Since Big Red SEO has talked and worked with quite a few people who have started businesses online, we know that there are numerous sources of motivation for following this path. For some, it’s a matter of being unhappy with their current job and wanting to create a different future. For others, the motivation comes from having some business success under their belt but feeling ready to try something new.
Regardless of the specific reason you’re interested in starting a business online, what matters most is that there’s something clear you can point to as your specific source of motivation. While you will inevitably encounter some challenges along the path of starting your business, reminding yourself of exactly why you’re motivated to succeed will enable you to keep moving forward.
The Basic Principle Behind Successful Businesses
A big part of why online businesses are so attractive is because they provide the ability to connect with a very specific demographic. Since the visibility provided by the Internet is far superior to anything that has ever existed before, it’s easy to see why so many people are working hard to carve out their piece of this massive pie. While it’s true that the online business landscape has become much more competitive over the last five years, that doesn’t mean opportunity has dried up.
Instead, the presence of competition is simply a sign of a very healthy market. As long as a business is able to gain visibility online, they will find success. And while we’re going to dive into exactly how to make that happen, it’s important to first take a step back. Although the Internet has definitely changed the landscape of business, that doesn’t mean it’s altered the core DNA of what makes businesses successful.
Long before the Internet, successful businesses were created by identifying a need and then filling it. From Omaha to Bruges, people have been hanging out their business shingles for hundreds of years. Since servicing a need is the thread that connects business across the globe and industries, that needs to be your first priority.
Even though the Internet does change things like how you’ll market your business, it doesn’t change the fact that the fastest path to success is providing a quality solution to a need people have. So if you’re still in the idea phase of starting a business online, your focus should be on identifying a need that you know you can fill.
Getting Your Website Up and Running
Once you’ve figured out the need that your business is going to fill, the next place to shift your focus is your website. Since your website is going to play the primary role in whether or not customers ultimately do business with you, it needs to be great. But what does the phrase “great website” even mean? While you obviously want it to look good, that’s just one component of the type of website your business needs in order to flourish.
Being easy to use and creating a sense of trust are two very important elements of an online business website. If you have a site that takes forever to load or gives people any reason to doubt your business, you’re going to have a hard time finding success. It’s also very important that your website functions just as well on cellphones as it does on larger computers.
Another crucial element of an online business website is that it’s focused on accomplishing a specific goal. For most online businesses, that goal will fall into one of two categories. If a business is focused on selling a product, the entire website should be built around the goal of maximizing sales. And if a site is selling a service, every element of the site needs to play a role in getting visitors to fill out a contact form.
While successfully creating a website with such a clear focus may sound stressful, it actually makes the entire process of coming up with the right website much easier. Instead of worrying about whether or not a specific element looks nice enough, the only question you have to answer is if that specific element supports the main goal of the site. If it doesn’t, the element can be removed without any lingering concerns.
How to Market Your Online Business
As previously mentioned, the online business landscape has become much more competitive in recent years. Because more people are moving their businesses online or creating businesses specifically for the Internet, getting a website up and running isn’t enough to find success. In order to help your business grow and ultimately flourish, you need to actively market it.
When it comes to marketing an online business, there’s no shortage of available options. However, that doesn’t mean that every option presents the same opportunities for a new online business owner. Of all the potential channels to pursue, search engine optimization is the one that makes the most sense for this type of business.
The reason that SEO is such a powerful channel is because it allows you to make a large online footprint for your business. This method of marketing also makes it possible to connect with people who are very likely to make a purchase from your business. While search engine optimization can put an online business on the path to ongoing growth and success, that doesn’t mean it’s easy to do well.
Get Expert Help from Big Red SEO: (402) 522-6468
If you want to ensure that your online business SEO is done in a way that’s effective and doesn’t break any of Google’s guidelines, you need help from Big Red SEO. Because we’ve worked with so many different types of online businesses, we know exactly what it takes to implement and execute a successful SEO strategy.
At Big Red SEO, we’re driven by getting real results for our clients. So if you want to talk with us in detail about how our website design, SEO or content creation-management services can help your online business thrive, please give us a call at (402) 522-6468.