Starting an Online Business for Dummies

Please find your step by step guide on starting an online business for dummies.  

Step 1: Your Business Name needs to be registered

Register your business with a legal company name to ensure everything is legal. By doing this, you will also keep other people from using your business name and benefiting from your hard work. 

Research the tax benefits of being incorporated (INC) or being a limited liability corporation (LLC) versus the disadvantages and see if either of those will give you an advantage for your business. 
Get a second address for your business for privacy and to keep your personal and business mail separate. 
It is important to check which domain names are available before you register a company name.  Your website will be your primary communication tool
Consider renting a mailbox from your local post office to use as your second address. Make sure you get the best size for the amount of mail you will receive. You may also have the choice to pay in 3, 6, or 12-month incremental payments. 

Step 2: Business Bank Account 

You will require a separate business bank account to keep your personal and business expenses separate. 

You can open a business bank account anywhere, but having a local branch nearby can be helpful, especially if problems arise and they can only be sorted out in-person. 
Explore different merchant accounts to take credit and debit card payments. There are several options: Traditional banks, PayPal, Stripe, etc. 

Banks will require more information about your business (including a business plan and forecasts) to grant you access to a merchant account. 
Virtually anyone can apply for and get a PayPal or Stripe account (without providing the level of information a traditional bank requires), so you will be able to take payments more quickly. 

Step 3: Register a New Google Account and Services for your online business

Set up a Google account to take advantage of Google services such as: 

Gmail 
Google Analytics 
Google search console
Google AdWords
YouTube 
etc.....
Your Gmail address you create for your business will be used for all the above services.  

Step 4: Domain Name and Web Hosting 

To set up your business website, the first thing you will need is a domain name. Please visit our page through the link below to get your Domain name registered.  You should have already done the domain name research using Webnerd's domain finder tool

If your target audience is the global market, we recommend a .com

 

Webnerd

Don’t forget about our Web hosting packages.  We have a range of packages to suit your needs

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Try to register a domain name that has your main topic or keyword in the domain name. Doing this will help with your site’s ranking in the search engines and be easier for prospective customers to find. 

Try to register a .com, .net, or .org domain name if possible- arguably, the three most recognized domain name extensions. 
If you decide to go with another Web Host provider.  Be sure your Web host provides excellent customer service whenever you have an issue via online chat, email or phone. 
Also be sure your Web hosting provider has reliable uptime for your site. You can’t afford to have a provider that can’t keep your site up and be running at all times.  Webnerd give you a 99% uptime

Step 5: Create Your Website and Graphics 

Decide which website creation software you plan to use to make and edit Web pages. Most web hosting providers have website creation software you can use or use a content management system (CMS) like: 

• WordPress - Most common but can be slow and generic
• Drupal  - Very traditional system but has dated
• Magento - More advanced CMS system but very powerful.  
•Webnerd Edge - Simplest, fastest and quickest way to starting your website

Creating your website yourself will save on costs and time in the future if you learn how to work with the software you decide toutilize effectively.   

When adding products to your website, be sure to create cover graphics to give an excellent visual representation. When doing this, people will be more likely to click on them and check out the offer. 

Most Internet marketers provide their affiliates with graphics and sales copy to promote their products- use them in your promotion of such offers and place them appropriately on your website. 

Step 6: Get Traffic To Your Site 

Traffic is the pulse of your business because no traffic equals zero sales. 

Quality traffic is especially vital. There are free and paid traffic-generating methods. You can use any combination of them to get quality traffic to your site. 

Here are a few to get you started: 

• Social media marketing  - understand your industry and focus on the right platform
• Youtube Marketing 
• Content marketing  
search engineoptimization
• PPC (pay-per-click) Advertising  - Google Adwords if done correctly can give you instant results

Step 7: Count Your Profits and Pay Your Taxes 

Don’t spend your first profits to quick because the tax man will be at your door before you realize it. 

Remember: Be sure to put enough money aside to pay your yearly business taxes. 

It will always benefit you to invest some of your earnings into yourself.  Increase your knowledge of current marketing methods so you can stay profitable. 

Summary

Follow these fundamental steps to you get your business up and be running in no time.  If you have an idea, let people know about it.  Contact the geeks at Webnerd and we will be more thab willing to give you a helping hand