Beginning an online business may be a daunting task, particularly in the case of a new business. Studies suggest that as high as one-in-five startups are unsuccessful in UK in their first year. So how do you ensure that you succeed and grow online?
With global sales of e-commerce of up to $4.9 trillion by 2021, the world of online shopping provides a wealth of opportunities for both young and established companies. Online, your website is your greatest asset. It’s your shopfront, sales staff advertising, signage, marketing, and much more, all wrapped up into one.
At Solve we’ve been creating websites and helping businesses grow their business online since 1998 (the year that Google was founded). Here’s our best suggestions for creating an online company that’s powerful and endures to the tests of time.
The internet is an integral aspect of our lives today. We conduct everything online from shopping to socialising and the spread of the pandemic has increased the use of internet.
According to research that have been conducted, the population of the UK currently spend on average 3 hours and 37 minutes on the internet each day. This isn’t just for youngsters The majority of people between the ages of 16 and 44 are internet users as well as more than 50% of those over 75 frequently log on to the internet.
Also, we’re still shopping on the internet since the pandemic. In May 2022, seasonally adjusted online sales made up 26.6 percent of all retail sales in the official market, compared to 19.7 percent during February.
Globally there are nearly five billion Internet users. That’s or more than 60 percent of the world’s population. With such numbers it’s easy to comprehend the magnitude of the potential that is available online.
Ideas for online business
Whatever your business’s focus is on services or products There are a myriad of ways to start your own online business or expand your existing company on the internet. The pandemic has demonstrated that no matter the business model you choose to run there are many possibilities to connect and grow your business on the internet.
Online stores are the perfect option for both existing and new businesses to offer their products accessible to the world market.
If you are a business that is based on services there are many opportunities. Online courses, video tutorials , and even fitness classes that are virtual are just a few ways that services can be offered on the internet.
Whatever your idea for an online business an efficient website can assist in the realization of your idea.
Even if you’re an online-based business, consumers use the internet to research and finding out more therefore having a site and presence on the internet is a crucial aspect of every modern business.
11 ways to start an online business
Okay, so that’s the reason and now we’ll talk about the what. Below are the top recommendations for starting an online business that is successful.
1. Select the domain name of your website be careful
Your domain name could be the first impression potential customer gets of your company on the internet, so you must make it easy to pronounce and memorable. It is also recommended to limit the domain name to less than ten characters to ensure simplicity of use.
The domain you select for your business online will soon be integral to everything you use for marketing that include everything from signs to business cards. So, having a lengthy address won’t work. Your company’s name is an excellent option, allowing you in establishing your company’s on the internet.
If your business is located that is located in the UK most people prefer ‘.co.uk domain names. This helps you to rank higher in local results on search engines. It’s always best to choose the ‘.com domain if you’re planning to take your business to the world. It’s quite expensive to purchase domains back if other people purchase them.
Charities and other institutions typically employ ‘.org domains ‘.net” ‘.biz”, etc. Do not give the best impression of professionalism.
Don’t be misled by ‘.co sites The extension represents Colombia and not a business!
2. Make sure you have a strong brand
Branding is an essential aspect of marketing, not just when it comes to an online business. Make sure you have a strong and distinctive branding that reflects your core values improves your message and distinguishes you from your competition.
Fonts, colors, logos and text can all be used to create an impression on your visitors and help sell your company. With more than 2 billion websitesonline, it is essential to ensure that your site is distinctive and has only just a few seconds to draw interest. Visitors are bound to leave an uninteresting website with no branding impact, so impress them and make sure your message is heard.
3. Create your social media accounts
Social media is an essential method to create an audience build your brand, increase traffic to your site Make sure you’ve establish your social media accounts.
Select handles that are uniform and have the same branding across all websites. It is also advisable to ensure handles that are compatible with all major websites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Tiktok) even in the event that you don’t intend to utilize them initially.
Make sure your content is interesting and shareable, as well as consistent with your company’s brand message as well as other marketing channels. Social media is not about selling your products or service. It’s about creating your brand’s audience as well as brand recognition So educate, invigorate and, if it’s in line with your brand, then have some fun. Social media is about being you guessed it social!
4. Find fast, secure, and green web hosting
Your hosting provider’s performance can affect the performance of your website, affecting users’ experience and ranking. So, it is important to ensure that your site is speedy and safe.
A secure web host will ensure that your website’s connection and user information are secure and secure, making it more difficult for malicious hackers to break into your site (which is not ideal for businesses).
A reliable web hosting service makes use of powerful servers for storing your information and ensure that your site is fast to load – an essential factor in the user experience. Just a 0.1-second increase in loading time could result in an increase of 8% in conversions!
Speed of loading is also an established ranking factor for search results which means that engines such as Google will rank faster websites better in their results.
In the beginning of a new venture it is also important to think about the impact on the environment that your web site has on the environment. Since the average website generates more than 4,700 pounds of CO2 per year, selecting a web hosting service that is powered by renewable energy, such as Solve, is an option to decrease the carbon footprint of your business.
5. Choose the best platform or builder for your website.
There are many options to create your own website, and a variety of platforms to choose from. However there are many DIY builders are limited in capabilities and unwieldy code that search engines have a hard time understanding and rank. Also the fact that using templates, drag-and-drop tool reduces your creative potential and impact on your brand.
At Solve We are always recommending WordPress.org and have more than two decades of expertise using this platform. WordPress powers around three-quarters of all websites on the internet and offer superior functionality and top safety for entrepreneurs. it’s SEO-friendly, and maintained. There are hundreds of stories of success using this robust CMS.
6. Define your value proposition
Why should a prospective customer select your business? What are you able to offer that no other company cannot?
Determining your business’s value proposition starting from the beginning is vital to ensuring your website is successful on the internet, and should be located in the first page of your site.
When you’re putting together your pitch make sure it is focused on the customer. Customers do not want to hear about your company They want to understand how their company will benefit them.
7. Learn about your market
Before you decide on your proposition of value first, you need to conduct market research so that you are aware of who your audience is and what motivates them. This is the only way to design a branding and website that speaks directly to them and prompts them to take action.
In this manner it is common to conduct market research on your customers and competitor benchmarking to determine your USPs and the way competitors are targeting customers. You can also conduct research on keywords to better understand your customers’ desires and needs.
8. Create compelling content
Google loves happy users which is why it places the most valuable and well-known web pages higher in search.
Your role as a site owner is to write credible, trustworthy and authoritative content that impresses users and encourages them to take action and share it with others.
A compelling content strategy will propel your online business, be it useful, beneficial web pages, or entertaining and educational blog posts, social media videos and blog posts.
9. Make your name known
What is reputation in the world of business? It’s everything, so begin developing your review list as soon as you can! It’s surprising how many businesses online do not have them or don’t care about getting them.
With as high as 77% of customers reading reviews prior to buying even some positive reviews will make a difference.
Reviews increase trust and inspire confidence in people and, as a result reviews are a direct purchase factor and a crucial element of any online business.
10. Maintain your website
Like your favorite car web site requires regular maintenance to ensure it is running smoothly.
Maintaining a plan for maintenance implemented with your web developer will ensure that your site is frequently updated to ensure security, speed and efficiency that ensures optimal rankings and user experience. Win-win.
11. Promote, advertise, or promote
After your site is up and running the most difficult thing is getting it noticed online. There are a variety of ways to accomplish this.
You can implement your social media advertising (including or without ads sponsored by a third party) along with email marketing, to increase your online audience quickly, and also drive users back to your website.
Pay-per-click advertisements in search if you’re seeking quick successes, however, be aware that your visibility will cease once your advertisement is displayed.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a different possibility that can yield advantages over the long run and can yield a substantial return on Investment (ROI).
SEO is a multifaceted method that examines everything from your content to your website code to ensure that your online presence is optimized to get the highest possible rank in results from search. SEO requires time to bring about results. The major SEO advantages include higher traffic, more quality traffic, and improved outcomes over the long run.