MADE FOR BIZ

B- BACKLINK

Backlinks are created by outside websites, linking directly to your website or deep link.
These can be a very good tool in optimizing your search engine visibility when done correctly.

C- CMS

Content Management System allows users to create, update and publish content on a website.

D- DATA

Data can be obtained to gain knowledge into customer behavior, audience types etc.

E- EMAIL

Email, and email marketing is an important tool in communication within your business, to both your customers, and suppliers.

F- FACEBOOK

A well known social media platform, used by many businesses around the world to connect and network.

G- GOOGLE

The number one search engine. If your business is not appearing here on Google, its time to start looking into ways to make it happen! Google features such as google ad words, makes this possible.

H- HASHTAG  #

Labels used throughout various types of social media, to help user experience when searching for a particular business, service, person or phrase.

I- INSTAGRAM

Popular social media platform in which images are the main focus, a great platform to use when trying to get a point across or showcase a portfolio.

J- JARGON

Special words or expressions used by a group that are difficult for others to understand. Probably not the best thing to be doing within your business publicly, that is if you want people to understand what you are on about!

K- KEYWORDS

Words, ideas, topics that best describe your page. Used in the digital marketing world to direct traffic to a specific source.

L- LANDING PAGE

The main entry point of a website, or particular section of a website. Great SEO implemented on your landing page is extremely important.

M- MARKETING

A simple one, yet an important one. The art of simply promoting ones business, services, website, products. This includes market research and advertising.

N- NFC

Near field communication allows smart devices to be connected, by bringing the two items closer together.

O- OPTIMIZATION

The action of making the best, or most effective use of your website tools. Implementing keywords, etc to direct traffic to your website by making it easily found on the world wide web.

P- PAY PER CLICK

A business model where a specific company places ads on your website and offers to pay a sum of money for users clicking on the advertisement.

Q- QR CODES

A machine readable code consisting of an array of black and white squares, typically used for storing URLs, or other information for reading by the camera on a smartphone

R- RETARGET

Also known as remarketing can help you keep your brand in front of bounced traffic even after they leave.

S- SEARCH ENGINE

Collation of information, website links, videos, pictures etc that can be searched for using keywords. This is the reason your key word selection is so important.

T- TESTING

Testing, A/B testing  a click, a form being completed, newsletter, a sale. Various goals business owners want to achieve and the various methods used to achieve them.

U- USER EXPERIENCE

The ease in which customers will have when using a website, and the feedback provided.

V- VERO

A new social media platform, recently introduced and set to change the game of social media.

W- WWW

We have all seen the letters www typed at the start of a link. Do you know what it stands for?
world wide web.

X- X-RAY

Yes, it is commonly used in the medical field, but also quite frequently in the digital marketing realm when you are searching for data within your social media networks.

Y- YOU

You are the most important aspect in your business, which is why we have included this one! Without your drive, determination and persistence you wont succeed.

Z- ZIPPY

Every so often its important to give your social media bio, website, blogs a bit of a Zippy. Yes this is a created word by us! But basically the point we are trying to make here, is that its important for you to spruce things up every now and then, always ensuring your customers are having the best user experience possible.



Now that you have your A-Z all sorted, its time for you to start your business. If you haven't already then check out our other blogs that may help you too:


How to: Choose a Niche Market

Shopify for beginners

Our Top Picks for Digital Marketing

Shopify offers a 14 day trial in which you can implement the time into customizing your website to best suit your business needs. 

Step 1: Sign up with shopify

Visit shopify.com and use the sign up form to create your account. When you have filled out this information, hit the "Create your store" button.

You will require a store name, and email address as seen below. 

Your store name should be a reflection of your business, and I would advise that you follow your countries requirements to register this name prior to creating your store. (To also ensure the name is not taken)  You will then be asked for a few more details: Address, Phone etc.

Shopify will then prompt you to answer if you are "playing around" on the website, "Have your own products" and ask "what will you sell."

Once complete, you will click "done"

Shopify Pricing Plans are as follows:

Currency: USD

BASIC SHOPIFY $29 PER MONTH 

ADVANCED SHOPIFY $79 PER MONTH

PREMIUM SHOPIFY $299 PER MONTH

Step two: Store Setup

Once completed, you will be automatically directed to your Dashboard. Here is where you can customize the look of your store, purchase domains, add Apps, track sales etc.

Step three: Theme/ Layout

This is when the fun begins, designing the look of your new store! Shopify has a large number of themes available to choose from, to ensure your website best caters to your audience.

You also don't need any coding experience to use Shopify, and the available themes come ready with various modifications available.

If you are looking at making larger changes to your theme, shopify does have the option of a design team within their "shopify experts" who can assist.

There are various themes available including a large range of Free themes/ Paid themes and you can also search by industry or category. 

Once you have selected the theme of choice from Shopify theme store you can:

• Check functionality of theme
• Reviews
• View Demo
• Apply theme to website

Step four: Publish Theme

Once you have established the theme that fits your business model, you can now click "publish theme", and don't worry if you decide to change the theme down the track, you can do that simply too!

Once completed you will be prompted to "Theme Manager" which leads me to the next step.

Step five: Editing your theme

The next step will allow you to create a website that is not only original to you, but also suits your business requirements. So using the Theme Manager you can now change things such as:

• Logos
• Colours
• Fonts
• Header/ Footer
• Homepage slideshow
• Functions of the site
• Collections
• Product pages
• Shopping Cart
• Checkout

6. Online Insights
The online insight feature allows you to have a feel of the data based around views, clicks and conversions to your social media sites and website. By analyzing specific age groups, countries, interests to provide you with a detailed information sheet at the end of each week or month. This tool can also be used to gain feedback on which posts are working, which products are showing the most interest, and the amount of website clicks you are receiving from specific sites. 

7. Cost effective
Of course, every business owner wants to save costs wherever possible. Well social media is FREE! Yes, there are upgrades, automation businesses, and of course paid ads which i believe add a tonne to your business, however if you are a start up or trying to cut costs, you can most certainly still get a huge benefit from social media at no cost at all.


Now lets get started!!!

There are many different types of social media that can be beneficial for your business, of course we have the well known popular ones. But below are a list of social media outlets in which we find useful for marketing your business.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Snapchat
• Pinterest
• Tumblr
• Vero
• YouTube
• WhatsApp
• QQ
• WeChat
• QZone
• Google+
• Skype
• Viber
• Line
• LinkedIn
• Telegram
• Reddit
• FoursSquare
• Badoo
• Myspace
• Stumble Upon
• The-Dots
• Snap Fish

1. Engaging content is key! If you saw this content elsewhere, would you share it? like it? or tag your friends? If not.. Then look for content that IS engaging.
2. Connect with followers: If you put a post up that has an image of a book with a caption that reads " Buy this book now for $29.99" you are more than likely not going to gain the conversions you had hoped for. However if you're post is engaging, and customers can connect or relate with the content. You are one step closer to the conversion. 
3. If you can get a customer to click on your website, they SHOULD leave with a purchase.  If not? Time to evaluate the reasons.
4. SEO: Search engine optimization should become your best friend, there are a lot of techniques that go into a fantastic search engine ranking, and these are all things you should be constantly on the look out for when running a business. Are you using backlinks? Are you listed on directories? Do people know your brand exists? If not, then fix it. 

For those looking at this list with a question mark over there head. There are of course companies that do all of this for you and save you the hassle. The HOTH for example is a fully automated SEO service that develops strategies targeted to your particular business.

Social Media

Of course using our social platforms for free advertising can be extremely beneficial, because its FREE! Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, YouTube, Twitter etc be used in various ways to promote your products/services. I find that offering viewers a reason to share your post such as: 

• Creating informative/funny videos 
• Give away/ Competition
• Engaging content
• Quotes

If you are looking for a quicker turn around, and happy to fork out a little cash, then opt into ads. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram all have ads programs to help you reach your target audience in a faster amount of time.

Now if you clicked on this blog to begin with, its probably because you wanted to hear about our picks. There are so many programs and companies offering valuable tools to help increase the reach of your business. These are just a few of our favorites.

TOP 5

1- Benchmark- A modern interface to create eye catching, and professional email marketing or newsletters. This program is suitable for all user levels from beginner to intermediate and offers a vast range of automation tools.

5- Wix- With the option of free web design, if you are happy to use a wix web address initially then this is probably a good option for you. The drop and drag options make it extremely easy to use even for a complete newbie! 





With the five picks we have just listed, you will be able to easily integrate applications into your website, get search engine optimization help, nail your email marketing and focus on the sales of your business. 

Now although this just touches the surface in terms of digital marketing, and there are other factors such as click funnels, affiliates, deep linking and many other in depth marketing techniques, we decided that today would focus on those getting their first touch of the digital world.


Please subscribe to our blog for updates when we post! 



Recent Posts you may like:

Finding your niche

How to create a business plan

Mindset Matters

The 5 Fundamentals for starting a business

Your business plan requirements will vary depending on the type of business, however below are a list of things that could be included within your business plan:

1. Title Page:  General Information on your business
2. Business Summary: A short overview of whats to be included within the business plan
3. Management/ Operations Plan:  Covers details like structure, registrations, premises, products/services.
4. Target Market:  Where you will provide the information in regards to your knowledge about your target market, here you can touch base on some marketing techniques and strategies.
5. Predictions: Your future predictions, goals, and milestones.
6. Financial Plan: How you will finance your business, outgoing costs or expenses, projections.
7. Documentation: Any documentation to support your business plan.

Once your business plan is complete, you can put it away. But not too far from reach because you should regularly check that you are on track, adjust any changes accordingly and generally use this document to track your progress in comparison to your initial predictions.

Business plans do change quite frequently, and your initial plan is just used as a guide to get started.

Related topics:

-Haven't found your niche yet? Visit our "how to find your niche" blog 

Business Plan at home study guide 

Product development playground home study guide

Productivity and team video

So you may be scratching your head at this point, because you have already spent hours working on lists, and ideas for your business.  But business has it's up's and downs, it will push you to your limits, and knowing you have a passion for the industry you are about to embark on is extremely important for the longevity of your business.

If you don't have a passion for the industry in some way or another, you will very quickly lose interest. The passion within is what drives us to succeed and push our business, and there will be many times when we hit a speed bump in the road, that this very passion will provide the persistence we require to keep on going!

Start thinking about:

• What are my hobbies and interests
• What do I have background knowledge on already
• What topics do people generally ask me about 
• What do I enjoy learning. 

Competition is everywhere, especially in business. Now most new business owners will stray away from competition as much as possible. But this is not necessarily something to be worried about, if an industry works, then it works. You may have just hit the nail on the head in finding a profitable industry to work in. Your main concern should be having the ability to do it better than the rest. What can you offer customers that your current competition isn't already offering them.

By simply analyzing your competitions website, ad formats, advertising techniques, and general service or product; You will start to create an information pod that can be used to generate a better plan for your own business.

Now this research should not only be on your competition but also on aspects of your own business module, product or service that will be beneficial. Are you going to hire a web developer to create a website for you and is this something that you have the budget for? Or will you create your own website for free or for a small fee. If you have the skills to do it on your own, then this could be the option you are looking for.

There are many popular web building sites online that can create a sense of ease, even for people like myself who are not very tech savvy.

Two very popular website building sites are:

•  Wix  offers a free plan if you are happy to use the domain address http://yourwebsite.wix.com/yourwebsite. The paid plans are focusing on storage and features. The prices are quite competitive especially for start up companies. Wix does create a sense of ease with creating your website. No technical knowledge is required.

• Shopify is the the number one E-Commerce platform currently available. They also have an integrated system for those running a drop shipping business. 

Once you have collated your brainstorm ideas as well as the research you have collected, you can now start looking into any possible issues that may arise for customers with their current methods, and figure out how you are going to solve these issues for them

Another important aspect to running a business is the either solving an issue, or creating ease within a current issue.

• Are shipping lengths an issue?  (How can we ship faster)
• Is pricing an issue (How can we be more competitive)

Testing

If you believe in your product/service and you believe it is viable enough to start grasping your target audience then you are ready to rock and roll ! 

You will want to look into marketing techniques, social media marketing, paid or organic traffic sources, creating a blog and various ways to boost your website.

There is no ONE way to find your niche, sometimes we just test the waters until something sticks.

If you have have a strong passion, a positive mind set, and determination, then you are ready to create the business of your dreams. And remember dreams don't work unless you do! So do your homework!

 Slow and steady wins the race, have you ever heard this term? Well that's because it seems to be the step that most first time business owners lack. Sure it can be exciting, starting your own business; And we are sure you are extremely eager to move forward and get selling! BUT first you need to figure out if you have a true passion for what you are about to venture into. Having a passion for the product or service you are about to promote is important for the future of your business. I mean, why would anyone buy off you, if you don't believe in the product/service yourself? But this alone will not suffice, having knowledge of your industry and doing research is a key tool to implement to ensure the longevity of your new venture.

The single most important tool in creating a business is having a plan. You may of heard people talk about a "business plan", well this is an overall document which highlights your company predictions, and the actions required to get you there.

Some of the things you will generally go over in your business plan are:

• Target Market
• Marketing 
• Finances 
• Strategies

It is also of course a great tool to look on as the months go by, to analyse if you are on track.

You have no put together a business plan, and it is time to execute. By now the information you have collated should potentially spell out the exact strategies your business will follow, however again this can change like the wind. 

The sister to strategy and the main tool used to create it is research. A term that many newbies dread to hear, yet it will become your most valued tool over time. Knowing your competition, and what they have to offer is extremely important, thus helping you decide how you plan to execute it better!

Or you may simply want to learn more information in regards to the product/service you are offering to better implement your ideas.

Knowledge is like gold, especially in the business world. You can never have too much information.

Business costs money. You may be looking at a low start up cost, but it is time to start thinking about the places you may potentially spend your money within this business.

Some examples are:

1. Stock: Will your business hold stock, and if so, how much? Clothing business' for example will need to hold items in various sizes. Some suppliers also have minimum order quantities.
2. Business Registration: Depending on your countries requirements, you will need to register your business name.
3. Website, Domain and hosting: Most business have a website, and there are various ways you can go about this. Are you going to hire a web developer to create this for you? Or will you use the "do it yourself" websites. 
4.  Yes, there are many ways to promote your business for free. But if you are looking to scale the business, you will eventually be paying for some form of advertising. 

All things that you will need to determine prior to launching your new company.

The world of marketing is a giant land of colorful advertisements, actors and songs right? Wrong.

Without marketing, people do not know your business exists. And along with your website comes the first type of marketing, that you may be oblivious to. That is SEO otherwise known as Search Engine Optimization. In other words, you are optimizing the content on your website to become easily searchable on the internet. When people use search engines such as google, and they are looking for your products/services; you want to be the first website to pop up.

Free advertising: There are many places you can advertise your business for free, social media being the number 1 source of it, forums, directories, and word of mouth being other popular sources.

Paid advertising: When you have tried the free stuff, and its just not cutting it. You will look at turning to paid advertising. Social media websites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube all offer paid advertising options. Another huge source of traffic comes from google searches as mentioned. Which is where Google Adwords comes in. They offer a paid advertising technique to help you scale your business adverts to a larger audience.

For local business the key may be simply advertising in your local newspaper. But when you start tapping into world wide services you will need to target large volumes in short periods of time.

To summarize everything; the most important fundamentals to starting a business are knowledge, dedication, consistency and planning. A successful business does not always happen over night, and having a clear knowledge of your industry and exactly where you are going as a business, is the first step to success.

We will be providing in depth articles in relation to each of these topics, and our best picks of websites you can use to start your business. So to get notified of the releases of these, simply hit the subscribe button.