Shopify Audience: The Secret Sauce to eCommerce Growth
In the dynamic world of online shopping, standing out in a sea of eCommerce stores is becoming tougher than ever. That’s where Shopify Audience steps in—a powerful tool designed to help store owners supercharge their conversion rates.
If you are running a Shopify store, Shopify Audience might just be the secret weapon you’ve been looking for. It helps you reach the right customers, improve conversions, and get more out of every ad.
In this article, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about Shopify Audience: what it is, how it works, why it matters, and how it can seriously level up your eCommerce game.
Contents
1. What is Shopify Audience?
Simply put, Shopify Audience is a smart targeting tool built right into the Shopify Plus plan. Instead of guessing who might buy, Shopify pulls purchase trends from thousands of stores and helps you target those same kinds of buyers on platforms like Facebook, Google, TikTok, and more, helping merchants find high-intent shoppers.
Imagine having a crystal ball that could tell you exactly who is most likely to buy your products. When you choose a product you want to boost, Shopify Audiences scans tons of data across the platform to spot patterns in buying behavior. From there, it helps you create a lookalike audience that is made up of people interested in similar products. This way, your ads would reach the right crowd and deliver better results.
However, Shopify Audience isn’t available to everyone. You’ll need to be on the Shopify Plus plan, use Shopify Payments, and be based in the US or Canada to access this feature.
💡If you’re trying this during your Shopify 1 dollar 3 months trial period, remember you’ll need to upgrade to Plus to unlock the full functionality.
2. Benefits of Using Shopify Audience
Many eCommerce sellers are turning to Shopify Audience for a good reason. It offers some powerful advantages that can make a real difference in your marketing efforts. Here’s a quick rundown of what you can gain from using it:
- Laser-Focused Targeting: Instead of guessing who might want your product, Shopify Audience puts your ads in front of people who are statistically more likely to buy. It’s like skipping the small talk and going straight to the “take my money” crowd.
- No Ad Spend Waste: When your ads are shown to the right people, you waste less of your budget on the wrong ones. More bang for your buck, who doesn’t love that?
- Boosted Conversion Rates: You’re not just increasing traffic—you’re increasing the number of people who actually convert. This is gold, especially if you’re optimizing every cent of your ad budget.
- Seamless Integration with Major Ad Platforms: Whether you’re a fan of Meta, Google, or TikTok, Shopify Audience lets you export directly and run your campaigns without complicated setups.
- First-Party Data Advantage: As third-party cookies fade into history, Shopify’s first-party data becomes a goldmine. Your targeting remains precise, compliant, and future-proof.
💡If you’re still setting up your store, make sure to check out this helpful guide on how to launch a Shopify store to get started on the right foot.
3. How to Set Up Shopify Audience
Before we jump into the setup process, let us remind you one more time: Shopify Audience is only available if you’re on the Shopify Plus plan, use Shopify Payments, and are based in the United States or Canada.
Okay! Now, let’s set you up for success.
Step 1: Install the Shopify Audience App
Head over to the Shopify App Store > search for “Shopify Audience” > click the install button.
It’s free for eligible Plus merchants, so don’t worry about any additional costs. Many merchants find the app already installed as part of their optimized setup.
Step 2: Access the App in Shopify Admin
Once installed, go to your Shopify admin dashboard, click on “Settings” in the sidebar, and then select “Apps and sales channels.”
Step 3: Open the Shopify Audience App
Look for Shopify Audience in your list of apps > click “Open app” to get started.
This will take you to the main dashboard, where all the magic happens. If you’re finding the technical aspects challenging, a professional Shopify store setup service can handle this for you, ensuring everything is configured correctly.
Step 4: Accept Terms and Conditions
Like any powerful tool, there are some terms you’ll need to agree to. Review the terms and conditions, click “Get started” to continue your setup journey.
Step 5: Enable Data Sharing
The final step is enabling data sharing. In the Data sharing section, you’ll need to ensure compliance with US State and privacy laws. Review the information provided, then click “Turn on” to activate the feature.
And that’s it! The whole process usually takes less than 10 minutes, and you don’t need any technical skills to make it happen. Now, let’s talk about connecting your favorite ad platforms.
4. How to Connect to Ad Platforms and Generate Audiences by Shopify Audience
As Shopify Audience always makes it easy to connect your store to platforms like Meta, Google, and TikTok, within a few steps, you could be set up and ready to target the shoppers who want what you’re selling. Here’s the quick guide for each platform. Let’s walk them through!
4.1. Meta (Facebook & Instagram)
- Open your installed Shopify Audience app.
- Click on the Meta tab > hit “Generate audiences” followed by “Connect.”
- Enter your Facebook password when prompted > click “Continue.”
- Choose which Meta Business and Ad account you want to use.
- Click “Accept terms” > “Export audiences,” > you’re ready to advertise on Facebook and Instagram!
4.2. Google
- In the Shopify Audience app, click over to the Google tab.
- Click “Generate audiences” > click “Connect.”
- Type in your Google password > hit “Continue.”
- Select your Google Business > Ad account.
- Accept the terms > click “Export audiences” to send your high-intent customer list to Google.
4.3. Criteo
- From the Shopify Audience dashboard, select the Criteo tab.
- Click “Generate audiences” > click “Connect.”
- Enter your Criteo password > click “Approve.”
- Choose your Criteo Ad account.
- Click “Export audiences” and start targeting those promising customers!
4.4. Pinterest
- Head to the Pinterest tab in your Shopify Audience app.
- Click “Generate audiences” > click “Connect.”
- Enter your Pinterest login details > click “Give access.”
- Select your Pinterest Ad account.
- Accept Pinterest’s terms > click “Export audiences” to start promoting your pins to likely buyers.
4.5. Snapchat
- Navigate to the Snapchat tab in Shopify Audience.
- Click “Generate audiences” followed by “Connect.”
- Login with your Snapchat credentials > click “Continue.”
- Select your Snapchat Business > Ad account.
- Accept Snapchat’s Customer List Audience Terms > click “Export audiences.”
4.6. TikTok
- In the Shopify Audience app > click on the TikTok tab.
- Click “Generate audiences” > click “Connect.”
- Enter your TikTok password > click “Confirm.”
- Choose your TikTok > Ad account.
- Accept TikTok’s terms > click “Export audiences” to start reaching TikTok users who are likely to love your products.
Each connection only takes a minute or two, and once you’re set up, you can easily export new audiences whenever you want to refresh your targeting.
5. Best Practices for Using Shopify Audience
Are you ready to become a Shopify Audience pro? These best practices will help you squeeze every drop of value from this powerful tool:
5.1. Focus on Your Money-Makers
When choosing which products to generate audiences for, start with your high-margin items. Since you’ll be paying for ads to reach these audiences, focusing on products with better profit margins ensures you’ll see a healthier return on your ad spend.
For example, if you sell both $20 t-shirts with a 30% margin and $100 premium hoodies with a 60% margin, creating audiences for your hoodies would give you more room to spend on ads and still make money.
5.2. Create Different Audiences for Different Products
One-size-fits-all rarely works in marketing. Instead of using the same audience for everything you sell, create separate audiences for different product categories. This allows you to craft messages that speak to each group’s specific interests.
If you run a fitness store, for instance, you might create separate audiences for your yoga enthusiasts, weightlifting fans, and runners. Each group has different needs and motivations, and your ads should reflect that!
5.3. Test, Test, and Test Again
Even with amazing audience targeting, your ad creative still makes a huge difference. Create multiple versions of your ads with different images, headlines, and calls to action to see what resonates best with each audience.
Try testing:
- Product photos versus lifestyle images
- Emotional appeals versus practical benefits
- Different promotions (percentage off, free shipping, buy-one-get-one)
- Various call-to-action phrases
Sometimes small changes can lead to big improvements in your conversion rates!
5.4. Monitor Ads Campaign Performance
Don’t just set it and forget it! Regularly check how your Shopify Audience campaigns are performing across all platforms. Pay attention to metrics like:
- Click-through rates
- Conversion rates
- Cost per acquisition
- Overall return on ad spend
Use these insights to fine-tune your approach, double down on what’s working, and fix or abandon what isn’t. Remember, digital marketing is always a work in progress!
5.5. Enhance Results with Retargeting
Shopify Audience is amazing at finding new potential customers, but don’t forget about people who’ve already shown interest in your store! Create a comprehensive strategy by:
- Using Shopify Audience to reach new high-intent prospects
- Retargeting those who clicked but didn’t purchase
- Creating special campaigns for previous customers with related products
This layered approach ensures you’re not only finding new customers efficiently but also maximizing the value of people who already know your brand.
💡Want a quicker start? Consider using a pre-built Shopify dropshipping store to launch your own Shopify Store with almost no setup required.
6. Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve got a good look at what Shopify Audience can do, it’s easy to understand why so many stores use it. The powerful Shopify Audience tool works great for both growing stores and established brands on Shopify Plus. It helps you get more clicks, increase engagement, and improve conversion rates, all while keeping your ad budget focused on quality traffic.
But let’s be real: Figuring out integrations, settings, and ad platforms can feel like a full-time job on its own. That’s exactly why eComStart exists. From launching a ready-to-sell store to optimizing every aspect of your customer journey, we help you go from setup to sales in no time. Let your audience find you
Get started with eComStart today and let your audience find you. Happy selling!
7. FAQs
