Creating a website in 2019 is way different than it was 20 years ago. In the early 2000s, you had to hire a skilled web designer with knowledge of programming to do the job for you. For businesses, hosting always meant having your own servers and a fully-serviced IT department.
If you want to launch a site in 2019, you need nothing more than a little bit of capital. In some cases, money isn’t a requirement. However, if you are looking for a site that could help you make money, be prepared to spend.
The guide below is for people with the dream of starting online entrepreneurship in 2019. It delves into the important steps you must follow to launch a professional site and how to make it profitable.
CMS versus Website Builders
With no intentions of building a website from scratch, there are two ways to create a good site in 2019. The first option is to use a Content Management System like WordPress. The other option is to let website builders take care of everything.
With WordPress, you buy a domain name and find web hosting services independently. Depending on which companies you use, it can cost you up to $100 per year. Once hosting and the domain name are taken care of, a CMS gives you a platform that mimics a website in every way. From menus to content editors-a WordPress site is similar to any site web designers build.
If you choose Website builders, you pay a monthly fee. You get your domain name registered for free. Hosting is offered at no payments and most other issues that give WordPress users headaches are taken care of. The costs vary from $5 to $30 per month.
Read a guide of the different websites builders and CMS platforms on https://www.thetop10sites.com/website-builders/. Choose a good builder by comparing prices versus features. Look out for templates, themes, and other tools that can enhance the outlook of your site. Once you choose a builder, decide on what to sell.
Choose a Niche
A website is simply a marketplace for a service or a product you plan to sell. Sometimes you don’t even need a product. But you must have the right idea before you start selling it on your site. The easiest way to decide what to sell is to identify things you love. If you love reading books you can turn your site into a book website. Sports fans can sell sports merchandises while a tech-fan can sell anything sports related.
The alternative is to research profitable niches and pick one of them. Considering what we love are not always the most profitable thing, choosing niches based on their profitability is a good idea. The Internet is full of information about profitable niches.
Simply Google a product and a location and you can view results for the number of searches made. If you visit Amazon or any top website, you can search for the product and view how many sales are made. Google trends can also help you find trendy products, the age groups, and locations where they are in great demand.
Build your Website
You’ve already decided whether to build your site using WordPress or website builders like Wix. You have a niche and pricing plan that best suits you. The next step is to build and customize your site. Website builders give you the tools needed to build a site. Complete the next step by choosing a template from thousands of libraries.
WordPress isn’t very different. The only major difference is that you start by paying for a domain name and web hosting services. After that, you link your web hosting identity details to WordPress. The next step is to select themes, plugins and customize the content editor to your liking.
With so many templates on website builders and CMS platforms, take care not to spend all your time searching templates. You already know what you will be selling on the site. Filter the templates based on what they are perfect for. Choose a good template and customize it by adding galleries and third-party apps.
Optimize the Site for Google
After you build a website and publish it, you are ready to make money from it. Let’s say your website will be selling cool devices for car owners. You plan to sell iPad holders, coffee cups best suited for drivers and the likes.
You must optimize your site to be noticed by Google and other search engines. That way, your site’s name will appear at the top of Google every time people use keywords that describe what you sell. The whole process is called search engine optimization. It involves tweaking your site and doing other things not on the site but aimed to make your platform look authoritative. Learn more about SEO here.
Run it Like a Business.
Online entrepreneurship is no different from any other. Your business is what you sell. Your website is your store and good management is the only way to make profits. That means everything you do on the site is professionally done. Your products must be great in quality and displayed in a way that impresses your customers.
Always make timely delivery and respond to customer inquiries fast and professionally. Constantly think about expansion or improving your services. The business will grow with time and you may even have to quit your day job to become an online entrepreneur full time.
Don’t worry about not having any management or online marketing skills. You can learn everything about learning an online business on the Internet. Simply distinguish good content from useless content. Follow tips given by successful website owners and always work hard on your business.
To Conclude
Starting an online business in 2019 takes anywhere between one and a few hours. The capital needed is low and there is plenty of information on how to do it right. Simply find a good website builder. Choose a niche wisely and work hard. It's never that hard to make money online.
