An artist launched a Shopify store two weeks ago selling their artwork, investing €30 daily in Meta and Google ads. Despite attracting 1,000 unique visitors, the site saw zero cart additions, only three newsletter signups, and no organic sales.
Key Issues Identified:
Weak homepage CTAs and product showcasing
Limited product selection acknowledged by the owner
Missing social proof/reviews despite existing sales
No retargeting strategy initially in place
Recommended Solutions:
Add seasonal promotional banners and featured product sections (“Best Sellers,” “New Arrivals”)
Implement clear “Add to Cart” buttons and wishlist functionality
Install review apps to display existing customer testimonials
Optimize product descriptions with storytelling and emotional appeal
Launch retargeting campaigns to re-engage visitors
Use heatmap tools (Hotjar/Lucky Orange) to identify navigation friction points
Current Status (2-month update):
The owner implemented several suggestions and reports achieving “several sales,” though below expectations. They’re now exploring collaboration opportunities to further grow the business. Main action items included expanding product inventory, adding review functionality, and updating seasonal banners.
Summarized with AI on November 2.
AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
My Shopify shop went live two weeks ago, and I’ve been running paid ads on Meta and Google Performance Max at around 30 euros daily. So far, I’ve managed to attract around 1,000 unique visitors. However, I’m concerned because key engagement events aren’t happening as expected:
No items have been added to the basket yet.
Only three newsletter sign-ups (all from unknown visitors).
No sales through the website yet, apart from purchases by friends.
I already have a fairly strong online presence as an artist on Instagram, YouTube, and Skillshare, so I’m trying to understand where I might be going wrong with my Shopify site. If you could give me honest, critical feedback, I’d really appreciate it. Thank you for your insights!
I took a look at sipcozyart.com and have some specific suggestions to help you optimize for engagement and conversions.
Here’s a breakdown:
1. Home Page Experience- Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): While your homepage is visually appealing and aligns with your artistic brand, it could benefit from a clear and visible CTA above the fold. Visitors should immediately understand what they can do on the site—such as “Shop Now” or “Explore Collections.”
Product Showcase: Consider showcasing a few select products with high-quality images right on the homepage, ideally with “Add to Cart” or “Learn More” options.
Social Proof and Testimonials: Since you have an established presence on other platforms, you could incorporate testimonials or feature user-generated content. This not only builds trust but leverages your current followers to engage more deeply on the site.
2. Product Pages- Variants and Image Swatches: Make sure each product page has high-quality images showing different angles and perhaps lifestyle shots of your products in use. For instance, swatches or variant images that automatically update could add a seamless shopping experience.
Product Descriptions: If possible, expand descriptions to include details that appeal to potential buyers’ emotions. Storytelling here can make your products more relatable and desirable.
3. Navigation and User Flow- Simplify Navigation: Consider simplifying menu categories or adding filters if you have multiple product types. Ensuring that navigation flows logically and reduces friction will help visitors find what they’re looking for faster.
Newsletter Sign-up Pop-ups: Offering a small first-purchase discount or freebie could incentivize sign-ups.
4. Optimization for Conversions- Cart and Checkout: Sometimes visitors hesitate due to concerns about shipping or return policies. Including brief but clear information on these on the product and cart pages could encourage them to proceed.
Exit-Intent Popups: Exit-intent pop-ups for abandoned carts or for offering discounts could help convert hesitant visitors.
5. Ads and Targeting- Ad Copy and Audience Segmentation: Testing different ad creatives on Meta and Google, especially ones that align with your unique artistic style, may help target audiences interested in supporting artists. Try segmenting by audience interest and ad format—stories, reels, and product-focused ads may have higher engagement rates.
Optimizing your site for SEO is key to attracting the right kind of traffic. SEOPro can help identify and fix SEO issues across your product pages, from missing keywords in your product titles and descriptions to optimizing your meta titles and descriptions for better search engine ranking. You can bulk-update your SEO settings for multiple products at once, saving you time and effort. Plus, it provides a comprehensive SEO score, so you can track your progress and fine-tune your strategy.
For instance, SEOPro can guide you to make sure your product pages are optimized for specific keywords, ensuring that potential customers find your shop when searching for art-related terms.
Full disclosure: We are the developers of this app. Feel free to reach out to us at support@seo-pro.app if you have any questions!
Hi Simon, this is Alexis from Akohub. Attracting 1,000 unique visitors in just two weeks is actually great start, even if conversions aren’t quite where you’d like them to be yet. Based on our experience, here are some suggestions that might help convert that interest into sales:
Sometimes, small tweaks on your product pages can make a big difference. Ensure each product page clearly highlights what makes your art unique, with a focus on the benefits for the buyer. If possible, add testimonials or social proof cause this builds trust and can make visitors feel more confident about purchasing. You can also try using tools like Hotjar or Lucky Orange can be super helpful to see how visitors are navigating your site. They offer heatmaps and session recordings, so you can spot where visitors might be getting “stuck” or losing interest. This can reveal if there are any specific points causing drop-offs, like a confusing layout or slow load times.
Have you thought of running retargeting ads? It helps to bring back visitors who didn’t convert the first time around. Show them the products they viewed along with a small discount as this can be super effective for turning “maybe” into “yes!” If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution, our app, Ako Retargeting, combines retargeting with loyalty and CRM features, helping you bring in new customers and keep them coming back. To increase sign-ups, consider offering a small incentive, like a discount on their first purchase or free shipping for subscribers. This way, you can capture leads even if they’re not ready to buy immediately, and then use follow-up emails to keep them interested and nurture them toward making a purchase.
Hope it helps! Let me know if you have any thoughts or questions
It looks like you’re off to a great start, but let’s dive into some ways to boost engagement and conversions.
Trust signals: Adding testimonials or reviews on your product pages could help build credibility. You can also use Gameball to reward customers for leaving reviews or sharing their experience on social media, which not only boosts trust but also promotes engagement.
Clear CTAs and mobile optimization: Ensure your “Add to Cart” button stands out more and that your site is fully responsive, especially for mobile users. A streamlined homepage and simpler navigation will also help visitors find what they’re looking for faster.
Ad optimization: Since you’re getting traffic but no conversions, retargeting ads and refining your targeting could help bring visitors back. Narrow your audience to those who are more likely to engage with your artwork.
Special offers: Consider offering a limited-time discount or free shipping for first-time buyers to encourage purchases.
Lastly, using Gameball to incentivize sign-ups, social follows, and purchases with rewards or loyalty points will help foster long-term customer loyalty.
Hope this helps and best of luck with your store! Let me know if you need more tips!
You should add seasonal banners for current promotions or collections (e.g., Summer Sale, Winter Collection) to catch the attention of customers.
Featuring sections like “Best Sellers” and “On Sale”, New arrivals on the homepage can drive attention to popular and discounted products, encouraging visitors to engage more with your site. Here is a reference:
As you mentioned, you have a fairly strong online presence as an artist, you should add feedback to the shop to build trust and attract new clients. Here is a reference:
Hi, I wanted to thank you for taking the time to look at my site and to provide such a detailed reply. I think one of the challenge might be that my collection at the moment is still quite limited. As a next step:
Increase product selections: I will continue to bring more products to life
Add reviews: I will look for a trusted plug in for reviews (any recommendations is appreciated)
Thank you so much for your reply. Everything you said makes sense. I think the biggest hurdle for me at the moment is not having enough art available on my site (ie. products). I did include more information to make the shipping clearer and will add more information regarding the product.
Thanks a lot for all the information. I agree with you, with enough visitors, I started retargeting now. Not optimal yet but I will keep on tweaking to get these 'maybe" into “yes”.
I wanted to thank you for your help. It’s been more than 2 months since I opened my shops and I’ve had several sales (although not as many as wished). I’d love to grow even more and discuss in the near future how we can collaborate.
