Ecommerce Websites - Howto Take Your Business Online
We live in a global market - but for many entrepreneurs, this is all still just a dream. The fear of losing business to overseas competitors can be overwhelming. But here are some reasons why you should consider taking your business online:
1) Digital marketing is cheaper than traditional marketing - which means it's more likely to be successful.
2) Your website never sleeps - unlike your physical store front and staff. So you have an advantage over brick-and-mortar retailers that are closed during the night or on weekends!
3) You can reach people who would never set foot in your physical store front.
The benefits don't stop there!
4) You can build a true community of loyal customers who will actively support your business.
5) It can take just weeks to get an online store up and running, rather than months if you are thinking about opening a physical store.
But that doesn't mean it's easy. On the contrary, all that's required is some dedication and perseverance from you. (And more than a little bit of technical expertise too!)
One of the most important things to remember in this whole process is: "BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE. GET THE RIGHT ECOMMERCE WEBSITE BUILDER."
A software platform is one of the most critical aspects of any project. It's what gives you a solid foundation from which to start. So it's important to get this right - which you can do with an ecommerce website builder .
An ecommerce website builder gives you an interactive platform that:
(1) Is easy to use, so that you don't need technical expertise or a developer on board.
(2) Enables you to design your store front and manage your products in an intuitive manner.
(3) Gives you the ability to 'test-drive' the system for free.
(4) Is reliable and secure, with backup and support in place.
(5) Does not limit your creativity. You can design your ecommerce store front to match your brand's identity, rather than a pre-defined template.
Once you have an ecommerce platform in place, you can start building your ecommerce website . And if you're looking for more information on this topic, then check out our Guide to Ecommerce Websites . Or if it's help with actually building an ecommerce website that you need - check out our Web Design Services .
But where to begin?
1) Decide what you want your website to achieve. You don't have to go all-out with a full-blown online store, you could just run an online store locator or build an ecommerce blog for example. The options are, really, endless!
2) Choose a niche - this will help you focus on who your target audience is and what types of products and services they need. This will also determine the search engine optimization (SEO) that you should use for your ecommerce website. (If you don't have a clue about SEO then check out our Beginner's Guide to SEO . )
3) Create an attractive website. A visually appealing website will not only make your customers want to buy your products, but will also enhance the online brand and reputation of your business. Once you have created a template for your ecommerce website , it's a simple case of tweaking the images and text to get the perfect balance between these two factors.
4) Research what other ecommerce sites are doing - this will enable you to cross-reference what works (and what doesn't work!) and bring in ideas about where to invest time and money.
5) Start building!
6) Optimize! - this is one of the most important aspects of your ecommerce website . It's worth spending some time researching which SEO methods will bring you the most profitable results.
7) Once you've built a website:
a) Link it up - this means that direct links from other sites to your website will help drive traffic.
b) Start advertising - look at local, national and international advertising options for your business. However, remember to limit these ads so that they're not too intrusive for your customers. Sometimes it's as simple as having a small ad on the front page of your online store.
c) Get social - this is also a very important part of your online marketing campaign. Make sure you build social profiles for your website, so that customers can follow, like and share content with friends and family.
d) Keep it fresh - stick to a maintenance schedule so that you always have time to support your existing customers and find new ones!
8) Market it! - this is the most fun part of all! Launch a marketing campaign around your ecommerce website . Your customers will be grateful if you:
a) Offer promotions or discounts. If they feel like they're getting something extra, they're more likely to recommend your products to others.
b) Send out newsletters or e-mails to keep them up-to-date with your latest news.
c) Offer monthly competitions and give away prizes.
For more information on this subject, have a look at our Customer Service Guide . And if you want some ideas on how to market your ecommerce website , then check out The Ultimate Guide to Promoting and Marketing Your Ecommerce Website .
If you're looking for more information on how a website can help you grow your business, then have a look at our online business guide . And if it's help with actually starting an online business that you need, then have a look at our Web Design Services .
For more information on designing and building an ecommerce website , have a look at these handy guides:
How to Design a Website That Converts (including ecommerce store front design)
Top 10 Online Business Ideas for No Money Down (with free online business ideas too!)
The Ultimate Guide to Ecommerce Websites (includes information on starting an online store from scratch)
The Beginner's Guide to SEO (if you want your ecommerce website to rank highly in search engines)
The above article was written by Adam Steele , co-founder and editor for Web Hosting Secret Revealed .
Conclusion
With the right thinking and research, you can set yourself up for a rewarding and exciting online business once your new ecommerce website is up and running . And just like any other business, it needs a solid foundation for growth. So get the right ecommerce website builder now!
Best of luck.
Our Top Ecommerce Website Builder Picks are listed below:
The Winner of our 2016 Buyer's Guide Award For the Best Ecommerce Website Builder For both small businesses and large corporations is ecomgenix . With over 40 different plans to choose from, this powerful tool gives you all the features you need to run your online store.