How to Create an Online Store in 7 Steps 

In 2023, the sky is the limit. With 1.13 billion websites on the internet, starting an e-commerce business is easier than ever.

Whether it’s unique items intended to be sold or starting a wholesale or dropshipping business, you’ll need a great website with e-commerce capabilities to be a successful business online.

1. Niche and Target Audience: Create an Online Store 

In order to begin your journey, determining the niche market you’d like to serve is the first step. A great mistake that many people tend to make is the inability to focus on the below three components when choosing a niche:

• Profitability: A niche that is profitable is able to offer a return on investment and build a profitable online store.
• Searchability: Great e-commerce stores stock in-demand products or services that people search for. This places a grave interest in the queries that users and customers alike search for on search engines such as Google.
• Passion: It is essential to be passionate about what you’re selling since you are more likely to stick to it in tough times, and you will find it easier to direct people to your store since you would be considered an expert in the particular field, whether you sell a product or service.

2. Brand Positionality & Tone: Create an Online Store  

Choosing a product line is one of the aspects of the business goals you set for your business. However, before that comes your business or brand’s positionality and tone. Creating a business profile helps you establish where you stand.

Setting your business mission and vision helps you separate your store from the various others. Are you considering an environmentally friendly store? 

Create your brand business and brand assets by choosing a business name, along with your domain name, brand colors, and logo.

Domain names assist your customers in memorizing your brand. Brand colors also help customers form an association with your online store. 

Obtaining a domain name can be done through a domain name registrar, such as GuruDesk.com. It’s important that your domain name match your business name. 

3. Registering a Business: Create an Online Store 

To process payments for your online store,  you’re going to need an employer identification number, or EIN. You are also able to get a sole proprietorship or corporation, such as a limited liability company (LLC), which intends to protect your personal assets. 

4. Create an Online Store with Ecommerce Platform 

Ecommerce is the process of buying or selling products or services online. An Ecommerce platform is for building and managing your online store. Each ecommerce platform offers unique features, affordability, capabilities, and user-experience.

WooCommerce 

WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin that allows for the buying and selling of products and services online. However, what separates WooCommerce from the rest of ecommerce stores is the ability to install plugins.

Plugins provide a variety of features that help elevate a website. Whether it’s offering payment gateways, chatboxes, or even analytics to measure your online store’s progress, WooCommerce has it. 

WooCommerce also harbors a variety of themes that assist every online store owner by catering to their niche or field. 

5. Build Your Ecommerce Website: Create an Online Store 

• Navigate to the e-commerce platform of choice (e.g., WooCommerce) and create an account
• Choose a domain name (typically included with a plan that you can purchase through GuruDesk–if not, purchase separately)
• Select a template or theme
• Add your business name and logo
• Customize your homepage, as well as all other web pages
• Add your products and create product listings
• Set up a payment processor
• Configure settings (e.g., tax or shipping calculators)

6. Optimize Your Site: Create an Online Store  

Optimizing your online store is essential for search engines.

When it comes to offering users and customers the answers they need, it is essential that your online store be optimized so that it can be found online and in search engines such as Google.

In order to increase visibility and gain more website visitors, here are a few things to optimize your site:

• Title Tags: title tag is the text that appears on the search engine results page (SERPs). Your title tags must be descriptive and relevant to the product or service you’re offering.
• Meta Descriptions: The text that appears underneath the title tag in the SERPs Use descriptive and interesting language that encourages people to click through to your site. 
• Header Tags: The H tags are the headings on your page. Ensure they are descriptive and help explain what the page is about. 
• Images: Include images on your page and ensure they are properly tagged with keywords. 

7. Privacy Policies & Transparency: Create an Online Store  

In order to gain customers and potential customers trust, maintaining transparency is essential.

Providing customers with privacy policies ensures that they are aware of their rights and what could possibly be stored on company servers.

Create an Online Store

Our world is more connected due to the digital age. With a few clicks of a button, people from all over the world can purchase your products and services.

Ensure that your site is easily accessible online, performs fast, is secure, and allows for functionality.

If you’re hoping for trustee sidekicks, our team at GuruDesk is able to help out. Starting an online store is overwhelming, which is why our hosting plans make it all the easier.

Offering free domains, email hosting, an SSL Certificate, and Elementor Pro, you can rest assured that your online store is in safe hands.

If anything becomes exhaustive, be sure to find our Expert Guru Customer Support team available 24/7 to answer any questions and resolve your tech issues.

​​What are you waiting for? Hop on this opportunity today!