Tips for Starting an Online Service Site?

Online service sites (websites that advertise or offer a service) have become increasingly common in the last decade. If you possess a particular set of knowledge or credential, an online service site can be a great way to make money during college and beyond. If you’re thinking about starting an online service site, there are some things you should keep in mind.

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Choose an easy to remember/access domain name. In most cases, your domain name should be directly related to your company name or the service you offer. It should also be easy to type into the url bar. Once you’ve chosen your name, check to see if the domain is available. If it is taken, play around with different iterations of the name, or simply change the ending (from a .com to a .net for example). When you’ve found a combination that works, purchase your domain name and register it.

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Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. There are some cases in which an entrepreneur will have to build a service website from scratch. However, with the proliferation of ready-made online sales platforms in the past few years, it’s unlikely you’d have to spend that much time and money. For a monthly fee (which includes hosting), these platforms allow you to customize the look of your online service site and describe the services your company offers. Most of these platforms also link to a variety of online payment options, which makes it very easy for you to receive payments from clients.

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Accurately describe your service. Be sure to include accurate descriptions of the services you offer and the credentials/experience of the people offering them. For example, if you offer online editing services, be very clear about what type of editing you do, who the editors are, and the fees that clients can expect to pay for your services.

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Know tax/reporting requirements in your state. If you are offering a service online, it’s very important that your research the tax/reporting requirements for that type of business in your state (and that you pay your company taxes on time). I highly recommend seeking assistance from a professional accountant to make sure this area of your business runs smoothly.

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Advertise your service website using social media. Social media is a great tool for spreading the Word about the services you offer. Start professional accounts and keep them separate from your personal accounts. Use these to share information about your online business, including current projects you are working on (with client permission, of course) and ways that your services can benefit others.