The world of eCommerce is booming, but the good news is that you aren’t too late to the party.

Why? Because people are going crazy about online shopping more than ever.

Indeed, 42% of consumers say they receive at least one Amazon package each week.

The demand is huge and the idea of opening up your online store must be exciting – and also a tad daunting.

But it’s cool because in this article I’m going to show you – step by step – how you can start and grow your own eCommerce business in 2018.

1. Pick a niche

Don’t be the store that tries to sell all things to all people – it will be a marketing nightmare.

Pick a niche, but have two rules as you make your choice:

  1. Choose a niche that has a solid customer base (Google’s Keyword Planner is an invaluable tool that will help you figure out what people are searching for. If a niche has less than 10,000 searches per week, it’s probably not worth your time).
  2. Pick a niche you’ll grow to appreciate. No, you don’t need to love the niche you’re working in, but it will help a lot if you can at least grow to like it a bit.

2. Name your Store

Argh! What should you call your store?

In all honesty, this would typically be something you can come back to. But since you’ll need to start creating a logo real soon, you need to come up with a name quick.

Don’t stress too much. Keep in mind that what you achieve as a store and brand is far more important than your name. In 2004, Facebook had one of the most ordinary names out there, but now it holds great significance because of what the brand represents to us all.

To stand out in what is a very crowded marketplace, you need a brand identity that your customers relate to.

And the key to your brand identity is your logo.

A good logo that resonates with people can increase their feeling towards you. Moreover, good logos stick in people’s subconscious – a place you want to be.

For this one, you could hire an expert graphic designer, or you could use Shopify’s logo maker tool to make your logo.

Just make sure that whatever logo you create is relevant and in some way represents your values.

4. Source Products

For some store owners, this can be the hard bit. Where do products even come from?

There are many places to source your products. Online marketplaces like Etsy are useful because, not only can you source your products from here, you can also find out what products are selling the best.

Here is a useful article that will help you find your products.

5. Build a Website

A website is your shop’s window, front door, and floor. It’s everything, and because online shoppers place so much emphasis on good user experience, it’s imperative that your website looks good.

To this end, it’s well worth hiring a pro website designer. While sites like GoDaddy and Wix let you create stunning websites yourself, it can also go wrong if you’ve never done this before.

Alternatively, you could use an eCommerce marketplace like that provides you with templates.

Either way, your website needs to:

  • Look good
  • Be easy to navigate
  • Be mobile ready

6. Implement a Content Marketing Campaign

That’s right – to grow your eCommerce store, you have to create and maintain a blog.

Now, I know this can sound a bit daunting and time-sapping at first, and you might be wondering why the heck an online store needs a blog.

Well, there are a few reasons. A blog is a fantastic way to connect with your customers. It gives your store a voice and enhances its brand identity.

A blog also helps to build trust with your customers and, over time, it helps you to build a strong and lasting relationship.

Lastly, a keyword-optimized blog helps you climb the Google rankings, thereby increasing your visibility.

If you can’t write, hire a blogger. They will prove to be invaluable.

7. Optimize For SEO

A keyword-rich blog will help to drive traffic to your site, but the SEO checklist is big and varied. To make sure that your site is easily found on Google, you need to be optimized for many things, from your images to your title tags.

Page speed counts for a lot, too. Run your store through Google’s site speed tester tool to make sure a slow loading website isn’t causing site visitors to bail out quickly.

Here is an article that will help you optimize your store for SEO.

8. Setup Social Media Accounts

As an online store, you need to be active across social media. Why? It’s all about branding and staying in the minds of your customers.

Be active on Facebook and Instagram especially. Hold competitions and give stuff away for free to attract more customers.

Conclusion

This is the 8 step guide to starting and growing your eCommerce store. Remember to check the resources provided and don’t forget that online stores never close at the end of a day. It’s gonna get busy!