Synopses & Reviews
Start a new endeavor and open your own online business quickly and easilyArmed with a computer, an Internet connection, and a good idea — but hesitant to take that first step toward making money online? Starting an Online Business For Dummies gives you confidence by providing you with essential advice and up-to-date trends in e-commerce, all aimed at helping you make money online.
Mind your own business — discover the latest strategies for promoting your business and outdoing the competition
Getting to know you — identify your customers, get to know the marketplace, and establish a unique visual identity
Outta site — get the most from your Web host, update your site to keep customers interested, and use tools to jazz things up
The way to pay — choose an online payment system, set up secure credit card payments, and verify credit card data
On the level — protect your domain name, figure out if a trademark is available, and explore legal issues you need to know
Go straight to the source — sell on consignment, work with a wholesaler, or buy direct from around the globe
Stand out in the crowd — increase your Web presence with search engine optimization, Web marketing, and social media tools
No Web site? No problem — sell goods via eBay® auctions, Craigslist®, CafePress®, and other online marketplaces
Open the book and find:
Guidance for creating an e-business plan
Tips for making your site easily searchable
The basics of online business accounting
Advice for optimizing the shopping experience
Ways to advertise with YouTube®, Twitter®, Facebook®, and blogs
Pointers for maximizing Google's tools
The essentials of opening an eBay store
Ways to find products to sell or to work with wholesalers
Learn to:
Identify a market need and choose the right Web hosting service
Enhance site security and boost your customer service
Improve your site's search rankings
Market your business through social media
Synopsis
The nuts-and-bolts for building your own online business and making it succeedIs there a fortune in your future? Start your own online business and see what happens. Whether you're adding an online component to your current bricks-and-mortar or hoping to strike it rich with your own online startup, the sixth edition of this popular and practical guide can help.
Find out how to identify a market need, handle promotion, choose Web hosting services, set up strong security, pop up prominently in search engine rankings, and more. The book explores the hottest business phenomenon today—social media marketing—with full coverage of Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and other technologies that are now firmly part of the online business landscape.
- Dives into all aspects of starting and establishing an online business, including the very latest big trends
- Highlights business issues that are of particular concern to online businesses
- Reveals how to identify a market need, handle promotion, choose Web hosting services, set up strong security, pop up prominently in search engine rankings, and more
- Covers the hottest social media marketing opportunities, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and blogs
- Shows you specific types and examples of successful online businesses
- Provides the latest on B2B Web site suppliers, such as AliBaba.com
Build a better online business from the ground up, starting with Starting an Online Business For Dummies, 6th Edition!
About the Author
Greg Holden is the founder of Stylus Media, which specializes in creating Web pages for small businesses. He is the author of nearly 50 books on computers and the Internet that provide readers with the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to expand their operations into the Internet.
Table of Contents
Introduction.Part I: Launching Your Online Business.
Chapter 1: What's New: The Latest Tools and Strategies for Your Online Business.
Chapter 2: Opening Your Own Online Business in Ten Easy Steps.
Chapter 3: Choosing and Equipping Your New E-Business.
Chapter 4: Selecting Your E-Commerce Host and Design Tools.
Part II: Establishing and Organizing Your Online Business.
Chapter 5: Organizing Your Business Presence and Attracting Customers.
Chapter 6: Making Shopping Easy on Your E-Commerce Site.
Chapter 7: Accepting Payments.
Chapter 8: Providing Customer Service with a Virtual Smile.
Chapter 9: Sourcing Worldwide for Your Business.
Part III: Building Traffic through Social Networking and More.
Chapter 10: Advertising and Publicity: The Basics.
Chapter 11: Search Engine Optimization.
Chapter 12: Selling on Craigslist, Amazon.com, and CafePress.
Part IV: Expanding beyond Your Own Web Site.
Chapter 13: Running a Business with Online Auctions.
Chapter 14: Taking Advantage of Google’s Tools.
Chapter 15: Spreading the Word on Facebook, Twitter, and Blogs.
Part V: Keeping Your Business Legal And Fiscally Responsible.
Chapter 16: Keeping It All Legal.
Chapter 17: Online Business Accounting Tools.
Part VI: The Part of Tens.
Chapter 18: Ten Must-Have Features for Your Web Site.
Chapter 19: Ten E-Commerce Marketplaces Worth Exploring.
Index.