With the e-commerce industry booming across Europe and Cyber Monday confirmed as the biggest online sales day on record, there is now more incentive than ever for entrepreneurs and traditional retailers to pay attention to online retail. line. However, when building any business, certain key considerations and strategies must be observed when launching a successful eCommerce business. Read on to discover the seven key steps to building a thriving online store…
Step 1 – Buy a domain name
The first stage in building a successful online retail business is finding a suitable domain name. You want something memorable, easy to spell, and not too similar to your competitors’ URLs. Please do your due diligence if you are purchasing a domain name from a company that already trades or through an auction, as you do not want to purchase a URL that is subject to Google penalties.
Step 2: Find a web developer
To make your online store a reality, you will need to find a trustworthy and experienced web developer. Look for a development team that has a proven track record with eCommerce sites, can show you examples of eCommerce stores they’ve built, and is knowledgeable about topics like payment gateways and eCommerce platforms.
Step 3 – Choose a platform
Once you have a web developer, they should be able to advise you on the most suitable eCommerce platform for your needs. A common option is WooCommerce, which fits very well with WordPress and allows you to manage your entire website from one control panel. You’ll also need web hosting instead.
Step 4: Decide on a theme or design
Once you’ve selected your eCommerce platform, you’ll need to decide on the look and feel of your new online store. At this point, design and the customer journey have a role to play. Talk to your web developer to plan and map out the journey you want your new and existing customers to take through your website.
Step 5: Write your content
While your web developer is hard at work behind the scenes, begin the task of creating your web copy. You’ll need to do extensive keyword research beforehand to ensure your product descriptions, landing pages, and other web pages are optimized for launch. Don’t forget strong calls to action as well.
Step 6: Test, Test, Test
Before your site goes officially live, you’ll need to do extensive testing. Your web developer should do this before you deliver it, but you’ll also need to test the site thoroughly, using a variety of different devices. Go through the entire checkout process as well and make sure the journey to the sale is as seamless as possible. Testing should continue after the site launches, so you’ll also need a roadmap for A/B testing as you go.
Step 7 – Launch your marketing plan
You’ll need a strong digital marketing plan to go along with launching your site. It’s a good idea to start before your site goes live to build awareness, and then improve it when your eCommerce site goes live. Initially, you’ll need to consider paid search, but you’ll also need to simultaneously work on a longer-term SEO plan, social media marketing, content marketing, and email marketing to drive relevant, targeted traffic to your site.