Shopping Platforms & Marketplaces

Order history is the complete record of a customer’s past purchases—what they bought, when, and how they paid. For customers, it offers transparency, easier tracking, and faster reorders. But for retailers, it’s like a cheat sheet that reveals buying patterns and informs smarter decisions.

Yet, many retailers overlook this tool in favor of chasing shiny new sales tactics. Research shows retailers who make data-driven decisions see twice the growth and four times the profitability. By analyzing order history, you’re not guessing—you’re doubling down on what’s already working.

Ahead, learn how to evaluate your order history data and turn it into actionable insights for better decision-making.

What is order history? 

Your order history is a list of all the orders you’ve received from customers in the past. It includes the specific items they purchased, their cost, when they bought the products, and how the orders were fulfilled.

What information is included in an order history?

Each ecommerce platform records slightly different information. For example, Shopify records every purchase and creates a timeline with a mix of transactional, fulfillment, and customer data: 

• Customer profile: Name, email, phone number, billing and shipping addresses, and market consent flags 
• Product line items: SKU, variant, quantity, item-level discounts, and taxability
• Financial snapshot: Subtotal, shipping, taxes, promotions, payment gateway, and net total
• Fulfillment trail: Warehouse or store location, carrier, tracking links, and time-stamped status changes 

This order information is logged automatically in the admin and can be exported via CSV. Having a full view of each order can be useful for faster reconciliation, customer support, or safeguarding data during a store migration. 

Understanding order status

Order status gives customers and retailers a clear view of where a purchase currently exists in the supply chain. It helps track order progress and quickly identifies orders that need assistance. 

Shopify organizes order history into four status categories: Order, Payment, Fulfillment, and Return. The groups appear together on the Orders page and can be filtered in combination to identify priority tasks. 

For example, you might filter for “open + paid + unfulfilled” to display orders that are ready to pick and pack, or “open + return requested” to fast-track returns. 

Here are the statuses you’ll find in your Shopify admin:

Order status: Tracks if an order is open, completed, or canceled

• Open: Order placed or created; still needs payment capture, fulfillment, or returns work.
• Archived: All work finished and the record is stored for reference.
• Canceled: Order stopped. If not fully refunded, further action may be required.

Payment status: Shows if payment is pending, captured, or refunded

• Pending: Payment provider is processing; funds not guaranteed yet.
• Authorized: Card validated. Capture funds before the authorization period ends.
• Due / Expired / Unpaid: Capture deadline passed or terms overdue, collect or cancel.
• Paid: Funds captured (auto or manual). Ready for fulfillment.
• Partially paid / Partially refunded / Refunded / Voided: Money captured or returned in part or full, update inventory and records as needed.

Fulfillment status: Indicates whether items are packed and shipped

• Unfulfilled: Items still waiting to be picked and packed.
• Partially fulfilled: Some items shipped, others pending.
• Fulfilled: All items handed to the carrier.
• Scheduled: Prepaid subscription order awaiting its future ship date.
• On hold: Manual or upsell-related hold; inventory reserved but not yet shippable.

Return status: Follows the progress of customer returns 

• Return requested: Customer asked to send items back; approve or decline.
• Return in progress: Goods en route. Restock or refund upon receipt.
• Returned: Process complete, no further action.
• Inspection complete: Items checked; decide on refund based on results.

These statuses not only help you manage workflows but can also keep customers informed and confident in their purchase.

Why is order history important for customers?

Customers want transparency when it comes to past and current orders. A 2024 logistics survey found that 90% of customers expect to track every delivery event, and 80% want to receive delivery status updates. 

With order history, customers can effortlessly track shipments, reduce “where is my order” anxiety, and reorder past favorites. Logged-in shoppers on a Shopify storefront can also see personalized product picks or quick reorder buttons based on their purchase history. 

It also lets customers simplify returns without hunting through email receipts. When a product doesn’t meet their expectations, most brands let them initiate returns with just one click. 

Overall, providing detailed order history builds trust. It shows customers you care about a positive customer experience even beyond the transaction, which helps strengthen long-term loyalty. It also lightens the load on customer service teams, since shoppers can answer many of their own questions directly through their order history.

How to view and analyze order history in Shopify

Using unified data from Shopify POS

A point-of-sale (POS) system records every in-store transaction. Unified platforms like Shopify POS take this one step further by bringing together orders from every sales channel. Whether you’ve sold a product in your retail store, through a marketplace, or via your online store, order data feeds back to one centralized management system. 

To find this order history, head to the Orders tab in your Shopify dashboard. From there, filter or browse order history by individual customer, SKU, or date range to spot trends or answer specific questions.

Shopify also lets you tag and add notes to open orders, view an order’s timeline, follow up with customers, and more easily and effectively manage your orders.

Analyzing order history for insights

Dates

Analyze order history by month or year to identify peak seasons and slow periods. For example, if beachwear sales spike in May and June, you can stock up earlier in the year and launch marketing campaigns in early spring. 

If October sees minimal activity, plan clearance sales for August. You could also introduce complementary products (like resort wear) or focus on preseason promotions to maintain cash flow during slower seasons. 

Products

Monitor your order history to identify bestsellers, underperforming items, and common purchase combinations. These insights help you offer the right products to the right people. They can also inform how you organize your store (or your website), so that products frequently purchased together are displayed together. 

For example, your coffee shop’s sales data might reveal that medium roast consistently outsells other varieties while the dark roast struggles. Based on this insight, you could adjust your inventory to stock more and strategically place complementary items (like coffee filters and grinders) nearby to boost overall sales.

Customers

Your customers’ shopping habits paint a picture of who they are and what motivates them to buy. Analyze their purchase patterns to identify buying preferences, peak shopping times, and repeat purchase rates. This order data can shape loyalty programs, promotional timing, and fuel targeted marketing campaigns to maximize customer retention and lifetime value.

Clienteling and unified commerce insights

Shopify POS connects your inventory, sales, and customer data across every channel. Its unified commerce system centralizes this data—including order information from accelerated checkouts like Shop Pay. This integration provides valuable insights into how customers prefer to pay and complete their purchases, whether through traditional methods or convenient options like Shop Pay Installments.

You can quickly pull up key information at checkout, like customer purchase history and preferences. Then, clienteling tools integrated with Shopify customer profiles let you offer customized recommendations and personalized experiences, while Shop Pay’s flexibility can help increase average order value (AOV) and conversion rates.

💡Take advantage: Research from a leading independent consulting firm found that retailers using Shopify POS see sales grow by 8.9% on average.

How to boost sales using order history

You can look at the order history for your store and use that data for marketing purposes, too. Here are some ideas you can try once you use your POS to understand sales trends.

1. Upsell and make specific recommendations

Use customers’ order history data to make informed product recommendations grounded in what they’ve already bought. 

Let’s say you filter order history by a specific product: in this case, maybe it’s a white bridesmaid dress. Identify the customers who bought the dress, then send them a follow-up email featuring coordinating shoes or accessories. You can also offer a targeted incentive for the related item to lift conversion.

Product recommendation apps like ReConvert and Selleasy make it easy to show your customers the perfect product pairings right when they’re most excited about their purchase. 

These AI-powered tools integrate with your Shopify customer data and can suggest relevant made-to-match items that will turn a customer’s purchase into something they’ll love.

2. Create personalized marketing messages

Order history makes personalization easier, one customer at a time. Instead of sending generic emails to your entire list, you can tailor your marketing messages based on purchases. 

Again, it’s all about trends: review a repeat customer’s order details to know when they make purchases, what they buy, and how often they shop with you.

Use Shopify’s dynamic segmentation tools to group customers by shared behaviors, then send campaigns that are highly relevant to their interests. This kind of attention to detail leaves them feeling more satisfied and highly valued, encourages brand loyalty, and increases customer lifetime value (CLV).

For example:

• Send timely replenishment reminders based on typical buying cycles—with a small gift or coupon to encourage a bigger sale in the future.
• Offer exclusive deals that only “top customers” receive to reward loyalty.
• Set up automated welcome campaigns for new customers with tailored product suggestions based on their first purchase.
• Create win-back campaigns with time-limited discounts for lapsed customers.
• Align seasonal promotions with geographic data and past purchase patterns for higher engagement.
• Create a streamlined checkout experience for repeat customers with Shop Pay, which saves their preferences, shipping details, and payment information.
• Develop strategic cart abandonment campaigns that address common purchase barriers with personalized solutions.
• Launch birthday and anniversary campaigns that celebrate customer milestones with special rewards to create emotional connections with your brand.

“We identified the segment in Shopify, created a discount, communicated with them in a way that was very personalized, and we saw about 30% of those people convert,” says Alex Dashefsky, cofounder of Airsign.

3. Target your promotions and advertisements

Order history can guide your advertising. By using customer demographic data and purchase trends, you can target audiences with more relevant promotions on paid social advertisements. If you know you have a bestselling item that everyone wants around Mother’s Day, for example, an ad you create and run in April and early May will likely get more traction than an ad you run for the same item in September.

Retail media networks like Shopify Audiences can help you find high-intent buyers and optimize your advertising performance across platforms. They use first-party data to reach relevant customers at scale and lower acquisition costs.

Take ecommerce furniture brand Nathan James. The company struggled with marketing inefficiencies due to a lack of ad attribution and targeting. Expanding to a 10% lookalike audience saved money on costs, but drove low-intent buyers, resulting in lower click-through rates (CTR), higher customer acquisition costs (CAC), and cutting return on ad spend (ROAS). 

After switching to Shopify Audiences, Nathan James leveraged precise targeting to:

• More than double purchase rates
• Lower customer acquisition costs by 52%
• Drive a 176% increase in conversion ratios
• Generate over $100,000 in incremental revenue 

4. Send thank you notes

In the rush to ring up the next sale, you may forget to appreciate customers for purchasing something from you and for their loyalty. Nothing builds that relationship like saying “thank you” at the right time in an unexpected or personal way. 

Use direct mail to send a handwritten note expressing your appreciation for their business, or send a swag bag filled with a few branded goodies. For example, a beauty retailer might send personalized skincare recommendations and samples with a thank you note after a customer’s third purchase.

Sending handwritten notes with every order isn’t scalable, but you can combine automated thank you messages through email and SMS. Reserve handwritten notes for milestone purchases or key customers to maximize efficiency while maintaining authentic connections.

5. Reduce stockouts 

Order history serves as a blueprint for inventory decisions. Instead of guessing, you can make informed choices based on data and trends.

That includes keeping accurate inventory, even during your busiest periods. Maintaining stocked shelves means you don’t run out of stock and miss out on sales opportunities—and you keep customers happy.

Knowing what sells well and creating promotions to feature those items in-store and online encourages even more sales. On the flip side, you can discontinue the products that take up shelf space but aren’t popular with customers.

💡Pro tip: The Stocky app for Shopify POS can help you manage inventory and prevent stockouts. Generate reports to find out your optimal stock levels for each SKU, then have the app automatically raise purchase orders with the relevant supplier when quantities dip below your threshold.

Making the most of order history data 

Order history is more than a record of past purchases—it’s a guide for building trust with customers, planning inventory, and creating personalized marketing. When you use it well, you can reduce uncertainty, strengthen loyalty, and grow sales with less guesswork.

To put these insights into action, you’ll need a system that unifies data across channels. Shopify POS brings together order data from every sales channel—including your retail stores, ecommerce websites, marketplaces, and social media storefronts—to give the full picture of who’s buying what. 

Can Google predict the future of retail? As it turns out, yes—by as much as three quarters in advance.

New research from K. Ramesh and Gary Lind analyzed Google search patterns for nearly 200 publicly traded US retailers between 2004 and 2019. When search volumes go up, so do revenues—often long before analysts or investors catch on.

In fact, investment strategies built around search trends outperformed traditional models by 2%–3%. That’s big news for retailers like you, too. Google Trends is a free forecasting tool sitting right in front of you. 

Ahead, we’ll show you how to make Google Trends work for you—whether you run an online store or a brick-and-mortar business. You’ll learn what it is, how it helps retailers, which products are trending right now, and common mistakes to avoid.

What is Google Trends?

Google Trends is a free tool from Google that tracks what people are searching for, how interest in those searches changes over time, and where those searches are happening. Instead of giving you exact numbers, it indexes search volume on a scale of 0–100 so you can compare the relative popularity of different topics, products, or keywords.

As the world’s leading search engine, Google handles over two trillion search queries annually. Its advanced algorithm effectively makes sense of the search data you and your customers are looking for, making it one of the best places to find near-real-time market research on shopping trends. 

How Google Trends helps retailers

Google Trends is free market research you can put to work today for product discovery and validation. Here’s how:

• Discover product search volume: Don’t waste time launching something no one’s looking for. A quick Trends search shows whether shoppers are already hunting for your product idea. 
• Check seasonal demand: Holiday toys, sunscreen, home workout gear—most categories have built-in cycles. Use Trends to plan ahead, balance seasonal items with evergreen ones, and avoid cash-flow surprises. 
• Nail down your customer’s vocabulary: Should you advertise “hair dryer brush” or “blowout brush”? Trends lets you compare terms side by side to see which words your audience actually types into Google. That insight can make your ad copy, SEO, and marketing campaigns way more effective.

Eight trending products on Google Trends 

Here is some of the data we used to define what is “trending”:

1. Shopify merchant data: US Shopify merchant sales growth in June 2025 was compared to June 2024 to see which products were taking off this summer. 
2. Google Trends validation: We validated that momentum on Google Trends to confirm real search demand.
3. Deloitte’s ConsumerSignals report: This is a longitudinal study of what products households are spending on and why. Their latest findings show that when US consumers splurge, they’re most often driven by comfort (21%), relaxation (16%), and practicality (12%).
4. National Retail Federation’s 2025 retail forecast: This report, among other things, highlights health and wellness as a top priority for US consumers.

Here are eight trending products backed by sales data, search behavior, and consumer spending trends:

1. Yoga mats

Over the past year, search interest in “yoga mat” has stayed consistently strong in the US, with clear seasonal spikes. Google Trends shows demand climbing to its highest point around December 2024–January 2025 (New Year’s resolution season) and again in spring 2025. The latest data still sits well above the baseline seen a year earlier.

This demand lines up with broader consumer behavior. Deloitte’s ConsumerSignals highlights that Americans splurge on purchases that are comforting (21%) and practical (12%)—two boxes a yoga mat ticks. And according to McKinsey, the US wellness sector now exceeds $500 billion in annual spending, growing steadily at 4%–5% per year, even amid broader economic uncertainty.

Yoga mats have become a catch-all symbol of at-home wellness, doubling as bases for Pilates, stretching, meditation, and home workouts. That makes them a resilient product with both seasonal peaks and evergreen demand.

Key insight: Demand is high—but so is competition. Differentiate with eco-friendly materials, functional upgrades, stylish design, or bundles. Take a cue from Gaiam, who migrated to Shopify and boosted conversions with visually navigated, storytelling-driven landing pages instead of standard product grids.

2. Wrap skirts

Over the past year, search interest in “wrap skirt” has steadily climbed in the US, with the strongest spikes between March and May 2025. Google Trends shows a clear seasonal lift, with search volume holding above its 2024 baseline.

This trend was confirmed in Google’s Spring 2025 Shopping Report, which named the wrap skirt the breakout spring skirt search of the season. 

The fashion media is in sync with the momentum. As Cosmopolitan reported in August 2025, what began as the scarf skirt microtrend—silk bandanas tied as skirts or layered Y2K-style—has evolved into full wrap skirts, bolstered by Spring 2025 runway nods from Miu Miu, Dior, and Salvatore Ferragamo.

Key insight: Fashion moves fast, but it’s also cyclical. Wrap skirts rode the Y2K wave back from their 2000s heyday, proving the value of tracking revivals alongside new microtrends. Stand out by timing limited drops to seasonal peaks and pairing skirts with complementary pieces (like sandals). 

3. Soap

Searches for “soap” have stayed strong and even ticked upward through 2025. Google Trends shows a steady baseline compared with last year, with subtle peaks around seasonal buying moments.

In 2024 alone, Shopify merchants moved more than 23 million bars of soap and over 18 million bottles of shampoo. When you fold in consumer drivers—comfort, practicality, and wellness—it’s easy to see why soap continues to dominate the beauty and personal care aisle.

The bath and body category is evergreen and entrepreneurial. Take Lisa Jolly, founder of The Honeybunch Shop. She taught herself to make soap over a weekend, landed a $100,000 order on her 40th birthday, and eventually scaled to multiple retail stores and a factory.

Even Sydney Sweeney launched her own soap with a “touch” of her bathwater this year. If that doesn’t prove soap is having a cultural moment, what does?

Key insight: Essentials can be elevated. The brands that win in soap lean on eco-friendly packaging, refill systems, natural formulations, and novelty scents like bacon. 

4. Travel pants

Google Trends data shows a long climb for “travel pants” in the US—steady through the 2000s, a noticeable lift post-2016, and a sharp spike after 2022 as travel roared back. 

In two decades, interest in this product has grown to its highest level, making it one of the clearest examples of a slow-burn product maturing into a mainstream category.

According to Skift Research’s 2025 Travel Outlook, people are planning 24% more trips than in 2024—and they’re dressing for them. Google’s Spring 2025 Shopping Trends report even named “wide-leg linen pants” as the breakout travel style. 

On the topic of pants, in 2024, Shopify merchants also saw increased sales of “barrel jeans,” matched by a 500% rise in Google searches.

Key insight: Build seasonal edits around travel gear, highlight technical fabrics (breathable, wrinkle-resistant), and target TikTok’s and Instagram’s “#airportoutfit” crowd with styled content drops timed to peak travel months.

5. Reusable water bottles

Google Trends shows a steady upward trend for “reusable water bottle” searches over the past five years, with a clear uptick through 2025. A new brand or style goes viral and sparks interest—most recently, Stanley Cups dominated social feeds, and now, alternative styles are vying for attention.

The global reusable water bottle category was worth $9.72 billion in 2024, projected to rise to $10.17 billion in 2025 and $15.27 billion by 2034.

Meanwhile, TikTok’s #WaterTok has 2.5 billion views—proof that bottles are more fashion, less function. As The Economist deadpans: “Water bottles, the accessory Gen Z is thirsting after.”

Case in point: memobottle. 

Originally a Kickstarter campaign to reduce single-use plastic, the brand raised over a quarter-million dollars and became a design icon. Thin enough to slip into a laptop bag, it solved a real business traveler’s problem. 

Then it went viral, landing in Oscar nominee gift bags for Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon, cementing its reputation as both a sustainability play and a premium lifestyle accessory. 

Key insight: This category, believe it or not, is less about hydration and more about self-expression. Gen Z treats bottles like fashion drops, not gym gear. Focus on curating bold designs, highlight your sustainability achievements, and ride cultural moments to turn a basic utility into a statement piece.

6. Home décor

Searches for “home decor” jumped mid-2025, right as Instagram feeds filled with summer refreshes and early holiday mood boards. The curve suggests people are treating décor as a year-round project, not a once-a-year splurge.

The numbers behind the trend are huge. The average US household spends $2,752 a year on home décor, with cities like Seattle topping $3,493 annually.

On social, the obsession is even louder: Instagram’s #homedecor tag has 174 million posts, making it one of the platform’s most enduring lifestyle categories.

Key insight: Home décor sells when it’s visual and shoppable. Lean into scroll-stopping visuals, seasonal refreshes, and smaller-ticket items that hook buyers early. Shopify merchant Sweet Water Decor nailed this formula, starting with hand-lettered mugs that went viral on Instagram before expanding into candles and other décor staples. Start with one photogenic hero product, then scale into the full room.

7. Pet supplies

A New York judge ruled in 2025 that dogs count as “immediate family,” a historic shift in how pets are treated legally. Beyond legal definitions, the pets-as-family phenomenon directly impacts consumer spending. 

Search interest in “pet supplies” has stayed consistently high over the past year in the US, with a clear lift in late summer 2025.

Gone are the days of pet supplies being “discretionary.” In Korea, the pet population has topped 15 million, fueling demand for pet-friendly home appliances. And in the US, veterinarians like Dr. David Jeffrey report a sharp rise in owners asking about CBD treatments for their animals.

Key insight: Capture this market by expanding into wellness (CBD chews for anxiety, joint-support supplements), lifestyle (self-cleaning litter boxes, pet-friendly vacuums, orthopedic dog beds), and premium goods (matching pet-owner apparel sets, designer carriers, subscription treat boxes). 

8. Blushes

Google Trends shows a continued interest in “blush” over the past year, with spikes around holiday shopping and summer makeup trends. There’s more to that steady curve, because according to Business of Fashion, “blush is having a renaissance.”

Notably, Rare Beauty’s Soft Pinch Liquid Blush alone drove $2 billion in global revenue in 2023, selling one unit every nine seconds—Vogue called it “makeup’s comeback kid.”

Meanwhile, Rhode’s Pocket Blush, a TikTok darling since launch, became the “most talked-about blush” in August 2024, topping Launchmetrics’ media-impact ranking ahead of both Rare and Benefit.

Instagram and TikTok are amplifying this “blush boom.” Trends like “tomato girl” and “strawberry girl” makeup have spotlighted bold, flushed cheeks, while new techniques—blush draping, sandwiching, glazing—keep the category humming.

Key insight: This is what works in beauty: take a product everyone uses, put a spin on it, and you have white space. Consider the Shopify-powered brand Glamnetic. Founder Ann McFerran took magnetic lashes, an innovation on an already popular item, and scaled into Sephora and Ulta. The same strategy applies to blush: reinvent the staple, and it can redefine your brand.

How to use Google Trends for product research

1. Start broad and drill down to niche opportunities

A quick search can show you if interest is rising, flat, or fading before you sink time and budget into inventory.

1. Search a broad category: Begin with a general term like “moisturizer.” This gives you the lay of the land and a sense of whether demand is steady, seasonal, or fading.
2. Scan rising queries: Google Trends will surface related searches—think CeraVe, Neutrogena, night, or sunscreen. These show you where shoppers are zooming in.
3. Spot the niches: Use those related queries to identify sub-categories: cult brands, time-specific routines, or added benefits like SPF.
4. Act on the data: You could:
1. Stock trending brands (CeraVe, Neutrogena).
2. Merchandize “nighttime skincare” as its own category.
3. Highlight SPF prominently in product packaging or marketing copy.

2. Identify seasonal trends and plan your marketing calendar

Not all products are popular year-round. The most obvious examples are Christmas-related products. People generally don’t buy Santa-themed decorations in June, and high demand for holiday products peaks in the later months of the year.

Products that might not seem seasonal often have cyclical purchase patterns. Google Trends shows searches for “lunchbox,” for example, peak in August—just before the start of a new school year.

To analyze popular products by season on Google Trends: 

1. Year-over-year analysis: Compare search interest in your product during the same months across different years to identify consistent seasonal trends.
2. Look for patterns: Notice if search interest peaks around certain events, weather patterns, or some national holidays over others. This may indicate the best times to ramp up your marketing efforts.
3. Analyze broader seasonal category trends: Look at the overall trends within your product’s broader category during different times of the year to gauge whether interest in the category is rising or waning. This broader perspective can help you distinguish between product-specific seasonal trends and general market movements for better marketing campaigns.

3. Consider customer feedback

Customer feedback, combined with Google Trends data, is always a great starting point for launching a business, new product, or service that’s actually in demand. 

Design open-ended questions that prompt your ideal customers to discuss their pain points and moments of struggle. With powerful tools for advanced search query research like Semrush or Ahrefs, you can even dive deeper into long-tail keywords for users trying to find answers to hyperspecific challenges related to your product idea for further validation. 

4. Leverage related queries and related topics for keyword goldmines

Aside from telling you how popular a term is, Google Trends also reveals the surrounding searches and themes people use alongside it. 

That’s where related queries (the exact phrases people type) and related topics (the broader concepts they’re exploring) come in.

Use this data to uncover the exact language your customers use, along with emerging trends to target in SEO, ads, or product descriptions.

Take “laser hair removal” for example:

• Rising related queries include “price of laser hair removal” (+170%) and “laser hair removal Manhattan” (+120%). Both suggest strong demand for cost transparency and location-specific services.
• Related topics like “Milan Laser Hair Removal” and “Electrology” show that consumers are not only weighing providers but comparing alternative treatments.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Search your core product term.
2. Scan related search queries to surface customer intent—are they price-sensitive? Local-focused? Curious about substitutes?
3. Use related topics to map your competitive set and find nearby niches worth testing.
4. Fold these insights into keyword targeting, ad copy, and merchandising strategy. For example, you could build city-specific landing pages or bundling services to address price concerns.

5. Compare product ideas to find your winning edge

Google Trends’ “Compare” feature is a lightweight competitive analysis tool. You can stack two or more products side by side and see which one is gaining faster traction—and where.

Here’s how it works:

1. Type in your first product or topic.
2. Click the + Compare button in the search bar.
3. Add your second product or topic.
4. The chart will now plot both lines against each other, using the same 0–100 relative scale.

Take the search terms “yoga mat” versus “pilates reformer” in the US over the past year.

• Yoga mats (blue) consistently outperform pilates reformers (red), with clear spikes in January (New Year’s resolutions) and spring.
• Pilates reformers have moments of interest but never sustain the same volume.

If you’re a retailer in the wellness category, this insight suggests that yoga gear is a safer bet for evergreen inventory, while pilates equipment might be a smart niche upsell for more dedicated fitness shoppers. You could:

• Stock a wider range of yoga mats (eco-friendly, alignment-printed, bundles with accessories).
• Test pilates reformers as a premium, higher-ticket product for a smaller, more loyal segment.

Take advantage of Google Trends’ “Compare” feature for a competitive edge:

• See where demand is strongest: Comparing products side by side shows you which one has higher or more consistent search interest. That helps you decide whether to invest in the bigger, established market—or take a bet on an emerging one.
• Identify gaps in the market: A comparison highlights not just winners and losers, but also what’s missing. If a niche product is growing but underrepresented, that’s an opening to position yourself differently—whether through pricing, features, or marketing.
• Prioritize resources: Knowing which product has the higher baseline demand means you can allocate inventory, ad spend, and content creation more strategically—while still leaving room to experiment with the underdog.

6. Validate product demand beyond Google Trends

Google Trends data is a good indicator of search habits, but not all trending topics are products that people buy. Validate your product idea by comparing data from several marketplaces before spending thousands of dollars on product development:

• Look for competitors selling the same product: Something as simple as observing how many competitors are offering the product can indicate market saturation or opportunities for differentiation.
• Scour marketplaces: Gauge demand, pricing strategies, and customer reviews on similar products on marketplaces.
• Analyze social media trends: A quick hashtag search on Instagram or TikTok (e.g., #NighttimeSkincare, #SPFMoisturizer) will show whether the conversation is bubbling over with real engagement—or barely a trickle.
• Survey your target audience: Feedback from potential customers validates whether the interest shown in Google Trends translates into actual buying intent. It’s one of the best ways to validate whether your product idea will sell. 

Pro tip: Google Trends shows you where interest is heading, but interest doesn’t always equal sales for your business. Once you’ve spotted a promising idea, validate it with real purchase data. Shopify admin gives you a single source of truth across sales, inventory, and customer touchpoints, so you can see whether a trend is actually converting into revenue.

Beyond the basics: Advanced Google Trends features

Once you’re comfortable fiddling around with the basic features, get your hands dirty with the more advanced filters Google Trends offers.

Location-based searches

When you search for a term in Google Trends, you’ll see a map shaded by where the keyword is most popular. Darker regions mean higher relative search interest.

On the right, you’ll find a ranked list of states, cities, or countries with the strongest demand. Hovering over a region shows more detail on how that search compares to others in the same location.

Location data helps you spot where to lean in. If “moisturizer” peaks in New York and New Jersey, that’s a signal to localize ad campaigns, target ads, or even test popups in those markets.

Shopping-specific phrases

Switch the filter from Web Search to Shopping to cut out casual curiosity searches and spotlight queries with purchase intent. 

Instead of someone Googling “blush” for inspiration, you’ll see searches like “Rare Beauty liquid blush” or “Soft Pinch liquid blush”—signals that shoppers already know what they want and are primed to buy.

Rising and breakout terms

Switch the Related Queries or Related Topics tab to Rising—this should be the option by default. This shows you which searches are gaining the most momentum alongside your keyword. The percentages reflect how much a term has grown compared to the previous time period.

If you see Breakout instead of a percentage, it means searches grew by more than 5,000%: a strong sign of viral or fast-emerging interest.

Take the supplements category, for example. Terms like “momentous supplements” surged +4,500%, while “gary brecka supplements” hit breakout status.

That tells you two things:

• Consumer discovery is happening now. These brands are being searched by name for the first time at scale.
• You can act before the market saturates. Stock the brand, create content around it, or develop alternatives.

Relative vs. absolute search volume 

A big misconception about Google Trends is that the numbers represent raw search volume. They don’t.

Trends uses a relative scale from 0–100 to show how interest in a term changes over time. A score of 100 doesn’t mean 100,000 people searched for it—it just means that’s the peak popularity for that term in the selected time and place.

This matters because:

• A niche product like “pilates reformer” might never reach the same raw numbers as “yoga mat,” but its relative growth could still signal a profitable trend in a high-spend niche.
• To understand absolute demand, you’ll need to pair Google Trends data with tools like Shopify Analytics, marketplace search volume (Amazon, Etsy), or ad platforms.

Common mistakes to avoid when using Google Trends for product discovery

Google Trends may be one of the easiest tools to use, but it’s also one of the easiest to misinterpret. Here are three pitfalls to watch out for:

1. Narrow reporting timeframes: Looking at only the past 30 or 90 days can skew your perspective. A product might appear to be “taking off,” when in reality it’s just experiencing seasonal volatility. Expand to at least 12 months—and ideally 3–5 years—to understand whether you’re spotting a fad or a sustainable trend.
2. Ignoring context and regional fluctuations: Searches for “humidifier” may spike in Minnesota during winter but stay flat in California. If you’re not filtering by location, you risk making decisions based on demand that doesn’t exist in your target market. 
3. Focusing on short-term trends: A TikTok microtrend (like “strawberry girl makeup”) can boost searches dramatically, but that doesn’t guarantee staying power. Balance short-term opportunities with long-term demand signals.

Integrating Google Trends into your overall product strategy

Google Trends works best when you fold it into your regular business planning. Here’s how to put the data to work:

• Marketing: Use search peaks to time your campaigns. For example, searches for “yoga mat” climb every January. That’s your cue to launch promotions, influencer pushes, or bundled offers right after New Year’s resolutions.
• Inventory: Let multi-year data shape your stock levels. If demand for “reusable water bottles” has grown steadily for five years, that’s a safe category to anchor your product assortment. 
• Pricing and positioning: Rising or breakout terms signal when interest is heating up. That’s a chance to raise margins, introduce premium options, or bundle related products before the space gets crowded.
• Long-term planning: Track how categories shift over time. If “home workout equipment” is flattening while “pilates reformer” searches are climbing, you’ve got an early signal of where to expand next.

Find great products to sell with Google Trends 

If you want to find trending products for your retail store, Google Trends is a great tool. Start your research with the data. Then check out market comparisons and customer feedback to validate your ideas. This is the best way to make sure your shortlisted products sell.

Need a helping hand? Shopify POS collates data from every sales channel and displays it in easily digestible reports. Find your bestselling products by location, identify seasonal patterns, and monitor team performance—all from a single dashboard.

LinkedIn isn’t just for job-seekers. According to a 2023 Statista survey, 79% of business-to-business (B2B) marketers ranked LinkedIn among the most valuable social media platforms, far ahead of Facebook, which came in at just 30%.

A strong LinkedIn presence can help any business build an engaged audience on the platform and increase its reach on the larger Internet. Optimizing your Linkedin profile and content improves visibility both within LinkedIn and in external search results.

Here’s how LinkedIn SEO works, how it can help you get the most out of your LinkedIn marketing efforts, and actionable tips for increasing page visibility and traffic.

What is LinkedIn SEO?

LinkedIn SEO is the practice of applying search engine optimization (SEO) principles to improve the visibility of content published on the LinkedIn platform, such as:

• Building authority with a detailed profile
• Producing helpful, high-quality content in post and article format
• Infusing content with search terms, also called keywords
• Following platform best practices

A strong, optimized LinkedIn presence can also improve your visibility across the broader Internet through major search engines.

LinkedIn SEO ranking factors

LinkedIn doesn’t disclose its exact search ranking criteria, and its algorithm remains private. However, its help center offers guidance on search performance. Drawing from this, along with expert SEO insights, here are the key factors influencing LinkedIn search rankings.

• Relevance. Relevance describes how closely page content matches user search intent. If a user searches for “software engineering” jobs, for example, tech companies may be more relevant than industrial engineering firms.
• Follower count. Pages with large follower accounts have higher search authority.
• Connections and search history. LinkedIn search rankings are tailored for different individuals—users are more likely to see profiles or pages with shared connections. A user with a history of searching for B2B companies might see B2B specialists at the top of a freelance copywriter search.
• Profile quality. LinkedIn search favors high-quality, complete profiles. To be considered complete, a profile or company page should include a headline, cover image, profile picture, website link, and company details like industry and employee count.
• Profile activity. LinkedIn wants to send users to active pages. Keeping your profile up to date and regularly sharing content signals your account is in use.

LinkedIn SEO must-dos

Optimizing your company’s profile means balancing audience interests with LinkedIn’s best practices. Here’s how to build a compelling LinkedIn page that attracts both clients and job seekers:

Complete your profile

According to LinkedIn, complete profiles receive 30% more views than those missing key details. LinkedIn treats complete profiles as higher-quality, boosting their search rankings.

Here’s how to complete your business profile for better visibility:

• Add your company logo. This builds brand recognition and adds professionalism.
• Write a clear overview. Summarize what your company does and what sets it apart from the competition. This might include your value proposition.
• Fill in organization details. Include your industry, company size, and location to help LinkedIn categorize your business.
• Include a CTA button. A call-to-action (CTA) directs visitors to your website, Contact page, or another key destination.
• Create a compelling headline or tagline. Use a short phrase capturing your company’s mission statement or values.

Use relevant keywords

Keywords tell LinkedIn’s algorithm what your page is about. Use them strategically in high-visibility places, such as headlines, taglines, and the top of descriptions. Focus on relevant keywords and avoid adding terms where they don’t feel natural. Overloading your profile with repetitive keywords—known as keyword stuffing—can hurt your visibility within LinkedIn search and make your profile appear unprofessional.

If you’re unsure of which keywords to include on your page, use LinkedIn Search Suggest for inspiration. Just type a basic term associated with your business directly into the search bar on LinkedIn. The dropdown suggestions reflect real user queries, giving you insight into valuable keywords to include in your page or post copy.

Include high-quality profile, background, and content photos

Use high-quality photos that reflect your brand identity. Professional imagery leads to higher engagement, more profile views, and improved visibility in both search and recruiter browsing. For example, research shows profiles with a professional profile photo get 14 times more views and 36 times more messages than those without.

LinkedIn profile photos or brand logos appear as a small circle next to your company name in search results. Preview how your image displays on mobile and in Linkedin feeds to ensure clarity. Blurry or unreadable images can leave a poor impression and reduce clicks. LinkedIn recommends the following image specifications for different image placements:

• Business LinkedIn profiles. Company logo: 300 pixels by 300 pixels. Banner image or over photo: 1128 pixels by 191 pixels
• Individual LinkedIn profiles. Profile picture: 400 pixels by 400 pixels. Banner image or background photo: 1584 pixels by 396 pixels

LinkedIn accepts .JPG, .PNG, and .GIF image files. Find a full list of content image specs here.

Post relevant content

Relevant, resonant posts can drive engagement through likes and comments, signaling value to the platform and adding to your search authority.

For example, a social media marketing agency might optimize its primary LinkedIn page, which explains its services, with general industry keywords to attract a broad audience. At the same time, to reach more niche audiences, it could post about client work using more longtail keywords—like “social media marketing for beauty brands” or “viral campaigns for product launches.”

You can also create content to attract a values-aligned audience, like coffee company BLK & Bold does with regard to sustainability.

🌟Discover 11 Linkedin post ideas to level up your content strategy and leverage this professional connection tool effectively.

Publish LinkedIn articles

Publishing LinkedIn articles—from industry news and analysis to case studies, tips, how-to guides, and tutorials—can help you or your company appear in more searches. This is one of the best ways to get more off-platform visibility.

Unlike regular posts, these long-form articles are indexed by Google. In 2023, LinkedIn improved how articles are discovered by search engines, making them easier to surface in organic search results, helping you reach target audiences beyond LinkedIn’s walls.

To make this even easier, LinkedIn gives you built‑in SEO tools. You can add custom SEO titles and meta descriptions directly in the article editor so Google can better understand and rank your content.

Customize your profile’s URL

To create a custom LinkedIn URL, go to your homepage, click “View Profile,” and select the edit icon next to “Public profile & URL.” Enter your desired text in the field and click “Save.”

Choose a unique, brand-reflective URL. Using your business name in your custom URL can make it easier for users who search for your company directly to find your page.

Verify your account

According to LinkedIn, verified accounts, with verification badges, receive more page views and better engagement. Verifying your account establishes credibility and reduces the risk your page could be confused with copycats. Verification can help attract clicks, build search authority, and improve rankings in search results over time.

Business page owners can request verification in account settings. From the super admin view, go to Settings > Verification and click “Verify Now.” LinkedIn guides you through the steps to confirm ownership of your corporate URL. You’ll be notified by email once verification is approved.

When Arjun Sofat and his mother started cold-calling nutritionists from their kitchen table, they had no idea they were laying the groundwork for what would become an eight-figure women’s health supplement business. 

The spark for Free Soul came from a deeply personal place. While working in banking, Arjun watched his mother struggle through his father’s health crisis, turning to intense exercise as a coping mechanism. “She was doing two or three HIIT classes a day, weightlifting, going for long walks, but she wasn’t really nourishing her body,” Arjun says. As her hair became brittle and her energy plummeted, they searched for supplements designed specifically for women’s health needs—and found a gap in the market. 

   

At 21, with no business experience and limited savings, Arjun faced the classic startup dilemma: How do you find customers when you can barely afford to make your product? Free Soul’s solution became a blueprint for early-stage customer acquisition that any founder can adapt.

How Free Soul built a global brand using creative customer acquisition strategies 

1. Start with your network (but know its limits)

Arjun initially turned to his immediate circle. “There [were] a lot of LinkedIn posts in the early days, organically sharing stuff through WhatsApp groups, a lot of friends sending friends things,” he explains. But this approach quickly hit its ceiling.

The breakthrough came when Arjun realized a fundamental truth about customer acquisition: “You quickly realize that the network of people that can buy into your products and can benefit from your brand—that pool probably sits outside of your immediate circle.”

This realization forced him to think beyond comfort zones and develop strategies that would work with strangers, not just supportive friends and family.

2. Make the calls

Before they could even think about customer acquisition, Arjun and his mother had to solve their supply chain puzzle. They contacted hundreds of manufacturers, keeping makeshift Excel sheets tracking every conversation. “My mom had this stack of papers. There were reams and reams of these sheets,” Arjun says. 

Eventually, they found a husband-and-wife manufacturing team willing to work with their limited budget—though it wasn’t without challenges. When the manufacturer raised prices after sensing their enthusiasm, Arjun and his mother started a construction side business—fixing washing machines and installing cupboards—just to afford their first batch of inventory.

This hustle mentality extended directly into their customer acquisition strategy. 

3. Go boots on the ground to find customers 

After a failed email launch campaign to their network that led to zero website visits, Arjun and his mother pivoted to a more personal approach. They went straight to where their customers were.

“We ended up waking up at four in the morning every day, driving to gyms in East London and just handing out samples and leaflets,” Arjun says. For months, they spent hours each day at gym after gym, directly engaging with women who might benefit from their products.

This put them in front of their exact target demographic—health-conscious women actively working on their fitness. It allowed for immediate feedback and education about their products, and built genuine relationships rather than anonymous transactions.

The persistence paid off. “Two to three weeks later, we got one sale, and I just remember that signature sound of the Shopify app pinging off and I was brushing my teeth and just toothpaste everywhere, screaming,” Arjun says.

4. Focus on impact-driven motivation

What kept Arjun and his mother going through months of 4 a.m. gym visits and initial rejections wasn’t the prospect of profit—it was the impact they were having. “I get emails personally every single day at this point where customers are saying they really had a hard time managing their cycle and managing their energy throughout the month, but now thanks to your products, they’re feeling so much better,” Arjun says.

The customer stories became their fuel. Women struggling with fertility who credited Free Soul with helping them conceive. Customers who discovered how proper nutrition could transform their daily energy levels. “There are so many Free Soul babies out there now, which is just the most incredible feeling,” Arjun says.

This mission-driven approach to customer acquisition created something more valuable than transactions—it built a community. When your early customer acquisition efforts are rooted in genuine desire to solve problems, customers become advocates who drive organic growth.

5. Learn through YouTube university

Arjun and his mother became voracious self-learners. “YouTube was very much my gospel. I have a self-proclaimed degree in YouTube or in Shopify thanks to YouTube,” he jokes.

They spent late nights watching tutorials about website optimization, Facebook ads, and Google marketing. Channels like The Nomad Millionaire became their business school, teaching them everything from editing Add to Cart buttons to managing Meta accounts.

This approach had an unexpected benefit for customer acquisition. By learning these skills themselves rather than outsourcing them, they gained an intimate understanding of how their marketing performed. “Because of that, the two of us can run the entirety of our paid media outlets. And that’s so important when you’re trying to understand later on in your journey how to structure your accounts,” Arjun shares. 

When you understand your customer acquisition channels at a granular level, you can optimize and scale more effectively.

6. Maintain a strong unit economics foundation

As they transitioned from purely organic growth to paid advertising, Arjun and his mother maintained strict financial discipline. Their rule was simple: “In the early days, your cost of acquisition must be less than your gross margin. You have to be profitable off that first order if you don’t have money from VCs,” Arjun says.

This constraint forced creative customer acquisition strategies. Rather than pursuing expensive acquisition channels, they focused on tactics that delivered immediate return on investment. Every dollar spent on customer acquisition had to generate profit, not just future potential.

Free Soul’s customer acquisition journey stresses the power of thinking long term. Rather than pursuing growth at all costs, Arjun and his mother built systems and relationships designed to last. “We’re not here for the short run. We’re here to build, God willing, a business that lasts longer than we do,” Arjun says. 

This long-term perspective influenced every customer acquisition decision, from the quality of their gym floor conversations to their choice of investors who shared their mission. It meant prioritizing customer lifetime value over quick wins, sustainable growth over explosive scaling, and authentic relationships over transactional exchanges.

The supplement industry may be heading toward $120 billion by 2033, but Free Soul’s success came from mastering the fundamentals of customer acquisition that work in any industry. Sometimes the most sophisticated strategy is simply showing up consistently where your customers are, with solutions they actually need. Catch Arjun’s full Shopify Masters interview for more scrappy marketing tactics. 

I was standing at my closet on an average Tuesday, reaching for my favorite silk blouse, when I hesitated. Again. I was working as a trader at RBC, my first job out of university, and I had a new wardrobe for my professional career. But after commuting and long days in the office, my silk blouses would be stained with sweat, and the dry cleaning bills were adding up. That moment of hesitation made me realize something ridiculous: I was saving my best clothes for occasions that might never come.

This wasn’t just about a shirt. The clothes we wear impact how we feel, and I was letting sweat stains and dry cleaning costs dictate my confidence.

   

When I searched for a solution—something invisible and comfortable I could wear under my clothes—I found nothing. Women’s intimates offered tank tops and camisoles that were great for layering but didn’t actually keep clothes clean. Athletic brands had performance fabrics, but they were bulky and showed through necklines and sleeves. Men have had undershirts for years. Women didn’t have anything comparable. So I decided to create one myself.

Start with a pain point and ask every question that comes to mind

The best businesses start with a pain point—especially when you are your consumer. You understand the mindset from day one and can develop something that truly solves the problem. And here’s what I’ve learned after building Numi for more than a decade: There’s never only one person with a problem. The more niche your product, the more specific you can be about the solution you’re providing.

When starting Numi, I had zero experience in retail or fashion. I was a history major who became a trader. I didn’t even know another entrepreneur before launching Numi. But I did know how to do an in-depth Google search. I found factories in New York, showed up in person, and got a lot of nos. Most asked what company I was from. When I said I didn’t have one yet, they’d show me the door.

Finally, I found a partner willing to help me design our first prototype. They asked me to bring an example, but nothing like what I wanted existed. So I brought a Lululemon shirt and said, “Like this, but not like this at all.” The neckline needed to be different, the sleeve had to lie flat against the arm, there needed to be a sweat shield for extra protection—there were all these small details I had to figure out as I went.

The number one thing that got me through was asking questions and not being afraid to say I didn’t know something. I’d ask: What’s a prototype? Can you explain that? What’s a tech pack? What do you need from me? You need hang tags—do you know a supplier? I built our entire supply chain through asking questions and getting referrals, slowly building my network one conversation at a time.

Ship at 99% good rather than waiting for perfection

The product we launched on our 2014 crowdfunding campaign (which raised more than $30,000) wasn’t perfect. It had a second layer of fabric to absorb moisture and deodorant, but it didn’t have the technical fabric we use now. By the time we shipped, I already knew we could make it better.

But it still solved the problem. It still added value. And if you’re waiting for everything to be perfect, you’re never going to launch.

There’s this concept called “the gap”—the space between where you are now and where you want to be. The more you learn and develop, the bigger that gap becomes. The product in your hand today might be 99% good, not the absolute best you could make, because you’ve learned along the way. But you need to get it to market. You can evolve.

Every brand you admire does this. They launch version two, version three. They’re always iterating because the world gets better, materials improve. That’s not failure—it’s growth.

Control your message and product education directly

When I started, I followed the traditional wholesale model. I’d pack up my sample bag and drive around to boutiques across the US. But I realized I was spending 80% of my effort on wholesale while 80% of our revenue came from direct to consumer.

Around 2017, we went exclusively online and started investing in Meta ads. We saw almost 400% growth that year. The shift wasn’t just about numbers—it was about controlling the education journey. In retail, I was relying on salespeople to explain what an undershirt was, why someone needed it, how to style it. And if a salesperson walks up to you and starts talking about sweating, your first instinct is to say, “That’s not me,” and walk away.

Online, someone scrolling through their phone at night sees an ad about sweat stains and thinks, “Yep, that’s me.” It’s anonymous, it’s safe. We can take them through the entire journey—here’s the problem, here’s the solution—without any social stigma. Meta ads are still the best avenue for scale, especially if you have a clear problem-solution fit.

Building email early is another critical piece I wish we’d leaned into sooner. You can talk to your consumer exactly where they’re at, whether they’ve abandoned their cart or they’re going through your welcome flow. You’re educating them on who you are, what you’re doing, why you’re doing it.

Keep your product line tight and learn from every mistake

Inventory is probably one of the most difficult aspects of building an apparel brand. Look at the success stories—Spanx started with one pant, Lululemon had its hero product, True Classic began with one t-shirt. If you have something you can sell season after season, you’re not bound by tight selling windows.

We started with domestic manufacturing, which let us do smaller runs and get payment terms that helped with cash flow. We could buy fabric and adjust cuts based on actual demand. One style would take off unexpectedly while another wouldn’t, and we could pivot.

But I learned quality control the hard way. Once, the lycra content in our fabric was wrong—the shirts literally didn’t stretch. We couldn’t even get them on. I had an entire production run I couldn’t sell. Another time, the yarn tension was too tight and the garments were unwearable. Now we have strict testing protocols. Every fabric goes through testing. We get what’s called “top of production” samples—one of each size in every color and style—before anything ships.

Customer feedback helps us iterate, but it’s a balance. If one person complains, don’t change your whole line. Most people only write reviews when they’re unhappy. I rarely write reviews myself unless something’s wrong. So when feedback comes in, we pay attention to trends, survey other customers, and figure out if a change would actually improve the product or disappoint loyal fans.

Build community before you need it

If I could go back, I’d join a coworking space immediately instead of trying to save money working alone. I’d find consultants and contractors with deep experience from day one—they can cut years and dollars off your learning curve, and you don’t need them full-time. You can hire them on a project basis.

Being a solo founder can be lonely. When I was at RBC, my colleagues were a big part of my social life. As a founder, everything’s on your shoulders. You need to build that mastermind group, whether formal or informal, where you can learn from people who’ve been there.

It doesn’t matter if they’re in your industry. If you’re direct-to-consumer, we’re all facing the same problems. The solution might need tweaking for your business, but the tools and feedback you get from other founders will help you build faster and stronger.

Every day, there’s going to be a problem. That’s what makes us better, what makes us stronger. It has to energize you rather than defeat you. You don’t need to figure out the next 10 years today—just figure out what’s going to take you one step closer to launching, one step closer to solving the problem you’re facing.

I still read customer reviews on the hard days. Women write to us saying they wear color now when they used to only wear black. They feel confident in meetings. They’re not thinking about keeping their arms down or staying in the shadows. We’re solving something that might seem silly—it’s just clothing—but it addresses real anxiety. If we can empower someone to feel comfortable and confident so they can focus on what really matters, that’s what keeps me going. 

Watch Michelle’s full interview on Shopify Masters to discover negotiation tips and strategies for locking in the best suppliers and manufacturers for your business.

When you’re shopping for a Shopify theme, you’re seeing it at its best—preloaded with images, fonts, and colors that make it shine. This is a great way to see a theme at its full potential. 

But once you’ve installed it in your store, it won’t look finished until you dive into Shopify customization with your own design choices. Customization is what transforms a default theme into a branded storefront that builds trust, boosts conversions, and creates a shopping experience customers remember. 

With Shopify’s new Horizon framework, themes are more modular than ever, so you can move faster from out-of-the-box to fully branded. This guide breaks down Shopify theme customization—what it is, how it works and what you can do to promote your brand and drive sales in 2025.

What is Shopify customization?

Shopify customization is the process of tailoring your online store so it feels unique to your brand. Out of the box, Shopify themes give you a professional, ready-made design. But customization is what lets you adjust that design to match your brand identity and create a shopping experience that feels personal. 

Done right, it’ll help you increase conversions. According to the Baymard Institute, brands that customize their checkout flow can increase conversions by 35%. 

That can mean small tweaks, like changing fonts and colors, or bigger changes, like rearranging sections, adding custom content, or even building something entirely from scratch. With Shopify’s latest design updates, it’s easier than ever to customize your store without needing a single line of code.

Types of Shopify customizations

There are different levels of Shopify customization, depending on the look you want and your technical abilities. Some store owners only want to tweak the color and integrate a few apps, but others might want to code something brand new. 

Here’s what you can do: 

• Quick theme tweaks. Everyday adjustments, like swapping out fonts and logos, editing banners and images, and choosing whether to show things like stock levels or promo badges. For example, you might use a preset from the Shopify Theme Store and update accent colors to tie in with your latest collection. 
• Block-based layout changes. Modern Shopify themes are modular, built from “blocks” you can drag and drop anywhere on the page. You can stack image galleries and reviews in the order, hide or reveal blocks, and shape each page’s design without code.
• AI-assisted customization. Shopify’s summer 2025 update (built into Horizon themes) lets you generate design blocks instantly with a text prompt. For instance, type “add a countdown timer under the product gallery,” and Shopify will create it instantly. 
• Advanced customization. For more control, a Shopify developer can extend the existing functionality of a store with custom Liquid code and scripts, APIs, and metafields to build bespoke layouts and features. 

Shopify customization: Hire a developer or do it yourself?

One advantage of starting with a Shopify theme is that many structural design decisions are already made for you. You don’t need to worry about page layouts or where to put each image within a complex website builder.

But to make your store reflect your brand, you’ll need to add your own touch. Think of it like decorating a house—the fundamentals are all there, but you get to choose the colors and tweak the décor.

Hire a Shopify developer

If you’re new to the world of web design, the amount of choices you have can feel overwhelming. You can change any color, swap layouts, or update elements with a click—but deciding what works best isn’t always easy. 

For more complex functionality and design, hiring an expert is often more cost-effective than stumbling through it yourself—considering all the other important responsibilities you have.

The Shopify Experts marketplace helps connect you with experienced web designers and developers who know the ins and outs of the platform. They can guide you through decisions or handle the design work for you.

Customize your Shopify theme yourself

In some cases, the DIY route makes sense. Maybe you’re bootstrapping your business or already have the technical and design skills necessary to build a website on your own. Or maybe you just need simple functionality to start, with plans to upgrade later.

Regardless of the reason, Shopify’s theme editor is user-friendly, letting you customize the look and feel of your online store without any coding or design skills. With tools like Sections Everywhere, Shopify app embeds, and page templates, you can add engaging elements to your site with a few clicks.

With the Basic plan or higher, you can create and customize your store’s appearance using Shopify’s built-in theme editor.

5 ways to customize your Shopify store to make it your own

1. Find the perfect theme in the Shopify Theme Store
2. Edit your theme settings to adjust the look of your store
3. Create templates
4. Customize your store with Shopify apps
5. Use Shopify app embeds to add more sections

These five approaches give you a flexible toolkit for customization.

1. Find the perfect theme in the Shopify Theme Store

While Shopify will default your store to either its Debut or Dawn theme, depending on whether or not you’re using Online Store 2.0, you don’t have to stick with it. The Shopify Theme Store offers hundreds of options, and choosing the right theme at the start saves time if you need specific features or functionality.

There are two main categories for Shopify themes: free and paid.

• Free themes. Best for new or smaller stores getting ready to launch or experiment with ecommerce. There are no additional upfront or recurring costs, but often come with limitations and little customization options. There are over 20 free themes to choose from.
• Paid themes. Best for growing businesses that need more features. Shopify offers more than 800 paid themes, ranging from $180 to $350 (one-time fee). While they require more money upfront, paid themes offer more graphic design functions, ecommerce tools, and robust features allowing you to further customize your online store.

Shopify custom themes vs. pre-built themes

When you’re setting up or redesigning a Shopify store, one of the biggest decisions is whether to start with a pre-built theme or invest in a custom theme. Both have their strengths, but it really comes down to budget, timeline, and how much control you want over the final look and feel.

Pre-built themes are ready-made in the Shopify Theme Store. You just have to install them, then you can make adjustments in the theme editor. They typically cost $200 to $400 (one-time). Because they’re already designed, you can go live faster, in days or weeks, depending on how much you want to tweak. 

Maintenance is also easier because the theme developer handles updates and bug fixes. The tradeoff is flexibility: you’re confined to the theme’s framework.

Pre-built themes are best for:

• Small to mid-sized businesses that want a polished design without a big investment
• Brands aiming to get selling quickly
• Store owners who prefer built-in support and updates

Thanks to Horizon, today’s pre-built themes are more flexible, often offering customization levels that once required a custom build.

Custom themes, on the other hand, are designed and coded specifically for your brand, which gives you complete creative control. Costs can run from several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on complexity. 

It also takes a lot longer to launch, because a full custom build can take weeks or months. That being said, you’ll have unlimited flexibility and can tailor every layout and feature so it looks the way you want it to. 

You’ll need a developer (either in-house or freelance) to handle updates, bug fixes, and new features because you won’t get automatic theme updates like you do with pre-built options.

Custom themes are best for:

• Established brands needing a bespoke look or advanced functionality
• Stores with unique customer journeys or niche features
• Businesses with the budget and team to maintain custom code long term

Here’s a quick comparison: 

.tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;}
.tg td{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;
overflow:hidden;padding:9px 15px;word-break:normal;vertical-align:top;}
.tg th{border-color:black;border-style:solid;border-width:1px;
font-weight:normal;overflow:hidden;padding:9px 15px;word-break:normal;}
.tg .tg-wp8o{text-align:center;border-color:#000000;vertical-align:top}
.tg .tg-wkkj{background-color:#efefef;border-color:#000000;
font-weight:bold;text-align:left;vertical-align:top}

2. Edit your theme settings to adjust the look of your store

Once you know the general structure and functionality of your theme, you can focus on the design aspects of your theme customization. This part of Shopify customization ensures your online store matches your visual branding.

To customize a Shopify theme, navigate to the theme editor from your dashboard by going to Admin > Online Store > Themes > Customize. 

The main areas you’ll want to focus on include:

Color palette

If you already have brand guidelines, adjust your Shopify theme settings to align with them. If not, you can use the colors from your logo.

Starting from scratch? Choosing colors for your brand can be intimidating. Do they look good together? Are bright colors or neutral colors a better fit for your brand? Look for inspiration in the types of products you carry. For example, if you sell wood furniture or leather goods, natural colors like brown, beige, and orange might be a great place to start.

You can also use an online color palette tool, many of which will offer examples of great color palettes created by other people or brands.

Once you’ve picked some colors that look good and fit with your products and your business, save the hexadecimal codes that represent your chosen colors. You can use this combo of six letters and numbers on online platforms and design tools to get an exact match anywhere you need to use your colors.

It looks something like this:

• #FFFFFF (white)
• #2D2D2D (very dark gray)
• #50B83C (green)

Fonts

Fonts are also a strong element of branding. Many of the best ecommerce store designs use a combination of different fonts, so you don’t have to stick to just one font or even one style. Find fonts that complement each other and work together without looking repetitive.

It’s generally best to stick to two or three fonts. Any more and you risk diluting your brand, as well as distracting from the flow of information itself. And while it’s tempting to get creative, aim for a balance between legibility, consistency, and clarity.

Pick complementary fonts

The quickest way to find perfect font combinations is by choosing styles within the same font family, such as Helvetica or Times New Roman. Font families have a few variations—assorted weights and styles—that already work well together.

A heavier weight font would be something like the bold version of the font for headings, while a style variation might be an all-caps version for subheads.

Pick compatible typefaces

If you’ve never worked with fonts before, here’s a quick primer on typefaces. There are a few different basic styles of text that you’ll find.

• Serif. These typefaces, like Times New Roman and Georgia, have the little feet at the ends of letters.
• Sans serif. These typefaces, like Arial, Helvetica, don’t have the little feet.
• Script. These typefaces are anything that looks like calligraphy or handwriting.
• Monospace. These typefaces have equally spaced letters, often seen in computer code. A good example is Roboto Mono.

You can pair fonts from different typefaces to get a strong contrast between them.

Combining typefaces based on contrast is great for establishing hierarchy. Contrasting typefaces makes it clear which paragraphs are headings and subheadings and which are body copy.

Hierarchy guides your customers to the most important information.

Use font sizes intentionally

Use font size intentionally to highlight what’s important and to guide users through your site. The more important your content is, the larger the font size should be.

Once you’ve chosen a font size for your body content and your headings, stick with it so your customers can easily tell what’s a headline and what’s a paragraph. Consistency makes your store easier to read and navigate—and fewer hurdles means faster sales.

3. Create templates

While it can be tempting to indulge in new fonts and colors on different pages, remember that consistency is the cornerstone of building a brand. Customers should be able to identify and navigate your store easily, and sticking to a core set of fonts, colors, and styles can go a long way toward that goal.

That’s why page templates or sections are helpful features for Shopify theme customization.

Page templates are useful for things you reuse frequently—like blog posts, landing pages, sales funnels, or even product pages. When you start with a template, you can maintain consistency as well as reduce the amount of creative brain power—and time—it takes to create each of these pages.

Sections are smaller templatized content blocks—like a contact form, call to action, or newsletter sign-up—that you plan to insert on multiple pages. You only need to update the content in that section once, and changes will automatically appear everywhere that uses that section.

To create and edit sections, go to your theme editor and click “+ Add section.” Choose a new section from the list or search for the section you want to edit. Use the ⋮⋮ icon next to drag and rearrange a section to change the order and layout of the sections on the page. Click Save when you’re finished.

4. Customize your store with Shopify apps

The Shopify App Store has more than 8,000 apps covering everything from design tweaks to advanced functionality. You’ll find apps across major categories like store design, marketing and conversion, orders and shipping, sales channels, store management, selling products, and finding products.

Within the store design category alone, you’ll find subcategories for content, design elements, images and media, navigation, site optimization, and more. It all comes down to identifying what you want to customize and then finding the app that will meet those needs.

Here are some custom changes you can make with store design apps:

• Change your search bar. Improve search, filtering, and product recommendations; add visual search; and enhance the overall search experience with apps like Shopify Search & Discovery.
• Add product recommendations. Suggest similar products to boost average order value. See how Thousand uses apps to do so.
• Incorporate customer reviews. Apps like Okendo and Judge.me will help you optimize for conversions with social proof via customer reviews.
• Build landing page templates. For more robust landing page customization and templates, use an app like Shogun, which features an easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor.
• Customize checkout. Match the checkout experience to your visual brand and optimize it to reduce friction and boost sales. Apps like Skip To Checkout and Zipify One Click Upsell can help you do exactly that. All plans from Basic upward support standard checkout. Advanced or full checkout customization—like changing the layout or behavior—is available only on Shopify Plus.

5. Use Shopify app embeds to add more sections

Shopify app embeds are app-provided elements that float on your storefront (like a chat bubble), or add code to your online store without being visible to your customers. They let you extend functionality without cluttering the page design.

Shopify merchant Ora Organic, for example, uses a Gorgias-powered live chat app embed, allowing users to engage with customer support while continuing their website browsing uninterrupted.

App embeds are managed through the theme editor and work with any theme version.

Like sections, app embeds need to be set up only once. So any change you make to the app embed will automatically be reflected across every page where the embed appears.

To customize Shopify app embeds, click on “App embeds” from the theme editor. Select the app embed you want to manage (or click the search bar and enter a keyword to search through your installed apps). Click the toggle to change its status (activate or deactivate). View app embed settings by clicking the expand icon (▸) to adjust details.

Using the Shopify theme editor

The Shopify theme editor is your main design workspace. It’s where you adjust the look and layout of your store without touching code. 

Here are some helpful tips for making the most of it: 

• Start with the homepage. Most shoppers land here first, and it sets the tone for the rest of your store. Build out your hero banner, featured products, and a call-to-action before moving onto smaller pages.
• Think mobile-first. More than half of ecommerce traffic comes from phones. Always preview on mobile before publishing.
• Duplicate your theme before experimenting. In Themes > Actions > Duplicate, make a backup copy before testing changes.
• Lean on presets. Many themes (including Horizon) come with multiple polished presets you can use as a base, then refine in the editor. 
• Watch file sizes. Shopify has a 50 megabyte limit for theme uploads and a 20 megabyte limit for individual files. For images, aim for less than one megabyte each (ideally 500 kilobytes or less) and stick to recommended formats (JPEGs for photos, PNGs for transparent graphics, and SVGs for logos/icons).

Accessing the theme editor

Getting into the editor is simple:

1. Log in to your Shopify admin.
2. Go to Online Store > Themes.
3. Under your current theme, click Customize.

That opens the theme editor, where you’ll see a live preview of your storefront on the right and a sidebar of editable sections on the left.

Key editor features and tools

Once you’re in the Shopify theme editor, here’s what you’ll be working with:

• Sections and blocks (sidebar). Shopify themes are built in modular sections. Add, remove, reorder, or hide sections, and edit individual blocks (like buttons, images, or headings).
• Theme settings. Control global styles, like your fonts, colors, favicon, checkout branding, and social links. Changing something here updates it everywhere.
• Device preview. Toggle between desktop, tablet, and mobile views to make sure your design works across all screen sizes.
• App embeds. Many apps can plug directly into the editor so you can drop features like reviews, chat widgets, or badges right into your theme.
• Dynamic sources. Pull in product details, metafields, or other dynamic data directly into your blocks. For example, you could show shipping info or add promotional messages tied to a metafield.
• Theme presets and styles. Some themes, including Horizon, come with multiple pre-designed “looks” (color palettes, font combinations, layouts) you can switch between for a quick starting point.
• Language editor. Customize the default text strings that appear throughout your theme (e.g., Add to cart > Buy now).
• Accessibility and SEO settings (in some themes). Add alt text, headings, and other optimizations to improve both usability and search visibility.

Advanced Shopify customization for developers

For brands with complex needs, Shopify offers ways to go beyond the theme editor, especially if you’re working with a skilled Shopify developer. They can go beyond the limitations of pre-designed website templates using code, APIs, and advanced customization tools. 

Shopify’s dev documentation can help developers build apps, customize themes with code, and even create a framework for headless commerce. 

Introduction to Liquid templating

Liquid is Shopify’s open-source templating language and the foundation of every Shopify theme. It lets developers create dynamic pages by pulling in content from the Shopify back end (e.g., products, collections, customer data) and rendering it in the front-end template.

With Liquid, you can: 

• Use tags, objects, and filters to output dynamic data (e.g., {{ product.title }})
• Build reusable snippets and layouts for consistent design
• Create conditional logic; for example, showing a badge only if a product is on sale
• Extend or override theme templates with custom code

For example, this simple snippet shows how Liquid can check inventory and display different elements. 

{% if product.available %}
Add to cart
{% else %}
Sold out
{% endif %}

Using metafields for custom data

Metafields let you store and display custom data that doesn’t fit into Shopify’s standard product fields. They extend your store’s functionality without altering the theme.

Some common use cases include: 

• Adding size charts or care instructions to product pages
• Storing “back in stock” dates or preorder information
• Displaying custom icons or labels (e.g., “Vegan” or “Eco-friendly”)
• Creating unique content fields for blog posts or landing pages

And here’s how they work: 

• Define a metafield namespace and key in the Shopify admin (e.g., details.material).
• Assign values to products, collections, or other resources.
• Call the metafield in your Liquid templates.

For example, the below code pulls in a custom “material” metafield and displays it on the product page.

{% if product.metafields.details.material %}
Material: {{ product.metafields.details.material }}
{% endif %}

Your Shopify, your way

Every Shopify theme meets a high standard, packed with built-in features that let brands offer discounts, recommend products, capture emails, and do more for buyers. Plus, all themes get free updates, so you always have the latest version available.

Optimized for selling online, themes are designed to load fast, work seamlessly on mobile, and provide the best checkout experience around—all while complementing your existing brand. With the right customization, your store becomes more than a template: it builds trust and creates a shopping experience your customers return to.

When Ricky Jones first saw the prototype that would later become Stratus’s anti-fog balaclava, he was hooked. A lifelong snowboarder, he immediately understood the product’s value. A few years later, he bought the brand outright and transformed it into a fast-growing winter apparel company, shipping more than 10,000 orders and doubling revenue year over year.

Here, Ricky shares how passion, niche focus, and community helped Stratus carve out space in a crowded industry—and how financial discipline keeps it sustainable.

   

Turn passion into a business

Ricky grew up spending much of his free time on the slopes, so he knew firsthand how frustrating goggle fog could be. “As somebody who snowboarded three to four times a week throughout all of my teenage years, I immediately understood the solution that it solved,” he says.

Instead of jumping in blindly, Ricky spent a year and a half working for free with the brand’s founder, learning the ropes. He filled his skill gaps intentionally, working in influencer marketing, earning certifications in Facebook and Google advertising, even starting a custom footwear venture. That deliberate path gave him the confidence to eventually acquire Stratus.

Passion made the long hours bearable, but skill-building turned that passion into a profitable business.

Embrace the power of a niche market

At first glance, building a brand around balaclavas and ski masks might seem narrow, but Ricky saw the upside. As he explains, “Niche is really great in the smaller stages of your business. And you can always expand your product line to have a broader offering.”

Rather than diluting Stratus’s identity with a wide assortment right away, he leaned into a single solution-oriented product. That clarity made it easier to acquire early customers and create targeted ad campaigns.

Big apparel companies often overlook low-ticket categories, so Stratus had room to design a more thoughtful product. By staying laser-focused on a single need, the brand built credibility and momentum without competing directly with industry giants.

Ricky’s strategy is a reminder that what looks like a limitation can actually be a launchpad—a clear solution-oriented niche provides the sharp edge you need to win your first customers and grow from there.

Building an authentic community

For Ricky, growth wasn’t just about running ads—it was about meeting customers where they were—on the mountain. “I really believe in getting into the epicenter of the community, both geographically as well as with your marketing,” he says.

Stratus built trust by hanging out at local ski shops, skiing with staff, and connecting with “ski bums” who might not have big followings but hold deep influence in their communities. That grassroots credibility made larger influencer partnerships more effective without alienating core fans.

The lesson for other founders is clear: Embedding authenticity in your community—whether ski shops, maker spaces, or local events—creates loyalty that outlasts any ad campaign.

Operational discipline fuels growth

Seasonality poses a unique challenge for Stratus in that every winter requires big bets on inventory. Ricky approaches this with rigor. “I really believe that founders should have a tight grip on their finances and on their financial documents and projections,” he says.

He works with factories to stagger shipments and reduce cash flow strain. He also recommends new founders learn financial basics, experiment with AI tools for education, and partner with a professional accountant to build robust forecasting models.

Growth may start with passion and creative marketing, but it’s sustained by financial discipline. Strong forecasting and careful risk-taking give a brand the stability to keep scaling.

Stratus’s journey proves that a brand doesn’t need to dominate every category to grow. By combining passion, niche focus, community trust, and operational discipline, Ricky built a business that resonates with athletes and casual adventurers alike. As he puts it, “If you’re going to launch a company, you should be living and breathing your niche before trying to launch a business in it.”

For more insight on how to navigate a niche market, check out the full interview with Ricky Jones on Shopify Masters.

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Clear, scannable labels keep your business moving behind the scenes. They get parcels out the door faster, help staff ring up sales quickly, and keep inventory accurate across channels. 

Thermal printers handle this work in seconds, producing sharp labels without smudges or messy ink cartridges. Because these printers use heat instead of traditional ink, they’re more reliable and cost-effective—making them a smart investment for growing retailers. 

Ahead, you’ll learn about the best thermal label printers for 2025, plus a buying guide to help you choose the right one for your business.

How does thermal printing work? 

Think of thermal printers like a cash register receipt printer—they use heat instead of ink to create text and images. Two technologies are commonly used:

1. Direct thermal: Heat reacts with specially coated labels to produce text and barcodes. 
2. Thermal transfer: Heat melts ink from a ribbon onto labels for longer-lasting results.

Both methods deliver fast, quiet prints with few moving parts and no messy ink cartridges.

Direct thermal vs. thermal transfer: What’s the difference?

Overall, direct thermal printing is for cost-sensitive, short-term labels. They are affordable, easy to set up, and require minimal maintenance. For example, an apparel boutique prints same-day shipping labels for online orders, which then travel with the parcel for a few days before being discarded. 

Thermal transfer is better for durable labels that withstand sunlight, moisture, and rough handling. They are more expensive, but the labels last longer. As an example, a specialty food store may tag frozen meals with durable plastic labels that are scannable through freezer storage, transport, and in-store display. 

Here’s a more detailed look at the differences between each:

1. Direct thermal printing 

• Prints on chemically treated labels that darken when heated.
• Hardware is compact and low-maintenance (no ribbons).
• Labels cost a bit more, fade over time, and are vulnerable to sunlight, abrasion, moisture, and chemicals.
• Ideal for short-life labels (under six months), such as shipping labels, tickets, receipts, and perishable goods tags.

2. Thermal transfer printing

• Uses a wax or resin-coated ribbon. The heat fuses the ink to paper, polypropylene, polyester, and other media. 
• Produces a crisp and durable print that withstands UV, moisture, and chemicals. 
• Ideal for long-term labeling like cold storage items, asset tags, and outdoor signage.

Choosing between them depends on your business: if you need quick, low-cost shipping labels, direct thermal is enough. If your products need durable labels that last through storage or handling, thermal transfer is worth the investment.

Benefits of using a thermal printer for your business

Thermal printers offer practical advantages that can save money and keep operations running smoothly. Here are a few of the most significant ones.

• Low costs: Thermal printers don’t rely on ink or toner to print—and require fewer ongoing supplies—which keeps costs low. 
• Quality results and speed: Many thermal printers offer print speeds between 2 and 8 inches per second (ips), far faster than typical inkjets. You can print over 72 high-clarity labels per minute—ideal for shipping and checkout. 
• Portable and energy efficient: Thermal printing iscompact, quiet, and energy-saving, which works great for use at the counter or on the go. 
• User-friendly: Thermal printers have a simple, user-friendly setup that requires minimal maintenance, which means less downtime for staff. 
• Durable design: Fewer moving parts means fewer things break, making them easier to maintain. Printheads often last up to 10 years. 

The best thermal label printers

A thermal label printer is a necessary investment for many businesses. For high-volume work and compact models, these are the top performers that deliver on speed, quality, and reliability:

1. DYMO LabelWriter 5XL

Best thermal label printer for high-volume ecommerce and shipping needs

Specs:

• Size: 7 x 5.5 x 7.375 in
• Weight: 4.9 lbs (2.2 kg)
• Printing method: Direct thermal
• Label size:  4 x 6 in (can print 4 x 8 in)
• Print resolution: 300dpi
• Connectivity: Ethernet port
• Compatibility: Windows, Mac

The DYMO LabelWriter 5XL shipping printer is remarkably easy to set up and use, hitting a sweet spot of print quality, speed, and reliability that most printers can’t match. Its compact, modern design helps it stand out from competitors, and it’s plenty fast at 300dpi with 65% less label waste, which saves you money.

The printer automatically identifies DYMO-branded labels and displays label type, size, and remaining quantity. You’ll get clear, high-quality labels that are extremely easy to peel off and use in any application.

Setup is quick and simple. Once you download the DYMO Connect software, connect your label printer to a power outlet and plug it into a computer to get started. 

The DYMO 5XL LabelWriter works with a wide range of online shipping services, marketplaces, and ecommerce platforms, including UPS, DHL, USPS, FedEx, Shippo, Easyship, Amazon, Poshmark, eBay, and Shopify. This makes it ideal for owners with high-volume ecommerce shipping needs, where speed and cost efficiency directly impact margins.

Pros:

• High-quality prints
• Fast
• Portable 
• Easy setup 
• Very intuitive 
• Swaps label rolls between formats in seconds
• Prints precise label quantities with ease

Cons:

• Comparatively bulky to similar thermal printers.
• Doesn’t print non-DYMO labels.
• Some users say it jams easily.
• Doesn’t work with mobile devices.
• No USB or Bluetooth connectivity.

Price: $209.00

2. Zebra ZD421 Label Printer

Best for moderate-volume printing across retail or warehouse settings

Specs:

• Size: 8.69 x 6.98 x 5.93 in
• Weight: 3.6 lbs (1.63 kg)
• Printing method: Dual thermal (direct thermal/thermal transfer)
• Label size: 4x 6 in 
• Print resolution: 203dpi (300dpi optional)
• Connectivity: USB, Ethernet
• Compatibility: Windows, Android, or iOS

The Zebra ZD421 label printer has a rugged clamshell design for durable, reliable printing.

One thing that sets it apart is its dual thermal printing technology: you can print using direct thermal technology or via thermal transfer. 

It’s loaded with features, like a preinstalled tag cutter and innovative receipt, label, and tag-handling capabilities. Not to mention its fast print speeds, top print quality for different label types, and has Energy Star certification.

It also supports multiple languages and fonts, giving businesses the flexibility to design labels that match their brand identity.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Lightweight and durable
• Portable 
• Energy efficient
• Cost-effective 

Cons:

• Expensive
• No Wi-Fi connectivity
• Limited resolution doesn’t support fine print

Price: $499.00

3. Rollo Wireless Thermal Printer

Best for retailers who need fast, wireless thermal label printing

Specs:

• Size:3 x 7 x 3.5 in
• Weight: 3.39 lbs (1.537 kg)
• Printing method: Direct thermal
• Label size: 1.57 to 4.1 in
• Print resolution: 203dpi 
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB, AirPrint-enabled
• Compatibility: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Chromebook, Linux

The Rollo wireless thermal printer is purpose-built to print wirelessly. 

Its setup process is intuitive and you can integrate the device into your workflow with remarkable ease. Setup is simple: connect via USB, then print wirelessly over Wi-Fi. 

While Rollo uses a patented design to print labels, its cumbersome and clunky plastic tray means it can’t quite land the printer a top slot. That said, it doesn’t require proprietary labels and generates crisp, clear prints at an impressive 150 millimeters per second or one 4 x 6 inch label each second. 

Like Zebra printers, Rollo offers a custom label maker with its app. The app lets you create barcodes, product labels, QR codes, thank you stickers, and more.

For a more streamlined and cost-efficient process, Rollo offers a complimentary Ship Manager app. It connects to any ecommerce platform and automatically imports and groups orders from stores and is compatible with all marketplaces, including Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Shopify.

Rollo is also compatible with all major shipping platforms, including UPS, FedEx, USPS, ShipStation, and Shippo. It’s a good fit for businesses managing orders from multiple marketplaces.

Pros:

• Compatible with all major operating systems
• Works with most thermal labels
• Compatible with all marketplaces
• Doesn’t require any driver installations

Cons:

• No Bluetooth connectivity
• Requires Rollo app

Price: $259.00

4. Brother QL-1110NWB WiFi Label Printer

Best for retailers using Shopify POS to manage shipping and fulfillment

Specs:

• Size: 6.70 x 8.75 x 5.95 in
• Weight: 3.83 lbs (1.735 kg)
• Printing method: Direct thermal
• Label size:  4 x 6 in (prints up to 4.1 in wide labels)
• Print resolution: 300dpi
• Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, LAN/Ethernet, Bluetooth
• Compatibility: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android

The Brother QL-1110NWB is easy to assemble, set up, and operate. To get running, simply download the printer driver from Brother, install it on your computer, and configure your label size. Then, drop in the tape rolls and the printer will automatically detect the size and auto-adjust the onscreen template before printing the labels.

It’s a fast and efficient printer, capable of meeting the demands of today’s ecommerce businesses thanks to its ability to print 69 high-quality labels per minute. This also reduces the time spent waiting for labels for a smooth operation. 

An automatic cutter handles large print jobs, producing clean labels for shipping products to customers. This also makes it an excellent hands-free option if you have your hands full during your project. And with its automatic crop function, you can easily print product and barcode labels on any network with no wastage. 

The wide-format label printer costs more than other options on this list, in part because it offers a variety of connectivity options—Bluetooth, USB, and W-iFi. It also works with iOS and Android operating systems rather than just Windows and macOS.

The Brother QL printer also works seamlessly with Shipping functions on Shopify. For fulfilling orders from a warehouse, pair the printer with your computer to print from the Shopify admin. For fulfilling orders from your retail store, this printer can be paired with Shopify POS on an iOS or Android device in order to turn your stores into mini fulfillment centers.

Pros:

• Lightweight and portable 
• Sleek, compact design
• User-friendly 
• Crisp, clear, high-quality label prints
• Lightning-fast speeds
• Quiet and efficient 
• Durable and reliable
• Works with Shopify POS for fulfillment from a retail store

Cons:

• Occasional issues with connectivity
• Pricier than similar options 

Price: $339.00

Best budget-friendly thermal printers

Getting your business off the ground doesn’t always mean a huge investment in equipment. There are more affordable options that you can start on without breaking the bank.

5. Zebra ZSB 2” Wireless Label Printer

Best for small businesses and home offices with light shipping needs

Specs:

• Size:5.14 x 7.17 x 5.04 in
• Weight: 1.8 lbs (0.81 kg)
• Printing method: Direct thermal
• Label size: 2 in
• Print resolution: 300dpi 
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, compatible with Apple Airprint and Android PrintService
• Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS

The Zebra ZSB 2” is a wireless label printer with a compact design that’s functional, yet fashionable. 

If you run your business from a home office, this printer is an excellent choice. Because of its small size, it weighs less than a kilogram and takes up little space on a desk or bookshelf. Plus, it offers great printing quality and reasonable running costs for small business and home office needs. 

Setup is smooth and intuitive. Simply power on the printer, scan the QR code on the automatically printed label to download the ZSB Series app, then follow the guided setup to connect to your printer. You can use Zebra’s Label Designer tool to create your own label designs before printing.

The ZSB 2” works exclusively with eco-friendly compostable ZSB Series label cartridges and prints up to 73 clear, crisp, high-quality prints per minute. Using the ZSB app, you can easily see the remaining number of labels and the current label cartridge size. 

Like most thermal printers, the ZSB 2” works with shipping and ecommerce platforms, including Shopify, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, UPS, FedEx, USPS, and more. It’s also compatible with Google Contacts and Microsoft Office, so you can seamlessly import data to use with your labels on your computer.

Pros:

• Compact and lightweight 
• High-quality output
• Variety of label formats
• Compatible with major ecommerce and shipping platforms

Cons:

• Lacks USB connectivity
• Requires Zebra mobile app and label cartridges

Price: $88.88

6. NELKO PL70e Bluetooth Thermal Printer

Best for businesses that want quick Bluetooth thermal label printing at a low cost

Specs:

• Size:9 x 5 x 6 in
• Weight: 3.08 lbs (1.4 kg)
• Printing method: Direct thermal
• Label size: 1.54 in to 4.1 in
• Print resolution: 203dpi 
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB 
• Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Chromebook, Linux

The NELKO PL70e makes a good impression right out of the box, starting with its stylish, streamlined appearance. 

Once installed, it continues to impress, cranking out up to 72 clear 4 x 6 inch labels per minute, thanks to its advanced thermal direct technology, which makes it a capable thermal printer for all your daily printing needs. Overall print quality is very good: graphics look vibrant and crisp, while text appears dark and uniform.

The PL70e measures 9 x 5 x 6 inches, which is a fairly compact footprint, but might overwhelm a small desk. You can use fanfold and roll labels ranging from 1.54 to 4.1 inch wide and print labels for virtually any platform, including Amazon, Poshmark, eBay, Shopify, UPS, USPS, Etsy, and more.

NELKO’s setup guide is easy to follow and the overall setup process is about as simple as it gets using the Nelko app, which is available in app stores. Using Bluetooth connectivity, you can connect the printer to a computer or mobile devices. USB connectivity is also available, but only for computers.

Overall, the PL70e is a superb thermal printer that combines stylish looks with fast, high-quality printing. In a perfect world, it would have a feeder tray and support iMacs, but otherwise it’s easy to recommend as a standout in a sea of label printer options. Its simple setup and Bluetooth connectivity make it ideal for retailers who need mobile flexibility without investing in higher-priced models.

Pros:

• Fast, high-quality printing
• Works with all major operating systems
• Compatible with all marketplaces

Cons:

• No Wi-Fi connectivity
• Requires the Nelko app to connect

Price: $109.00

7. Polono PL60

Best for new businesses seeking an entry-level thermal printer

Specs:

• Size: ‎6.18 x 6.18 x 10.91 in
• Weight: 4.95 lbs (2.24 kg)
• Printing method: Direct thermal
• Label size:1.57 to 4.65 in
• Print resolution: 203dpi 
• Connectivity: USB 
• Compatibility: Windows, Mac

The Polono PL60 is a budget-friendly option, but it’s much heavier, at almost 5 pounds. So, it’s not really a carry-it-around style printer.

Setting up the PL60 is quick and easy. It also comes with a smart feature that automatically and accurately adjusts label positions and a smart auto-feed function that reduces waste and improves alignment. It prints quietly and fast, firing out 72 high-quality labels per minute, which improves work efficiency and saves you time. 

The printer supports label widths ranging from 1.57 to 4.65 inches and is compatible with all major shipping and ecommerce platforms, including Shopify, eBay, DHL, USPS, FedEx, Amazon, and Etsy. It’s a solid starter choice for newer retailers who want reliable shipping labels without a big upfront spend.

Pros:

• Fast printing
• Good quality
• Quick install and setup

Cons:

• Not wireless
• Requires a printer driver

Price: $80

8. MUNBYN RealWriter 403B

Best for retailers that need a portable Bluetooth printer for labeling on the go 

Specs:

• Size: 7.32 x 3.58 x 3.62 in
• Weight: 1.5 lbs (0.68 kg)
• Printing method: Direct thermal
• Label size: 1.57 to 4.3 in
• Print resolution: 203dpi
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB
• Compatibility: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, ChromeOS

The MUNBYN RealWriter 403B is a user-friendly thermal printer for small businesses. It offers Bluetooth and USB connectivity, so you can print from your smartphone, tablet, or computer. 

Setup is quick and easy with integration for major platforms like FedEx, UPS, and Shopify. For mobile use, the MUNBYN Print app offers a large library of templates and design elements like stickers and fonts.

One feature that makes MUNBYN unique is its built-in chip which calibrates and adjusts label positions automatically. Labels come out more aligned, so prints look professional every time. Operating at about 60 decibels, this printer is quiet and compatible with a range of label sizes. 

With its light weight and mobile app, it’s a good fit for sellers who print labels at markets, popups, or small warehouse spaces.

Pros:

• Wireless printing via Bluetooth
• Fast printing speed (150 mm/s)
• High-quality, clear prints
• Easy to set up and use
• Broad compatibility with various devices and platforms
• Feature-rich mobile app

Cons:

• Mobile app can have a learning curve
• Requires an external label holder

Price: $84.99

How to choose a thermal label printer

Choosing the right thermal label printer depends on your business needs. Below are some of the key factors to weigh before you invest:

Print quality and resolution

A good, reliable thermal label printer has a sufficiently high resolution—at least 203dpi—which results in high-quality, professional-looking labels. For best results, use quality thermal printing materials tested for print quality, adhesive strength, chemical resistance, and printer wear and tear.

Printing speed

If speed is essential to you, you’ll want a label printer with a high output-per-minute rating. But keep in mind, these speeds are based on optimal conditions. 

Other variables that may affect print speed include the age of the printer, choice of label, color or black ink printing, printer settings, image size, and print resolution or quality.

Label sizes

Most thermal printers support 4 x 6 inch labels, which is standard for shipping platforms and marketplaces. However, some printers, like the Brother 1110NWB, offer wider-format label printing. Consider printer options offering label dimensions that match your sizing needs.

Connectivity 

Most thermal label printers connect via USB to Windows or Mac computers. However, if you rely on Linux, Chromebooks, or want to print labels from a mobile device, look for models with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Ethernet ports. 

You’ll also want to consider if a label printer can connect to your POS device to unify your operation, like the Brother QL printer connects with Shopify POS. 

Ease of use

You don’t want to deal with a label printer that’s hard to figure out. Look for choices that are easy to install, set up, use, and troubleshoot. Watch for connection, print speed, label waste, and how intuitive the printer connection app is to use without extensive training. 

Durability

With fewer moving parts, thermal label printers are built to last—many printheads run for years (10 years on average) with minimal maintenance. 

All you need to change is the label—no costly cartridges or toner subscriptions. Look for models with a sturdy build that won’t easily break when accidentally dropped or placed in warehouses and rough field environments.

Total cost of ownership

The best thermal label printers vary in price. With discounts and coupons, you can find one for less than $100, while others can cost up to $500. 

Besides the price of the printer, you’ll also need to consider running costs, like thermal ribbons, label rolls, and whether you’re locked into buying proprietary supplies. 

Once you identify a thermal printer you like, check similar models from other manufacturers to compare the cost difference.

Thermal printed labels beat Sharpie scribbles every time

A reliable thermal label printer is simple to use, affordable, and produces clear, professional-looking labels. That professionalism and reliability matter, especially when shipping packages to customers or organizing stock. 

Ultimately, the right one for your business will depend on your specific needs and priorities. Weigh the pros and cons of each model against your volume, workflow, and platform needs.

What if you could offer your brand’s value proposition to one billion people all at once? By building a strong personal brand on LinkedIn, you’re throwing open the doors to potential engagement with the platform’s one billion members.

According to Semrush, LinkedIn saw 1.77 billion visits in February 2025 alone. More than 80% of business-to-business (B2B) social media leads come from LinkedIn and 63% of marketers rate LinkedIn as the most effective platform for B2B marketing. 

Today’s entrepreneurs know building a personal brand on LinkedIn is not simply a “nice-to-have”—it’s a necessity for establishing yourself as an expert in your field and building lasting connections with your audience. But how do you start?

Ahead, find out what it takes to build your LinkedIn personal brand, see inspiring LinkedIn personal branding examples, and learn how to overcome challenges in pursuit of building an authentic personal brand. 

Why personal branding matters on LinkedIn

A personal brand helps build credibility and trust, supports relatability, and sets you apart from your contemporaries. When people resonate with your story as a small business owner, they’re more likely to buy from you and may even recommend your brand to others: data shows 70% of consumers report feeling more connected to a brand when its founder is active on social media platforms.

Although entrepreneurs may assume they need to announce something monumental before they take to LinkedIn, that couldn’t be further from the truth. If you’re starting out, sharing your journey, your wins, and your struggles helps your audience connect with you on a deeper level. Just remember to show your authentic self. Your content doesn’t have to be perfect. It only has to express the real you. Research shows customers crave and value authentic conversations. One NIH study displays a positive correlation between a founder’s perception as agreeable and open with a 5% higher likelihood of attracting funding.

How to differentiate founder-led content from brand-led content

If you run a commerce business and only post on your brand’s LinkedIn page, you’re missing out on an opportunity to directly connect you with your audience. As a founder, posting on your personal LinkedIn increases your visibility while also driving website traffic. And, it can generate sales for your business. 

The impact of sharing content on your personal LinkedIn profile is powerful: 88% of marketers say their audience views personal branding as more genuine than corporate content. Moreover, 69% of consumers trust small businesses more if their founder is posting on social media.

Your brand’s page and your content serve different purposes. While your brand’s page focuses on showcasing your products, your personal content highlights your humanity. “Personal branding is the intentional creation of a brand that is distinctly you. And that carries authority, builds trust with your customer, and feeds into direct business goals,” says Shoaib Ahmed, a LinkedIn expert with more than 56,000 LinkedIn followers. 

For example, your streetwear brand can post photos of a new t-shirt launch while you, as the founder, can share the story behind the designs or the challenges faced during production. Personal storytelling adds emotional depth and can make the launch memorable for readers.

How often should you post to LinkedIn to reinforce your personal brand?

While experts suggest posting on LinkedIn up to five times a week, quantity should not be prioritized over quality. If you post one high-value post per week, that is better than five hasty posts that generate little to no value (and likely will garner little to no engagement). 

“Start with one to two posts a week and build a scalable system that allows you to then scale that up to five posts a week,” says Shoaib. “Don’t just post (or) throw stuff at the wall. Instead, start small, analyze what’s working … and then scale up when you’ve built the confidence and you are writing quality content. It’s always better to be quality driven than quantity.”

What are the types of content that can help you build a strong personal brand on LinkedIn?

There are primarily four types of posts you can create for your LinkedIn content strategy. They fall into four pillars: attraction, authority, affinity, and action. Each content pillar serves a specific purpose. “Attraction” content is optimized for search and sharing, “authority” content positions you as a thought leader, “affinity” content builds emotional connection, while “action” content drives conversions. 

Not sure what to post? Here’s a breakdown to help you get started:

Personal stories

Taking your audience through your journey and sharing personal snippets about your life—such as pivoting careers, bootstrapping the business, or navigating through failures—help build affinity and create an emotional bond with your audience.

Personal storytelling is a great way to help your audience connect with the person behind the brand. For example, the Original Duckhead umbrella was founded in 2012, but it was based on the stylish hand carved duckhead handle umbrella founder Morgan Cros remembered her mother used on rainy days when she was a child.

In this LinkedIn post, Connie Lo, co-founder of Three Ships, shares a powerful personal milestone of finally pitching on Dragons’ Den after manifesting the moment as a teenager. Coupled with a photo of her and her co-founder pitching on the show, her story gave an insight into her personal ambitions and garnered more than 2,200 likes.

Behind-the-scenes (BTS) moments

Launching a new product? Write about it—the good, the bad, the research that shaped it, and the challenges you faced along the way. Sharing unpolished, everyday moments helps build affinity and increases your personal brand’s authenticity. 

Let’s say you’ve been gearing up to fulfill a massive ice cream order for an event but, as the big day arrives, your freezer breaks down. You could write about how you navigated this hurdle. Did you scramble to find a backup freezer? Did it delay the delivery? How did you handle the pressure? Stories like these humanize your brand and allow audiences to share in the ups and downs of your journey.

In this LinkedIn post, Kathryn Kavner Woolf, founder of Heyday Canning Co. shares the story behind launching a scented candle.

Gymshark founder Ben Francis shared a collage of nostalgic photos as part of a LinkedIn post because it captures moments of his days as an entrepreneur. The images included those of him wearing a medieval costume, packing Gymshark products, and working in front of his computer. The post’s relatability lay in the reflection that being a founder is made up of many small moments. It’s something that resonated with his audience, garnering more than 6,000 likes

Educational and expert driven content

Sharing your take on social media trends, offering expert advice or teaching through examples establishes your authority and positions you as a trusted thought leader. 

Suppose you have a chocolate brand and spot a new chocolate trend blowing up on another social media channel, such as TikTok. You could write posts analyzing the potential of this chocolate and advising on different types of cocoa if someone wants to try making it themselves. This kind of content sparks conversation, boosting your visibility on LinkedIn.

Client stories and testimonials

Highlighting positive reviews, testimonials, and client success stories is a powerful way to showcase the tangible value your brand delivers. Testimonial type content like this, inspires the audience to take action and drives conversions through sales and leads.

For example, if someone praises your skin care brand’s sunscreen for how smoothly it glides on the skin, you could post that screenshot on your LinkedIn and share the story behind the product: the months you spent in the lab, collaborations with chemists, and the care that went into formulating the perfect sunscreen. 

Khulan Davaadorj, founder of Lhamour, a skin care brand, shares the story of a customer, who soothed her sensitive skin with the brand’s healing balm. 

What type of storytelling format works well on LinkedIn?

From carousels and videos to image posts and long-form articles, each format on LinkedIn has its own strengths. “There’s not one format that works better than others,” says Shoaib. “Try different formats, experiment and see what is helping you achieve your goals and then do more of that.” 

See which format works best for your next LinkedIn post:

Carousel posts

LinkedIn carousels let you share multiple images in one post through a slide-by-slide layout. Carousels are perfect for breaking down complex information, sharing a story in chunks and guiding your audience through a clear, visual flow. 

For example, if you want to share your creative process of making a vanilla-scented candle from scratch, you can easily do it through carousels. On the first slide, you can highlight which beeswax you use and on the following slides, you can show how you melt the wax, add the vanilla fragrance, pour it into container molds, and let it cool. Simply break down each step of the process into its own slide and you will get a captivating carousel.

Image based posts

Imagine reading a plain text post about an entrepreneur speaking at a conference. The words might be captivating but visually bland. Now add a photo of them on stage and the post instantly becomes much more engaging and scroll-stopping.

Images are a great way to add context, emotion, and depth to your content. Need to simplify complex data? Add a colorful infographic. Want to showcase glowing product reviews? Share screenshots. Want to reveal the behind-the-scenes of your creative process? Include photos of your workspace.

Images also take up more space on mobile screens, boosting their chances of being noticed. “If you have a text-based post and the post on the newsfeed before yours and after yours is an image…your first two lines are…sandwiched between two visuals [so no one will notice your content],” says Shoaib, highlighting the importance of imagery in posts. 

Videos

According to LinkedIn’s own data, video posts drive five times more engagement than static posts. Whether explaining complex concepts or showcasing product demos, videos are a powerful medium to connect with your audience.

“(Videos) are a great way to build trust and credibility, because people can see you talk about topics that you’re passionate about, and that carries a different kind of weight,” Shoaib says. “They feel like they get to know you, so that can help be helpful for conversions.” Your LinkedIn video can be up to five gigabytes in size and should be between three seconds and 10 minutes long.

In this LinkedIn post, Dorian Morris, founder of Undefined Beauty, shares a video of her mother using the brand’s products, offering a relatable, real-life demo on mature skin.

Blog posts

Blog posts on LinkedIn allow you to dive deeper into a topic. Long-form writing allows you to provide additional value to an audience that wants more than just quick updates.

For example, if you run a chocolate brand, you can write a blog post about your journey of sourcing cocoa. It’s an opportunity to show how you conduct research on ethical practices to select the right suppliers to manage the challenges of consistent supply. This type of content gives readers insight into your expertise. 

What are some common challenges of building a personal brand on LinkedIn?

If you’re starting out, building a personal brand on LinkedIn can make you feel vulnerable. Putting yourself out there can be intimidating, especially when balancing multiple responsibilities as a founder. While these doubts are common, you shouldn’t let them discourage you from building your personal brand. Below, find some tactics for overcoming the most common challenges small business owners face on LinkedIn.

Staying consistent with posting content

You start strong with a few great ideas and aim to post five times a week. But as time goes on, your ideas either run dry or you start feeling overwhelmed. Those five posts drop to two and then to none.

The key to posting consistently on LinkedIn isn’t about forcing yourself to write more—it’s about building a solid system that focuses on the following:

• Batch creation: You don’t have to create content daily. Instead, dedicate a specific day and time each week to focus and prepare five posts in advance for the coming week. 
• Repurposing content: You don’t have to come up with multiple new ideas. One theme can be broken down into chunks of ideas and presented in different formats through a carousel, a video, or a text post. 
• Setting realistic goals: Start small instead of setting big goals, it’ll make it easier to commit to your goals. If updating your profile five times a week feels overwhelming, post one or two times a week and build from there.

Dealing with low engagement

Consistently publishing posts and barely getting shares, likes, or comments can be demotivating. In these moments, try the following steps to increase engagement:

• Add a question toward the end: Close your LinkedIn post with a question that motivates your audience to share their own perspectives. For example, if you post about your creative process to maximize productivity, end it with a question: “What’s one habit or routine that’s been a game-changer for your productivity?” This can lead to comments under your post, boosting engagement. 
• Focus on writing strong hooks: The first two lines of your LinkedIn post are crucial, as it’s what readers see before clicking “See more.” If your hook doesn’t grab their interest, people will scroll past your post without reading it. 
• Network on LinkedIn: Connect with potential clients, collaborators, and industry peers, and reach out to them with personalized messages. Instead of leaving vague comments like “good point,” share your perspective or experience when they post updates. Thoughtful comments can build a relationship with the original poster, and may also catch the attention of their audience who may identify you as someone worth following. 

Uncertainty around what content to post

Some days, you’re bursting with ideas. Other days, you’re hit with writer’s block. Lack of clarity about what to post can be a blocker when you’re building up your practice to enhance your personal brand on LinkedIn. If you face this dilemma, here are some tips to consider: 

• Niche down: If you write about everything, you will exhaust yourself. Instead, identify two to three niche topics you’re passionate and knowledgeable about. Focus your content around those areas. 
• Build an idea bank: Throughout the week, take screenshots of inspiring content or viral trends and save them in a dedicated folder. When creating content, go through this folder to avoid running out of ideas.
• Study creators in your industry: Which topics and hooks get high engagement? What storytelling styles work for them? Use their posts as inspiration for your own.
• Remember no one can tell your story like you can: Initially, it can feel cringe to put yourself out there, particularly if you’re not comfortable sharing your writing. Remember, only you can tell your story in your voice. To get more comfortable with writing, pretend you’re corresponding with a friend, and work on your conversational tone. You also can try voice-to-text tools like Google Docs voice typing, Apple Dictation, Otter.ai or Descript to transcribe your spoken thoughts into written posts you can edit.

Are there LinkedIn features and tools that help with content creation?

LinkedIn has built-in tools and features that can simplify your content creation journey. From upskilling and idea generation to helping you stay consistent, these tools are designed to enhance your content strategy.

Here are some tools you can use for an assist in your LinkedIn personal branding journey:

Scheduling content

LinkedIn’s “Schedule for later” feature allows you to schedule content without being online in real time. Not only is it helpful for when you batch-create content and want to schedule it for the week ahead, it can also ensure you post at a time when your community is online to interact with your content. If you’re an entrepreneur struggling to stay consistent with posting content, this feature can be a game-changer.

If you want to schedule your post, just paste your content into the “Start a post” box, then click the clock icon next to Post. You can then select your desired publishing date and time for your posts.

Saving posts for future inspiration

When you come across a high-performing or inspiring post on LinkedIn, you can save it using the Save feature. You can revisit it later for when you have time to thoughtfully comment or have time to study what makes it engaging.

To save a post, just click the three dots in the top-right corner of the post and select Save. When you want to view your saved posts, just click on Saved Items on your LinkedIn homepage.

Joining LinkedIn groups

LinkedIn groups are a valuable resource for expanding your network, staying updated on trending topics, and gathering content ideas.

For example, if you run a baking business, you can join groups focused on baking, chocolates, candies, etc. This will keep you informed about the latest trends in the dessert culinary world and help you discover content ideas based on discussions in those groups.

But how do you join LinkedIn groups? The first step is to use the LinkedIn search bar at the top to type relevant keywords. Using the previous example, type in “chocolate” or “baking.” On the search results page, click the Groups filter to narrow your results. Look for groups to join that have a good number of members and high engagement.

LinkedIn Learning courses

If you’re an entrepreneur beginning your personal branding journey, make sure to explore the courses LinkedIn offers on content marketing, personal branding, and storytelling. To access them, click on the For Business icon in the top-right corner of your homepage, select Learning from the dropdown and then browse the courses offered that focus on creating better content. 

How do you know if your LinkedIn content is working? 

When building your personal brand on LinkedIn, posting content is not enough—you also must evaluate the effectiveness of what you’re posting. Ask yourself: Is your content actually helping with boosting your visibility, growing your presence and generating sales?

The best way to measure if your content is working for you is by looking at keyengagement metrics such as an increase in likes, comments, reposts, and post impressions to decipher if people engage with your posts. But don’t stop there. Is there an increase in your followers and profile visits? Are people saving your posts? Are they messaging you to connect? All these are strong indications that your content is resonating with your audience and increasing your visibility on LinkedIn.

To access these insights, you can click on Analytics on your LinkedIn profile. This data shows you how your content is performing and is visible only to you. You can also click “View analytics” under the bottom-right corner of your post to see how an individual post is performing.

What are some benefits of building up your visibility on LinkedIn?

If you’re a business owner, posting on LinkedIn builds recognition for your brand. It can unlock a plethora of opportunities both personal and professional. Start today. Stay consistent. Share your story and the journey behind your brand with the world. 

Lastly, be patient. Engagement and online recognition take time. Like anything worth building, a LinkedIn personal brand may take time to build, and low engagement is a normal part of the early content journey. 

Opt-in email marketing is when customers or potential customers voluntarily subscribe to a company’s email list. It’s akin to asking permission before you enter someone’s home. You’re much better off as a welcomed guest than inviting yourself inside when you weren’t asked to come over. 

By focusing on consent, opt-in email marketing builds trust. When people voluntarily subscribe, they’re signaling genuine interest in your brand, making them more likely to open, read, and engage with your messages. This isn’t just about etiquette—it’s about effectiveness. A permission-based approach helps you cultivate a stronger, more loyal audience while improving deliverability and long-term results.

What is opt-in email marketing?

Opt-in email marketing is a strategy where customers provide their email addresses—usually through a sign-up form, landing page, or subscription box—in exchange for updates, offers, or other content. It’s also referred to as permission marketing, since it relies on getting explicit consent before sending messages. For example, if you’ve ever entered your email on a company’s website to “Get Updates” or “Unlock 10% Off,” you’ve participated in opt-in email marketing.

Opt-in email sign-up forms provide a way for you to gain traction, clicks, and conversions from a more deeply engaged email list. Unlike cold emails or email lists that you purchase—where potential customers receive messages they never asked for—opt-in email marketing ensures everyone wants to see your content. This reduces the likelihood recipients will mark your emails as spam, which, in turn, helps protect your sender reputation.

What makes a good email opt-in form?

Good email sign-up forms set clear expectations about the types of future emails subscribers can expect to receive, how often, and why they’re valuable. If you’re running a clothing brand, sending a message that says “Join our mailing list!” is a weak opt-in offer. A better approach might be: “Sign up for weekly styling tips and exclusive promotions.” That’s much more detailed and enticing. Consider this example:

Savvy opt-ins like this one from Sigma reward subscribers with benefits that make them feel special and give them a sense that they’re part of an elite club. This can include welcome emails, newsletters, promotions, event offers, and discounts.

Single opt-in vs. double opt-in

When someone enters their email into your opt-in form, there are two main ways for them to gain access to your email subscription. 

In a single opt-in approach, the subscriber provides their email, and you add them to your list. This frictionless sign-up approach helps your list grow faster. With that said, there’s still a chance the subscriber isn’t actually interested, in which case you have a higher risk of unengaged subscribers and unwanted spam complaints.

That’s where the double opt-in approach comes in. For this, you add one additional step to the process: After the subscriber shares their email address, you send them a follow-up email to double-check that they want to be on your list. The double opt-in process helps eliminate bots and invalid email addresses, and it also confirms subscriber interest.

For an example, take a look at Recess’s double opt-in confirmation email:

It opens warmly and maintains a friendly tone throughout, which shows customers they’re immediately valued. It also communicates that subscribers won’t get spammed—you’re checking for consent not once, but twice—which can deepen trust.

Best practices for opt-in email campaigns

Nearly 99% of email users check their inboxes daily—ahead of news and social media. Here are five of the best opt-in email practices to create an engaged list of subscribers.

Offer clear value upfront

Let subscribers know exactly what they’ll receive and deliver on that value consistently. Any tangible offer can become an instant lead magnet—a perk or incentive that encourages customers to share their personal information—whether it’s a discount code, weekly tips, or exclusive content. You may want to follow through with more offers each week. It can build trust and signal to the customer that this is a brand they can rely on to offer them consistent value.

Get consent

Make sure your customers understand they’ve signed up for your emails. In other words, get their explicit consent. While opt-in consent isn’t required in the US, it is required in the EU under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Regardless, receiving a slew of unwanted emails can be a turn-off for your customers, have a negative impact on your brand, and lead to higher spam complaints. By only sending emails to people who’ve consented to them, you’re reaching the audience you want.

Keep it short and sweet

The email sign-up form should be simple: A name, email address, and checkbox are usually all you need. The more basic the form, the easier it’ll be to amass opt-ins, plus the form will be easier to design for multiple screen sizes, like a desktop/laptop, tablet, and mobile devices.

A/B test your CTAs and offers

A/B testing, which is when you compare two methodologies to see which one is more successful, can make a big difference in conversion rates. Don’t assume one will work better just because you like it more. You may want to consider testing different offers, copy, design, opt-in process, and location. Here are a few approaches you can try:

• Be sharp with the writing. Make sure the call to action (CTA) inspires them to sign up by motivating them with an offer. Craft sign-up forms with clear CTAs like “Get Your Free Ebook,” or “Get Your Discount Now.” A/B testing phrases like “Join Our Mailing List” or “Join Our Community” can show you what resonates best with your potential opt-in subscribers.
• Simplify design. Make your CTA stand out with font size, contrast in colors, and placement. Don’t put it at the very bottom of the page, since users may not scroll long enough to see it. Keep your layout simple and mobile-friendly.
• Test sign-up forms. It’s also good to find out how much information people are willing to share in the opt-in process. Some customers may feel more comfortable giving you an email instead of a name, email, and phone number.
• Experiment with location and timing. Test communications beyond emails, like pop-up timing and placements, to see if they improve engagement. By testing these potential points of friction, you get a better understanding of your customers and what they want. This type of information allows you to iterate and improve your overall marketing strategy.
• Segment your audience. Personalizing messages to resonate with certain audiences may improve your odds of more engaged opt-ins. Email segmenting allows you to offer value to your customers by giving them personalized content they actually want.