Coding Rhodes

Hi, I am Coding Rhodes, the author of this article, Do let me know If you have any Questions.

36 minute read

How to Start an Ecommerce Blog on GitHub Pages (Step-by-Step Guide)

How to Start an Ecommerce Blog on GitHub Pages (Step-by-Step Guide)

Starting an ecommerce blog is a smart move for any online store. It helps you connect with customers and share your story. This ecommerce blogging guide will show you exactly how to build one. You will use GitHub Pages, a free and powerful way to host your blog.

This step-by-step tutorial will make it simple for you. We will go from zero to a live blog, focusing on how to set up your static site ecommerce content. Get ready to launch your very own ecommerce blog!

Why Your Online Store Needs an Ecommerce Blog

An ecommerce blog isn’t just a place to write random thoughts. It’s a powerful tool to grow your business. Imagine attracting new customers without spending a fortune on ads. That’s what a good blog can do for you.

You can share helpful information about your products or industry. This builds trust with potential buyers. A blog makes your online store more than just a place to buy things; it becomes a source of valuable knowledge.

H3: Attract More Customers with Content

Search engines like Google love fresh and useful content. When you write blog posts, you create more pages for Google to find. People searching for solutions related to your products might discover your blog first. This is a key part of blogging for online stores.

For example, if you sell handmade jewelry, you could write about “how to care for silver jewelry.” Someone searching for that might find your blog and then discover your beautiful products. This organic traffic is very valuable for your business.

H3: Build Trust and Authority

Your ecommerce blog is a great place to show off your expertise. You can write about your crafting process, the materials you use, or even the story behind your brand. This helps customers feel more connected to your business. When people trust you, they are more likely to buy from you.

Sharing honest reviews or behind-the-scenes glimpses makes your brand feel real. It helps customers see the human side of your online store. This kind of authentic content is essential for long-term customer relationships.

H3: Boost Your Store’s SEO

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, helps your website rank higher in search results. Every blog post you write is a chance to include keywords related to your products and industry. This tells search engines what your site is about. More relevant content means better chances of ranking well.

Using your focus keyword, ecommerce blogs, and related terms naturally throughout your content is important. This helps search engines understand your site’s topic. A well-optimized blog can bring a steady stream of visitors to your store.

Understanding GitHub Pages and Jekyll for Ecommerce Blogs

Before we dive into building, let’s understand the tools we’re using. GitHub Pages and Jekyll work together perfectly for static site ecommerce content. They offer a free, fast, and secure way to host your blog. You don’t need a fancy server or complicated setup.

H3: What is GitHub?

GitHub is like a giant online locker for computer code. Programmers use it to store their projects and work together. Think of it as a cloud storage service, but specifically for software development files. It keeps track of every change you make to your code.

It’s widely used by millions of developers around the world. For our purpose, it will be the home for our blog’s files. You can create a free account to get started.

H3: What is GitHub Pages?

GitHub Pages is a free service from GitHub. It lets you host simple websites directly from your GitHub code repositories. It’s perfect for personal blogs, project sites, or even small business sites. Your ecommerce blog will live here.

It takes your website files and turns them into a live website. Best of all, it’s completely free for public repositories. This makes it an incredibly cost-effective choice for your ecommerce blog tutorial.

H3: What is Jekyll?

Jekyll is a “static site generator.” This means it takes plain text files (like the ones you’ll write your blog posts in) and turns them into a complete website. It doesn’t use a database like WordPress. Instead, it builds all your website pages once.

This makes Jekyll sites incredibly fast and secure. It’s especially popular for blogs because it simplifies content creation. Jekyll is the engine that powers your static site ecommerce content on GitHub Pages.

H4: Benefits for Static Site Ecommerce Content
  • Speed: Static sites load much faster than dynamic sites. This is great for github pages seo and user experience.
  • Security: Without a database, there are fewer entry points for hackers. Your ecommerce blog will be very secure.
  • Cost-Effective: GitHub Pages is free, meaning your hosting costs are zero. This is a huge advantage for new businesses.
  • Simplicity: You write posts in simple Markdown, not complicated HTML. Jekyll handles the rest, making ecommerce blogging guide steps easier.

Getting Started: Prerequisites for Your Ecommerce Blog

Before we build anything, you need a few tools installed on your computer. Don’t worry, these steps are straightforward. Follow them carefully, and you’ll be ready to go.

H3: 1. Create a GitHub Account

If you don’t have one already, you’ll need a GitHub account. It’s free and easy to sign up.

  • Go to github.com.
  • Click on “Sign up” in the top right corner.
  • Follow the prompts to create your account. Pick a username you like!

Remember your username and password. You’ll use them to push your blog’s files to GitHub.

H3: 2. Install a Text Editor

You’ll need a good text editor to write your blog posts and edit your site’s code. There are many free options available. We recommend one of these:

  • VS Code (Visual Studio Code): This is a very popular and powerful free editor. It works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. You can download it from code.visualstudio.com.
  • Typora: A simple, elegant markdown editor that shows you what your post will look like as you type. You can learn more at typora.io.
  • Sublime Text: Another fast and lightweight editor, though it’s technically paid after a trial period. You can find it at sublimetext.com.

Choose one and install it on your computer. You’ll be using this tool a lot for your ecommerce blog tutorial.

H3: 3. Install Git

Git is a version control system that GitHub uses. It helps you manage your code changes. You’ll use it to send your blog files to GitHub.

H4: For Windows Users:
  • Go to git-scm.com/downloads.
  • Download the installer for Windows.
  • Run the installer and follow the default options. You can usually just click “Next” repeatedly.
H4: For Mac Users:
  • Open your Terminal application (you can find it in Applications > Utilities).
  • Type git --version and press Enter. If Git is already installed, you’ll see a version number.
  • If not, it will likely prompt you to install Apple’s Command Line Tools, which includes Git. Follow the instructions.
  • Alternatively, you can install Homebrew (a package manager) from brew.sh and then type brew install git in Terminal.
H4: For Linux Users:
  • Open your Terminal.
  • Use your distribution’s package manager:
    • Debian/Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install git
    • Fedora: sudo dnf install git

After installation, open a new Terminal or Command Prompt window and type git --version. You should see the version number, confirming Git is installed.

H3: 4. Install Ruby and Jekyll

Jekyll is built with Ruby, so you need Ruby installed first.

H4: For Windows Users:
  • Go to rubyinstaller.org.
  • Download the “Ruby+Devkit” version (it’s important to get the Devkit). Choose the recommended stable version.
  • Run the installer. During installation, make sure to check the box that says “Add Ruby executables to your PATH.”
  • After installation, open the Command Prompt (search for cmd).
  • Type gem install jekyll bundler and press Enter. This will install Jekyll and Bundler (which helps manage Jekyll’s dependencies).
H4: For Mac Users:
  • Macs usually come with Ruby pre-installed, but it’s often an older version. It’s best to use a version manager like rbenv or RVM.
  • Using rbenv (recommended):
    • Open Terminal.
    • Install rbenv and ruby-build: brew install rbenv ruby-build
    • Add rbenv to your shell: echo 'eval "$(rbenv init -)"' >> ~/.zshrc (if using zsh, or ~/.bash_profile if using bash). Then restart your terminal or run source ~/.zshrc.
    • Install a stable Ruby version: rbenv install 3.2.2 (or the latest stable version).
    • Set it as global: rbenv global 3.2.2
    • Verify: ruby -v
  • Once Ruby is set up, install Jekyll and Bundler: gem install jekyll bundler
H4: For Linux Users:
  • Most Linux distributions also have Ruby pre-installed or easily installable. Similar to Mac, you might want to use a version manager.
  • For a quick install (not recommended for long-term development, but works for this tutorial): sudo apt-get install ruby-full build-essential zlib1g-dev (for Debian/Ubuntu).
  • Then install Jekyll: gem install jekyll bundler

Once Jekyll and Bundler are installed, you are ready to create your ecommerce blog. This is a big step in our ecommerce blog tutorial!

Setting Up Your First Jekyll Ecommerce Blog

Now that you have all the tools, let’s create your blog! This part will show you how to generate a basic Jekyll site. You’ll see how easy it is to get started with static site ecommerce content.

H3: 1. Create a New Jekyll Project

Open your Terminal (Mac/Linux) or Command Prompt (Windows). You’ll use commands to tell your computer what to do.

First, decide where you want to keep your blog files. Let’s say you want them in a folder called MyEcommerceBlog.

Type these commands, pressing Enter after each one:

1
2
3
4
5

# Change to the directory where you want to create your blog (e.g., your Desktop)
cd Desktop

# Create a new Jekyll site named 'my-ecommerce-blog'
jekyll new my-ecommerce-blog

Jekyll will create a new folder called my-ecommerce-blog. Inside this folder are all the basic files for your blog. It will take a minute to set everything up. This is the foundation of your ecommerce blog tutorial.

H3: 2. Understand Jekyll’s Folder Structure

After Jekyll creates your site, navigate into the new folder:

1

cd my-ecommerce-blog

Now, let’s look at what Jekyll created for you. Type ls (Mac/Linux) or dir (Windows) to see the files and folders:

  • _posts/: This is where all your blog posts will go. Each post is a separate file.
  • _layouts/: These are templates for how your pages look. For example, a post layout for blog posts and a page layout for other pages.
  • _includes/: Small pieces of code or content that you can reuse across your site, like a header or footer.
  • _sass/: This holds your site’s styles (CSS files).
  • _config.yml: This is the main settings file for your Jekyll site. You’ll edit this a lot to customize your blog.
  • index.md or index.html: Your homepage.
  • about.md: An example “About” page.

You don’t need to know every detail right now. Just understand that each folder has a purpose for your ecommerce blog.

H3: 3. Install Dependencies and Run Locally

Jekyll needs a few extra pieces of software (called “gems”) to work. These are listed in a file called Gemfile that Jekyll created. Bundler, which you installed earlier, helps manage these.

In your Terminal, make sure you are inside your my-ecommerce-blog folder. Then, type:

1

bundle install

This command tells Bundler to read the Gemfile and install all the necessary gems. It might take a few minutes.

Once bundle install finishes, you can start your blog on your computer. This lets you see how it looks before putting it online.

1

bundle exec jekyll serve

You should see some messages in your Terminal. Eventually, it will say “Server running… press ctrl-c to stop.” It will also give you a web address, usually http://127.0.0.1:4000/ or http://localhost:4000/.

Open your web browser (like Chrome or Firefox) and type that address into the address bar. Press Enter. You should see your brand new ecommerce blog! It will have a default theme and an example blog post.

You can leave this Terminal window open while you work on your blog. Any changes you save will often refresh automatically in your browser. When you’re done, go back to the Terminal and press Ctrl + C to stop the server.

This local preview is very handy for working on your static site ecommerce content without affecting your live site.

Connecting Your Ecommerce Blog to GitHub Pages

Now that you have a Jekyll blog running on your computer, let’s put it online! This section will guide you through setting up a GitHub repository and publishing your ecommerce blog using GitHub Pages. This is where your github pages seo journey truly begins.

H3: 1. Create a New GitHub Repository

Go back to github.com and log in to your account.

  • In the top right corner, click the “+” sign, then select “New repository.”
  • For “Repository name,” you have two main options:
    • Option A (User/Organization Page): If you want your blog to be at yourusername.github.io, name your repository exactly yourusername.github.io. This is great for a personal or main business blog.
    • Option B (Project Page): If you want your blog to be at yourusername.github.io/blog (or any other name), you can name it blog or whatever you like. This is useful if you have multiple sites on GitHub Pages. For this guide, let’s assume yourusername.github.io.
  • Choose “Public” (GitHub Pages works best with public repos for free hosting).
  • Do NOT check “Add a README file,” “Add .gitignore,” or “Choose a license.” We already have these from Jekyll.
  • Click “Create repository.”

GitHub will now show you some instructions for pushing an existing repository. We’ll use these next.

H3: 2. Initialize Git in Your Project

Open your Terminal/Command Prompt again. Make sure you are in your my-ecommerce-blog folder.

We need to tell Git that this folder is a project it should track.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

# Initialize a new Git repository in your current folder
git init

# Add all files in the current folder to Git's staging area
git add .

# Save a snapshot of your files with a message
git commit -m "Initial commit of Jekyll blog"

This creates a local Git repository and saves your current blog files within it.

H3: 3. Connect Local Git to GitHub

Now we link your local project to the empty repository you created on GitHub. Replace yourusername with your actual GitHub username.

1
2
3
4
5

# Link your local Git repository to the one on GitHub
git remote add origin https://github.com/yourusername/yourusername.github.io.git

# Push your files from your computer to GitHub
git push -u origin master

Note: GitHub recently changed the default branch name from master to main. If you created your repository recently, you might need to use main instead of master in the git push command. You can check your GitHub repository page to see the default branch name (usually shown next to the “Code” tab). If it’s main, use git push -u origin main.

You might be asked for your GitHub username and password. Enter them when prompted. If you have two-factor authentication enabled, you might need to use a Personal Access Token instead of your password. GitHub has guides on how to create one.

H3: 4. Configure GitHub Pages

GitHub Pages often automatically builds Jekyll sites. But sometimes you need to tell it which branch to use.

  • Go to your new repository on GitHub (e.g., github.com/yourusername/yourusername.github.io).
  • Click on the “Settings” tab.
  • In the left sidebar, click “Pages.”
  • Under “Source,” make sure “Deploy from a branch” is selected.
  • For the “Branch” dropdown, select the master (or main) branch and then the /root folder.
  • Click “Save.”

GitHub will now start building your site. This can take a few minutes. You’ll see a message at the top of the “Pages” settings that says “Your site is published at…” followed by your URL.

H3: 5. Check Your Live Site

Once GitHub finishes building, your ecommerce blog will be live!

  • Open your web browser.
  • Go to https://yourusername.github.io/ (or https://yourusername.github.io/blog/ if you chose a project page).

Congratulations! You’ve successfully published your ecommerce blog on GitHub Pages. This is a huge milestone in your ecommerce blog tutorial.

Making Your Blog Look Great: Themes and Customization

Your ecommerce blog is live, but it probably has a very basic look. Jekyll allows you to use themes to change its appearance easily. This makes blogging for online stores more appealing visually.

H3: 1. Choosing a Jekyll Theme

A Jekyll theme is a package of layouts, styles, and other assets that give your blog a specific design. There are many free and paid themes available.

  • Jekyll Theme Gallery: A good place to start is jekyllthemes.org. You can browse themes and see live demos.
  • GitHub Search: Search GitHub for “Jekyll themes” to find many open-source options.
  • Built-in Themes: Jekyll itself comes with a few basic themes like Minima (which your site might be using now).

When choosing a theme, think about:

  • Responsiveness: Does it look good on phones, tablets, and computers?
  • Simplicity: Is it clean and easy to read?
  • Features: Does it have features you need, like social sharing buttons or a search bar?

For example, themes like “Beautiful Jekyll” or “Minimal Mistakes” are popular and offer many features.

H3: 2. Installing a Theme

Installing a theme can vary slightly depending on the theme, but generally involves these steps:

  1. Find the theme’s repository: Let’s say you choose a theme called “MyAwesomeTheme” and its GitHub page is github.com/themecreator/myawesometheme.
  2. Edit Gemfile: Open your blog’s Gemfile in your text editor.
    • Find the line gem "jekyll", "~> 3.9" (or similar).
    • Add a new line like gem "myawesometheme" (replace myawesometheme with the actual gem name provided by the theme developer). Sometimes themes are not gems, and you have to copy files. Always check the theme’s installation instructions.
  3. Edit _config.yml: Open your blog’s _config.yml file.
    • Find the line theme: minima (or whatever default theme is there).
    • Change it to theme: myawesometheme (again, replace with your theme’s name).
  4. Run bundle update and bundle install: In your Terminal, run these commands to get the new theme’s files: 
    1
2

    bundle update
bundle install
  5. Restart Jekyll server: 
    1

    bundle exec jekyll serve

    Now, check your local browser preview (http://localhost:4000/). Your blog should have the new theme!

If the theme doesn’t work as a gem, you might need to copy specific files and folders from the theme’s GitHub repository into your blog’s folder. Always refer to the theme’s documentation for the most accurate installation steps.

H3: 3. Customizing _config.yml

The _config.yml file is super important. It controls the global settings for your ecommerce blog. Open it in your text editor.

You’ll see lines like these (your file might have more):

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

title: My Awesome Ecommerce Blog
email: your-email@example.com
description: >- # This means "description will span multiple lines"
  This is my new ecommerce blog where I share tips for online stores.
baseurl: "" # The subpath of your site, e.g. /blog
url: "" # The base hostname & protocol for your site, e.g. http://example.com
twitter_username: your_twitter
github_username:  your_github
minima:
  social_links:
    twitter: your_twitter_handle
    github: your_github_handle
  • title: Change this to your blog’s main title (e.g., “The Handmade Jewelry Story”).
  • email: Your contact email.
  • description: A short sentence or two about what your blog is about. This is very important for github pages seo as it often becomes your site’s meta description.
  • baseurl: If your site is yourusername.github.io/blog/, set this to /blog. If it’s yourusername.github.io/, leave it empty ("").
  • url: This is your full site URL, like https://yourusername.github.io.
  • Social Links: Many themes use these to display social media icons. Update them with your handles.

Save your _config.yml file. If you have bundle exec jekyll serve running, it will rebuild your site and you can see the changes.

H3: 4. Basic CSS Changes

You can change colors, fonts, and sizes by editing CSS files. These are usually in the _sass/ folder or a css/ folder.

  • Look for a file like main.scss or style.css.
  • Open it in your text editor.
  • You might see lines like color: #333; or font-family: Arial, sans-serif;.
  • Change the values to customize your site’s look. For example, change #333 (a dark gray) to #007bff (a blue).

If you want to override theme styles, you can often create your own main.scss in your root directory and import the theme’s styles, then add your own after the import. Check your theme’s documentation for the best way to do this. Making your blog visually appealing is key for successful blogging for online stores.

H3: 5. Understanding Layouts

Jekyll uses layouts to define the structure of your pages. You’ll find them in the _layouts/ folder.

  • default.html: This is the main layout that other layouts usually extend. It contains the <head> and <body> tags.
  • post.html: This defines how a single blog post page looks.
  • page.html: This defines how a regular static page (like “About Us”) looks.

You can customize these HTML files to add specific elements to your pages. For example, you might add a custom banner to your post.html layout. Understanding layouts gives you more control over your static site ecommerce content presentation.

Writing Your First Ecommerce Blog Post

Now for the fun part: creating content! This is the core of blogging for online stores. Jekyll makes writing blog posts very straightforward using Markdown.

H3: 1. Creating a New Post File

All your blog posts live in the _posts folder. Each post must follow a specific naming convention: YYYY-MM-DD-your-post-title.md.

  • YYYY-MM-DD: The date the post was published (e.g., 2023-10-27).
  • your-post-title: A descriptive title for your post, with words separated by hyphens (e.g., my-first-ecommerce-blog-post).
  • .md: This stands for Markdown, the language you’ll write in.

Let’s create one:

  • Open your text editor.
  • Go to your my-ecommerce-blog folder, then open the _posts folder.
  • Create a new file named 2023-10-27-how-to-choose-the-best-mug.md (or any other relevant title for your store).

H3: 2. Markdown Basics

Markdown is a simple way to format text without using complicated HTML tags. It’s like writing plain text but with a few special characters for formatting.

Here are some common Markdown features you’ll use for your ecommerce blog:

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54

---
layout: post
title: "How to Choose the Best Mug for Your Morning Coffee"
date: 2023-10-27 10:00:00 -0500
categories: [coffee, kitchenware]
tags: [mugs, coffee, gifts]
---

## Why a Good Mug Matters (H2)

A great coffee experience starts with the perfect mug. It's not just about holding your drink; it's about the feel, the look, and even how it keeps your coffee warm.

### Material Matters (H3)

Mugs come in all sorts of materials. Let's look at some popular choices:

*   **Ceramic:** Classic and versatile. Great for everyday use.
*   **Porcelain:** Finer and more delicate than ceramic.
*   **Glass:** Perfect for seeing those beautiful layered lattes.

#### H4: Ceramic Mugs (H4)

Ceramic mugs are durable and come in endless designs. They often retain heat well.

##### H5: Our Favorite Ceramic Mugs (H5)

Check out our handcrafted ceramic collection [here](https://example.com/collections/ceramic-mugs).

###### H6: Customer Testimonials (H6)

> "This mug changed my life!" - A Happy Customer

### Size and Shape

Do you prefer a huge mug for a long session, or a smaller one for a quick espresso?
Consider these factors:

| Feature    | Description                               |
| :--------- | :---------------------------------------- |
| Capacity   | From small (6 oz) to large (20+ oz)       |
| Handle     | Ergonomic, comfortable grip               |
| Rim        | Thin for sipping, thick for durability    |

### Adding Images

You can add images like this:

![A beautiful ceramic coffee mug with steam rising](https://via.placeholder.com/600x400)
*Image: Our best-selling ceramic mug.*

### Conclusion

Choosing the right mug can really improve your daily routine. Think about material, size, and shape.
Happy sipping!

H3: 3. Front Matter for Posts

At the very top of every Jekyll post file, you need something called “front matter.” This is a block of settings enclosed by three hyphens (---) at the start and end. Jekyll uses this information to process your post.

Here’s what you’ll typically include:

  • layout: post: Tells Jekyll to use the post.html layout to display this content.
  • title: "Your Post Title": The main title of your blog post.
  • date: YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS +/-TTTT: The publication date and time. +/-TTTT is the timezone offset (e.g., -0500 for Eastern Standard Time).
  • categories: [category1, category2]: Organize your posts into categories. These can be used to create category pages.
  • tags: [tag1, tag2, tag3]: More specific keywords to describe your post.

You can also add other custom variables here, like author: "Your Name".

H3: 4. Example Post Content

Let’s expand on the “How to Choose the Best Mug” example for a fictional ecommerce blog:

Imagine you sell kitchenware. Your blog posts could be:

  • Product Reviews: “Reviewing Our Top 5 Eco-Friendly Coffee Mugs.”
  • How-To Guides: “The Ultimate Guide to Brewing the Perfect Pour-Over Coffee.”
  • Behind-the-Scenes: “A Day in the Life: How Our Ceramic Mugs Are Handcrafted.”
  • Gift Guides: “10 Unique Gift Ideas for the Coffee Lover in Your Life.”
  • Industry News: “The Latest Trends in Sustainable Kitchenware.”

Remember to always link back to your products naturally! This is key for blogging for online stores. For instance, in the mug guide, you’d link to your mug collection.

H3: 5. Preview Your Post

Save your 2023-10-27-how-to-choose-the-best-mug.md file.

If your Jekyll server is running (bundle exec jekyll serve), refresh your browser. You should see your new post appear on the homepage of your local ecommerce blog. Click on it to see the full post.

Once you’re happy with your post, you’ll save it, commit your changes, and push them to GitHub.

1
2
3

git add .
git commit -m "Added first blog post: How to Choose the Best Mug"
git push origin master # or main

Your new post will be live on your GitHub Pages ecommerce blog shortly!

Boosting Your Ecommerce Blog’s Visibility: GitHub Pages SEO

Having a great ecommerce blog is only half the battle. You need people to find it! This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes in. Good github pages seo helps your blog show up higher in Google search results.

H3: Why SEO Matters for Ecommerce Blogs

SEO is like telling Google exactly what your ecommerce blog is about. When someone searches for something related to your products, you want your blog to be one of the first results they see. More visibility means more potential customers coming to your online store.

For blogging for online stores, SEO is about making your content discoverable. It’s not just about getting clicks; it’s about getting the right clicks – from people who are interested in what you sell. This translates directly to potential sales.

H3: Basic GitHub Pages SEO Tips

Jekyll and GitHub Pages are inherently SEO-friendly because they are fast and structured. But you still need to do your part!

H4: 1. Descriptive Titles and Meta Descriptions
  • Post Titles: Make your title in the front matter clear and descriptive. Include keywords people might search for. For example, instead of “My Latest Creation,” use “Handcrafted Silver Rings: The Perfect Gift for Her.”
  • Meta Descriptions: In your _config.yml file, the description field often serves as the meta description for your homepage. For individual posts, some Jekyll themes allow you to add a description field in the front matter of each post. This short summary (around 150-160 characters) appears under your title in search results. Make it catchy and keyword-rich.
H4: 2. Using Relevant Keywords
  • Focus Keyword: For this guide, ecommerce blogs is our focus. For your blog, it would be keywords related to your products (e.g., “handmade leather wallets,” “sustainable clothing tips”).
  • LSI Keywords: These are related terms that help Google understand the context of your content (e.g., for “leather wallets,” LSI keywords might be “men’s wallets,” “wallet craftsmanship,” “full-grain leather”). Naturally weave these into your posts.
  • Keyword Research: Use tools to find out what people are searching for.
    • Ubersuggest: Offers free daily searches.
    • Semrush: A more advanced tool with a free trial. (Affiliate Link Opportunity)
    • Ahrefs: Another industry-leading tool. (Affiliate Link Opportunity)
    • Even Google’s “People also ask” and “Related searches” at the bottom of search results can give you ideas.
H4: 3. Image Alt Text

Always add alt text to your images. This is a short description of the image. It helps visually impaired users and tells search engines what the image is about.

  • In Markdown: ![Description of image](image-url.jpg)
  • Example: ![Close-up of a handcrafted ceramic mug with a unique glaze](https://yourblog.com/images/mug.jpg)
H4: 4. Internal Linking

Link to other relevant posts on your ecommerce blog and to specific product pages in your store. This helps users discover more of your content and keeps them on your site longer. It also tells search engines which pages are important.

H4: 5. Sitemaps

A sitemap is a file that lists all the pages on your website. It helps search engines find and crawl all your content. Jekyll automatically generates a sitemap for you (usually at /sitemap.xml). You don’t need to do anything special, just make sure it exists.

H4: 6. Robots.txt

This file tells search engines which parts of your site they should or shouldn’t crawl. Jekyll also generates a robots.txt file by default. For most ecommerce blogs, the default is fine. It usually looks like this:

1
2

User-agent: *
Allow: /

This tells all search bots (*) that they are allowed to crawl (Allow: /) your entire site.

H4: 7. Google Analytics Setup

Google Analytics helps you track visitors to your ecommerce blog. You can see how many people visit, where they come from, and which pages they look at.

  • Go to analytics.google.com and sign up for a free account.
  • Follow the instructions to get your tracking code (it will look like GA_MEASUREMENT_ID).
  • In your _config.yml file, you can usually add a google_analytics: GA_MEASUREMENT_ID line. Many Jekyll themes have a spot for this. If not, you’ll need to manually add the tracking code snippet to your _includes/head.html or _layouts/default.html file.
H4: 8. Google Search Console Verification

Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool from Google that helps you monitor your github pages seo performance.

  • Go to search.google.com/search-console and log in.
  • Add your ecommerce blog as a new “Property.”
  • Google will give you a few ways to verify ownership. The easiest for GitHub Pages is often the “HTML tag” method. You’ll get a meta tag to add to your site’s <head> section.
  • Add this meta tag to your _includes/head.html or _layouts/default.html file, then verify in GSC.
  • Submit your sitemap (https://yourusername.github.io/sitemap.xml) to GSC.

H3: Speed Optimization

One of the biggest advantages of static site ecommerce content on GitHub Pages is speed. Your blog is already super fast because there’s no database or server-side processing. This is a huge win for github pages seo because Google loves fast websites. Keep your images optimized (not too large in file size) to maintain this speed.

Advanced Tips for Your Ecommerce Blog

You’ve got a live, optimized blog. Now let’s look at ways to make it even better and more professional. These steps will elevate your ecommerce blog from good to great.

H3: 1. Custom Domain

Having your own domain name (like yourstorename.com instead of yourusername.github.io) makes your ecommerce blog look more professional and is better for branding.

H4: Why You Need One
  • Branding: It’s easier for customers to remember yourstorename.com.
  • Trust: A custom domain looks more credible than a default GitHub Pages URL.
  • SEO: While github.io works, a custom domain can consolidate your brand’s online presence more effectively.
H4: How to Set it Up
  1. Buy a Domain Name:
    • Choose a domain registrar. Popular options include:
      • Namecheap (Affiliate Link Opportunity)
      • GoDaddy (Affiliate Link Opportunity)
      • Google Domains
    • Search for an available domain name that matches your brand.
    • Purchase it.
  2. Configure GitHub Pages:
    • In your my-ecommerce-blog folder, create a new file named CNAME (all caps, no file extension).
    • Inside this CNAME file, simply type your full domain name (e.g., www.yourstorename.com or blog.yourstorename.com). Save and close the file.
    • Commit and push this CNAME file to your GitHub repository: 
      1
2
3

      git add CNAME
git commit -m "Added CNAME file for custom domain"
git push origin master # or main
    • Go to your GitHub repository’s “Settings” -> “Pages” tab. Under “Custom domain,” you should see your domain listed. If it’s not there, type it in and click “Save.” GitHub will try to provision an SSL certificate for you (which gives you https://).
  3. Configure Your Domain Registrar (DNS Records):
    • Log in to your domain registrar’s website.
    • Find the “DNS settings” or “Manage DNS” section for your domain.
    • You need to add “A records” and/or “CNAME records” that point to GitHub Pages.
      • For yourstorename.com (root domain): Add four A records pointing to GitHub Pages’ IP addresses:
        • 185.199.108.153
        • 185.199.109.153
        • 185.199.110.153
        • 185.199.111.153
      • For www.yourstorename.com (subdomain): Add a CNAME record.
        • Host/Name: www
        • Value/Target: yourusername.github.io
    • Save your DNS changes. It can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours for these changes to update across the internet.

Once the DNS propagates, your ecommerce blog will be accessible via your custom domain!

H3: 2. Commenting Systems

Static sites don’t have built-in commenting systems. But you can add third-party services.

  • Disqus: A popular platform that integrates easily. Go to disqus.com, sign up, and get your embed code. You’ll typically add this code to your _layouts/post.html file.
  • Staticman: A more advanced option that lets visitors submit comments, which then become new files in your GitHub repository. This keeps your static site ecommerce content truly static. It requires more setup but offers full control.

H3: 3. Email List Integration

Collecting email addresses is vital for blogging for online stores and ecommerce blogs. You can integrate email signup forms.

  • Mailchimp: A popular email marketing service. Create a free account at mailchimp.com.
  • Design a simple signup form.
  • Mailchimp will give you HTML code for the form. You can embed this code directly into your _includes/footer.html, _layouts/post.html, or even a dedicated “Subscribe” page.

H3: 4. Social Sharing Buttons

Make it easy for readers to share your ecommerce blog posts.

  • Many Jekyll themes come with social sharing buttons built-in. Check your theme’s documentation or _config.yml for options.
  • You can also use services like AddToAny or ShareThis, which provide code snippets to embed.

H3: 5. Keeping Jekyll Updated

Periodically, Jekyll releases new versions with bug fixes and new features. It’s good practice to keep your Jekyll installation and gems updated.

  • In your Terminal: 
    1

    bundle update

    This command updates all the gems listed in your Gemfile.lock to their latest compatible versions. Remember to test your blog locally after updating to ensure everything still works.

Promoting Your Ecommerce Blog

Your ecommerce blog is built and looking great. Now, how do you get people to read it? Promotion is just as important as creation. This is a crucial step in any ecommerce blog tutorial.

H3: 1. Share on Social Media

  • Platform Selection: Share your new blog posts on social media platforms where your target customers hang out. If you sell fashion, Instagram and Pinterest might be key. If you sell tech, Twitter or LinkedIn could be better.
  • Compelling Snippets: Don’t just share a link. Write an engaging caption that tells people why they should read your post. Ask questions, offer a sneak peek, or highlight a key takeaway.
  • Visuals: Always include an eye-catching image or video with your share.
  • Consistency: Share regularly, but don’t spam your followers.

H3: 2. Email Newsletters

If you have an email list (which you should definitely start building!), send out newsletters.

  • Highlights: Share a summary of your latest blog posts, with links to read the full articles.
  • Exclusive Content: Offer extra tips or insights in your newsletter that complement your blog posts.
  • Regular Schedule: Send newsletters on a consistent schedule, so your subscribers know when to expect them.

H3: 3. Guest Posting

Write blog posts for other websites in your niche. This is called guest posting.

  • Reach New Audiences: When you write for another blog, their readers discover you.
  • Backlinks: You’ll usually get a link back to your ecommerce blog or store, which is excellent for github pages seo.
  • Authority: It helps position you as an expert in your field.

Look for blogs that cater to a similar audience but aren’t direct competitors.

H3: 4. Community Engagement

Be active in online communities where your potential customers spend time.

  • Forums & Groups: Participate in relevant Facebook groups, Reddit communities, or online forums.
  • Helpful Contributions: Answer questions, offer advice, and share your expertise without just self-promoting.
  • Strategic Sharing: When appropriate and allowed, share your ecommerce blog posts as a helpful resource. Always check community rules about self-promotion.

Remember, blogging for online stores is a long-term strategy. It takes time and effort to build an audience, but the rewards in terms of organic traffic and customer loyalty are well worth it. Keep creating valuable static site ecommerce content, and keep promoting it!

Conclusion

You’ve done it! You’ve learned how to start an ecommerce blog on GitHub Pages, from setting up Jekyll to publishing your first post and optimizing it for search engines. This ecommerce blog tutorial covered all the essential steps.

Running an ecommerce blog is a fantastic way to boost your online store. It attracts new customers, builds trust, and establishes your brand as an authority. With GitHub Pages, you get a free, fast, and secure platform for your static site ecommerce content. Your github pages seo efforts will be well-supported by this setup.

The journey of blogging for online stores is continuous. Keep writing, keep learning, and keep engaging with your audience. Your consistent effort will pay off. Now go forth and create amazing content for your online store!

FAQ: Your Ecommerce Blog on GitHub Pages

Q1: Is GitHub Pages really free for my ecommerce blog?

Yes, GitHub Pages is completely free for public repositories. This means your blog’s files are open for anyone to see on GitHub, but your live website is hosted for free. For most ecommerce blogs, this is perfectly fine.

Q2: Can I sell products directly on a Jekyll blog?

Jekyll itself is a static site generator, meaning it doesn’t handle dynamic things like shopping carts or payment processing. You cannot directly sell products like an e-commerce platform. However, you can use your ecommerce blog to link directly to product pages on your main online store (e.g., Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy). Some people also embed simple “Buy Now” buttons from services like Gumroad or Stripe.

Q3: Do I need coding skills to use Jekyll and GitHub Pages?

Basic coding skills, especially with Markdown and understanding file structures, are helpful. However, this ecommerce blog tutorial aims to guide you through the process with easy-to-follow steps. You don’t need to be a professional developer. Many tasks involve copying, pasting, and modifying existing code or theme settings.

Q4: How often should I post on my ecommerce blog?

Consistency is more important than frequency. Whether you post once a week, twice a month, or monthly, try to stick to a schedule. Regular updates keep your audience engaged and tell search engines that your site is active. For blogging for online stores, quality over quantity is key.

Q5: What about security for my static site ecommerce content?

Static sites like those built with Jekyll are inherently very secure. There’s no database to hack, and no complex server-side code to exploit. GitHub Pages also provides free SSL (HTTPS) for your custom domain, further enhancing security.

Q6: Can I migrate my ecommerce blog to another platform later?

Absolutely! One of the benefits of Jekyll is that your content is stored in simple Markdown files. If you ever decide to move to a different platform (like WordPress or a dedicated e-commerce blog feature), it’s usually straightforward to export your content. You have full ownership and control over your static site ecommerce content.

Leave a comment

You may also enjoy