⚡ Get All Content for 20% Off ⚡

8 Tips For Running A Successful Online Business Because you need to organize your web assets

By Vinil Ramdev

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Shutterstock

We are in a connected world today. The internet, along with smart phones, has changed the way business is done.

Here are some ways to run a successful online business.

Organize Your Web Assets

This extends much further than just organizing your business. Your web assets are everything from your website to your social media profiles to your hosting account. These need to be in order.

All relevant assets should be optimized for your brand. For example, your social media and webpages should have the relevant keywords. They should fall into an integrated marketing plan. And they should be completely updated with the latest information about your company.

Maintain Customer Records Safely

One problem business owners have is that they need to be able to keep records safely. You have a legal obligation to protect any customer information obtained online. For example, you should store information on separate devices and have a number of secure backups.

Your systems must be kept updated and controls should be implemented and access should be restricted only to specific employees.

You should have a system in place to destroy things like credit card details securely when they're no longer needed.

Do you know your competition?

Any good business will know its competition. You need to know who you're competing against so that you know why customers choose you over others, or vice versa. Nowhere is this more important than in the online world.

You should be aware of social media channels your competition is using. And you should inspect keyword usage from all your competitors using the variety of tools Google provides.

Protect Your Brand's Online Reputation

Online business is all about reputation. The slightest mistake can taint your brand forever. The key is control. Setup a Google Alerts notification for your brand. That way, you'll be able to inspect any mention of your brand.

Have a firm set of branding and social media guidelines, so anyone posting on behalf of your brand is aware of what you expect from them. Learn to deal with customer complaints and adopt a mindset of solving problems; even if the customer is wrong.

Invest on a good internet connection

If you are online, you need a good internet connection. Sometimes, I've sacrificed on a good internet connection, only to realize I couldn't act fast on important orders. Without a fast internet connection, you could miss out on orders and customer questions. In short, your business could be paralyzed.

Stay On Top of the Latest Trends

The online world is one that is constantly changing and evolving. It evolves faster than anything you'll see in the real world. Furthermore, you'll see social media trends evolving all the time.

You need to be on top of this so you can be on the cutting edge of online marketing and branding.

Be Persistent

Few businesses become overnight success stories. This is something you'll have to accept if you want to enter the business world. Persistence will pay off in the end if you continue to do all the right things. You need to be consistent and stay focused on your goals.

Did you know most startups take three to five years before they start turning in a profit?

Know When to Call It Quits

Sometimes an idea will fail. The biggest challenge for an entrepreneur is to know when an idea has failed. It's no point trying to revive a dead duck. So don't be scared to change course if necessary.

Conclusion

Running a business is inherently risky. Taking the time to learn and evolve is one of the best investments you can make to mitigate these risks.

Vinil Ramdev

Entrepreneur and Business Writer

Vinil Ramdev is an entrepreneur, business writer and marketer. He graduated with a Bachelors degree in Marketing in 2004. Since then, Vinil has been involved in starting and growing several businesses predominantly in retail, marketing, media, advertising and on the internet. His skill for seeing the big picture, and identifying trends and patterns have made him a sort-after consultant for companies who want to grow their business and make their products more discoverable. 

Leadership

If You Want to be Successful, Become a Better Speaker — Follow This 7-Step Process for Effective Speaking

Discover the transformative power of mastering presentation skills with this 7-step process.

Business News

Dollar Tree Is Closing 1,000 Family Dollar Stores

Dollar Tree acquired Family Dollar in 2015 for an estimated $8.5 billion.

Franchise

The Top Franchise Brands Growing Globally

While our main Fastest-Growing Franchises list focuses on North American growth, more and more brands are looking to grow worldwide. These are the 25 that had the greatest franchise growth outside the U.S. and Canada from July 2022 to July 2023.

Marketing

Ever Wonder Why Certain Websites Rank Higher Than Yours? This SEO Expert Reveals The Secret to Dominating Search Results

It's often the smart use of SEO, now supercharged with AI, particularly in keyword optimization.

Leadership

Former Interrogator Shares 5 Behaviors Liars Exhibit and How to Handle Them

Five deceptive behaviors to look for and how to respond to those behaviors when you encounter them.

Business News

Ask Co-Founder of Netflix Marc Randolph Anything: How to Watch

How to watch the new live streaming episode of 'Ask Marc' on March 14th at 2 PM ET.