Have the Right Plan
So you have an amazing business idea or plan, and now you want to start a business, how do you do this? These days most people aren’t going with the traditional brick-and-mortar route anymore, most companies are beginning as online businesses instead. So how do you start a business online?
Starting a business comes with a lot of challenges and steps before you can even get off the ground. For brand new businesses, you are first going to have to make some important decisions and official legal steps. Existing businesses that are looking to grow their online presence may be able to skip some of these first steps if they have already completed them. For existing businesses, we suggest you read over all of these steps, but you may need to start your process around Step 4.
Step 1: Choosing a business structure
When starting a business, you will have to consider the different business structures to find the best fit for you. You can operate under a sole proprietorship, limited liability company, or corporation. A sole proprietorship (Sole Prop) is the most simple business type and it’s a good fit for small businesses that consist of just one individual. However, this form offers no protection from debt or liability from the business and the individual. Limited liability corporations (LLC) have a flexible structure and create more of a separation from the individual, so they are no longer personally liable. Finally, corporations, this option can be more expensive and complicated, but they offer a greater separation from the individuals as it is considered independent entity. Corporations are a good option for businesses that might seek outside investors or the possibility to sell stock.
Step 2: Naming your company or business
It is essential to take the time to research the name of your business. You want to make sure that your name is unique and easy to remember for your customers. Consider your competitors and what their names are like and check state law requirements and be sure your name is different from any other registered entity. Do thorough research to avoid any potential issues in the future, such as trademark infringement.
Step 3: Filing Formation Papers
After you decide what structure option is best for you and your business and pick your perfect name, you then have to file paperwork with your state. In addition to the paperwork you should expect a filing fee, these vary from state to state. After you have completed this process, you will receive a certificate from the state, making your new business official. From here, you can manage your financials and open a bank account for your business. For tax purposes, LLCs or Corporations, you can request a tax id from the IRS while Sole Props can use the individual’s social security number.
Step 4: Domain Name
During the name-selecting phase, you should have already done a bit of research into available domain names matching your new business name. A domain name is very important for any online business, think of it as your internet address. There are many companies that sell domain names. Once you decide on an available domain name, you can purchase and pay the annual fee for it.
Step 5: Business website
Now you move on to the more technical side of your new online business. To get your website online, you will first need to get web hosting. Hosting is often offered from the same company as your purchase domain name. However, to get the best and safest option, we suggest the secure hosting option available from Right On Tech. Web hosting is a service that allows websites to be viewed on the internet. When a user wants to pull up a specific website, they type the domain into their browser. In order to pull up the website, the computer connects to the server.
Individual business owners can set up their domain, hosting, and website on their own. However, unless you have a background in Web design or development, you may have quite a bit to learn before being able to do so successfully. Your website is the base of your online business, so instead of taking a slow DIY approach, you should consider hiring a professional web developer. You have a business to run and trying to do so while also attempting to design a website may prove overwhelming. It is important that your website not only looks great but also function smoothly for your visitors, and perform well for the search engines.
Our team of developers at Right On Tech is knowledgeable and experienced in the most current SEO strategies. With every website, we build, we have certain SEO tactics we use to ensure the best for your website. These are a few of the things we take into consideration for any website’s SEO:
- Headings – each page should be broken down with the proper heading structure
- Keywords – focus on certain keywords to increase organic traffic that converts well
- Page Content – content must be informative and play well with humans and search engines
- URL Structure – having relevant descriptive URL rather than gibberish
- Duplicate Copy – can be confusing for the search engines when producing results
- Navigation Structure – your website should be easy to navigate with proper linking
- Backlinks – create a trustworthy site with links coming from other sites
- Bounce Rate – the viewers that click into your site and leave rather than continuing
- Click-Through Rate – the number of times a viewer click through to your site
- Organic Traffic- traffic that comes to your site without the help of paid advertising
Step 6: Becoming and Staying Visible
Once your business is official, and your website is up and running, the work doesn’t just stop there. The internet is a busy place, and you want to make sure you stand out so your customers can find you. Our team at Right On Tech is experienced in the types of Marketing and Advertising that your business needs to succeed online. Contact Us for a free consultation today.