Integrating a WordPress blog feed into a Shopify store can improve content consistency across your platforms, provide additional SEO benefits, and offer value to your audience. Here, we’ll cover why and how to bring WordPress content to Shopify, including custom coding and app based solutions for an easy integration.
Table of Contents
Why Integrate WordPress with Shopify?
Before diving into the technical details, let’s briefly look at the advantages:
1. SEO Benefits:
Publishing content frequently on your Shopify store can improve its SEO. If your WordPress blog is optimized for keywords relevant to your products, it can drive organic traffic to your Shopify store.
2. Brand Consistency:
Integrating your blog ensures a cohesive customer experience, where they can read your content and shop without leaving the store.
3. Audience Engagement:
Quality content can build trust, position you as an expert, and encourage visitors to explore products.
4. Ease of Content Management:
WordPress’s blog editor offers more flexibility in content formatting and SEO, which might suit your needs better if you’re heavily focused on blogging.
Steps to Display a WordPress Blog Feed in Shopify
Method 1: Using RSS Feeds for Basic Display
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds provide a quick way to pull content from your WordPress site. Here’s how to set it up:
1. Retrieve the RSS Feed URL from WordPress:
Most WordPress sites automatically generate an RSS feed that can be accessed by adding `/feed` to the end of the URL. For example, if your blog’s URL is `https://exampleblog.com`, the RSS feed would be at `https://yourblog.com/feed`.
2. Install a Shopify App for RSS Feed Display:
Search the Shopify App Store for an RSS feed display app like RSS Feed App or Blog Studio. These apps let you embed and display external content on Shopify pages, blogs, or even homepage sections.
Customize the feed layout if the app allows for it. This might include settings for displaying titles, dates, summaries, or full content.
3. Embed the Feed on a Shopify Page:
Create a new page in Shopify by going to Online Store > Pages > Add page.
Use the code snippet provided by the RSS app to embed the feed into the page. You may need some HTML/CSS knowledge to style it to match your theme.
4. Limitations:
RSS feeds often don’t display full blog posts (2000+ words). Instead, they show excerpts. This can be an effective option if you want snippets, but it’s less suitable for fulllength articles.
Method 2: Use Integrately to Automate Content Imports
For automated and flexible integration, use platforms like Zapier or Integrately, which connect WordPress and Shopify without requiring direct coding.
1. Set Up an Account with Zapier:-
Go to [Zapier.com](https://zapier.com/) and sign up if you haven’t already. Select WordPress as the “Trigger” app and Shopify as the “Action” app.
2. Create a Workflow (Zap) to Import Blog Posts:-
Set up a Zap that triggers when a new post is published on your WordPress blog. Configure it to create a new Shopify page or blog entry each time this trigger fires.
Customize the Zap to pull in the full blog content (title, image, body, etc.) and import it directly into Shopify.
3. Customize the Content Display:-
Since Shopify doesn’t natively support fulltext blog feeds from WordPress, this method lets you automate content import for a full article. Adjust any specific formatting needs within Zapier’s setup to ensure it looks clean on your Shopify store.
4. Test the Automation:-
Publish a test post on WordPress to ensure Zapier pulls the correct information and formats it correctly on Shopify.
Method 3: Using Shopify Apps for Full Content Display
Several Shopify apps are available specifically for WordPress integration. Here are a few recommended options:
1. BlogFeeder App:
BlogFeeder allows you to import WordPress posts directly into your Shopify blog. It provides an automated sync function, so new WordPress blog posts appear on your Shopify site soon after publishing.
It enables display customization, so you can decide whether to pull in only snippets or full posts (depending on the app version). BlogFeeder also includes options for SEO optimization on the Shopify blog.
2. WP Shopify (For Product Sync and Content Embeds):
Though primarily for syncing WordPress and Shopify products, WP Shopify offers custom embedding options for WordPress posts. Using shortcodes, you can add WordPress blogs to Shopify pages or blog posts, making it suitable for those who want greater control over blog placement.
3. Customization within the Shopify Theme Editor:
Some Shopify themes have customizable blog options. After importing posts, adjust the theme’s settings to ensure your content displays attractively, matching the look and feel of your Shopify brand.
Method 4: Manually Embed WordPress Posts with iFrames
An iFrame can embed WordPress pages directly onto Shopify, which allows for a “live” view of your WordPress site within Shopify.
1. Copy the WordPress Blog URL:
Navigate to the specific blog post or blog page on your WordPress site that you want to display.
2. Embed the iFrame in Shopify:
Go to Online Store > Pages > Add page.
In the HTML editor, use the following code to embed the blog:
“`html
<iframe src=”https://yourblog.com/blogposturl” width=”100%” height=”800″></iframe>
3. Customize the iFrame for FullLength Posts:
Adjust the height attribute to ensure the entire post displays without scroll bars. Be mindful, though, as too large an iFrame can impact mobile responsiveness.
4. Limitations:
iFrames don’t integrate content natively. SEO benefits may be limited as the embedded content remains external. However, this method is quick and useful for displaying specific posts without complex setups.
Method 5: Use Custom Code for Advanced Integration
If you’re comfortable with coding, custom API integrations provide greater control. Here’s a basic approach:
1. Set Up WordPress REST API:
WordPress offers a REST API to fetch blog data. You can retrieve full posts by making a GET request to `https://yourblog.com/wpjson/wp/v2/posts`.
2. Embed API Calls within Shopify:
In your Shopify theme, go to Online Store > Themes > Edit code.
Insert JavaScript or Liquid code to fetch and display WordPress content.
3. Format the API Output:
Use CSS and JavaScript to format the output in a visually appealing manner. You might need to hire a developer if you’re not familiar with REST API calls.
4. Advanced Customization and SEO:
Integrating via API enables you to display full blog posts, control update frequency, and potentially increase page load speed through optimized content delivery.
Best Practices for Integrating WordPress with Shopify
Maintain SEO Consistency:
Make sure your keywords, meta tags, and structured data are aligned between platforms to avoid duplicate content issues.
Customize Formatting:
Whichever method you choose, ensure that the blog’s display aligns with your Shopify theme for a seamless user experience.
Optimize Load Speed:
Some integrations (e.g., iFrames, large images) can slow down Shopify’s loading time. Test your store’s speed to avoid negatively impacting user experience.
Test Across Devices:
Since Shopify is often heavily mobileoptimized, ensure your WordPress feed or embedded posts are responsive and look good on all devices.
Conclusion
Adding a WordPress blog feed to Shopify provides a strong mix of content and commerce, allowing you to engage customers while improving SEO and creating a unified brand experience. Whether you opt for simple RSS feeds, automated apps, iFrames, or custom API coding, choose a method that best meets your needs and technical comfort level. With the right integration, you can expand the reach of your content and keep customers on your store longer, enhancing both engagement and conversion potential.