How to Build your Online Store
Whether you are looking to expand online or want to start your first e-commerce business, setting up an online store is relatively simple. Launching your e-commerce site will expose it to a large pool of potential online customers and increases the chances of turning it into a successful and profitable business venture.
This guide will walk you through all the tools you need to help you build your online store from the ground up!
How to Build your Online Store
Step 1: Domain Registration and Web Hosting
The first thing you need to do to secure your space online is to register a domain name. A domain name gives you control over your online identity and is the best way to give your web content a permanent online home. Not only does it look professional, but it also helps your brand stick out online and generate much-needed traffic to your online business. You are also going to need a hosting package to store your website files.
Picking the right hosting solution for your e-commerce site is one of the vital decisions. Your hosting plan affects the overall performance of your site. Our e-commerce solutions are secure, scalable, and flexible to accommodate your site as it expands.
Step 2: Build your Website
After you have purchased a hosting package and registered your domain name, the next part is finally building your site. You can either hire a professional designer, use a content management system(CMS), DIY with a website builder, or customize already-existing pre-built WordPress websites.
With a website builder, you can create a functional and aesthetically pleasing website using a drag and drop feature with customization options. A website builder is ideal if you have little to no design skills or have a limited budget for website creation.
If you want your site to have more resources and options than those available in a website builder, a CMS, such as WordPress, is the preferred option. With a content management system, you get access to higher levels of control without getting involved in all the technical aspects of building your e-commerce site.
However, if you have a specific vision of how you want your site to look, pre-built websites will help you achieve your design goals. With our free pre-built websites, you can choose from an array of templates, themes, and customization options, and we will help create a website as you focus on other business aspects.
Related: Why you should use a Website Builder
How to choose the best CMS for your Website
Step 3: Customize your e-commerce site.
After you have created your site, you can now customize it to cover any extra features or software you need on your e-commerce platform.
Choosing the right e-commerce software will make it easy to seamlessly add and personalize product pages, images, product descriptions, SEO, and inventory status information. Plus, you will need to set up payment methods and sort out shipping settings. Other additional features to look out for include options to automate shipping and sales tax processes, wish lists, recommendation engines, among others.
You will need to consider what eCommerce features you must have on your e-commerce site and research your options to find the plugins that best fit your needs.
Related: 5 Mistakes new Online Businesses should avoid
Step 4: Secure your Platform.
Having a secure e-commerce platform is the best way to convince web users to make a purchase. We offer Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates to encrypt your consumers’ data and ensure their shopping experience on your site is secure. Installing SSL certificates will not only guarantee the privacy of your customers and protect them from a data breach, but it will also result in higher rankings on search engines.
Related: 5 Security requirements for eCommerce Processes
Step 5: Publish your e-commerce site.
Once you have finished setting up your online store, it is time to hit Publish! Now it’s time to make sure consumers know your brand exists and gain traction to your e-commerce site. Promoting your site will help you get started and drive sales from your new online shop.
With these resources and e-commerce tools, you can now set up your online store on the right foot and build a successful online business.
Ready to get started? We have web hosting packages that suit e-commerce businesses of all sizes, from micro-stores to large enterprises.
