We are also people, like you, who have hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Also like you, we know what it is like to want to do it on your own, build it from the ground up with your own two hands, and take pride in every aspect of the completed project. Of course, everyone needs help from time to time and today we will show our support to those who try to do it on their own.
Before you begin the project of building your own e-commerce website, you need to be aware of three key elements. Please note the heavy emphasis on before you begin.
Three First Steps of Building a Website
Designing your own website is not that difficult when you incorporate the help of pre-template site builders like WordPress. Even with a prebuilt template, you have to know these three vital pieces of the puzzle or you are doomed from the start.
- Know Thyself
- Know Keyword Research
- Learn SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Knowing Thyself Means Knowing What and How
When we say know thyself, what we really mean is to know exactly what you want to achieve. If you start out with only the infatuation and desire to be an online sales presence, but do not have a clear grasp as to what you want to sell, or how you want to sell it, you are headed for disaster.
Try this: Take a notepad and pencil and sit down somewhere quiet. Now, write up a detailed plan of action. Start with trying to figure out exactly what it is you hope to accomplish and then figure out how you plan to get there. Take your notes and research how your action plan stacks up against online advice articles and DIY (Do It Yourself) columns. Use those resources to fine-tune your plan. These start-up articles will all have something valuable to offer, but no two are alike because no two webmasters are alike. There is no set formula on success if you understand the three items we are giving you here.
Knowing Keyword Research is VITAL to Success
Everyone we have ever met that did not understand and apply keyword research to their e-commerce website before they built it regretted it. Keyword research is the first thing Dynamic Search — and marketing consultants worth their salt — will do when hired. Dynamic Search has a few excellent articles on the subject of keyword research on our blog, including our very own system the founder developed to take the difficulty out of the process.
Many other resources offer excellent information on the basics of researching keywords. Once you understand how people will find you, it is easier to tailor your website to that end. The successful websites all understood and applied keyword research before they even thought about design. It is the first step to customer exposure.
Quick Note: You might want to begin by defining your closest successful competition and research their keywords.
Understand Search Engine Optimization
If you do not already know how to make your website supremely adaptive to search engine results, learn this before you begin. You do not have to launch a five-year quest on the details of quantum physics SEO — just learn the basics that all professional website designers use to ensure you are easily found. Learn about meta descriptions and link building techniques. WordPress offers some excellent SEO plugins that will help you ensure that you stay on track. Understanding the why of it will also mean a great deal to you when you work on our website.
Dynamic Search recommends its blog as one learning center as well as Beginner’s Guide to SEO. There are quite a few good teaching tools if you Google the subject and spend some time researching them, including getting to know what Google likes in a website.
Preparing for a Successful E-commerce Website Experience
Once you have these three basic steps out of the way, you are ready for the design aspect. Just remember to define your goals clearly, understand every detail about keyword research on your website, and know the basics of Search Engine Optimization. You will be well on your way to a richer and more successful E-commerce experience.
Author Biography: Ran Rafael is a practical software engineer and the founder of Dynamic Search™. He is enthusiastic about all things involving creative marketing, CRO, SEM, and killer content. Follow his company on Twitter at @DynamicSearch
