The idea of not having an online business presence is counterproductive in this day and age. In 2020, online sales jumped 50%. That means during hard times, people who weren’t shopping online got in the game. Moving into 2021 and beyond, the digital age is going to demand, for the sake of success, you find ways to move your business online.
Here’s What You Do
Let’s imagine you’re a brick-and-mortar shop and current climates have got operations temporarily shut down. You’re not ready to shut it down! Here’s what you do.
Step 1: Know what service or product you’re offering
Transferring your concepts from in-person to online presence requires forethought. Companies that offer services have no need for shipping and storage. Sellers of products still have to concern themselves with costs associated with keeping inventory. You may want to trim down on your least popular products at first.
Step 2: Get a domain name
Do a domain name search because your goal has to be a domain name using your business name, or getting as close to it as possible. There are sites that let you buy and manage domain names. You’ll be able to register that domain for as little as $20 a year. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.
- Local extensions (.ca, .uk, etc.) are best for local operations
- Numbers and hyphens are a no-no for domain names
- A domain with a trademark should be avoided
- .com is the most powerful extension
Step 3: Prepare to create a website
In terms of creating your physical web presence, you have the choice of using a pro or creating it yourself. Remember, you can make or break online success with your website. If you know your stuff, feel free to do it. Otherwise, it might be a good idea to go with a pro. If you’re a retailer, look for an e-commerce platform.
Step 4: Work on on-site design and content
If you choose to work with CMS as a service, make sure they understand what you hope to achieve with your website. Your expectations will provide the groundwork for what goes into the site. If you’re doing it yourself, pick a professional and simple design from the range of templates you can find on the web. The design has to reflect personality and be user-friendly. Keep content original and engaging and use as many mediums (text, images, video, audio) as possible.
Step 5: Make it legal
Being online doesn’t negate legal responsibility. Your obligations will include the following:
- Having a business license
- Obtaining a DBA license if your online business has a different name than your company
- Getting an EIN for tax purposes
- Acquiring a privacy policy
Contentful says, “Content owners want to get their content to as many platforms and channels as possible: web, mobile, social networks, smart devices, and so on.” Going online will be a challenge but with the provided tips for getting your business online, you’re in a good place. Good luck!
