In the era of technology and technological advances, many people have started to see the benefits of running an online business. According to a recent study, there are currently over 26 million online businesses across the globe, with many more to come.
The demand for online businesses has grown since the pandemic, with people stuck at home and spending more time online. However, to open an online business, there are a couple of things you need to do.
Let’s go over some of the basic steps you need to take to set your new online business on the path to success in 2022 and beyond.
1. Get a memorable domain name.
Every web page must be on a server. Before your provider hosts it and gives you the IP address, you need a domain name to enable people to access your website quickly. A catchy domain name will make your website more visible and easier to find.
There are several domain types. You can choose one that fits your business best (depending on your location and goals). The most prevalent are top-level domains, which are sections after the dot (e.g., hubtech.org). Below, you can see some of the domain name types:
- Country code – these domains are related to the headquarters of your business. They include two letters at the end of your business name (second-level domain) representing your business’s country (e.g., .us, .ca, .uk, etc.).
- Generic – these domain names are used for a general audience. For example, if you are running a blog or want to represent your content to the whole world, you might want to use a generic extension. The most popular for commercial businesses is .com, but you can also use .org, .net, .biz, .info, etc. Consider your business when choosing it because, for example, .org is for non-profit organizations.
A good domain name can help you improve brand awareness, get credibility in the online market, increase your search engine rank, and give you access to a worldwide audience.
If you are unsure of the strength of your domain name, you can always contact a company that specializes in these things and schedule a domain appraisal. That way, you can determine whether to buy a specific domain name or try something different.
2. Create a user-friendly website.
When creating your website, you need to consider its functionality and how comprehensive it looks. When someone uses your website, there should be no lags or bugs that can prevent the user from using the website with ease. Make sure everything on your site is nicely organized and sorted into categories.
To achieve that clean and organized look and feel, you should design a website with no clutter and a frictionless user experience. If you incorporate too many pieces of information or put too many pictures on the first page, your website may seem a bit overwhelming to visitors. Instead, choose some relaxing colors and keep the design simple.
If your business sells products or services, you need to make it easy to purchase from your website. The purchase process should be as short as possible; as few as two clicks would be perfect. A nice gesture would be to create a pop-up that will thank your users for purchasing from you.
3. Advertise on social media.
You see ads all day, everywhere. One minute you’re scrolling through your favorite social media platform, and the next, you’re buying stuff you may not even need. An ad pops up, compelling you to immediately check it out and make an impulsive purchase because you think you need that product at that exact moment.
That’s why people advertise on social media. These platforms can be excellent marketing tools, especially for small businesses. They can help you reach a broad audience, build trust and credibility, and form meaningful relationships through friendly interactions.
Many people promote their products or services creatively, such as creating Instagram reels that tell a story of how a particular product has helped someone. Your business will undoubtedly grow from maintaining your social media accounts.
However, there is a catch. Since all of the social media platforms use specific algorithms to sort posts in the news feed according to relevance, you need to be consistent and build your profile daily.
Share links to your products or blog posts daily for maximum results. Don’t post too frequently since you may push your audience away.
Conclusion
Starting an online business in 2022 may seem overwhelming due to the competition in the online market. However, taking the initial steps above when starting an online business will surely give you an advantage in standing out and building growth.
There are many more factors that you need to consider when starting your business, but building a solid foundation is the most critical. Its essential elements are your website and domain name, while social media are the crucial channels for spreading the word and building your customer base.
