7 Effective Steps to Start a Business Online

People who ask themselves, “how do I start a business online?” could already have a set idea in mind as to the kind of business they want to operate. Basically, running a business means that you have a product or a service that you want to sell to people. If you just want to make money online without having any of the two, then this might not be the right option for you. But if you have one or both, and yet don’t know how to begin things running online, read on.How Do I Start a Business Online?To help you with launching your business online, follow these seven basic steps.
Get a Domain and Register Accordingly
Your domain is your web address. It’s what people type when they want to have access to your website. Tip: Choose a domain that is simple, not too long or too short, and a quite catchy one to make it easier for people to remember. You can purchase a domain in many legitimate domain registrars online, some of which are Blue Host, Go Daddy, and Network Solutions.
Avail of Web Hosting Services
Web hosts are companies that can offer you a server space for your website so that you can be seen on the Internet. This is what goes on most people’s mind when they think, “How do I start a business online?” Many companies offer web hosting and domain registration in one.
Install a User-Friendly Design
You can hire a web designer to make your website as attractive and as user-friendly as possible. On the other hand, if you are cutting on the costs, then you can do it yourself. WordPress themes are incredibly easy to install. Adobe Dreamweaver is also a powerful tool for this, but it’s quite complicated for the average Internet user.If you have no technical website designing skills and still on a budget, there are many free WordPress themes out there that will provide your site an attractive look. How are you going to do this? You’ll have to choose WordPress as your web host in the first place. They can also register your domain name; that’s three processes in one!
Setup a Payment Method
The easiest way to transact with online businesses is to setup an online payment method rather than the traditional one. PayPal is a popular online payment method. Google Checkout accepts online payments as well. Before you give out your credit card information though, check out the terms of you service provider. Choose the one that provides the lowest maintenance cost without compromising quality of service.
Setup a Delivery Method
If you offer a service, it could be easily done online using various methods, including email. If you offer products, the method depends on your product type. If you offer tangible goods, you should do this with fulfillment companies. If you are offering products that could be downloaded, try out electronic fulfillment companies like E-Junkie and Shopify.
Generate Traffic, Social Media
It should be said that people come where the good things are. It means that the first thing you should do is to have good content and excellent products or services to provide the users who would check your site. After fulfilling that, setup and link your social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc.) to your website since these are very effective tools in generating traffic.
Track Progress
Along with the above strategies that help you find an answer for “how do I start a business online?”, tracking your progress is also crucial step. Know what works and what doesn’t with tools that will let you know data such as who clicked to your site and from where (referrers) and when, and what are popular pages and keywords. A great tool for this is Google Analytics. WordPress also offer this service for free. Again, it is really worth checking out.