{"id":1995,"date":"2023-01-17T05:10:59","date_gmt":"2023-01-17T05:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/index.php\/2023\/01\/17\/heres-how-to-start-an-online-business-9-steps-to-success\/"},"modified":"2023-01-17T05:10:59","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T05:10:59","slug":"heres-how-to-start-an-online-business-9-steps-to-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/heres-how-to-start-an-online-business-9-steps-to-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Here&#8217;s How to Start an Online Business (9 Steps to Success)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>Starting an online business changed the course of my life forever. It allowed me to live my perfect life, travel the world, and set my own hours. It taught me more than my four-year college degree and any job I ever worked.<\/p>\n<p>An online business allows you to take control of your life in a way that nothing else can. It\u2019s one of the few ways to create true financial freedom.<\/p>\n<p>But it also comes with its challenges. There\u2019s a lot to learn, and it takes time to see the fruits of your labor. I started five different businesses before finally finding one I loved enough to stick with and make it work. Since then, I\u2019ve built three separate six-figure companies.<\/p>\n<p>It would have never happened if I didn\u2019t allow myself to \u201cfail\u201d over and over again to learn what works and what doesn\u2019t. Luckily, I already failed plenty, which means you get to learn from my mistakes.<\/p>\n<p>So how do you start an online business? And how do you grow it to become your primary income source? Here are the nine steps to building an online business I\u2019ve learned in my decade of entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>1. Develop the mindset needed to be a digital entrepreneur<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The first step of starting an online business is getting your head in the right\u00a0place.<\/p>\n<p>Know that you will \u201cfail.\u201d Probably a lot. You may lose some of your investments. You may spend money on ads that don\u2019t convert. You may stock products that never\u00a0sell.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not only normal\u2014it\u2019s a good\u00a0thing.<\/p>\n<p>Every time you mess something up, it\u2019s an opportunity to learn what doesn\u2019t work. In the words of Thomas Edison, \u201cI have not failed. I\u2019ve just found 10,000 ways that won\u2019t\u00a0work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What matters is not that you mess something up but that you keep going despite the hiccups. Learn to look forward to your mistakes, and you will succeed in any endeavor.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>2. Figure out how you will monetize<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>There are many ways to make money online:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Making and selling your own physical products<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shopify.com\/blog\/what-is-dropshipping\">Dropshipping<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/affiliate-marketing\/\">Affiliate marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Services (web design, copywriting, etc)<\/li>\n<li>Infoproducts (courses, ebooks, etc)<\/li>\n<li>Subscription models<\/li>\n<li>Display advertising<\/li>\n<li>And more<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I have done almost all of these at one point or another in my career. I\u2019ve sold SEO services, dropshipped jewelry and other products from China, made home decor items by hand and sold them both locally and online, done affiliate marketing for other brands, sold display ads on my websites, and\u00a0more.<\/p>\n<p>Each has its own pros and cons, and each can work. It depends on what you prefer to do. Here\u2019s a quick and dirty overview of\u00a0each:<\/p>\n<h3>E-commerce<\/h3>\n<p>Making and selling your own physical products, or even buying and selling them using a manufacturer, tend to have bigger profit margins per sale than dropshipping.<\/p>\n<p>However, it\u2019s more labor intensive and costs more. You need to handle the production, shipping, handling and storing inventory, and customer service.<\/p>\n<p>Dropshipping cuts out a lot of this excess labor by off-loading the inventory management and, in some cases, the customer service to another company. But it comes at the cost of a lower profit margin.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1300\" height=\"1682\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1-how-dropshipping-works.png\" alt=\"How dropshipping works\" class=\"wp-image-151098\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1-how-dropshipping-works.png 1300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1-how-dropshipping-works-328x425.png 328w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1-how-dropshipping-works-768x994.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1-how-dropshipping-works-1187x1536.png 1187w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1300px) 100vw, 1300px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1300\" height=\"1682\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1-how-dropshipping-works.png\" alt=\"How dropshipping works\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151098\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1-how-dropshipping-works.png 1300w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1-how-dropshipping-works-328x425.png 328w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1-how-dropshipping-works-768x994.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/1-how-dropshipping-works-1187x1536.png 1187w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1300px) 100vw, 1300px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>You can either start your own e-commerce website or sell on websites like Amazon, Etsy, or eBay. Again, it depends on how much labor you want to put in\u2014building your own website is best for profits in the long run but requires you to handle more variables.<\/p>\n<h3>Services and info products<\/h3>\n<p>Another lucrative option is starting an online business by offering services such as freelance writing, graphic design, coding, etc.<\/p>\n<p>You can either offer these services via a website like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.upwork.com\/\">UpWork<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fiverr.com\/\">Fiverr<\/a> or build your own website and work with clients directly. Many people start on the former and move to their own brand after seeing some success, which is the method I recommend.<\/p>\n<p>Info products like courses and ebooks are also a great way to make money online. If you have nearly any skill, you can turn it into an info product you can sell. I\u2019ve spent over $100,000 over the last 10 years buying online courses and info products to learn how to do everything from SEO to speaking Spanish, playing instruments, investing, and\u00a0more.<\/p>\n<h3>Subscription models<\/h3>\n<p>There are a ton of subscription-model businesses these days. It could be a monthly delivery of your products or a membership to your club or course materials.<\/p>\n<p>The great thing about subscriptions is recurring revenue, which is crucial to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/grow-online-business\/\">growing an online business<\/a>. This model is best used in conjunction with other models.<\/p>\n<p>For example, say you sell dog toys. You can capture recurring customers by adding a subscription box with dog toys that ship every month, like BarkBox does.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"861\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2-barkbox-subscription-model.png\" alt=\"BarkBox subscription monetization\" class=\"wp-image-151100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2-barkbox-subscription-model.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2-barkbox-subscription-model-680x293.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2-barkbox-subscription-model-768x331.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2-barkbox-subscription-model-1536x662.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"861\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2-barkbox-subscription-model.png\" alt=\"BarkBox subscription monetization\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2-barkbox-subscription-model.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2-barkbox-subscription-model-680x293.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2-barkbox-subscription-model-768x331.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/2-barkbox-subscription-model-1536x662.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/figure>\n<h3>Display ads and affiliate marketing<\/h3>\n<p>The method I have had the most success with is <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/affiliate-marketing\/\">affiliate marketing<\/a>. Basically, you promote other people\u2019s products and services and make a commission from any sales you\u00a0make.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s my favorite because I like having as few responsibilities as possible. I don\u2019t have to handle customer service, inventory, or any of that stuff. I just talk about the products I love and make\u00a0money.<\/p>\n<p>For example, I wrote a <a href=\"https:\/\/adventuresontherock.com\/best-rooftop-tents\/\">guide to buying a rooftop tent<\/a> and included affiliate links to each\u00a0tent:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1594\" height=\"416\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/3-affiliate-link-example.png\" alt=\"Affiliate link examples\" class=\"wp-image-151102\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/3-affiliate-link-example.png 1594w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/3-affiliate-link-example-680x177.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/3-affiliate-link-example-768x200.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/3-affiliate-link-example-1536x401.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1594px) 100vw, 1594px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1594\" height=\"416\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/3-affiliate-link-example.png\" alt=\"Affiliate link examples\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151102\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/3-affiliate-link-example.png 1594w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/3-affiliate-link-example-680x177.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/3-affiliate-link-example-768x200.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/3-affiliate-link-example-1536x401.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1594px) 100vw, 1594px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Affiliate marketing also pairs well with display advertising. This allows you to monetize the supporting content you need to develop <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/topical-authority\/\">topical authority<\/a> in addition to your direct affiliate content.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For example, let\u2019s say you\u2019re writing about the best mattresses for side sleepers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>You can promote specific mattresses and make a commission on them. But if you want to fully cover the mattress niche, you also need content covering things like \u201cWhen should I buy a new mattress?\u201d and \u201cHow to get rid of bed bugs?\u201d These won\u2019t typically convert well, but you can still display ads on those pages to monetize them.<\/p>\n<p>My recommendation is to pick a method that sounds interesting and try it. But don\u2019t be afraid to try different methods to see which ones you like. You may hate affiliate marketing but love making and selling your own products. You won\u2019t know until you\u00a0try.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>3. Come up with niche\u00a0ideas<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Steps #2 and #3 can be done interchangeably. You may find you want to stick to a certain niche then figure out how to monetize it later, or you may decide you want to make a course or do a particular type of monetization and figure out the niche\u00a0later.<\/p>\n<p>Either way, choosing a niche is one of your most important decisions. It can take one to two years of work before you start making significant money from your business, so ensure it\u2019s something you\u2019ll be OK with talking about for a long\u00a0time.<\/p>\n<p>Some niches will be more competitive than others.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>A good niche is one\u00a0that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Has high-paying affiliate programs or products with a high margin.<\/li>\n<li>Isn\u2019t too competitive.<\/li>\n<li>Has a large variety of things you can talk\u00a0about.<\/li>\n<li>Is interesting enough to keep you working on it for a long\u00a0time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Personally, I only work in niches that I am interested in learning about myself. Even if I don\u2019t know a lot about something, if I\u2019m at least curious about it, I will be able to stick to it. I\u2019ve tried working in niches I don\u2019t care about, and it doesn\u2019t work for me. You may be different.<\/p>\n<p>To come up with niche ideas, answer the following questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What do I know a lot\u00a0about?<\/li>\n<li>What am I curious about?<\/li>\n<li>What do other people tell me I\u2019m good\u00a0at?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The answers can help guide you into a niche. Alternatively, you can just pick something random and try it. I did that for a few of my own businesses\u2014I just had a random idea one day and went for it. In the worst-case scenario, you learn a lot and figure out what you don\u2019t\u00a0like.<\/p>\n<p>Another way to come up with niche ideas is by looking at <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/affiliate-marketing-programs\/\">affiliate programs<\/a>, then choosing one based on high-paying affiliate partners. From there, you can either build an affiliate site or build your own competing business with that affiliate. If the affiliate program pays well, the business likely makes a good profit margin on its products.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you head to <a href=\"https:\/\/classic.avantlink.com\/affiliate\/merchants.php\">AvantLink\u2019s merchant list<\/a> (you have to make an account to see it), you can browse affiliate programs in any niche and sort them by things like commission, category, conversion rate, and\u00a0more.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1924\" height=\"596\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/4-avantlink-merchant-list.jpg\" alt=\"AvantLink affiliate merchant list\" class=\"wp-image-151104\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/4-avantlink-merchant-list.jpg 1924w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/4-avantlink-merchant-list-680x211.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/4-avantlink-merchant-list-768x238.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/4-avantlink-merchant-list-1536x476.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1924px) 100vw, 1924px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1924\" height=\"596\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/4-avantlink-merchant-list.jpg\" alt=\"AvantLink affiliate merchant list\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151104\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/4-avantlink-merchant-list.jpg 1924w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/4-avantlink-merchant-list-680x211.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/4-avantlink-merchant-list-768x238.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/4-avantlink-merchant-list-1536x476.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1924px) 100vw, 1924px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>I like to sort the list by commission rate (high to low) and go from there. But you can also continue to step #4 if you can\u2019t decide because doing keyword research will help you find more opportunities.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>4. Do some keyword and market research<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>As you develop ideas for a niche, it\u2019s crucial to figure out how difficult it will be to break into it and where people in that niche are spending their\u00a0time.<\/p>\n<p>I always start with <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">keyword research<\/a> because it shows me the potential of the niche and the kind of content I\u2019ll have to create to compete in that\u00a0niche.<\/p>\n<p>It starts with \u201cseed keywords.\u201d These are broad, generic keywords that cover the biggest topics in a\u00a0niche.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you\u2019re interested in the coffee niche, some seed keywords may\u00a0be:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>coffee<\/li>\n<li>cappuccino<\/li>\n<li>french press<\/li>\n<li>nespresso<\/li>\n<li>Etc<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Use these keywords to find the big competitors in your niche that most closely represent your own website or the one you\u2019re trying to make. If the results are too different from a niche website, you\u2019ll need to get a little less\u00a0broad.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if I Google \u201ccoffee,\u201d I see sites like Starbucks, Wikipedia, Peets, etc. Obviously, these giant brands are not my competition.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1426\" height=\"926\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/5-google-search-results-for-coffee.jpg\" alt=\"Google SERP for &quot;coffee&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-151106\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/5-google-search-results-for-coffee.jpg 1426w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/5-google-search-results-for-coffee-654x425.jpg 654w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/5-google-search-results-for-coffee-768x499.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1426px) 100vw, 1426px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1426\" height=\"926\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/5-google-search-results-for-coffee.jpg\" alt=\"Google SERP for &quot;coffee&quot;\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151106\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/5-google-search-results-for-coffee.jpg 1426w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/5-google-search-results-for-coffee-654x425.jpg 654w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/5-google-search-results-for-coffee-768x499.jpg 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1426px) 100vw, 1426px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Instead, let\u2019s try something a little more niche, such as \u201chow to use a french press.\u201d Here, we find a website called homegrounds.co.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1686\" height=\"632\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/6-google-search-results-for-how-to-use-a-french-press.png\" alt=\"Google SERP for &quot;how to use a french press&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-151107\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/6-google-search-results-for-how-to-use-a-french-press.png 1686w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/6-google-search-results-for-how-to-use-a-french-press-680x255.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/6-google-search-results-for-how-to-use-a-french-press-768x288.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/6-google-search-results-for-how-to-use-a-french-press-1536x576.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1686px) 100vw, 1686px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1686\" height=\"632\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/6-google-search-results-for-how-to-use-a-french-press.png\" alt=\"Google SERP for &quot;how to use a french press&quot;\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151107\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/6-google-search-results-for-how-to-use-a-french-press.png 1686w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/6-google-search-results-for-how-to-use-a-french-press-680x255.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/6-google-search-results-for-how-to-use-a-french-press-768x288.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/6-google-search-results-for-how-to-use-a-french-press-1536x576.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1686px) 100vw, 1686px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>This site is closer to an affiliate marketing site, which is what I\u2019m looking for. Now, I can plug that website into Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a> and see what other keywords it\u2019s ranking for and the page ranking for that keyword.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"846\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-for-coffee.png\" alt=\"Organic keywords report based on a coffee-focused website\" class=\"wp-image-151109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-for-coffee.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-for-coffee-680x288.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-for-coffee-768x325.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-for-coffee-1536x650.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"846\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-for-coffee.png\" alt=\"Organic keywords report based on a coffee-focused website\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151109\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-for-coffee.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-for-coffee-680x288.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-for-coffee-768x325.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/7-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-for-coffee-1536x650.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>You\u2019ll also see how many people search for that keyword per month (volume) and an estimation of how difficult it will be to rank for that keyword on Google (KD or Keyword Difficulty).<\/p>\n<p>By scrolling through these keywords and looking at the potential volume, KD, and what page is ranking for them, we can get an idea of how hard it may be to enter the niche and what kind of traffic we can expect. We can also browse the website to see how it monetizes its content (paid ads, affiliates, products, etc.).<\/p>\n<p>Do this for three to five websites in your niche to better understand how to tackle entering the niche and make money from\u00a0it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In addition to keyword research, you can use a tool like <a href=\"https:\/\/sparktoro.com\/\">SparkToro<\/a> to get an idea of where your potential audience spends their time (which social media channels, forums, etc.).<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1445\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/8-sparktoro-audience-research-tool.jpg\" alt=\"An example SparkToro report based on an audience that talks about coffee\" class=\"wp-image-151111\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/8-sparktoro-audience-research-tool.jpg 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/8-sparktoro-audience-research-tool-588x425.jpg 588w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/8-sparktoro-audience-research-tool-768x555.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/8-sparktoro-audience-research-tool-1536x1110.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1445\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/8-sparktoro-audience-research-tool.jpg\" alt=\"An example SparkToro report based on an audience that talks about coffee\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151111\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/8-sparktoro-audience-research-tool.jpg 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/8-sparktoro-audience-research-tool-588x425.jpg 588w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/8-sparktoro-audience-research-tool-768x555.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/8-sparktoro-audience-research-tool-1536x1110.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>If you like what you see, continue to step #5. If not, continue researching other niches.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>5. Decide on a business name<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The name of your business won\u2019t make or break it, but it\u2019s still important. Here are some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalzoom.com\/articles\/7-tips-for-choosing-a-business-name\">tips for choosing a good business name<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Be clear, not clever <\/strong>\u2013<strong> <\/strong>Your name should be easy to understand and\u00a0spell.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pick a name that doesn\u2019t limit you too much <\/strong>\u2013<strong> <\/strong>You may start selling chairs, but you want a name that allows you to expand into selling other furniture or even other things entirely.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Shorter is usually better <\/strong>\u2013 This is especially true for an online business where your customers may need to type out your URL and social media handles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You also need to make sure you\u2019re not encroaching on any trademarks or existing business names. If you\u2019re in the U.S., you can look up whether a name is available or not on your state\u2019s local government website or with a service like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legalzoom.com\/\">LegalZoom<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>6. Handle the legal\u00a0tasks<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve decided on a name, it\u2019s time to set it up as a legal entity. Note that I\u2019m not a lawyer, this isn\u2019t legal advice, and my knowledge is limited to the U.S.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sidenote\">\n<p>Sidenote.<\/p>\n<p> This step doesn\u2019t need to be done right away. You can do it at any point before you actually start earning money. Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/personal-finance\/do-you-need-llc-for-side-hustle-side-job#:~:text=If%20you%20have%20a%20small,from%20filing%20with%20your%20state.\">this Business Insider article<\/a> for more\u00a0info.<\/div>\n<p>Typically, you can get away with a sole proprietorship to start. This is the bare minimum requirement to do business in the U.S.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>However, once you start making decent money, it\u2019s a good idea to upgrade to an LLC (limited liability company) or even eventually a corporation to limit how liable you are in the event of legal action, as well as to benefit from tax savings.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I recommend talking to a business attorney to help you set this up when you\u2019re ready. But don\u2019t feel pressured to do it from the beginning; you can worry about it once you\u2019re making some\u00a0money.<\/p>\n<p>Beyond setting up a company, you also need to register your business and obtain any relevant permits. How you do that and if you need permits depend on which state you live in and how you monetize, so I\u2019ll leave it up to you to research. Consider calling your local SBA (Small Business Administration) office for advice.<\/p>\n<p>At this point, you should have a business entity set up and be ready to buy your domain name and build your website.<\/p>\n<p>Your domain name will typically be your business name with a top-level domain (TLD) like .com or .co.uk at the end. You can get a name from a service like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.namecheap.com\/\">NameCheap<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.godaddy.com\/\">GoDaddy<\/a>. Or you can buy one directly from your hosting company if you want to spend a little more but have an easier time setting it\u00a0up.<\/p>\n<p>Hosting is a service that allows you to \u201chost\u201d your website on the internet. Think of it as digital rent. I use <a href=\"https:\/\/kinsta.com\/\">Kinsta<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.siteground.com\/\">SiteGround<\/a> for WordPress blog websites, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shopify.com\/\">Shopify<\/a> for e-commerce websites, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wix.com\/\">Wix<\/a> for everything else (services and local businesses).<\/p>\n<div class=\"sidenote\">\n<p>Sidenote.<\/p>\n<p> Shopify and Wix are two-in-one platforms: They are both a content management system (CMS) like WordPress and provide website hosting. This makes them a bit easier to use and set up than WordPress with a separate hosting service.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>My preferred method of building websites is with WordPress. If you\u2019re planning on doing affiliate marketing or blogging, it\u2019s the best option because it\u2019s the most flexible.<\/p>\n<p>Keep in mind that WordPress.com and WordPress.org are separate things. I use the .org version, which you must install on your website using your hosting provider. Usually, this is a one-click install. The .com version is a competitor to Wix, but I don\u2019t like it personally.<\/p>\n<p>With SiteGround, you just purchase <a href=\"https:\/\/www.siteground.com\/wordpress-hosting.htm\">its WordPress hosting plan<\/a> and it will set it up for\u00a0you.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"889\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/9-siteground-wordpress-hosting.png\" alt=\"SiteGround WordPress hosting\" class=\"wp-image-151113\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/9-siteground-wordpress-hosting.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/9-siteground-wordpress-hosting-680x302.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/9-siteground-wordpress-hosting-768x342.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/9-siteground-wordpress-hosting-1536x683.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"889\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/9-siteground-wordpress-hosting.png\" alt=\"SiteGround WordPress hosting\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151113\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/9-siteground-wordpress-hosting.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/9-siteground-wordpress-hosting-680x302.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/9-siteground-wordpress-hosting-768x342.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/9-siteground-wordpress-hosting-1536x683.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Once the backend is set up and you\u2019ve finished purchasing your domain name and hosting, you can log in to your website by typing www.yourdomainname.com<strong>\/wp-admin.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Once you log in, the backend of your website looks like\u00a0this:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"872\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/10-wordpress-dashboard.png\" alt=\"WordPress admin panel\" class=\"wp-image-151115\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/10-wordpress-dashboard.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/10-wordpress-dashboard-680x297.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/10-wordpress-dashboard-768x335.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/10-wordpress-dashboard-1536x670.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"872\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/10-wordpress-dashboard.png\" alt=\"WordPress admin panel\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151115\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/10-wordpress-dashboard.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/10-wordpress-dashboard-680x297.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/10-wordpress-dashboard-768x335.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/10-wordpress-dashboard-1536x670.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>This is where you can manage the appearance of your website via themes and customization, the blog posts and pages on your site, and\u00a0more.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll need to choose a theme to start building the frontend of your site. Most WordPress themes are well optimized these days, but you should focus on picking one that looks good and also loads quickly. Choose one that only has features you will\u00a0use.<\/p>\n<p>At this point, there\u2019s a lot to learn and do to build your site. Rather than going through every single step in this article, here are some guides I will refer you\u00a0to:<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewbox=\"0 0 14 14\" style=\"\"><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\"\/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style=\"\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><\/p>\n<p><h2>8. Create and promote valuable content<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Regardless of the type of business you create, content is king. <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-write-a-blog-post\/\">Publishing blog posts<\/a>, videos, or podcasts is the best way to promote your business and get sales online.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, learning how to create and promote valuable content is one of the most important skills you can learn as a digital entrepreneur.<\/p>\n<p>What makes content \u201cvaluable\u201d depends on the platform. When it comes to SEO, valuable content means satisfying the search intent of the person using Google to find your content.<\/p>\n<p>But \u201cvaluable\u201d content on TikTok may mean your video is entertaining, YouTube may mean your video is informative or visually fascinating, and Facebook may mean your content sparks discussions.<\/p>\n<p>My best advice is to <strong>figure out what content does well in whatever medium you\u2019re creating content in, then master the fundamentals of that type of content.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For example, I write blog posts with the goal of ranking highly in Google search results. The content I create needs to be informative, helpful, easy to skim, and (when possible) entertaining.<\/p>\n<p>To get better at my craft, I studied <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/writing-tips\/\">writing tips to become a better writer<\/a>, researched <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/google-search-algorithm\/\">how the Google search algorithm worked<\/a> so I knew what it was looking for, and constantly pushed to find information I could include that no one else in the search results had.<\/p>\n<p>I also spent well over $100,000 on online courses and mentors to teach me how to be better. It has been a constant game of self-growth and improving my\u00a0craft.<\/p>\n<p>All of these efforts have resulted in the sale of one of my websites for nearly half a million dollars. I can\u2019t show the figures for that site, but I\u2019ve since started another website I\u2019m working on that is getting over 7,000 visits per month in less than one year as a side hustle:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1282\" height=\"830\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/11-google-analytics-report.jpg\" alt=\"Google Analytics traffic report\" class=\"wp-image-151117\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/11-google-analytics-report.jpg 1282w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/11-google-analytics-report-656x425.jpg 656w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/11-google-analytics-report-768x497.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1282px) 100vw, 1282px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1282\" height=\"830\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/11-google-analytics-report.jpg\" alt=\"Google Analytics traffic report\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151117\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/11-google-analytics-report.jpg 1282w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/11-google-analytics-report-656x425.jpg 656w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/11-google-analytics-report-768x497.jpg 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1282px) 100vw, 1282px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Organic search-focused content is the main traffic generator for many websites; chances are it can be for yours too. It\u2019s free, recurring traffic.<\/p>\n<p>That said, you can figure out the type of content to create by studying your competitors and seeing what does well for them, then creating your own version of that content.<\/p>\n<p>For example, say I want to break into the golf niche. I would look at my competitors on Google and social media to see what content they\u2019re creating that\u2019s working well and how they\u2019re promoting it.<\/p>\n<p>If we search for \u201cgolfing\u201d on YouTube, we see three different kinds of videos from three different competitors that are each doing\u00a0well:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1326\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12-youtube-search-results-for-golfing.jpg\" alt=\"YouTube search results for &quot;golfing&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-151119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12-youtube-search-results-for-golfing.jpg 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12-youtube-search-results-for-golfing-641x425.jpg 641w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12-youtube-search-results-for-golfing-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12-youtube-search-results-for-golfing-1536x1019.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1326\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12-youtube-search-results-for-golfing.jpg\" alt=\"YouTube search results for &quot;golfing&quot;\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12-youtube-search-results-for-golfing.jpg 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12-youtube-search-results-for-golfing-641x425.jpg 641w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12-youtube-search-results-for-golfing-768x509.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/12-youtube-search-results-for-golfing-1536x1019.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>To take it further, we can use Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a> to find keyword ideas to rank for on Google and to see what kind of content our competitors are creating.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1770\" height=\"888\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/13-ahrefs-serp-overview-report-for-golfing.jpg\" alt=\"Ahrefs' SERP overview for &quot;golfing&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-151121\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/13-ahrefs-serp-overview-report-for-golfing.jpg 1770w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/13-ahrefs-serp-overview-report-for-golfing-680x341.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/13-ahrefs-serp-overview-report-for-golfing-768x385.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/13-ahrefs-serp-overview-report-for-golfing-1536x771.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/13-ahrefs-serp-overview-report-for-golfing-400x200.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1770px) 100vw, 1770px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1770\" height=\"888\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/13-ahrefs-serp-overview-report-for-golfing.jpg\" alt=\"Ahrefs' SERP overview for &quot;golfing&quot;\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151121\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/13-ahrefs-serp-overview-report-for-golfing.jpg 1770w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/13-ahrefs-serp-overview-report-for-golfing-680x341.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/13-ahrefs-serp-overview-report-for-golfing-768x385.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/13-ahrefs-serp-overview-report-for-golfing-1536x771.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/13-ahrefs-serp-overview-report-for-golfing-400x200.jpg 400w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1770px) 100vw, 1770px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>However, these competitors are already well established, and it may take a lot of work to beat them. That\u2019s where Ahrefs\u2019 <strong>Related terms<\/strong> report comes in\u00a0handy.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1265\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/14-ahrefs-related-terms-report.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Related terms report for &quot;golfing&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-151123\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/14-ahrefs-related-terms-report.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/14-ahrefs-related-terms-report-672x425.png 672w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/14-ahrefs-related-terms-report-260x166.png 260w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/14-ahrefs-related-terms-report-768x486.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/14-ahrefs-related-terms-report-1536x972.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1265\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/14-ahrefs-related-terms-report.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Related terms report for &quot;golfing&quot;\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151123\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/14-ahrefs-related-terms-report.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/14-ahrefs-related-terms-report-672x425.png 672w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/14-ahrefs-related-terms-report-260x166.png 260w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/14-ahrefs-related-terms-report-768x486.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/14-ahrefs-related-terms-report-1536x972.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>For example, the keyword \u201cgolf tips for beginners\u201d only has a KD score of 12, which means it\u2019s relatively easy to rank for compared to the keyword \u201cgolfing\u201d at\u00a031.<\/p>\n<p>If we look at the SERP overview, we can find competitors who aren\u2019t as established, then look at the keywords their website is ranking for.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"950\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/15-ahrefs-serp-overview-for-golf-tips-for-beginners.jpg\" alt=\"Ahrefs' SERP overview for &quot;golf tips for beginners&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-151124\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/15-ahrefs-serp-overview-for-golf-tips-for-beginners.jpg 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/15-ahrefs-serp-overview-for-golf-tips-for-beginners-680x323.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/15-ahrefs-serp-overview-for-golf-tips-for-beginners-768x365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/15-ahrefs-serp-overview-for-golf-tips-for-beginners-1536x730.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"950\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/15-ahrefs-serp-overview-for-golf-tips-for-beginners.jpg\" alt=\"Ahrefs' SERP overview for &quot;golf tips for beginners&quot;\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151124\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/15-ahrefs-serp-overview-for-golf-tips-for-beginners.jpg 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/15-ahrefs-serp-overview-for-golf-tips-for-beginners-680x323.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/15-ahrefs-serp-overview-for-golf-tips-for-beginners-768x365.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/15-ahrefs-serp-overview-for-golf-tips-for-beginners-1536x730.jpg 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>The website free-online-gold-tips.com only has a Domain Rating (DR) of 36. This means that compared to bigger competitors like Golf Digest, with a DR of 82, it is relatively new to the game. The fact that it\u2019s ranking for this keyword means it\u2019s not as competitive.<\/p>\n<p>If we look at its website in Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a>, we can see other keywords it\u2019s ranking for that aren\u2019t as competitive, as well as the content it wrote that\u2019s ranking.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1224\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/16-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Organic keywords report\" class=\"wp-image-151125\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/16-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/16-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-680x416.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/16-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-768x470.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/16-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-1536x941.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1224\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/16-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Organic keywords report\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151125\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/16-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/16-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-680x416.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/16-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-768x470.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/16-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-1536x941.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Doing this can help you decide what type of content to create. Making your content better is another story\u2014here are some other guides to help you with\u00a0that:<\/p>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve created the content, it\u2019s also important to learn how to promote it so it can actually be seen and give you an ROI in the short term. Basically, your goal is\u00a0this:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"791\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/17-traffic-you-hustle-for-vs-organic-traffic.png\" alt=\"Content promotion vs. SEO graph\" class=\"wp-image-151127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/17-traffic-you-hustle-for-vs-organic-traffic.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/17-traffic-you-hustle-for-vs-organic-traffic-680x336.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/17-traffic-you-hustle-for-vs-organic-traffic-768x380.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/17-traffic-you-hustle-for-vs-organic-traffic-1536x759.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"791\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/17-traffic-you-hustle-for-vs-organic-traffic.png\" alt=\"Content promotion vs. SEO graph\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-151127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/17-traffic-you-hustle-for-vs-organic-traffic.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/17-traffic-you-hustle-for-vs-organic-traffic-680x336.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/17-traffic-you-hustle-for-vs-organic-traffic-768x380.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/17-traffic-you-hustle-for-vs-organic-traffic-1536x759.png 1536w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>You hustle to get the early site traffic, then SEO kicks in to give you free, recurring traffic.<\/p>\n<p>Now, there are a <em>lot<\/em> of ways to promote your content. Social media, email outreach, paid ads\u2026 the list goes\u00a0on.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than going over every content promotion strategy here, I\u2019ll refer you to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-promotion\/\">our guide to content promotion<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The final step in becoming a digital entrepreneur is scaling up your efforts or pivoting into another business idea.<\/p>\n<p>As I mentioned at the beginning of this guide, I pivoted five times before I found a business I could scale up. It wasn\u2019t because I failed or threw in the towel. I just realized I didn\u2019t want to continue putting effort into those businesses to make them succeed.<\/p>\n<p>This is a part of the journey. Trying things and being OK with changing and possibly \u201closing\u201d your investment. It\u2019s completely all right to choose to pivot if you\u2019re not enjoying the process and can\u2019t see yourself continuing in the long\u00a0term.<\/p>\n<p>If you decide to continue, it\u2019s time to scale up whatever is working. For me, that means hiring a team of writers, editors, outreach specialists, and a virtual assistant. But it also means NOT doing certain tasks that aren\u2019t moving the needle.<\/p>\n<p>At this point, I recommend you <strong>create a brain dump of all the tasks you do to run your business.<\/strong> This could be things like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Doing keyword research<\/li>\n<li>Creating content<\/li>\n<li>Promoting content<\/li>\n<li>Making sales\u00a0calls<\/li>\n<li>Finding affiliate or manufacturing partners<\/li>\n<li>Etc<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve written out every task\u2014even the smallest ones you may only do on occasion\u2014it\u2019s time to organize them into four\u00a0lists:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Things only you can\u00a0do.<\/li>\n<li>Things that can possibly be done by someone else.<\/li>\n<li>Things that can be automated with a tool or software.<\/li>\n<li>Things that don\u2019t need to be done at\u00a0all.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>From here, it\u2019s easy to create standard operating procedures around the tasks that can be done by someone else, find tools to automate things, and cut some tasks out entirely.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some helpful related guides:<\/p>\n<p>Voil\u00e0\u2014you now know how to start an online business from scratch.<\/p>\n<h2>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>I have to reiterate that starting an online business has been the single best decision I\u2019ve ever made in my 29 years on this planet. It\u2019s given me the freedom\u2014both financially and over my time\u2014to travel the world and build the exact life I\u00a0want.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a lot to learn (certainly more than I can teach you in one guide), and it\u2019s a steep learning curve. You will fail, and you will feel disappointment and doubt. It\u2019s all part of the process.<\/p>\n<p>If you start today and commit to learning how to make money online, I promise you will succeed. You may have to pivot, but you will eventually hit a winner. And 10 years from now, you\u2019ll thank yourself for reading this guide and making this life-changing decision.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-start-online-business\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Starting an online business changed the course of my life forever. It allowed me to live my perfect life, travel the world, and set my own hours. It taught me more than my four-year college degree and any job I ever worked. An online business allows you to take control of your life in a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1996,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1995"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1995\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ewebtoolz.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}