouts
• Conversion Optimization

Copywriting

Based on the discovery stage and the information clients’ share, we craft clear and concise copy, headlines, and paragraphs that effectively communicate and resonate with your target audience.

• Clear and concise
• Informative yet engaging
• A tone that matches your brand
• Excellent quality score
• Search Engine Optimized
• Plagiarism and mistake-free

Theme Design

We use and fully customize Shopify approved themes to fit your brand styles and needs. We only use Shopify approved themes as they save us and our clients time, money, and hassle. Here is how:

• they are designed to work seamlessly with Shopify
• they have undergone rigorous testing for quality, security, and functionality
• they regularly updated, ensuring compatibility with the latest Shopify features and addressing security vulnerabilities.

Shopify Themes we use (and love)

User Interface Design

We enhance the message conveyed through copywriting with stunning design and imagery. We use the best design and user interface practices to ensure that your website is consistently beautiful, legible, and branded consistently.

• Custom Design (no templates)
• UI kit design
• Web and graphic design
• Media sourcing (photography)
• Icons
• Design Elements

Stage 3 – Development

Shopify Set Up

To make the administration, design, and development processes easy yet powerful, we install and set up a robust content management system and tools. Your website will have all the tools to manage and grow your website with ease.

• Content Management System
• Site Layout Builder
• Page Builder
• Mega Menu
• Blog
• Analytics

Extra Functionality

To meet each client’s specific requirements, we install, customize and/or develop additional functionality or extensions.

Security

Shopify has a strong security system built into its platform. As a trusted e-commerce provider, Shopify understands the importance of protecting both your business and your customers’ information.

They use industry-standard security measures like SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and secure hosting to safeguard your data.

Integrations

To enhance your website’s functionality and provide seamless and efficient workflows, we integrate your website with third-party platforms and services: from social media, email marketing, CRM, and e-commerce platforms.

• Contact forms
• Google Maps
• Google Analytics
• Email Marketing Integration
• Google Search Console
• Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
• Custom Domain Email Integration

Speed and Performance

To offer people an excellent user experience, we optimize your e-commerce website for optimal speed and performance. We use a combination of techniques to deliver your website quickly and efficiently, regardless of users’ location or internet speed.

Speed and Performance Features (With hosting)

• Media Optimization
• Minify and combine code and markup
• Content delivery network (CDN)
• Caching
• Database clean up
• Defer Non-critical assets
• Latest PhP
• Lazy-loading
• Server Location

Search Engine Optimization

To make your store is easily discoverable by search engines and people, we optimize your website and pages with the best SEO practices: including optimizing metadata, improving website structure and content, and implementing custom settings.

• Site Metadata
• Page Metadata
• Open Graph Metadata
• Schema Markup
• Social Media Buttons
• Social Media Sharing
• XML Sitemap
• Google Search Console
• Ahrefs Webmaster Tools
• Custom settings and optimizations

Testing, Optimization, and Quality Assurance

To ensure your e-commerce website functions correctly across all mediums, we rigorously test and optimize it. Your website will be fully responsive, easy to use, and optimized for all devices and all major browsers.

Stage 4 – Launch

Presentation

We take you through a thorough website tour, showcasing the structure, design, and navigation, highlighting the key features, functionalities, and more.

Revisions

We have a revisions stage to refine and perfect a newly built website. We ask and carefully consider any feedback and input from stakeholders and make any necessary changes and customizations.

We aim to ensure that you are satisfied with the result and that the website exceeds expectations while creating a positive user experience.

Transfer and Launch

To make the website live for the world to see, we transfer it from our development environment to your hosting and connect it to the domain.

To make the site transfer as seamless as possible with little to no interruptions, we transfer it in the late evening or early morning. Once the website is live, we will share access to it.

Post-launch Support and Training

To have a smooth and successful transition, we provide up to 90, days of responsive support to troubleshoot any issues that may arise and training to show you how to manage the website. We also offer guides and documentation.

Stage 5 – Support

Free support + Consultations

Once a client – always our client. We do our best to help and guide our clients in the right direction. Regardless of your support plan, they can always reach out for help or advice.

Website Maintenance

To keep your website and software up-to-date, secure, and user-friendly, we offer ongoing and professional website maintenance.

We help you maintain the site and prevent potential problems so it continues to look great and function properly.

1. Software updates: Installing the latest software and security patches to keep your website secure and functioning correctly.
2. Performance optimization: Improving website speed and responsiveness by compressing images, minifying code, and using other performance-enhancing techniques.
3. Error resolution: Troubleshooting and fixing errors, bugs, and other technical issues that may arise.
4. Backup and recovery: Regularly backing up website files and data and restoring the website in case of a data loss or other disaster.
5. Security monitoring: Monitoring the website for security threats and vulnerabilities and implementing measures to protect it and its users.
6. Technical support: Providing ongoing customer and technical assistance to ensure your website remains accessible, functional, and user-friendly.

Complete Website Management / Optimization

To keep your website content and technology up-to-date, we offer ongoing and professional website management services. We ensure your website is maintained and updated regularly, including the content, design, and functionality to meet the evolving needs and goals of the business.

Our website management includes everything in website maintenance plus:

1. Strategic planning: Developing and implementing a strategic plan for the website based on the client’s business goals and target audience.
2. User experience optimization: Improving the overall user experience on the website by making navigation intuitive, optimizing page load times, and increasing overall engagement.
3. Conversion optimization: Improving your website’s ability to convert visitors into customers by implementing effective call-to-actions, lead generation forms, and other conversion-optimized features.
4. Content creation: Creating and curating engaging, relevant, and valuable content for the website, including blog posts, articles, videos, and other multimedia.
5. Content updates: Adding, modifying, or removing content from the website, such as text, images, videos, and documents.
6. Stakeholder communication: Maintaining regular contact with stakeholders to ensure that the website supports overall business objectives.