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Tips on Starting an Online Business in Australia

So you have had that niggling idea for a while now, and now thinking maybe I can do this?  Just maybe I can turn this idea into a successful business.

But Where & How do I begin?

The question of where to start really depends on what you are trying to do because, in today’s world, you have to have a website and you need to be online and socially present.

Choosing a website platform

There are dozens of website platforms available and choosing one is really a factor of;

  • Your budget
  • What you are selling

Usually we’d recommend starting with the second point by answering a simple question:

Are you selling a product or a service?

If you are selling or want to sell a service like your skills at landscaping or dog washing for example, then you want a website that focuses on lead generation.

If you selling a product (or lots of products, whether physical or virtual) then you want a website platform that caters to ecommerce.

Our recommendations

  • WordPress for leaf gen or small ecom sites
  • Shopify for ecom sites if you have under 100 products
  • Magento or Bigcommerce if you have over 100 products. In this case you are lilly to need a website developer too.
  • Wixx is easy to setup for small service based lead generation sites too

The above platforms can cost as little as $20 a month to over $10,000 for a Magento development.

That’s where Your Budget comes in.

All up even on cheaper platforms (WordPress is free) you should factor in hosting and design costs as well as development time.

But I already have a website.  What’s next?

Great. You have a site. Let us know what about it and while you do so, let everyone else know too!

Set up Facebook,Twitter and other social media platforms and pages. Engage with your target audience. Identify where they “hangout” and join them there

But the value here is providing… well, value to your audience.

SEO

And don’t for forget about SEO.  SEO is still valid and can help your site appear for searches related to your products and services.

Paid Advertising

If you have the budget, paid ads (Google or Social) can help to win some early leads or sales while you working on other, often slower, marketing channels.

Legal Responsibilities

Now, of course, starting a business is not without some legal requirements or responsibilities.

In Australia, for example, you need an Australian Business number or Company Number (ABN or ACN) with their own tax file number or one attached to you. You need this before you can buy an Australian domain.

You may need licensing or insurance too depending on the industry your business fits into.

We recommend talking to an accountant or lawyer about the right way to set up your business legally so that you and your customers are protected.

I’m lost. Help!

We understand. It’s a lot to take in, but don’t worry, we can help you nurture your business… and grow it too.

Contact us by email or subscribe to one of affordable marketing plans today.

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