Tips to Launching an Online Business

Starting an online business is a great opportunity, but it can also be extremely overwhelming, especially if it is your first time. If you want to start a new business on the web, you will need to do your research in order to gain a competitive advantage over the competition. Even if you know the steps you must take to get your website up and running, you might not have the inside scoop on how to make it show up in the major search engines or accept credit cards from your customers without it costing you an arm and a leg.

Pierre Zarokian, an entrepreneur that has started multiple businesses online says: “Entering the online world as an entrepreneur is very different than setting up a business in the real world. In some ways starting an online business may be easier and require less investment, but if you have no knowledge about online marketing, you will not succeed.”

Follow these easy tips to launching a successful business on the web.

Find the right merchant account provider. You might think that any internet merchant account provider will do. But that’s just not the case. Merchant providers vary from company to company, and many have extremely high rates for credit card charges. Many have high fees for opening new accounts, and even higher fees for web and phone orders. The wrong merchant account provider might have a contract that you’re required to sign, keeping you locked into an agreement you didn’t want in the first place.

However, the right merchant account provider will be able to meet your needs and your budget. Find a merchant company that does not have a fee to open a new account. It’s also important to find a company that has no cancellation fees, and no contract.

Another reason you need to be selective when searching for merchant account providers is that the right ones offer great services without an extra charge. For example, you might find a company that offers free software for credit card processing online. This type of software should be able to accept all major credit cards. Another free service might be a free web shopping cart, so that customers can check out without leaving your site. Or, how about a free virtual terminal for phone orders and in-person sales? Yes, the right company will even offer that service free of charge.

Pierre Zarokian adds: “If you are a startup and don’t know much about merchant accounts, make sure to watch your charge backs as this could get your merchant account cancelled and get you black listed from getting other merchant accounts.”

Say yes to search engine marketing. Once you have your website up and running, it’s important to invest in search engine marketing services. The first step is to get your website featured in the major search engines. Then you can start investing in marketing tactics provided by a company that specializes in the service.