Your Perfect Online Platform

Today, in 4 minutes or less, you'll learn:    

1. Online platform options to start your business include Wix, Etsy, Shopify, and Kajabi.   
2. How to choose the best option for you considering factors such as long-term needs, budget, features, and personal comfort with technology.   
3. Why Kajabi was my online platform of choice. 

As a mum diving into the business world, choosing the right online platform to have your business on is essential to building your foundation. With so many options, figuring out where to start can be overwhelming. I've done the research, and in this newsletter, I will walk you through the most popular ways to start online, how to choose between the different options, and how I made my own decision.   

Popular Platforms to Consider:   

• Wix: great for building beautiful websites quickly without coding. It's user-friendly and has a range of customisable templates.   

• Carrd: simple, free and easy to use; Carrd is fantastic for creating one-page websites to get you started. You can also subscribe for a small fee to access more features. 

• Amazon and Kindle Direct Publishing (for self-publishing print and digital books): worth investigating if you have a product to sell and want to reach a vast audience. 

• Etsy: perfect for selling handcrafted items or unique products. Etsy offers an easy setup for product listings, but you should consider their fees.   

• Shopify: if you want to sell multiple items quickly and easily, Shopify is a solid choice. It's simple but effective for online stores. Shopify allows you to sell in multiple places and manage products, inventory, payments and shipping.  

• Thrivecart: this platform specialises in checkout solutions, so if you want a seamless process and sales funnel for digital and physical products, Thrivecart is worth checking out.   

• Thinkific: ideal for creating and selling courses. It's a dedicated course platform with solid customisation and integration features.   

• Teachable: another popular option for course creators, focusing on user-friendliness and ease of use for both students and creators.   

• Podia: a more straightforward, affordable, all-in-one platform for courses, memberships, and digital products. It's great if you're looking to keep things streamlined.   

• Kajabi: a more comprehensive solution that offers courses, memberships, email marketing, funnels, and even a podcast feature. It's more expensive but can save time with all its built-in tools.   

• Others: WordPress (highly customisable but requires plugins like MemberPress) and Kartra (another all-in-one business platform with marketing tools).   

My Research Tips:   

• Google Search: blog posts and comparisons can give you a detailed breakdown of features and pricing.   

• Platform Websites: many platforms write articles and case studies to help you see how they fit into different business models and compare to their competitors.   

• Facebook Groups: join online communities and ask for opinions from others using these platforms.   

• Talk to People: if you know anyone who's built an online business, their experience can provide valuable insight.   

Things to Consider When Choosing a Platform:   

1. Price: consider both the upfront costs and ongoing expenses. Some platforms offer free trials or discounts if you pay annually.   
2. Features: think long-term. Will the platform grow with you as your business expands? Look at email marketing, course creation, membership options, and checkout systems.   
3. Investment: what level of investment are you comfortable with now? Start small and upgrade as your business grows.   
4. Drawbacks: what limitations does the platform have? Look for any drawbacks that may affect your long-term strategy.   

My Choice: Kajabi   

After extensive research, I decided to use Kajabi as my business platform. According to their website, Kajabi helps "creators build successful businesses with digital products, marketing tools, and easy payments." Kajabi provides everything that is needed for you to set up and run your online business, including a website, email marketing, payments, course products, coaching products, podcasting products, community products, membership products, funnels, a blog, and a newsletter.    

Kajabi stood out because it's an all-in-one solution, so I didn't need to pay for separate tools. At around $220/month, it's not the cheapest option, but it streamlines everything. Initially, I was all set up to use WordPress and had paid for many of the website options I needed for this, but then I found Kajabi when I realised I would need to house my course outside of WordPress and have yet to look back. I love the simplicity of having everything in one place. This platform has worked so well for my business. It is worth investigating, particularly if you want ease of use and to sell online courses or memberships.    

Have you decided on a platform yet?   

The best platform is the one that works for you and your business. Maybe you're all about selling handmade goodies (hello, Etsy!). Or you're dreaming of a course empire (Teachable, perhaps). The key is to hone in on what fits your business vision (including future needs) and technology comfort zone.  

If you still need help deciding which platform is best for you, reach out! I'd love to help you weigh the options and make the best choice for your business.