The Internet has leveled the playing field for emerging entrepreneurs in more ways than one. Today, anyone with a computer can start a profitable business. In most cases, you may need little to no technical experience to start one, thanks to the various free tools available online to help you. You can live anywhere and set up your online schedule. That said, to build a successful online business, you need to establish a solid footing.

Here are a few easy steps to start an online business that is profitable:

Find a business idea or the perfect product or service to sell
This may seem simple, but in reality, finding the perfect product or service to sell is the most challenging part. It is best to study the market, trends, and target audience in order to narrow down on your niche. After this start, start building or searching for your product or service. Think of an idea that solves a problem and adds value to your target audience’s life. The Internet is the best place to look for some answers. Visit online forums to understand what people are looking for. Run a basic keyword search to see what products and services are trending. Next, you can check your potential competitor’s website and note down how they run their business. Start your business from your research but try to fill the gaps your competitors have missed. Make sure whatever you are going to sell will be profitable for a long time. Many young entrepreneurs have to shut up shop because their products and services are not relevant anymore. Ensure that there is a consistent demand for your products in the market.

Take care of the legal tasks
You need to make sure that your online business is legally compliant with state law. This is a crucial step to avoid fines or any legal problems. Every country and state has different business laws. So check if you need to take any permission, licenses, or certificates to start your business online. For businesses based in the country, you need to apply for a business license. This is because the government needs to keep track of the type of businesses operating in a certain area as well as the revenue generated. To apply for a license, you need to have a few things ready, such as a detailed description of your business, a legal structure (whether it is a sole proprietorship, LLC, or a corporation), documents for inspection (check with your local authorities), and a sales tax license. It is best to talk to a lawyer who has experience in business startups.

Develop and implement your marketing strategies
It’s time to set up a website once you have your business idea and all the legal documents required to start your online business. It is advisable to keep things simple, as you have less than five seconds to grab someone’s attention. Choose a simple, easy-to-read font instead of a fancy one and ensure your website is easy to navigate. Start publicizing your business through digital marketing. Build and write content using strategic keywords and look into how you can grow higher on search engines to boost sales. A simple way to get traffic on your website is by pay-per-click (PPC) ads. This will not only help you rank better on Google but also assist in discovering the highest-converting keywords. A startup business should also use email marketing to pull in new customers and maintain loyalty for the existing ones. Ask your customers to join your email list once you start getting traffic on your website through search engine optimization (SEO) or PPC. This way, you can build a loyal customer base and send them new offer updates and new product launches. Additionally, you can explore other forms of digital media like mobile marketing, social media marketing, and more.