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How to Start an Online Business from the UK – Tips, Tricks & Potential Risks

Last updated on June 16th, 2023 at 07:46 am

The United Kingdom is a member of the European Union (EU) and is one of the largest economies in the world.

It has a population of over 64 million people and covers an area of 242,495 square kilometers. The UK has one of the most advanced economies in the world and it is one of the most profitable places to start a business.

It has been ranked as being among the top 10 places to do business in Europe and it’s also ranked as being among the top 20 best countries for doing business globally. 

It’s also been ranked as being among those with the highest levels of economic freedom which means that there are fewer restrictions on businesses operating in this country.

Starting a Business in The UK

There are many benefits to starting your new business venture in The United Kingdom. 

These include access to:

  • A highly qualified workforce
  • Stable and supportive business environment
  • Excellent financial services, and 
  • Global reach for companies that can sell products or services in international markets. 

The UK also has a vibrant startup and small business scene, with over 1.2 million individual companies operating in the United Kingdom today. 

With such a high number of businesses operating in the country, you will have plenty of competition from your peers which means plenty of learning opportunities.

Setting Up Your Online Business

What’s an online business?

An online business is a business that operates mainly over the internet. And unlike the traditional brick and mortar business, there are many benefits to running an online business here in the UK and they are becoming more popular.

The first benefit is that you can create a website and reach your target audience without having to spend money on advertising.

The second benefit is that you don’t need to be physically present in order to run your business, which can help if you have other commitments like family or travel.

And the third benefit is that there’s less competition in the online world, so it’s easier for new businesses to become successful.

What you need to start an online business in the UK

Now, to set up your online business in the UK, you need some things.

Step 1: Choosing what to sell

The first one is to decide on the product or service to sell.

There are many things to consider when deciding what to sell online. The first thing you need to do is decide on a niche. This will help you narrow your focus and increase your chances of success. There are many different ways to find a niche, but the easiest way is by answering these questions:

  • What am I passionate about?
  • What do I know a lot about?
  • What am I good at?
  • What do people ask me for help with?
  • What would I enjoy doing all day long?

Besides this, another one of the most important is your target audience. If you know who is going to buy from you, then you can use that knowledge and find products that they are already interested in.

You should also think about the competition. If there are a lot of other sellers with similar items, then it may be better for you to find something different or unique instead of competing with them on price or quality.

Another factor is your budget and how much time and works you want to put into the business. You will need enough money for any inventory and marketing costs and if this is going to take up a lot of your time, then it may not be worth doing at all because when you’re starting out you don’t have a lot of people coming to your store.

Step 2: Create a website

An online business in the UK lives online, right?

This means that you need a domain name and hosting space.

Choosing a domain name is an important decision for any business. If a domain name is too long, difficult to remember, or irrelevant to your business then it is unlikely that people will be able to find your site.

As for the hosting, you can get one from the same company you registered the domain with.

Once you have these two, you can now start setting up your online business. If you are using WordPress, go ahead and install a theme and some essential plugins.

And if you are selling products online, you might need a tool to help manage everything. 

Woocommerce is such a tool.

What is Woocommerce?

Woocommerce is a plugin created by WooThemes. It’s a tool that allows you to create, manage, and customize your online store through WordPress.

Once installed on your website, you can start selling digital products and physical goods like shirts or hats. Pretty much anything!

Step 3: Setting up the logistics

Now that your business is up, you need a way for customers to pay. That is where payment gateways come in.

Payment gateways are the backbone of any e-commerce business in the UK. They allow you to accept payments online securely and without hassle. There are many different payment gateways available, so it is important to choose one that suits your needs best.

You also need a way to ship the products (if you are selling physical products) to clients. Setting up shipping can be difficult, but with a little research, it can be done easily and efficiently.

After you have all of the above in place, you need a way to reach your clients and prospective clients. Social media is the most obvious answer. You can start with Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and gradually expand to other platforms as needed.

Marketing Your Online Business in the UK

Marketing your online business is a must in order to grow. Marketing your business can be done through various channels. 

It can be done on social media, through email marketing, SEO, PPC campaigns, and other forms of marketing. 

In this section, we will discuss the different marketing tips for online businesses in the UK that you can use to grow your business and generate more leads.

1). Optimize Your Website For Search Engines

It is important that you optimize your website for search engines in order to get higher rankings on search engine result pages (SERPs). This will help drive traffic to your website when someone searches for a keyword related to your business. There are many tools available such as Google Search Console which helps you identify and fix any errors on your site which may be preventing it from ranking higher on search engines.

2). Create Content Marketing

Create content marketing that is relevant to your business and create a blog for your website. 

Content marketing creates interest and potential buyers for your products and services. 

And then promote this content on social media, email marketing campaigns, and other channels to grow your customer base.

3). Implement Social Media Strategy

Implementing a social media strategy will help you market your business. The key to success is being able to consistently share relevant content that your target audience wants.

Marketing is a critical part of any business. It is essential for small businesses to promote their products and services to the right audience in order to get more customers.

And then you need to make money.

Pricing Strategy for Your Online Business in the UK

Pricing is one of the most important aspects of running an online business. There are many pricing strategies that you can use to make your products and services more attractive to customers.

There are three main pricing strategies: cost-plus, value-based, and competitive. Cost-plus pricing is when a company calculates the cost of their product or service and then adds a markup percentage on top of that. 

Value-based pricing is when a company prices its product or service according to its perceived value to the customer. Competitive pricing is when companies price their product or service according to how it compares with similar products in the marketplace.

  • Cost-Plus Pricing Strategy: This strategy involves adding a markup percentage on top of the cost of production for your goods or services. The idea behind this pricing strategy is that the customer will always be willing to pay more for goods or services if they know they’re getting quality.
  • Value-Based Pricing Strategy: This pricing strategy involves using perceived value as a way to set a price. The idea behind this pricing strategy is that customers are willing to pay more for goods or services with perceived value.
  • Competitive Pricing Strategy: This pricing strategy involves taking your product to the market, and then figuring out how much it would cost if you were a competitor.

Wrapping up

Starting an online business in the UK is a great way to make money and be your own boss. 

The UK offers a more supportive environment for entrepreneurs than many other countries.