Boardwalk Block Guide

Follow on Shop Button

Everything you need to set up and customize the Follow on Shop button — a branded button that lets customers follow your store on the Shop app directly from your website.

About

The Follow on Shop button is a small, branded button powered by Shopify that lets visitors follow your store on the Shop app. When a customer taps the button, they subscribe to your store inside the Shop app and receive updates about new products, sales, and order tracking — all without needing to sign up for email or create an account on your site.

In the Boardwalk theme, the Follow on Shop button is available as a block that you can add to any section that supports blocks, such as the Footer. It renders Shopify's official follow button and includes a single setting to control its horizontal alignment.


Before You Begin

The Follow on Shop button has two requirements that must be met in your Shopify admin before the button will appear on your storefront.

Requirements

Shop channel installed

The Shop sales channel must be installed on your Shopify store. In your Shopify admin, go to Settings → Apps and sales channels and confirm that Shop is listed. If it isn't, you can add it from the Shopify App Store.

Shop Pay activated

Shop Pay must be turned on as a payment method. In your Shopify admin, go to Settings → Payments and make sure Shop Pay is enabled under your payment provider settings. If both of these conditions are not met, the button will not appear on your storefront even if the block is added to your theme.

Note: If the button isn't showing on your live site, check these two requirements first. The block can be added and configured in the Theme Editor at any time, but it will only render for visitors once both the Shop channel and Shop Pay are active.


How to Set Up the Follow on Shop Button

Follow these steps to add the Follow on Shop button to your Boardwalk theme.

1
Install the Shop Channel

In your Shopify admin, go to Settings → Apps and sales channels. If the Shop channel is not already installed, click Shopify App Store, search for Shop, and add it to your store.

2
Activate Shop Pay

Go to Settings → Payments in your Shopify admin. Under your payment provider, make sure Shop Pay is turned on. This is required for the follow button to appear.

3
Open the Theme Editor

In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store → Themes, find Boardwalk, and click Customize. Navigate to the page where you want to display the button using the page selector dropdown at the top center of the editor.

4
Add the Follow on Shop Button Block

In the Theme Editor sidebar, find the section where you want to place the button (for example, the Footer). Click Add block and choose Follow on Shop button from the list. The button will appear in the section preview.

5
Set the Alignment

Click on the Follow on Shop button block in the sidebar. Use the Alignment setting to position the button to the left, center, or right within its container.

6
Save and Preview

Click Save in the Theme Editor. Preview your page to confirm the button is displaying correctly. Remember, the button will only be visible on your live storefront if both the Shop channel and Shop Pay are active.


Block Settings

The Follow on Shop button block has one setting that controls how the button is positioned within its parent section.

Follow on Shop Button Settings

Alignment

Controls the horizontal position of the button within its container. Options: Left, Center, or Right.


How It Works

The Follow on Shop button is rendered by Shopify itself — the theme provides the container and alignment, while Shopify generates the branded button with your store name automatically. When a visitor clicks the button, they are prompted to follow your store in the Shop app.

Once a customer follows your store, they'll receive personalized updates in the Shop app including new product launches, exclusive offers, and real-time order tracking. This gives you a direct channel to stay connected with customers outside of traditional email marketing.

Tip: The Follow on Shop button is most commonly placed in the Footer so it appears on every page of your store. However, you can add it to any section that supports blocks — for example, alongside your social media links or in a custom section on your homepage.


Visibility Behavior

The Follow on Shop button has built-in visibility logic managed by Shopify. Even if you add and configure the block in the Theme Editor, the button will only render on your live storefront when both requirements are met:

1. The Shop sales channel is installed on your store.
2. Shop Pay is activated as a payment method.

If either requirement is missing, the button simply won't appear — it won't show an error or take up empty space on the page. This means you can safely add the block to your theme and enable the required features later when you're ready.

Note: In the Theme Editor preview, the button may not render even if both requirements are met. This is normal. To confirm the button is working, view your live storefront or use the Preview button in the Theme Editor.


Frequently Asked Questions

The button requires two things to be active in your Shopify admin: the Shop sales channel must be installed, and Shop Pay must be turned on under your payment settings. If either is missing, the button will not appear. Check Settings → Apps and sales channels for the Shop channel, and Settings → Payments for Shop Pay.
The button's appearance (colors, logo, and label) is controlled by Shopify and cannot be changed through the theme. The only customization available in the theme is the Alignment setting, which lets you position the button to the left, center, or right within its container.
The most common placement is in the Footer, since it appears on every page of your store and gives all visitors a chance to follow you. You can also add it to any other section that supports blocks, such as a custom section on your homepage or alongside your social media links.
Yes. You can add the Follow on Shop button block to any section that supports blocks. If you want the button in multiple places on the same page, simply add the block to each section individually.
When a visitor clicks the button, they are prompted to follow your store on the Shop app. If they already have the app installed, the follow action happens automatically. If not, they'll be guided to download the Shop app first. Once following, customers receive updates about your new products, promotions, and order tracking directly in the app.