Starting an Online Business

One career path that has always interested me is the path of running an online business. What sticks out to me about running a business is that I get to be my own boss, set my own schedule and do multiple different things. I have never been the type of person to sit and do one thing for hours on end. That’s why I decided to start an online business.

Today, I’m going to talk about how I got started as well as what my new business is all about.

Blogging is Everything.

I started blogging more than three years ago, and while I cringe at the posts I wrote back then, they were great in that they got me writing and posting things online. I was a blogger before I even thought about what business I would want to start, and I am extremely grateful for the blogging world.

Writing blog posts helps with your business, because it adds to your website. You have more than just an about page, a contact page and a sales page. You have all these pages with all of these posts. According to various SEO experts, the more pages your website has, the higher it will rank in search engines. More pages means more ways to get found. You can, and should, also use your blog to position yourself as an expert in your niche.

If you want to be a freelance writer, start writing posts on how to write. My business strives to help young women be inspired and to get organized so that they can lead their best lives. So, that’s what I write about.

Social Media is (Also) Everything.

While it is not the same as a blog, you should be on a few different social media sites. Social media is a bit harder to control than your own website, because you won’t have a say in Facebook’s new algorithm. You do have a say in the content and layout of your website. Still, a social media presence does wonders for an online business.

More and more people are utilizing social media to find recommendations on products and services. Hashtags are becoming a great way to find clients and connect with brands. Pinterest is perfect for bloggers and online entrepreneurs, because people go to Pinterest in search of something. That something might just be your product, but your audience won’t find it if you aren’t on Pinterest.

In order to really rock social media, pick two to three networks to focus on and build your brand with. I, personally, use Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, and each serves a different purpose.

Research Your Product or Service.

Before you start creating your product or nailing down your service, you have to make sure there is a demand for it. Ask on social media or do a Google search to see if people are in need of what you have to offer.

Research some competing business to see what they are doing. Look at their sales or product pages. How much are they charging? What do you get with your order? What can you do to stand out?

I haven’t been the best at asking if my product is in demand, I used Google to find out if it was even worth it, and then I looked at the prices of competing shops. I didn’t copy any of my competition, but I did get to see what I could charge and also what I need to put in my product listings.

Create a Plan.

Whether you want to write a full business plan or just list out your products or services to offer, having a plan in writing is a great motivator. When making a plan, figure out what you need to do before you launch, during the launch period, and after the launch. These things will be different based on whether you are selling a product or service, and you can figure out what other people have done by searching “How to Launch a [insert your product/service here] Business” on Google.

If you want to create a business plan, you can either search for templates on Google, or I really like this template from ByRegina.

Just Start Already!

You can only plan so much before you actually launch your business; that is something I have learned the hard way. Sometimes you just have to do something, whether you are ready or not.

One of my own flaws as an entrepreneur is that I have a hard time planning to launch something, be it a new business or just a new product. I never know how it’s going to end up, and so I think “Oh, I’ll do it next week.” or something like that, but I just have to push myself to just do it. Just post that new product online. It is definitely a difficult thing to do, but I know that it is totally worth it.

My New Online Business!

Now for the details of my new business! In case you don’t follow me on social media, I launched some printable quotes on Etsy! I will be creating and posting more printable quotes and even some organizational printables in the next few weeks, and I am so excited!

My Etsy shop is the current home of my business, but I also hope to expand to other selling sites. I would love to use this blog and even Society6 or Zazzle so that I can sell my designs on actual items. (See how cool planning is?!)

This business is something I have wanted for a long time, and is finally here! I am going to be promoting the heck out of it on this blog and on social media, too. So be sure to follow me so you know when new listings are published!

If you want to start your own Etsy shop, use this link to get forty (40!) free listings! *If you use this link, I also get 40 listings.

Have you started your own online business? What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs? Leave your answers in the comments!

Thanks for reading!