Running an online business requires tools to help its growth. Fortunately, there are plenty of tools that cover different business areas. If you’re looking for tool options, you’ve come to the right place.
I’ll list eight tools to start and build your business, with choices of popular and alternative tools worth considering. Let’s check them out:
Have a Website
Your online presence begins with a website. It’s the main platform to grow business credibility and for potential customers to learn about your business.
You can include essential information on the website, including product catalogs and business information, an About Us, and an FAQ page.
All of them work to grow your business and increase page visibility on search engines if SEO techniques are implemented.
To set up the website, first, you need a domain name. Purchase it from a domain registrar.
I recommend to check this tool that can help you check if the name you’re considering is available. The domain checker will also provide suggestions and alternatives if it is.
Second, choose your web hosting. Ideally, keep your domain name and hosting under the same company. This will make management much easier.
Additionally, most web hosting providers offer free domain registration for the first year if you opt for an annual hosting plan.
Use Social Media
Social media has become a big part of people’s lives, with an average of 144 minutes spent a day. Businesses can reap the benefits from it, regardless of the type and size.
Using social media helps promote your website and supports content marketing strategies, like cross-sharing or influencer marketing. Social media also helps maintain relationships with relevant audiences.
Using social media is about choosing suitable platforms. Facebook and Instagram remain the most popular social media for businesses, with Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube making up the top five platforms. Go where your target market is and go beyond business promotion.
Implement SEO
Businesses need search engine optimization (SEO) for sustainability and scalability.
There are plenty of SEO strategies you need to learn about and implement, like on and off-page, technical, and content SEO, to increase website quality. However, that hard work will be well worth it.
A crucial part of SEO is keywords. They’re the focus for most of your SEO work. Understanding them will help you find what your target audience is searching for, and meet them there.
Other techniques, like effective on-page SEO help search engine crawlers, find and index your website easier and quicker.
You can use various free and paid SEO tools, starting with Google Search Console or YoastSEO for WordPress websites. Use Google Keyword Planner to find all the relevant keywords to include in the website.
Always conduct keyword research before starting to write content. This ensures you deliver effective and relevant content that matches users’ search intent.
Google Analytics
Many businesses use Google Analytics to gain crucial metrics to build an online presence and increase conversions. It also helps monitor ad performance on Facebook and Instagram.
Set up Google Analytics by creating a Google account. When using Google Analytics, understand all the available goals and adjust them with your business targets. You can create, edit, and share these goals to build your website further.
If Google Analytics isn’t suitable for you, check out these alternatives. They work the same way by providing real-time analytics to help you make data-driven decisions.
Use Domain Based Emails
Domain-based emails strengthen your branding and are great for consistency. You can also use them for marketing purposes, like sending out newsletters, contacting partners, and answering customer questions.
Set up a domain-based email account through your web hosting provider or use a platform like Mail.com, MailChimp, or these other tools for bigger email marketing strategies.
If you’re using emails from your hosting, carefully choose the plan for its features. If you’re using an email marketing platform, pick the right plan in accordance with your needs.
Use a Scheduling Tool
Businesses need solid short-term and long-term planning to flourish. That’s where scheduling tools that help automate and prioritize work for growth come in handy.
When choosing the platform, remember to make decisions based on your content plan and budget planning.
For scheduling tools, you can consider platforms like HootSuite for social media scheduling or HubSpot, a Customer Relationships Management (CRM) platform that helps all sales activities.
There are also tools for increasing productivity, like Google Calendar, Toggl, or Asana.
Google Docs
Sense of organization is needed for businesses to understand the work at hand and the work accomplished. For this, I recommend using Google Docs for all your documents. It’s easy to use, allows you to work from any device, and is great for file sharing.
Aside from Google Docs, you can also use Google Sheets to improve work productivity. These tools are an excellent investment when you scale up your team. They provide easy collaboration that can reduce numerous paperwork.
For more options, here are some alternative tools to Google Docs worth checking out.
Conference Calls
In business settings, there are plenty of reasons why you need a conference call tool.
It works to maintain effective team communication and collaboration. It also works for marketing campaigns, as an external sharing session for the customers.
Fortunately, various free conference call tools are available, like Google Meet, Skype, and Zoom. These tools are user-friendly and widely used, which makes conferencing activities easier.
For long-term business plans, consider upgrading to paid platforms for better capabilities and security. Additionally, check the mobile compatibility for a better user experience.
Conclusion
This article has provided eight tools to help start and build your online business. These tools cover all the essential aspects of business operations.
Carefully choose the best online tools and platforms for better results. Good luck.
