Did you know there are almost 2 million active websites in the world today, with fresh ones being launched regularly? Perhaps you’ve toyed with the idea of putting some web pages together, adding some sort of monetizing element, then seeing what sort of traffic you might attract? Here’s a snippet of advice. This would be a lot easier than you might think. Don’t be deterred by the thought of all that coding that would be required. If you follow our step-by-step guide to launching a website, you’ll have every chance of success.
Choose your niche
The most important aspect is choosing a subject that hasn’t been covered before. This might seem an impossible task, and yes, there’s every likelihood the topic you’re interested in has already been covered somewhere. The trick is to do it with verve and innovation. Let’s take the example of blogging. Hardly unique. So narrow it down. Why not launch a gay blog, a worthy online hub aimed at the LGBTQ community? Surveys have proved gay men are twice as likely to be connecting in the online environment as their straight counterparts. And blogging is a subject that will always inspire regular web traffic. Setting up a blog platform for gay guys, but doing so in an innovative way, could be an excellent choice for a new site.
Grab some attractive site layouts
The good news about site design is that nobody has to reinvent the wheel these days. You can go online and find any number of sites offering bespoke templates. After downloading something appropriate, you can tailor these to your specifications. A platform like WordPress is always worth considering because it’ll also offer interesting plug-ins, such as packages to handle financial transactions.
Introduce that layer of income-generation
When it comes to monetizing your website, you’ll have to consider the features and services your customers might be willing to pay for. Taking the example of a gay blog, it might be a good idea to offer free membership to get the ball rolling. Then introduce more sophisticated functions unique to your fee-paying members. Introduce incentives to attract the attention of your customers, such as offers if they subscribe and join your direct mailing list. The trick is to make these clients feel special, which will encourage them to make the most of their privileged position.
Seek guidance from experts
When you’re launching a brand new website, you can tap into all sorts of online guidance. Check out forums run by entrepreneurs, who will discuss various aspects of putting an eCommerce enterprise together. There will also be government advice schemes aimed at people interested in startups. Always have a competent business plan that will outline every aspect of the blog you intend to put together, from how you are going to generate income, to your ongoing marketing strategy. There might even be schemes where you can apply for business grants or small loans to assist you in realising your vision.
Make this an ongoing venture
Once you have gone through the lengthy process of planning and then executing your business idea, don’t look upon your launch date as the finishing line. This is merely the end of part one of what will be a continual process. If anything, this milestone should be regarded as more of a starting point. This is where the hard work will begin, as you formulate strategies to ensure your venture flourishes. So brainstorm your marketing development. Spread the word via social media. Most crucially of all, keep refreshing your site’s content – making it even more eye-catching.
