Having an online store is crucial to the success of any business. With the growing trend of online sales, it's become imperative for companies to have an online presence to reach a wider audience and increase business. Building an online store can seem daunting, but it can be a breeze with the right tools and guidance.
Enter the online store builder. An online store builder is a tool that allows you to create an eCommerce store without the need for extensive technical skills or knowledge. These store builders offer a range of features and templates, making it easy to set up an online store that reflects your brand and vision.
Strikingly is one of the best options to consider when choosing an online store builder today. Strikingly offers a simple and user-friendly interface that allows you to create an online store with just a few clicks. It's perfect for anyone looking to create an online store without spending hours coding and designing.
In this guide, we'll show you how to set up an online store using an online store builder like Strikingly. From choosing the right elements to customizing your store and launching your first product, we'll cover everything you need to know to create an online store that drives online sales and helps your business grow. Buckle up and get ready to dive into the world of eCommerce!
What Is An Online Store Builder?
If you're planning to sell online, an online store builder is an essential tool that you should consider. An online store builder is a software application that enables you to create an eCommerce store without technical skills or knowledge. Its platform allows you to build an online store from scratch, providing you with all the necessary features and tools to set up and run an eCommerce business and help you sell online.
The benefits of using an online store builder are vast.
1. Cost-Effective
Firstly, it's cost-effective. Using an online store builder is much cheaper than hiring a professional web developer to build your eCommerce store. You can create an eCommerce store for a fraction of the cost and save money on website development.
2. Easy-To-Use
Secondly, it's easy to use. You can be an expert in web design or coding to create an online store using an online store builder. The platforms are user-friendly and offer various templates and designs that you can customize to match your brand's aesthetics.
Image taken from Strikingly
3. Saves Time
Thirdly, using an online store builder saves you time. The process of building an eCommerce store from scratch can be time-consuming. With an online store builder, you can set up an eCommerce store in a matter of hours or days, depending on your level of customization.
Want to create an eCommerce store quickly and efficiently? Strikingly offers a variety of customizable templates, and it's intuitive and easy to use, making it a popular option for businesses of all sizes. Additionally, Strikingly offers eCommerce features like secure payment gateways, inventory management, and order tracking, making it an all-in-one platform for your online store needs.
How To Set Up An Online Store With Strikingly?
Now that you know the benefits of using an online store builder like Strikingly, let's dive into setting up your eCommerce store. Here are the initial steps to take when setting up your online store with Strikingly:
Step #1- Sign up for a Strikingly account. Go to the Strikingly website and create an account by providing your email address and password. You can also sign up using your Facebook or Google account.
Step #2- Choose a template. Strikingly offers a variety of templates for different types of businesses. Choose the one that best fits your brand and products.
Step #3- Customize your template. Once you've chosen your template, you can start customizing it by adding your own logo, images, and content. You can also change the color scheme and font to match your brand.
Image taken from Strikingly
Step #4- Edit text and images. Click on any text or image on the page to edit it. You can change the font, color, size, and text alignment and replace images with your own.
Step #5- Add new sections. To add new sections to the page, click the "Add" button on the left side of the editor. You can add sections for products, images, text, videos, and more.
Step #6- Organize the menu. To customize the navigation menu on your website, go to the "Navigation" section on the left side of the editor. Here you can add, remove, and reorder pages.
Step #7- Set up the store. To set up your online store, go to the "Store" section on the left side of the editor. Here you can add products, organize them into categories, set prices, and manage inventory.
Image taken from Strikingly
Step #8- Set up your pages. Strikingly makes it easy to set up pages for your store, such as your homepage, product pages, and about us page. You can simply drag and drop elements onto the page and edit them.
Step #9- Add products. To add products to your store, click the "store" tab and select "add product." You can add each product's images, descriptions, prices, and other details.
Step #10- Choose a color scheme. To change the overall color scheme of your website, go to the "Colors & Fonts" section on the left side of the editor. Here you can choose from pre-set color schemes or create your own.
Step #11- Preview and publish. Once you've made all the changes you want, preview your website to see how it looks. If you're satisfied with it, click the "Publish" button in the top right corner to make it live.
Remember, your website should be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and provide all the information your customers need to make a purchase. Take your time to ensure that your website represents your brand and products in the best way possible.
Setting Up Payment Options On Strikingly
Setting up payment options is critical when building an online store. Customers will be hesitant to purchase without a reliable and secure payment system. Fortunately, Strikingly offers multiple options for payment processing, making it easy for store owners to accept customer payments.
Image taken from Strikingly
To set up payment options in Strikingly, you must connect your store to a payment gateway such as PayPal or Stripe. Here are the steps:
- Log in to your Strikingly account and select the website you want to edit.
- Click on the "Settings" tab, then select "Payment" from the dropdown menu.
- Choose your preferred payment gateway from the list of options available. Strikingly currently supports PayPal, Stripe, and Square.
- Follow the prompts to connect your payment gateway to your store. You may need to create a new account with your chosen payment processor if you still need to create one.
- Once your payment gateway is connected, you can start accepting customer payments. Strikingly will automatically generate a checkout page with fields for customers to enter their payment information.
- You may also customize your store currency easily.
In addition to its built-in payment options, Strikingly offers several other features to help streamline the checkout process and ensure a seamless shopping experience for customers. For example, you can add shipping rates and tax options to your store and offer discounts and promo codes to encourage sales. You will find these options in the Store option on the Strikingly dashboard.
Image taken from Strikingly
It's important to note that payment processing fees may apply when using a payment gateway. Research the costs of each payment option before selecting one for your store.
Setting up payment options in Strikingly is a straightforward process that can be completed in just a few steps. By offering multiple payment options and ensuring the security of customer data, you can increase trust in your store and ultimately drive more sales.
Optimizing Your Online Store
Now that your online store is up and running, optimizing it for search engines and customers is time. Here are some best practices to follow:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Social Media Integration
Use relevant keywords in your product descriptions and titles to optimize your store for search engines and social media. You can also add social media sharing buttons to your product pages to encourage customers to share your products with friends and followers. Strikingly offers features like customizable URLs, meta tags, and social media integration to help with SEO and SMO.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Social Media Integration are two crucial components for any online store looking to maximize its visibility and drive traffic to its website.
Online store SEO involves optimizing your website's content and structure to increase its visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). Ecommerce SEO aims to improve the quality and quantity of traffic to your website through organic search engine results. Here are some key SEO tactics that online stores can use:
- Keyword Research. Identify the keywords and phrases that potential customers are likely to search for when looking for products or services similar to yours.
- On-page Optimization. Optimize your website's content, title tags, meta descriptions, and URLs to include relevant keywords and clearly describe your products and services.
- Link Building. Build high-quality backlinks to your website from other reputable websites in your industry.
- Mobile Optimization. Ensure your website is optimized for mobile devices, as mobile searches account for a significant portion of search engine traffic.
- Site speed. Optimize your website's loading speed, as faster-loading websites rank higher in search engine results.
Social media integration is another critical component of online store marketing. Social media platforms can help you reach a broader audience, engage with customers, and drive traffic to your website. Here are some tips for social media integration:
- Choose the right platforms. Identify the social media platforms where your target audience is most active, and focus on building a presence there.
- Share your products. Share your products and promotions on social media to drive traffic to your website.
- Engage with customers. Use social media to engage with customers, answer their questions, and respond to feedback.
- Leverage social media advertising. Use paid social media advertising to target specific audiences and drive traffic to your website.
- Use social media to build brand awareness. Use social media to build brand awareness and loyalty by sharing valuable content, highlighting customer testimonials, and showcasing your company's culture and values.
SEO and social media integration are critical to a successful online store marketing strategy. Optimizing your website for search engines and leveraging social media platforms can drive more traffic to your website, increase conversions, and build brand awareness and loyalty.
Compelling Product Descriptions, Images, and Calls to Action
Create compelling product descriptions and images to make your products stand out and entice customers to buy. Use descriptive language to highlight the unique features and benefits of your products. High-quality images that showcase your products from multiple angles can also make a big difference. And remember to include clear call-to-action buttons encouraging customers to add products to their cart and complete their purchase.
Other Tips for Optimizing Your Online Store
Other best practices for optimizing your online store include:
- Offering free shipping or promotions.
- Providing customer reviews and ratings.
- Creating a seamless checkout process.
Strikingly offers features like adding discounts and coupons, customer reviews, and a one-page checkout to help with these optimizations.
Optimizing your online store is crucial for driving traffic and sales. By following best practices for SEO, social media integration, and product descriptions and images, you can create a store that stands out and entices customers to buy. And with features offered by Strikingly to help with these optimizations, building and optimizing your online store has never been easier.
Launching and Promoting Your Online Store
Congratulations, your online store is ready for launch! Now it's time to start promoting it to potential customers. Here are some steps to take:
Launch and Promotion
To launch your store:
- Do a final check to ensure everything works properly, including product descriptions, images, and payment options.
- Once ready, start promoting your store through email campaigns, social media ads, and influencer partnerships.
- Consider offering special promotions or discounts to encourage customers to make their first purchase.
Marketing Strategies
Marketing strategies for online stores vary, but some effective ones include email campaigns, social media ads, influencer marketing, and SEO optimization. Email campaigns are a great way to keep in touch with your customers and promote your products, while social media ads can help you reach a wider audience. Influencer marketing involves partnering with social media influencers to promote your products to their followers. Finally, SEO optimization ensures your store is optimized for search engines so potential customers can find it easily.
Resources for Further Learning
If you're interested in learning more about marketing and growing your online store, plenty of resources are available online. Some good places to start include blogs and podcasts on eCommerce and digital marketing. Online courses, webinars, online communities, and forums for eCommerce entrepreneurs can also significantly help.
Besides being an exciting step, launching and promoting your online store is what makes or breaks your business. You can reach a wider audience and drive sales by following marketing strategies like email campaigns, social media ads, and influencer partnerships. And with resources available for further learning, you can continue to grow and optimize your store for success.
Conclusion
Building an online store from scratch can seem daunting, especially with so much to take care of. However, with the help of Strikingly, an online store builder, it's easier than ever to create a professional-looking and functional e-commerce site. Following the steps outlined in this guide, you can choose the right design, customize your elements, add your products and payment options, and launch your store in no time. Remember to keep your target audience in mind and create a user-friendly shopping experience that encourages visitors to purchase.
With a little effort and the right tools, you can create an online store to help you grow your business and reach new customers. What are you waiting for, then? Start building your online store today! Also, just making a store is not the end of successful selling; it is only the first. You must use SEO, SMO, a launch plan, and continuous marketing efforts to reach your target audience and motivate them to check out their carts!
