Before You Build: 3 Things to do Before Designing Your Shopify Store

Jun 8

Thinking of launching your own Shopify store? ✨

Before you start picking themes, playing with templates, or learning the tech — press pause for just a sec.

Here’s the truth: If you want your Shopify site to actually work (as in: look great, feel cohesive, and convert browsers into buyers), you need to start with strategy, not design.

Here are 3 non-negotiables to check off before you dive in:

1️⃣ Know Your Ideal Customer

This step changes everything — from your product descriptions to your homepage layout.

Ask yourself:

Who am I trying to reach?
What do they need help with?
What tone and language will resonate with them?

Your Shopify website should feel like it’s speaking directly to your dream customer — making them feel seen, understood, and excited to shop.

2️⃣ Prep Your Branding

Before you jump into design, make sure you’ve nailed down the core elements of your visual identity:

Fonts (pick 2–3 max)
Color palette (stick to 4–5 cohesive shades) — I like to use Coolors.co to experiment with color combinations.
Logo (plus a secondary logo or icon)

Consistency is key here. Your Shopify branding should feel polished and professional, not patchworked from random styles.

💡 Bonus tip: Save your brand colors and fonts in one place so you can reuse them across your website, emails, packaging, and social media.

3️⃣ Make Sure You’ve Got Killer Product Photos

Good photos sell. Period.

Before you build a single page, make sure you have high-quality, well-lit images that showcase your products in the best light. Think:

Clean backgrounds — I recommend a plain white background for your main product image
Lifestyle/context shots that show your product in action
Close-ups of product details
Consistent editing or filters for a cohesive look

Your product photos are the closest thing your customer has to an in-store experience. Don’t skimp here — they can make or break a sale.

Why This Matters

Getting clear on your ideal customer, your brand, and your product photos will save you hours (and headaches) once you start designing your Shopify site.

Plus, your finished store will feel more aligned, more professional — and way more ready to convert browsers into buyers.

Need help with prep or design?

✨ I help product-based business owners build beautiful and functional Shopify stores — without the overwhelm.

Send me a message or fill out my intake form and let’s talk about your Shopify goals.