Successfully growing your e-commerce store

Though Covid-19 caused severe damage, it also brought about some positives, including a surge in online shopping. As the popularity of physical stores subsided, that of online stores rose, a trend that has continued in post-coronavirus times.

No wonder entrepreneurs are always striving to discover how to sell online in new and creative ways, in order to tap into the increasing demand for online services and products.

But it is also critical to note that running a venture online is challenging. So, here are some tips that can come in handy in helping you have a successful business.

Decide on your niche

The first step to starting your online business is deciding your area or field of preference.

It is an essential step because it will determine how successful you are. If you have a passion for what you are doing, it will show in your work, and people will take notice. Also, try to find a niche that is not too saturated to have room to grow.

It is critical that whatever you choose as your niche aligns with your passion, skills, and talent, and it should also be marketable. Otherwise, you are setting yourself up for failure from the get go.

Create a website or blog

The next step is to create a website for your business. A website is where you will showcase all your products and services.

If you do not have the technical skills, there are many web building platforms such as Wix that provide you with drag and drop tools in order to allow you the freedom to create your website with ease and no prior knowledge of code.

An e-commerce website showcases your products and services in a centralised manner in order to allow a) for search engines to crawl your site and rank you for your products and b) create a more intuitive navigation process and user experience (in terms of design) for first time visitors entering your website.

Spread the word

When creating an online business, keep in mind that setting up is only 20%, with the rest being marketing. You could create the best product or service globally, but how will you ever make a dime if no one knows about it?

There are specific strategies that you can use to push your online business. The first one is social media. Going this route will help you reach a larger audience and get more people interested in what you do.

Furthermore, with Instagram and Facebook, you can set up shop pages and post ads to get even more reach.

Another effective method is email marketing, useful in sending out newsletters with updates on your products or services to people who have signed up for them. You can also include links in these emails to direct people to your website.

SEO is also key. Make sure to do your research and target the right keywords so that people can easily find you when they search for what you offer. Lastly, word of mouth is still one of the most powerful marketing tools. Tell everyone you know about your business and ask them to spread the word.

Decide which payments to accept

There are a few different ways to accept payments online. The most popular include PayPal and Stripe. There are also merchant accounts that allow businesses to accept credit and debit card payments.

You'll need to decide which payment method you want to use for your business. Each has its benefits and drawbacks, so choosing the right one for you is essential.

PayPal is one of the most popular payment methods for online businesses. It's easy to set up and use, and customers widely accept it. However, PayPal charges fees for each transaction, so you'll need to factor that into your pricing.

Stripe is another popular payment method without setup fees and a flat fee per transaction. Stripe is also easy to use, but it's not as widely accepted as PayPal.

Merchant accounts come with higher fees than PayPal or Stripe, but they're necessary if you want to accept card payments.

Figure out your shipping or delivery method

If you're selling physical products, you'll need to figure out how you will ship or deliver them to your customers. There are a few different options, including shipping through the Post Office, using a shipping service, or hand delivering the products yourself.

Wrapping up

Your online business needs a strategy to succeed. If you lay out a good plan and work hard towards it, you will establish a profitable venture and reach a large audience with your product or service.

Remember to focus on marketing, choose the right payment methods and shipping options for your business, and always be prepared to adjust your plan.