How to Start a Business Online

  7 tried and true steps for attracting visitors to your site–and getting them to buy.

There is a proven sequence of steps you can follow to guarantee your success when you’re starting a small business online. I’ve seen thousands of people start and grow successful businesses by doing the following: 

1. Find a need and fill it.
2. Write copy that sells.
3. Design and build an easy-to-use website.
4. Use search engines to drive traffic to your site.
5. Establish an expert reputation for yourself.
6. Follow up with your customers and subscribers with e-mail.
7. Increase your income through back-end sales and upselling.

Anyone, from newbie to seasoned online entrepreneur, can benefit from this process. 

Step 1: Find a need and fill it
Most people who are just starting out make the mistake of looking for a product first, and a market second.
To boost your chances of success, start with a market. The trick is to find a group of people who are searching for a solution to a problem, but not finding many results. The internet makes this kind of market research easy: 

• Visit online forums to see what questions people ask and what problems they’re trying to solve.
• Do keyword research to find keywords that a lot of people are searching, but for which not many sites are competing.
• Check out your potential competitors by visiting their sites and taking note of what they’re doing to fill the demand. Then you can use what you’ve learned and create a product for a market that already exists–and do it better than the competition.

 Step 2: Write copy that sells
There’s a proven sales copy formula that takes visitors through the selling process from the moment they arrive to the moment they make a purchase:  Learn More

Facebook Breaks With Google on Net Neutrality

When Google teamed up with Verizon on Monday to announce a set of proposed rules to govern Internet access, Google’s former allies in the years-long campaign for net neutrality were among its most vocal critics.

A slew of public interest groups that, along with Google, are part of the Open Internet Coalition, slammed the company for putting together a proposal that they said betrayed net neutrality principles. Other Internet heavyweights that are part of the coalition, like Amazon and eBay, appeared to be concerned with Google’s compromise, but were less vocal about it.

On Wednesday, Facebook became the most prominent Internet company to part ways with Google.  In a statement, Facebook, which is also part of the coalition, suggested that exempting wireless networks from net neutrality rules, as proposed by Google and Verizon, was the wrong approach.

The company said: “Facebook continues to support principles of net neutrality for both landline and wireless networks. Preserving an open Internet that is accessible to innovators — regardless of their size or wealth — will promote a vibrant and competitive marketplace where consumers have ultimate control over the content and services delivered through their Internet connections.” Continue Reading

Dell’s Android Tablet Looks to Undercut the iPad on Price

The Dell Streak, the company’s 5-inch tablet device, is launching on August 12 with a new price: $299.99 with a two-year AT&T contract, and $549.99 for an unlocked edition.

Dell is trying to get a piece of the rapidly growing tablet market with its smaller offering and lower price. The Streak’s $300 price tag is 40% less than the entry-level Apple iPad() and less than half the price of an iPad 3G. However, because the device can also make phone calls, it competes with the Droid X, HTC Evo, the Samsung Galaxy S, and the iPhone 4.

Dell’s newest mobile device runs Google’s Android OS and includes front- and back-facing cameras, Wi-Fi and 3G capabilities, and a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor — the same one that powers the Nexus One phone. It was first announced at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January.  Learn More

How to Exercise Safely in the Heat

As temperatures creep into the 90s and beyond, dehydration and heat exhaustion while exercising become a very real—and potentially dangerous—threat. Exhibit A: Each year seems to generate a fresh crop of headlines about football players of all ages collapsing during preseason practice.

Competitive athletes aren’t the only ones who can experience problems when the mercury and humidity start to peak. Even if they’re in excellent shape, weekend warriors may find themselves suffering heat-related symptoms after a long run or even a day of lawn mowing and yard work.  Continue Reading

Google Apps for Your Business: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Our comprehensive review of the search-engine giant’s battery of web-based tools.

In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s not Bill Gates’ world any more. Sure, Microsoft remains the dominant office software provider, with 450 million deployed users, according to data from the company. But its downcoast rival, Mountain View, Calif.-based Google, has broken Microsoft’s lock on office software products. More than 2 million firms and 25 million users now handle their e-mail, documents and other office tasks using Google’s web-based professional office suite, Google Apps. 

And for good reason. Learn More 

38 Essential Social Media Resources You May Have Missed

Capping off a busy week at Mashable HQ, we bring you a massive list of social media resources you may have missed. We’ve got 38 of the most interesting features and tools published over the last week or so in case you were, you know, outside during the summer.

Have a look through our social media resources for the Origin of Twitter’s “Fail Whale,” some great Twitter visualizations, or why WikiLeaks and the mainstream media still need each other.

Our Tech and Mobile resources include some amazing Konami code Easter eggs, great (free) WordPress themes to use, and a game plan for keeping BlackBerry relevant in the battle for mobile dominance.  Continue Reading

Run Multiple Location-Based Marketing Campaigns with One Cool App [INVITES]

Name: Geotoko

Quick Pitch: Geotoko is a simple, powerful platform for businesses, brands and agencies to run location-based contests and sweepstakes around checkins from a range of apps.

Genius Idea: So, your company or agency wants to get into location-based marketing. Do you choose to focus on Foursquare()? Do you check out Brightkite(), Loopt or Gowalla()? Could you consider doing a location campaign with Twitter()? How about harnessing the power of Yelp()? The makers of Geotoko think you shouldn’t have to choose; you should be able to simply and efficiently manage location-based marketing campaigns on multiple apps from a single tool.  Learn More

How to Send the Right Message

Make over your brand using these smart tips.

As retailers will attest, picky shoppers are spending less and expecting more these days. And they’re carefully evaluating where to spend their dollars. With your website, ads, direct mail  and (especially) PR under the microscope, it’s never been more important to have a company or brand message that’s right on the money.

Is Your Marketing Sending a Message Your Customers Want to Hear?
You may be surprised to discover there’s a major difference between what a company is selling and what its customers are actually buying. It’s a schism that becomes immediately evident once you look at a product or service from the customer’s perspective. Where would Harley-Davidson be, for example, if it merely sold motorcycles instead of the lifestyle, adventure and persona being a Harley-Davidson owner represents? A retailer may be selling quality, cast aluminum patio furniture, but its customers want to buy long-lasting, worry-free furnishings for outdoor fun and entertaining. Read More

Foods to Boost Your Mood

Blissful meals

Though their findings are debated, several studies show that a lack of certain vitamins and minerals may put you at risk for depression. Try these 10 nutrient-rich meals that taste as good as they make you feel.  Learn More 

MySpace Bleeding Money; News Corp Promises ‘Overhaul’ Soon

The category of News Corp’s business that includes MySpace lost $174 million in the fourth quarter, worse than the $136 million it lost in the same period last year, the parent company said during its earnings call this morning.

But News Corp plans to stick with the beleaguered social networking site, the company said, and a “major overhaul” will be finished in a few months.

MySpace has been struggling for years to remain relevant alongside more trendy sites like Facebook and Twitter. Worse, its lucrative advertising deal with Google will expire or be renegotiated on less favorable terms at the end of this month, News Corp said.

News Corp bought MySpace as part of a $580 million deal in 2005. It described MySpace at the time as “the leading lifestyle portal for networking online,” and claimed it was the fifth most popular site on the Internet and was home to more than 8% of all Internet advertising.

But Facebook surpassed MySpace as the most popular social network worldwide in 2008, and the original blockbuster social network seems to be falling further from mind.  Continue Reading