The 17 Tools For Starting A New Online Business In 2018
It’s almost 2018. Starting a business nowadays is much easier. With lots of online tools and resources, founders can focus more on their own business, rather than like …building a website or designing a logo. No matter you are bootstrapping your business or having an all-star team onboard, I hope the following list would help you get started much easier.
Brainstorm a business name
Thinking of a business name is hard. Thinking of a business name that has not been registered is even harder. The following website helps generate business name ideas based on a keyword AND their domain availabilities. It comes in handy when you are short of ideas.
- Name Ideas Generator — A domain name generator (free)
http://www.nameideasgenerator.com
Get a domain name
When it comes to domain name, you need a reliable domain name registry. Personally I have been using Namecheap for years. It’s fast, straight-forward, easy to use, highly recommended.
- Namecheap (from US$0.88 to US$30 per year)
https://www.namecheap.com
Get an email address
You always need an email address for your business nowadays. G Suite from Google makes it super easy to get yourself a business email like [email protected].
- G Suite (US$5 per month)
https://gsuite.google.com
It seems G Suite is having a special offer with Namecheap. You can get $25 Namecheap credit by buying a G Suite plan. (https://www.namecheap.com/apps/application/g-suite-google-apps-for-work-business-productivity)
Design a logo
Designing a logo for your business takes time and effort. Here is a DIY tool and an outsource platform where you can get your logo done within your budget.
- Logomaster.ai — A DIY logo maker for founders (US$20 to US$65)
https://logomaster.ai
*You get your logo files immediately with this option - 99designs — Launch a design contest and receive dozens of designs (US$299 to US$1199)
https://99designs.com
Build a website
It’s 2018 and you don’t need a web developer to build a website. You can do it yourself. With Wix or Squarespace, you can make beautiful website by a few clicks. There are a lot of professional templates to choose from, and you can edit them very easily. But if you somehow decide to create your own website and need a web hosting services, don't forget to visit MangoMatter for a nice comparison.
- Wix (free to US$24.5 per month)
http://wix.com - Squarespace (US$16 to US$52 per month)
https://www.squarespace.com
*Both platform includes free domain for 1 year if you subscribe to their plan
Thinking of e-commerce?
Setting up an e-commerce site was a hassle. Product management and shipping details drive you crazy. You need a flexible yet simple platform that helps you reach your customers. Shopify can do that for you. You can have an online store that looks awesome on both desktop and mobile within a few minutes after registration.
- Shopify — The ecommerce platform made for you (US$29 to US$299 per month)
https://www.shopify.com - Oberlo by Shopify — Dropshipping made easy (free to US$79.9 per month)
https://www.oberlo.com
*Oberlo allows you to easily import dropshipped products directly into your ecommerce store and ship them directly to your customers — in only a few clicks.
Or Just a landing page?
If your business only needs to have a simple website with a email subscription form, MailChimp’s landing page might be your choice. It makes it super easy to setup a simple website and start collecting your customer’s email. It’s best for showcasing a pre-launch product, or running a giveaway campaign.
- MailChimp Landing Pages (free)
https://mailchimp.com/features/landing-pages/
Web & Mobile prototyping
When you try to build a website or mobile app, you might want to start prototyping during the design stage. Using Fluid UI, your team can create beautiful prototype in minutes. It also allows real-time collaboration with your team, which makes it super handy at the early stage of your online app venture.
- Fluid UI
https://www.fluidui.com/
Marketing video
Making a decent marketing video is hard. It often requires help from a professional team. With GoAnimate, you can easily create your own marketing video to put up on your website.
- GoAnimate — Make Professional Animated Videos (US$39 to US$159 per month)
https://goanimate.com
Manage social media accounts
Managing multiple social media accounts is a big headache. You now have Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc to manage. Buffer can help get your team onto the same page and help schedule your content.
- Buffer (Free to US399 per month, depending on the number of social accounts you have)
https://buffer.com
Project management
If you ever need to get your team to collaborate, Trello is a very simple and visual way to management your team’s workflow.
- Trello (Free to US$20.83)
https://trello.com
Invoicing
When you need to charge your clients and collect money, you'll need an invoice. Using online invoice management software can help you save time in doing so. You can create a beautifully looking invoice by using the following tools.
- InvoiceBerry (US$15 - US$30)
https://www.invoiceberry.com/
Look for investment
Here’s a collection of real fundraising decks from famous startups. You might want to take references from them when it comes to your turn.
- Startup Pitch Decks
https://attach.io/startup-pitch-decks - DCONSTRCT Pitch Decks
http://dconstrct.com/pitch-decks/
The above list is brought to you by logomaster.ai — the Logo Builder for Founders.
Create your own logo now
Start creating your own logo now at https://logomaster.ai. Use the coupon code LOVEMEDIUM to get a 10% discount on our premium logo package.
Subscribe to Logomaster.ai Blog
Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox