Inevitably, you’ll be asked to demonstrate your expertise. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with offering advice, it can be extremely frustrating to be trotted out as an expert for every little thing.

Here’s where you can shine: When presented with a real-world problem, you’ll be able to demonstrate that you’ve got the skills to solve it. In other words, you’ll be able to show you’ve got what it takes to run a highly-profitable online store.

10 Steps to Building a Pro-Level Online Business

If you’re looking to build a profitable online business, you’ve most likely looked into the many advantages of having an ecommerce store. Chances are, you’ve also heard of Shopify, the popular web-based platform that’s helping online retailers around the world thrive.

What you may not know is that Shopify has developed a strategic partnership with BigCommerce, a multichannel merchant account provider that covers the full spectrum of online business needs, including selling online, in-person at retail locations, and more. As a result of this partnership, Shopify users can take advantage of BigCommerce’s features and receive support when needed.

Here’s a quick overview of how you can put Shopify’s platform to work for you:

Step 1. Set Up Your Shop On Shopify.

As with any other ecommerce store, you’ll first need to set up a Shopify account. However, following the platform’s detailed set of guidelines will ensure you set up a profitable shop in no time.

To get started, visit https://shopify.com/signup to create a free account. Once you’ve got an account, you’re ready to move forward.

Step 2. Choose A Product To Promote.

Now that you’ve got your account set up, it’s time to choose a product to promote. You don’t need to have a specific product in mind. Instead, you can use the platform to your advantage and promote any product that’s going to help your business grow.

You can use the tools on the shopify platform to find a product that’s already popular and will be easier to promote.

Step 3. Find A Distributor For Your Product.

You won’t be able to sell your product on the Shopify platform without a distributor. A distributor is an individual or company that’s handling the shipping and receiving of your product. Without a distributor, you’ll have to handle all shipping and receiving yourself.

To find a distributor, visit https://shopify.com/account/distributors, click the “find a distributor” button, and enter your ZIP code. You’ll receive a list of vendors in your area.

Step 4. Decide On A Price.

One of the first things you’ll be asked to do when setting up your store is to choose a price. This is a critical decision. Setting the right price for your product is all about finding the balance between what you want for your product and the amount of money you’re willing to spend to get it.

You’ll want to choose a price that’s affordable to lots of people but high enough that you’ll make a profit too. Remember, you’re aiming for profitability here. It’s not a hobby.

To help you find that perfect price, Shopify has you covered. On their platform, you’ll find a tool that’s helping businesses just like yours to find the perfect price for their product.

Step 5. Customize Your Product.

When choosing a product to promote, you had to decide whether you wanted a stocked product or an inventory-zero product. If you went with the former, you’ll need to choose a specific number of units to order. While the latter offers more flexibility, you’ll need to be ready to make a purchase at any time.

To start, you’ll need to add some customizations to your product, such as a title, description, and keywords.

Step 6. Promote Your Product On Social Media.

No matter what type of product you choose, chances are you’ll be able to find an audience on one or more social media platforms. You can use these platforms to attract customers to your store. Once these individuals come to your store, you can engage with them and entice them to make a purchase.

To get started, visit https://shopify.com/account/create-product to create a product. From there, you can use the platform’s built-in tools to spread the word on social media.

Step 7. Create compelling content.

Just like with any other form of marketing, you’ll need to create compelling content to bring in the customers. On the Shopify platform, you’ll find a product blog section that’s filled with article ideas to help you get the ball rolling.

You can use a variety of tools to curate content, from basic blogging tools, to more advanced content creation tools, such as Hootsuite or Instapaper. As an ecommerce store owner, you’ll be using the platform to build your online brand. With compelling content, you can establish yourself as an expert in your industry and provide customers with useful information that will encourage them to come back for more.

Step 8. Measure The Results Of Your Campaign.

Once you’ve been using the platform for a while and started to see some results, it’s time to measure them. One of the most effective ways of measuring the success of a marketing campaign is via click-through rates and traffic. To get started, go to https://shopify.com/stats/reports and enter your email address to receive a free weekly newsletter with industry insights and information about your business.

Step 9. Keep Improving.

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll notice that these steps are pretty much the same as the ones you’ve been using to grow your business from zero to success. The only difference is that you’ll have an ecommerce store rather than a blog or a social media account. As your business grows, so does your knowledge and expertise. Which is why you’ll always need to be evolving and improving to stay competitive.

Step 10. Enjoy The Rewards.

By this point, you’ll be seeing some pretty decent results from your efforts. The last step is to enjoy the rewards. Once you’ve reached a certain level of success on the Shopify platform, you’ll be invited to join the Shopify Partners program. As a partner, you’ll be able to attract and retain customers and grow your business.

When asked about the importance of SEO in e-commerce, Larry Kim, founder of Wordstream, Inc., a digital marketing agency, said: “If you want to be found when someone is searching for your products, service, or brand, you’ve got to be found on the search engine results page (SERP).”

Being present on the first page of search results is extremely important. According to Kim, “To maximize our visibility in the least expensive way possible, we’ve automated much of our SEO program. As a result, we’re able to have a massive impact on the bottom line without needing additional engineers.”

By following the steps outlined above, you’ll be able to create a successful online business and enjoy the benefits of a thriving online store.