eCommerce Web Site Building: Where Do I Start?
I'm the web and PHP developer at Stackify. I build modern eCommerce websites for small to medium-sized businesses in a neat, professional way.
I'd like to offer a few quick steps towards building your own web site with some free software tools and my recommendations for software, hosting, design packages, and other things you'll need in order to get started on this project.
Managing an online store is much easier now since they are starting more integrated with the website than ever before - there's no need to have multiple applications or even know how these shopping carts work on their own anymore.
But if you want to build your own one through Amazon and the like, you can do this by following this simple guide - it has everything you will need to know to get started.
Take some time to familiarize yourself with it before starting on your own project. You'll be glad you did.
So let's start with the title of this article: eCommerce Web Site Building: Where Do I Start? (E-Commerce Website) ... actually where do I start? This is a question that plagues many a developer these days, and there are numerous resources available for those who try. But, as with all things online, the truth is that they're not all created equal. There's no general rulebook for building and maintaining an eCommerce site. It all varies with your own personal preferences and needs. Here's the best way to get started when you're starting from scratch:
E-Commerce Website Tools Of The Trade
Programming Languages & Development Tools
There is a big problem with most DIY eCommerce projects - they are usually done in one shot without any planning or thought. So here we'll take a look at what is needed to create your very own website, as well as the tools used for this process.
Once you've chosen a programming language, be sure to pick up some of the key development tools that will help you create your site. A good text editor will help you code easier and faster. When it comes to content management systems I'm a big fan of WordPress, but if you want to get into the technical side of things, check out Drupal.
Web Design Tools & the Best Hosting For Your E-Commerce Website
Designing your website can oftentimes be as tough if not tougher than building it. You have to plan it all out first before putting pen to paper, so we'll take a look at some tutorials that will give you some ideas on design, color schemes, graphics and more.
Complementary to your design elements, you'll need a good hosting service to live on. Start with a solid foundation - if you need hosting, check out the Pagely review to see if they're right for your online store. They're one of the best providers around and will get you up and running in no time. Other popular options include WP Engine, Dreamhost, A2 Hosting and Media Temple. But why not try something slightly different? For instance, check out 1&1 , they've got loads of useful features, including dedicated servers which will give you a little more flexibility than shared hosting.
And if you can't decide between shared hosting or dedicated hosting? Try a unique approach like Bluehost. They've got a wide range of packages and will give you plenty of space to work with. Their DreamHost-like interface isn't for everyone, but their support team is one of the best out there so you shouldn't have too many problems with them when building your eCommerce website.
If the above options aren't quite right for you, check out my reviews about other top eCommerce web hosting providers - SiteGround , Bluehost , NameCheap , HostGator and WP Engine .
SEO & Your E-Commerce Website - Why It Matters
Most of the DIY eCommerce stores are doomed from the start because most people don't realize how important SEO is for their website. If you're a mad scientist who loves to tinker with things, the chances are that you'll probably spend a lot of time trying to create a website that works best for your niche. However, unless you learn and incorporate SEO techniques into your business model, it won't generate any traffic. So whether you're building an online store to sell products or trying to increase brand exposure - here's how it works and how it can help your eCommerce venture grow.
SEO is a process that includes a number of key elements - both on the internal and external components. The internal SEO elements are crucial, since they affect how users will interact with your site. For instance, ensuring that the content on your website is relevant and useful to your target market will help you keep visitors from leaving as soon as they land on your page (unless you want them to!). External SEO looks at the Internet as a whole - it's all about getting people to go after other opportunities, websites or products that might be related to what you're doing. You can learn more about how you can start an effective SEO campaign here .
And if you are looking for a host that will help you with your SEO, check out their plans - Pagely has great support when it comes to optimizing your eCommerce website, and can even handle low quality and difficult to index content thanks to Google's most recent updates.
The Final Word on Building Your E-Commerce Website
There's one lesson in all of this: building an eCommerce site is a lot like building any other site - with the additional challenge of commerce. The best way to get around this is by planning it out beforehand, and breaking down all of the elements that you'll need in order to be successful. And there's a good chance that you'll need to break down your site and components into smaller pieces. Although this is time consuming, it ensures that you don't overcomplicate things, and make sure that each part is done just right. If you follow these steps, your eCommerce website will be around for years to come, and hopefully make it easier for you to make some money as well.
The post E-Commerce Web Site Building: Where Do I Start? (E-Commerce Website) appeared first on Make Your Ecommerce .
Conclusion:
To get really good results you will have to test and monitor your eCommerce website growth and performance on a regular basis. In other words, use a combination of different marketing strategies and be sure to take advantage of all the tools that are available.
The post E-Commerce Web Site Building: Where Do I Start? (E-Commerce Website) appeared first on Make Your Ecommerce .
There's always that initial confusion about how you can create an online store that will generate a steady stream of paying customers - it all comes down to planning, testing, learning from your mistakes and finally taking the first step into the world of getting your business up and running.