How to Start an Online Business in 8 Steps

Updated on December 12, 2022 by Marc Bartolome

Starting an online business can be a great way for entrepreneurs to break into the market without having to face some of the costs and challenges associated with traditional brick-and-mortar businesses.

First, you won't have to deal with the costs of maintaining a physical store and paying expensive utilities and rent. You can also easily scale your business up or down depending on how it does, and you don't have to worry about seasonal changes in demand.

Lastly, one of the most important benefits of starting an online business is the ability to stay open 24/7. This means you can help customers wherever they are, at any time of day or night. It also allows you to increase your customer base and reach more people with your products.

Although launching an online business can be easier than opening a physical shop, the process still requires thoroughness and various steps.

Being diligent with the launch of your online store can help you ensure its success.

8 Steps to take when starting an online business

To help you prepare for the launch of your new online business, there is a process you need to go through. Carefully completing these steps will make achieving your new goal much smoother and more efficient.

#1 Determine if your business idea is viable

When you get the idea to start an online business, the first thing you need to do is assess if your business idea is feasible. After all, the success of your business depends on it, and you don't want to spend time and resources on something that didn't have a chance to succeed in the first place.

To determine if your business idea can succeed in the competitiveness of the online market, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Does your product solve a problem?

• Do enough people have the problem you're trying to solve?

• Will people spend money to solve the problem?

• Is your product a cost-effective solution to the problem?

• How much do you need to spend to reach your target audience?

#2 Create a business plan and structure

If your business idea is feasible, the next step you need to complete is to create a business plan and structure. Doing so will help you prepare for any potential challenges you may encounter when running your online business and determine if you would need SEO services to succeed.

Having a business plan and structure will also help you identify your target audience, which can be beneficial for your marketing strategy. It can also provide you with opportunities to set your objectives and help you make future decisions for your business, especially if you are also using a one page business plan.

#3 Design and build an eCommerce website

Now, you can start to design and build an eCommerce website that will not fail. This will be the main platform where customers can purchase your product or service.

Since the online market is so competitive, you need to make sure that your website can grab your target audience's attention in less than seven seconds.

Otherwise, you might lose their interest, and they may end up visiting your competitor's website instead.

However, this doesn't mean you should fill your website with obnoxious, eye-catching visuals. Instead, you should focus on creating a website that is easy to use and has a clear navigation system. In addition, it's best to start working on how to promote your website, how you will conduct the backlink monitoring part with backlink management tools, what content you will share, and other SEO-related activities.

You should also follow these tips.

• Use up to two plain fonts on white background.

• Only place images, audio, or video if they add value to your message.

• Let customers reach the checkout page with no more than two clicks.

• Make sure your website loads fast enough.

Don’t forget about one of the most important parts of website-based marketing: your domain name. Top-level domains or TLDs from Name.com can help customers recognize the purpose, geographical location, or site owner in seconds.

Lastly, consider investing in scalable enterprise hosting rather than sticking with more rigid, general-purpose packages. You want your site to be able to grow along with your business, so this is crucial.

#4 Choose your sourcing methods

Once you have your website, you might think that you can start selling to customers. However, before that, you must first think about how to fulfill your customers' orders. Where would you source your products?

You should also consider your supply and inventory before launching your online business.

To be successful in this aspect, you need to spend enough time on research. You must decide if it would be best for your business to stock up on inventory or work with an on-demand provider.

Establishing good relationships with different providers and other entrepreneurs will also provide you with the resources you need to decide.

#5 Integrate your eCommerce website with delivery software

Aside from deciding where and how to source your products, you should think about how you can get them to your customer's doorstep. There are many methods you can try, but one of the most cost-effective ways to do this is by integrating your eCommerce website with delivery software.

With last-mile delivery software, you can use your business's own resources to easily manage all the aspects of your delivery without relying on a third-party provider.

This gives you complete control over your customers' delivery experience, and you can be sure to provide them with a superb experience every time.

#6 Write compelling copy

One way to drive traffic to your online business is by writing copy that sells. You need to make sure that you're taking your customers through the selling process from the moment they land on your website to when they finish the checkout process.

You must highlight how your product can solve customers' problems or improve their daily lives. Following these tips should also help you create copy that encourages your target audience to click on the checkout button.

• Pique interest using a compelling headline.

• Introduce the problem your product solves.

• Discuss why your brand should be trusted in solving this problem.

• Use testimonials from customers who have used your product.

• Introduce your product and how it can help your customers.

• Create urgency.

#7 Establish your marketing strategies

Promoting your brand is essential if you want to reach your target audience. So, you must create an effective marketing strategy for your potential market. When establishing your marketing strategies, consider using Amazon keyword research tools to identify relevant keywords and optimize your product listings for better visibility and discoverability on the platform or you can outsource all these tasks to an Amazon agency.

There are several ways to market your brand and products, and you must decide which ones are best for your business. Some of the most effective strategies include social media, content marketing, email campaigns, influencer marketing, and promotional podcasts.

You must also decide how much you are willing to spend on marketing. While it is important to invest in your marketing, you should make sure you are mindful of the budget. Five-star branding companies can help you with outsourcing your branding so your marketing can match your brand.

#8 Launch your online business

Now, it's time for the big moment—launching your online business. This is the most crucial step in starting your own eCommerce business, and you need to be sure that everything is ready for launch.

To launch your business with more confidence, it will be helpful to check and utilize UTM parameter examples. UTMs will easily help you learn how much traffic you're getting from various sources, leading to better budget management, stronger campaigns, and eventually, a higher ROI.

Make sure that all the features of your website are working correctly and that everything is up to date. You should also confirm that all your marketing campaigns are ready to go, e.g. by using a UTM builder you can make sure all traffic is attributed accurately, meaning you can measure and compare the effectiveness of different campaigns.

Once you're sure everything is in place, it's time to take a deep breath and launch your business.

Launch an online business successfully

Starting an online store may seem easier than launching a brick-and-mortar business, but you should still be diligent when doing so. There are still some challenges that you need to overcome before you become successful online.

Fortunately, with the steps listed above, you can have an effective guide that will help your new online business succeed.

If you are looking to start specifically last mile delivery business, then we also recommend checking this step-by-step guide on doing so in 2024.