How to set up your first e-shop in 5 steps

How to set up your first e-shop in 5 steps

Although new e-shops have been growing like mushrooms in the rain, there are still plenty of companies and individuals who can be tormented by online business. Where to start if you want to start your first e-shop? It’s not as complicated as it might seem.

Step 1: Select the brand name and e-shop name

The name of your online store should be easy to remember, short and concise. It’s also important to verify that the name works as a domain. Also, look what people like and talk about the most on Collected.Reviews Before you start dealing with corporate accounts on social networks and logo creation, use these tips:

  • If you already have a company or store that people know, use the same name.
  • If you don’t have a store, make a list of keywords related to your business and include some of them in the name of the e-shop.
  • Choose a name that is easy to pronounce, write and remember.
  • Do you choose a more creative e-shop name? Make sure that the invented word does not have a negative meaning in a foreign language.
  • Make sure there is no other brand with the same name. Check the name in the trademark register of US shopping websites.
  • Check with your domain registrar to see if a domain with this name is available. If so, don’t wait long to buy it.

Step 2: Hosting and administration

Website hosting is a place on a server where your domain and site content will be stored. There are several types of hosting, but as a beginner, you do not have to solve this problem. If you decide to rent an e-shop, hosting and everything connected with it will be part of a monthly/yearly fee. If you decide to build your e-shop from the ground up on your own, you will need to buy and connect to the e-shop software.

Step 3: Modern and responsive web design

You don’t need graphics or coding experience to make your e-shop’s design attractive and functional. E-shop templates will make this task easier for you. Another advantage is that the basic templates load quickly, which is important from the point of view of sales and SEO. If you want to differentiate yourself from the competition and adapt the look of the e-shop to your needs, you can use a custom design.

Step 4: Content creation and search engine optimization

In addition to offering your products and mandatory documents, such as terms and conditions, it’s important to create useful content for your site. With the help of content, you can show customers the benefits of your products. Content marketing is a great tool for building your brand, customer relationship, and trust in your product. It’s important to know the target audience of your customers and create content that is useful or fun for them. You can start producing videos, write an e-book, or start a corporate blog.

The content you create needs to be optimized for search engines. It should include the keywords and phrases that people are searching for, bring value to readers, and motivate them to stay on your site and eventually buy.

Step 5: E-shop marketing

SEO is an important part of a successful marketing strategy, but it is not the only one. To expand your content and product offerings to a larger audience of people, you can start with social media marketing, search engine marketing, or PPC advertising. Connect your e-shop with social media accounts and price comparators as soon as possible. Offer site visitors the opportunity to subscribe to the newsletter to begin collecting email marketing addresses.

Also, keep in mind that the results of your efforts need to be evaluated. Therefore, use analytical tools and devote time to reporting. If you know what works best in e-shop promotion and what needs to be worked on, you will be able to change your strategy based on this data. Good luck!