A website is a virtual storefront that facilitates you in marketing and selling your products or services to a wide of customers. There are numerous types of websites, including the reselling goods, carrying out a service or providing information. Consequently, there are many markets for websites and the competition is extreme. While an internet business using your own website may be easier to start and requires less start-up capital than the than the brick and mortar business, they require an equal amount of investment in time and effort. Here is some guidance on starting your own internet business and website
1. What you are interested in will determine the type of website you decide on.
- Blogs and informational websites can evolve into a business by allow advertising and incorporating affiliate programs.
- Marketing you own products and services is another option and depending on the complexity of your products and services may have a very low upfront-cost
- Reselling or retailing the goods and services of another business. The cost associated with venture tends to be high since you are purchasing and selling products through your website.
Regardless of the type of website that you are interested in you need to develop a business plan that clearly defines what you are trying to do. The business plan will include an executive summary (summary perspective of your business), market analysis (research on your competition and market), a company description, your organizational structure and plans for management. Also required would be your marketing and sales management, your funding plans and budget.
2. Defining your online presence
- Choose your domain name very carefully. It could be related to your interest or whimsical but it should also be search engine friendly. This will make it easy to promote your business.
- Select the most effective web host for your website. Research web hosts that have self-design options and E-commerce solution packages, such as Yahoo Small Business. The E-Commerce package is necessary should you need to process payments online where you are selling a physical product. This feature in the E-commerce packages will help you quickly set up a shopping cart and online payment processing options.
- Be sure that the web host that you choose meets your requirements in terms of budget and features.
3. Design your website.
- You can choose to design your website yourself or hire a professional to do it for you. The decision really depends on how much you wish to invest in starting your own website business. Just ensure that you do not infringe any IP (Intellectual Propriety) laws.
- For large scale projects it would be wise to contact a web designer. The designers will be able to recommend compatible e-commerce shopping cart software best suited for your type of business.
- If you decide to create your own website on your own the web hosting service’s design tools are always available
4. Website Promotion
- If people are going to know about your business, marketing must be given the right level of importance. Search Engine Optimisation is the best way to accomplish this for your website. Before starting your business you could try sites such as Google AdWords to make your presence known.
- You can also market your website online through pay-per-click advertising, blogging, emails, social media, newsletters and even commenting on other sites.
- You can also advertise your website business through regular advertising methods such as regional and local magazine and newspaper ads.
Please see parts 2 and 3 for other considerations in starting your website.
© Merine Tulloch -2015
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