If you are planning to start an e-commerce business, there are a few services that you will need to get right the first time around in order to ensure success. Even if you have an excellent product or service to sell, your potential customers may be turned off by poor web design or slow loading times, which can lead to them leaving your site without clicking on any of your products or services! If you want your e-commerce website to be successful, it is important that you invest in these 5 web development services before launch day!
Start with creating your domain name:
It might sound like a no-brainer, but in today’s fiercely competitive environment, you need every advantage you can get. Search engines place a huge emphasis on your domain name, so choose something short, memorable, and relevant to your business. This one move could put your head and shoulders above your competitors. Once you have your domain name is taken care of (and if it’s available!), it’s time to turn your attention to web development services. When creating a website for e-commerce purposes, there are several key features you need — and they don’t come cheap. However, choosing wisely when picking out these features is essential to growing your business. One important consideration is Google Ads: Google Ads will help drive traffic to your site, which means more sales and revenue. And that’s what we’re all about! So make sure you consider Google Ads as part of your marketing strategy from day one. Otherwise, Google may just beat you to it… literally!
The first rule of any social media platform is to actually be social . . . meaning having conversations with people online.
Choose a CMS (content management system):
Selecting a content management system (CMS) can seem overwhelming, but with so many options available, you can’t afford to choose one. Facebook Ads and Google Ads are two of the best places to start, as they’re relatively affordable and offer direct access to more than half of their user bases. No matter which platform you decide on, it’s important to have one in place from day one. The sooner your website is up and running, the sooner you can begin marketing your business and reaching new customers. Make sure that your CMS allows for flexibility in terms of design, layout, and messaging — otherwise, it could hinder your ability to create targeted ads or run promotions. This is especially true if you plan on expanding into e-commerce at some point down the road. Don’t be afraid to experiment: Even if your company is still in its infancy stage, try out different kinds of ad formats when setting up accounts on Google Ads or Facebook Ads — it’s free!
Pick the right eCommerce platform for you:
E-commerce platforms are important because they enable you to start selling products online and allow you to manage your inventory, fulfill orders, and track sales. Two of the biggest eCommerce players on the market today are Magento and Shopify. Depending on your needs, these two solutions will vary a lot when it comes to what they offer in terms of functionality and ease of use. If a custom solution is something that’s necessary for your business or if you want more control over how content is delivered through your site, then Magento might be right for you. However, if all you need is simple eCommerce functionality without having to worry about customization or maintenance costs, then Shopify could be a good option for getting started quickly with as little technical knowledge as possible.
Look at payment options and set up shop:
Whether you’re starting your business online or as a brick and mortar, you’ll need a method of accepting payment. These days that means setting up some sort of e-commerce setup, like WordPress with WooCommerce. It can be easy to get lost in all these services — e.g., Stripe, PayPal, and Square are just a few of them — but if you have no idea where to start, consider talking with an experienced web developer about what options might make sense for your business. This is also a good time to decide on an overall design aesthetic (flat vs. skeuomorphic), pick a primary typeface (Helvetica Neue, sans serif), and settle on colors (vibrant blues). You may also want to work with someone who specializes in SEO so that your website will rank higher on search engines like Google. Remember: Customers aren’t going to buy from a site they can’t find!
Choose a website host:Unless you have a ton of experience with the website development and are going to design your site from scratch, you’ll probably want a hosting service for your e-commerce site. When selecting a web host, make sure that it’s been optimized for search engines (SEO). Look for something that has no limits on page views per month and will not block your access if your site becomes popular overnight. Although these services can be costly, they’re usually well worth it. If you don’t know how to code or design web pages, then having someone else do it for you is highly recommended. It might cost more than doing it yourself, but in most cases, it will save time and money in the long run. There are plenty of Web Development Services out there that specialize in creating custom websites specifically designed for e-commerce stores. If you’re looking into starting an online store or need help optimizing your current one, then consider using one of these companies:
