How do you take your blog to the next level? Well, one way is to turn it into an online store.

Many bloggers look for ways to enhance their blog and transform it into a business. If you have a lot of readers and are already making some good money through your blog, then adding an ecommerce element could increase your profits further and even perhaps allow you to quit your day job.

Interested in turning your blog into an online store? Find out more about how it’s done below.

Take the leap

If adding an online store to your blog is something you’ve already been thinking about – what’s been stopping you from moving forward? You’ve got a lot of other blogs to compete with, so getting ahead of the game is a must. Get inspiration from other bloggers who’ve taken the leap to ecommerce and start working on a timescale. The sooner you start, the sooner you can start adding to your profits.

What do you want to sell?

Deciding what to sell in your online store can be tricky. Some people already have a clear idea of what they want to sell; others might need to think about it some more. It makes sense to sell products you care about, that are relevant to your blog and that your readers will also care about.

Once you’ve decided what you want to sell, you can start getting to work. You’re going to need to source suppliers and wholesalers and even manufacturers in some cases. It’ll cost you money to get started, but it will be worth it when you start making sales.

Start teasing your products to your followers, this will help you generate some interest as well as gauge whether or not they’re likely to sell.

Revamp your blog

Your blog will need an ecommerce solution to be able to sell products online. You can add this to your existing blog platform, or you can find a new solution that you can transfer your blog to. Using ecommerce experts will help make sure you hit the right note, and Design With Style’s Ecommerce package is a good all-in-one solution to get started. Having the right interface is extremely important. If people find your store too difficult to navigate, then they’re unlikely to make it to the checkout.

Take great visuals

You’ll already understand the importance of having good visuals for your blog, but it’s even more important where ecommerce is concerned. Having high-quality images of your products will help them to be seen easier by customers, who are relying on your photos and descriptions to decide whether or not to make a purchase.

Take a look at some of the techniques for taking good product photos to make sure your online store stands out above the rest. If you can incorporate yourself into some of the images too, you’ll be onto a winner as it’s you who your readers recognise and they’ll be useful for promotional purposes (more on that later).

Test it, and test again

You want your ecommerce site to be perfect, so make sure you schedule in time to test your site to iron out bugs or problems in the processes. Ask family and friends to have a go so that you get a range of opinions – many heads are better than one after all. Keep an eye out for common ecommerce problems that are suffered by beginners, and work out ways to avoid them all.

Launch it

With all of the pieces in place, you’re now able to launch your blog. Make a big splash on your blog, let your subscribers know and start promoting your online store on social media. There are ways to market your new venture without a big budget, and if you use the same tactics you used to create a successful blog in the first place, you’ll do just fine.

Design a promotion strategy that is ongoing and that can fit around your blogging activity. You don’t want to lose sight of what made your website popular in the first place, so keep up the blogging as normal. Your blog will be a fantastic place to market your products and ensures you keep a good connection to your readers.

Adding an ecommerce arm to your blog is an amazing way to build on your success. With the right tools and some great ideas, you’ll have what you need to launch your store. Start making plans to launch an ecommerce store today and enjoy taking your blog to the next level.

+++ Collaborative Post +++

Image: Kaboom Pics