What Every Entrepreneur Should Know Before Launching an Online Store

So you want to build an ecommerce store?

Thousands of entrepreneurs try ecommerce every year hoping to make a quick dollar. Fire up a shop, chuck some products on the site and watch the sales roll in...

Except that's not how it works.

Unless you take the right approach, most online stores will fall flat on their face.

But there's a bright side...

With enough know-how and planning, anybody can build a successful ecommerce business. The biggest ecommerce players in the world all started off as tiny online stores. Sure they have massive budgets and resources behind them now. But their foundations were laid in the exact same way.

By knowing how to plan and execute.

Here's everything you need to think about before launching an online store...

You'll learn:

1. Why Most Online Stores Fail

2. Choosing The Right Ecommerce Platform

3. Mobile Optimisation Is Non-Negotiable

4. Getting The SEO Foundations Right

5. Turning Visitors Into Paying Customers

Why Most Online Stores Fail

Here's a fun fact that might surprise some of you...

According to recent industry data, 7 out of every 10 ecommerce businesses FAIL within their first 12 months.

That's higher than any other type of business. Imagine spending all that time and money only to have it go to waste.

What's the main problem?

A lot of people jump into ecommerce without putting the foundations in place. Don't get me wrong, coming up with a nice store design and choosing products to sell is fun. But when was the last time you heard about someone building a successful business by only doing fun stuff?

Typically new store owners neglect to take care of things like:

• Figuring out who their target customer is

• Planning how much money they'll need

• Developing a long-term strategy

Entrepreneurs that treat their ecommerce business as a "real business" from day one are far more likely to succeed. Launching with a suitable platform, investment in design and development and seeking help where needed are all critical first steps.

Working with an expert magento web agency will ensure your store is optimised to perform well in search, and set up to scale when you're ready to grow.

Choosing The Right Ecommerce Platform

Make the wrong decision here and you'll regret it.

It happens all the time... Someone tries to build their store on the cheapest platform possible. Fast forward 6-12 months and they've outgrown it completely. So they spend all their money and time rebuilding on a new platform.

So how do you avoid that?

When it comes to platforms, pick one that suits YOUR needs as a business. Don't just go with the default option because it's easy.

Here are some key questions to ask when deciding on a platform:

• Does it have the ability to scale when you grow?

• Can you customise everything you need to?

• Will it work with your SEO plan?

These questions are critical. You wouldn't build a Lego castle with only two blocks would you? The same theory applies here. Your ecommerce platform is the foundation that everything else is built upon. Make sure it's the right one.

As a rule of thumb, assume you'll want to grow in 2-3 years and choose a platform that allows you to.

Mobile Optimisation Is Non-Negotiable

If you're ignoring mobile you're losing sales.

Mobile is big... In fact 59% of all ecommerce sales are now made on mobile phones.

Let that sink in.

If your store isn't fully optimised for mobile, you're leaving money on the table.

Mobile optimisation doesn't just mean "making your site look good on a phone." Although that is important too. When it comes to your online store, mobile optimisation involves:

• Super fast loading speeds (ideally under 3 seconds)

• Buttons and navigation that are easy to click

• Smooth checkout process

• Optimised images and descriptions for mobile

So many store owners make the mistake of building their online store how they want it. Then squeezing a mobile version in at the last minute. Websites that are optimised for mobile tend to outrank non-mobile friendly sites too.

Making sure your store works on mobile needs to be considered from day one, during the online store development process.

Getting The SEO Foundations Right

SEO and online store development should go hand in hand.

As with mobile, many people make the mistake of thinking about SEO at the end. Your store needs to be built with SEO in mind from day one.

Why?

Well if your store's SEO hasn't been optimised, then all your traffic has to come from paid adverts. And when you're chasing sales, those ads will cost you a pretty penny.

Three simple, but important SEO foundations your online store absolutely needs to have:

• Optimised titles & meta descriptions on every page

• Clean URL's that are search engine friendly

• Site that loads in under 3 seconds

Once these three SEO basics are implemented your store will be capable of ranking in Google's search results. And just like that, you've got a stream of free traffic coming your way.

Another thing new store owners don't realise... Ranking in Google also helps build trust. Customers are far more likely to buy from a business they see at the top of Google. Compared to one they've only seen in a Facebook advert.

Turning Visitors Into Paying Customers

Traffic is worthless if it's not converting.

Did you know that the average conversion rate for ecommerce is 2%.

Yep that's right. For every 100 people that visit your store, you can expect about 2 purchases.

How can you beat that number? Here are some proven tactics for increasing conversions:

• Clear product descriptions (include answers to common questions)

• High quality product images (multiple angles preferred)

• Show proof of your product/service (reviews, testimonials, etc.)

• Checkout process should be as short as possible

Arguably the biggest conversion killer is a lengthy checkout process. Customers hate having to fill in tons of information just to buy something. Keep it simple, stick to what's necessary and customers will thank you.

Trust

Trust is a huge factor when it comes to conversion rates. Things like security badges, clear return policies and visible contact information all help to build trust with your audience.

Ensuring your store is built around conversion optimisation principles is just as important as the initial development. Don't make the mistake of focusing on one and not the other.

Pulling It All Together

Launching your online store can be daunting. There's a lot to consider. But there's also a lot more that doesn't need to be considered.

If you take anything away from this article let it be this...

Before building your online store, make sure you take care of the fundamentals. Research, planning and forethought are what separate the successful from the unsuccessful.

Quick recap...

• Most online stores fail because they neglect the basics

• Pick an ecommerce platform that allows you to scale

• Mobile optimisation is essential (majority of sales come from mobile)

• SEO should be built into your store from day one

• Optimising your store to convert more visitors is critical

Building an online store isn't a sprint... it's a marathon. Taking the time to do things properly at the beginning will save you a heap of wasted time down the line.