![Introducing the Shopify Plus Blog]()
Hi *|FNAME|*
I'm Tommy Walker, the editor of the new Shopify Plus blog.
You're getting this email because you're a different breed of Shopify customer.
You're smart, you're successful, and you've proven you know what it takes to drive revenue.
So how can we help you take off to the next level? We wanted to create a blog that was dedicated specifically to helping you overcome the challenges that high-growth stores face.
I'm going to make the assumption that you already have an idea of "what" works, but I want to help you understand "why" because I believe it's only once you know that, that you're able to truly innovate and do something people truly remember.
If you don't want to receive messages from the Shopify Plus blog, or you're just not ready, that's cool, you can unsubscribe here and come back anytime you like.
But if you're looking to get deeper knowledge into buyer psychology, advanced strategy, and learn from other high-growth ecommerce stores, buckle up, because we've got a lot in store for you.
Also, if you have any questions, or would like to have us cover something to help you overcome a problem, just shoot me an email at editor@shopifyplus.com and I'll be sure to get back to you.
I hope you like our first article, please leave a comment letting us know what you think.
All the best
Tommy Walker
Editor - Shopify Plus Blog
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![Why are Conversion Optimization Tips BS?]()
There's something that's been bothering me lately.
In the past year or so, I've seen a huge influx of conversion optimization tips which use case studies to support the claim that's being made.
Now, I myself am paid to write these kinds of stories, but something I'm adamant about when I chose which case studies to use is researching the validity of the cases being used.
There is a certain amount of drama in the statement "and clicks improved by 200%!" but it's really inauthentic, especially when you learn that the absolute clicks went from 10 to 30.
In this article, I'm going to share with you a story about how one man used bad (but technically correct) science to fool major media outlets to spread misinformation about how adding chocolate to your diet can help you lose weight.
We'll break down how the bad science was manipulated to show headline-worthy results, and as you read through it, I think you'll see the parallels between this and other CRO "case studies" that bombard you on a daily basis.
The goal here isn't to paint all case studies as liars - because there are some really good ones out there. Rather, I want to help you question if whether the information you're reading is valid, or published simply for PR reasons.
Also, it's kind of fun (and scary) to read about how easily the press was manipulated.
If you have any questions, or would like to discuss this further, please feel free to email me at plus.editor@shopify.com and we can talk
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![Pretty soon, the way we buy things is never going to be the same.]()
Did you know that the earliest advertisements date back to 4,000 B.C.?
That's right, in early civilization, business owners would paint on highly visible rocks encouraging people to visit their store.
6,000 years later, the paint's a little different, but the principle is essentially the same.
But what if I told you everything is primed to change in a massive way? What if the rocks we're painting our messages could soon be direct sales channels?
The following is a thought-experiment that begins to explore what's possible.
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![feature]()
Plenty of gamers play to experience a sense of "freedom" and "expression" they can't otherwise get in the real world.
Plenty of shoppers buy things for the exact same reasons.
If you're not too busy, I'd like to show you how game designers are creating this sense of freedom, and how it can be used to help you make more sales.
Up to you. The choice is yours.
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![feature]()
What if I told you that video game designers were purposefully manipulating your brain chemistry to get you more and more invested in their virtual worlds?
So what, right?
I mean, video games are for kids, and you’re a fancy ecommerce entrepreneur who has better things to do with their time than read about video games.
But think about it for a second. Both video games and online shopping take place on a screen, require direct input from the user, and those interactions can change the user and the world around them.
As it turns out, both video games and online shopping activate the same reward centers in the brain, and have surprisingly similar effects on their participants.
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![BuzzFeed Shopify Channel]()
Shopify is partnering with BuzzFeed to make it easy to showcase your products to BuzzFeed’s editors.
The new BuzzFeed channel allows you to easily tag your products for BuzzFeed editors to search, find, and consider featuring in its campaigns, product lists and onsite content.
With its unique marketing style, BuzzFeed can help you reach its audience of over 200 million readers, potentially connecting you with new customers and boosting sales.
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What's the most important factor in making sales online?
Research shows only 10% of consumers say a beautiful appearance is the most important factor of web design.
76% of consumers, however, say that a site that makes it easy to find what they want to buy is what they value most. Now, what if I told you that by reallocating only 10% of your design budget you could double your key performance metrics?
This is going to be a good year.
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A typical ecommerce outfit sees conversion rate in the 2-3% range but you're not a "typical" merchant, are you? You're better, smarter, faster than the rest. Right?
If you really truly want to be all that, then there's no way around having a killer conversion optimization setup in place. For that, you need data, inspiration and ideas.
Here are four ecommerce conversion optimization case studies to get you started.
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In 2018 and beyond … growing, competing, and scaling demands a comprehensive approach to online sales. This guide outlines 14 ecommerce marketing strategies along with an Executive Summary Template to help lead you and your organization to success.
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