As a business, your biggest goal is making sales. And for that to happen, your offerings need to be where the target audience is. In this day and age, that place is online. Millions of people spend a significant majority of their time online- watching, searching, reading, and shopping.
It has become more crucial than ever to have an online presence for the success of businesses. If you have a business and are unsure of how to make the step of going online, you are in the right place. Here is a guide for taking your business online:
Table of Contents
Choose a domain name
A domain is the business’ home on the internet. It is a nameplate that represents the business. Typically, it is the part of your web address that follows the www. When choosing a domain name, remember that it will be what people type in to search for your business. Make it short so that it is easy to remember. Consider including keywords that people will be most likely to use when looking for things related to your business.
Using your city or state in the domain does great in appealing to the local customers. The right domain name extension also helps your business. Ensure that the domain name you settle for does not have trademarks or copyrights. After that, register the name for a certain amount of time. Registering makes it so that no one can claim it.
Plan for a website
You have a registered domain name. The next essential step is planning your website. Planning ensures you have a site that is the best fit for your kind of business. Decide if you want the website to inform, inspire or sell your offerings. If you want your target audience to buy your products from the website, you will need an eCommerce site, also known as an online store.
An eCommerce site requires more work than a regular website. You will need to plan for a shopping cart that will allow you to display product images and descriptions. Select a shopping cart that has features like inventory tracking and shipping. With an eCommerce site, you also need to factor in payment processing. You have the option of using third-party services like PayPal. However, having your merchant account increases your credibility.
Select a website designer
Having a masterpiece of a business website does not require you to be skilled in the art of website building. There are several options at your disposal. You can choose to use a content management system like WordPress. It has several themes and plugins to enhance your site’s functionality.
However, if your goal is getting a unique custom website, a professional website designer is your best bet. Find a pro at charlotte web design to transform your vision into a functional website that will take your business to the next level.
Make the website easy to find
Congratulations! You have your business online. The next crucial step is making it easy to find. To do that, you need to create relevant, informative content to draw people to your site.
You can leverage SEO techniques to boost the business’ online visibility. With SEO, you will refine your website to improve your ranking with search engines. A higher means more traffic and more sales.
Final remarks
Taking your business online increases your market base. See, in today’s world, the internet is the new marketplace. Most people will prefer shopping from the comfort of their home to going to a traditional store any day.
I’m a writer, artist, and designer working in the gaming and tech industries. I have held staff and freelance positions at large publications including Digital Trends, Lifehacker, Popular Science Magazine, Electronic Gaming Monthly, IGN, The Xplore Tech, and others, primarily covering gaming criticism, A/V and mobile tech reviews, and data security advocacy.