How to Start Your Small Business Online

While starting an online business may seem relatively easy, it requires the same diligence and planning as a traditional business. Nevertheless, the internet has made it easier for small business owners to successfully operate their businesses than they ever could have in the past.

Before you start a new venture, you must have a solid foundation. This can be done through the steps outlined below. Although they don’t have to be completed in order, these steps are designed to help you build a foundation that will allow you to succeed in the future.

Develop a Product or Service

The first step you should take when establishing an online business is to assess its feasibility. When establishing an online business, you should investigate whether your product or service has a market. Even if you have the solution to a problem that most people are looking for, you’re still throwing away money if the issue turns out to be a waste of time and money.

Have a Business Plan

Having a well-designed business plan will allow you to keep track of all of the details of your project and ensure that it’s feasible. Even if you don’t plan on getting funding for your business, having a plan will allow you to identify potential issues and opportunities. Moreover, it helps develop a strategy to help you reach your goals. It will also help you make the necessary decisions to ensure your business is successful.

Find Your Business Title

Before you start a new venture, you must have a proper name. Since your business will primarily be conducted online, your chosen name should be available for registration in both the digital and physical space. You should consider other options if your chosen name is unavailable as a domain name. Also, remember that there are many different extension options for “.com.”

Website Development

Having a well-designed website is just as critical as finding a traditional location. One of the most important factors you should consider when choosing a web host is the quality of the service you’ll be using. A well-designed website can be essential, but it’s also vital to ensure that the host has the necessary resources to support it.

Marketing Strategy

A marketing strategy will allow you to reach out to your potential customers effectively. No matter what method you choose, it’s important to implement it properly. Once implemented, your next goal should be to build a solid social media presence.

About the Author

Gianmatteo Costanza is a Senior Technical Program Manager for Meta in San Francisco, California. In addition to being a well-established developer and team leader, he is also a successful entrepreneur.

Gianmatteo’s first venture was in high school in Zurich, Switzerland. He and some friends co-founded a web design firm called 4nexus the webarchitects. They primarily designed websites initially, but their talents soon let the company evolve into web-based solutions for small- and medium-sized business clients, a hosting company, and software solutions for financial applications. This experience allowed Gianmatteo to explore his multiple talents as a project manager, accountant, designer, and developer.

Never one to miss an opportunity, Gianmatteo spent his summers learning about his industry of choice. As a freelancer for surfEU.com, he worked as a journalist and web designer for the popular web portal. While working as an intern for AdNovum Informatik AGA, digital solutions providers for multiple industries, cybersecurity, and cloud-based services, among others. Gianmatteo developed a Java framework for generating financial reports and devised a high-level meta-language for aggregating data. While interning for VMware, Gianmatteo discovered his love for the UI aspect of software development, creating the web center interface for the company infrastructure. These experiences launched Gianmatteo into Silicon Valley, where he worked with department heads to develop large-scale applications and manage his own teams from the ground up.