Create an Online Platform: 10 Tips for Its Development
Your own online presence is becoming increasingly important – both for large and small companies. But more and more private individuals are also beginning to appreciate their own online platform.
The most successful online platforms like Airbnb, Uber, Immobilienscout24, Uber, Google all started as small startups and have grown into huge, highly successful online platforms.
The plan to create your own online platform is now set. However, before it can be implemented in every detail, several well-considered decisions must be made and various aspects taken into account so that the project does not fail.
In the following, we will explain which aspects must be considered when creating an online platform, why they are essential, and which mistakes should be avoided. Furthermore, we will discuss the best approach when creating your own online platform.
At the end of this post, ten highly profitable tips for successfully creating your own online platform will be presented and summarized.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
- 1 Create an Online Platform: 10 Tips for Its Development
- 1.1 The Essentials in Brief
- 1.2 Which Online Platform Would You Like to Create?
- 1.3 THE ADVANTAGES OF THE ONLINE PLATFORM BUSINESS MODEL
- 1.4 OBJECTIVE OF AN ONLINE PLATFORM
- 1.5 THE COSTS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ONLINE PLATFORM
- 1.6 Top 10 Tips for Creating an Online Platform
- 1.7 Development of an Online Platform
- 1.8 Conclusion
- 1.9 Free Consultation
- 1.10 Further Articles
| Online Plattform erstellen – Übersicht | |
| ⭐ Vorgabe: | Erstellung einer Online Plattform |
| 🏆 Dauer: | Ab 3 Monate |
| 💰 Kosten: | Projektspezifisch |
| 📺 Zielsetzung: | Anbieter und Nachfrager zusammenbringen |
| ⚡ Technologien: | CMS- oder individuelle Programmierung |
The Essentials in Brief
The creation of an online platform requires a high level of expertise
To develop a successful online platform the planning must be perfect
Before starting implementation, the costs must be defined in advance
Which Online Platform Would You Like to Create?
UMFANG | BEWERTUNG | BESONDERHEITEN | WEITERE INFOS |
|---|---|---|---|
 Komplexe Online Plattform | BEWERTUNG: 9.8 |
| KOSTENLOSE BERATUNG |
 Erweiterte Online Plattform | BEWERTUNG: 8.2 |
| KOSTENLOSE BERATUNG |
 Einfache Online Plattform | BEWERTUNG: 7.3 |
| KOSTENLOSE BERATUNG |
THE ADVANTAGES OF THE ONLINE PLATFORM BUSINESS MODEL
Online platforms are an innovative way to meet the needs of several target groups simultaneously by simply connecting these groups with one another. They also remove the market barriers that many small providers face, making markets accessible to everyone.
Online platforms have revolutionized entire industries. Think, for example, of Uber, which turned the taxi industry on its head – shortly after its launch and the registration of millions of users worldwide, Uber was banned in many countries. The taxi industry was under enormous pressure because it simply could not compete with Uber in terms of cost.
OBJECTIVE OF AN ONLINE PLATFORM
Online platforms comprise much more than just a simple website. An online platform connects multiple user groups so that they can meet their needs through the platform. Think, for example, of Airbnb, the online platform that connects tourists with homeowners – the platform acts solely as an intermediary and facilitates contact between the two groups. When you compare this model with an online shop, the difference becomes immediately apparent – a platform can kill two birds with one stone, serving two groups of customers simultaneously.
A simple blog or website is relatively static – an online platform, on the other hand, must offer its users a wide range of functionalities in order to achieve its objective:
- Matching functionality: so that the user groups can find each other
- Complex algorithms: including matching algorithms
- Profiles: from both the demand side and the supplier side
- Ad/Offer creation: should be processed automatically through the platform
- Search interface: so that users can more easily find offers
- Messaging functionality: for an interactive chat between the parties
- Detail page: for the description and presentation of the product/service
- Payment providers: such as PayPal, credit card, bank transfer
- Reviews: to build greater trust
This is only an excerpt of the basic functionalities for a fully functional online platform. Depending on the type of online platform, many additional functionalities may be added.
THE COSTS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ONLINE PLATFORM
The costs of founding an online platform are generally higher than those for developing a simple website due to the comparably greater range of functionalities. The majority of the costs naturally arise from the programming and depend on the choice of CMS or programming language. Additional costs for marketing and maintenance can vary greatly depending on the targeted market and reach.
Other various costs such as domain, hosting, newsletters and similar should be included in the basic calculation. If an online platform thrives, for example, the demand for the product increases, the traffic multiplies, and suddenly it appears that the rented resources are gradually being exhausted and need to be expanded.
Typically, however, these additional expenses are recouped within a fairly manageable period, allowing the company to experience a form of expansion during which it continues to grow and prosper.
Top 10 Tips for Creating an Online Platform
Here are our tips that you should absolutely consider when creating your online platform. Even if you want to have an online platform created, you should pay attention to implementing these top 10 tips to increase your chances of success.
Let’s get started!
TIP 1: CREATE THE PLATFORM USING A CMS OR CUSTOM PROGRAMMING
When programming an online platform, you can choose between Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress (very simple) and Drupal (for complex online platforms) or custom programming using a programming language (PHP, Ruby on Rails, Python).
Content Management Systems (CMS) are considered user- and beginner-friendly. They greatly simplify the creation of an online platform as well as the enrichment of new content. The disadvantages of content management systems lie in their limited functionality, flexibility, and performance, which are especially pronounced in WordPress. If you are planning the development of a global online platform, we can only advise against using WordPress.
Programming an online platform using a programming language and framework such as PHP, Ruby on Rails, or Python is advantageous if you have a sufficient budget and are planning to create a complex online platform. Soundcloud is a good example of an online platform developed with Ruby. The disadvantages of custom programming for the platform lie in the higher costs and complexity compared to a CMS development.
CMS Software | Individual Entwicklung | |
|---|---|---|
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| | Auf Anfrage | Auf Anfrage |
Soundcloud is a platform that was custom programmed with Ruby on Rails.
TIP 2: THE CLEAR OBJECTIVE OF THE ONLINE PLATFORM
The first thing visitors typically see is the homepage. It has to make an impact. The discerning visitor must be able to see at a glance what awaits them. If this is not the case, the visitor can easily be written off. They will leave the site and likely never return.
Make sure that on your online platform, right in the “above the fold” area (what is visible at first glance), you display the most important information and buttons (call-to-action buttons). Additionally, you can also offer current deals. Your ultimate goal should be to enable the quickest and simplest fulfillment of customer needs.
Short, concise sentences are easier to understand and remember. No visitor appreciates being flooded with information. The essential information is quickly lost and the visitor feels overwhelmed. The clear calls-to-action via buttons that prompt the visitor to immediately accept or submit an offer should achieve as high a conversion rate as possible.
Remember the example of Airbnb. With the image on its homepage, Airbnb attempts to influence its target group (travelers) on an emotional level. In addition, the homepage is designed extremely simply and is equipped with the most important CTA button. An exemplary design of a homepage from a successful online platform.
Airbnb is an excellent example of a clear objective on the homepage.
TIP 3: THE REVENUE STRATEGY
Online platforms differ in their strategies for generating revenue and their monetization. You must clearly define this strategy right from the conceptual stage. Here are a few variants:
- Transaction fee: When an exchange or purchase occurs, you as the platform operator receive a commission, which could be either a fixed fee or a percentage-based fee.
- Participation fee: LinkedIn, for example, charges a fixed fee from both job providers and job seekers who wish to have a premium profile.
- Fee for additional content: Online learning platforms like Lynda.com charge a fee for unlocking additional content.
TIP 4: DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR ACQUIRING YOUR FIRST CUSTOMERS
Achieving the so-called “critical mass” is the first milestone for any online platform. It is about securing either the demand or the supply (or both) so that your online platform can gain a foothold.
Strategy 1: First, bring the suppliers onto the platform by enticing them with a special bonus
Strategy 2: Then bring customers onto the platform to generate the first bookings
Strategy 3: Cooperate with an existing platform to create synergy effects
Strategy 4: Try to attract famous personalities or influencers and advertise with them
Strategy 5: Start with a simple set of features and then expand
Strategy 6: Start in a niche and then expand. Think of Amazon, which initially sold only books
Development of an Online Platform
TIP 5: CONTENT WITH VALUE
Start early with a blog. Through the blog, you can very cost-efficiently acquire users via SEO (search engine optimization) – not only because of the positive SEO effects that will start attracting visitors within a few months, but also because you can solve your target groups’ problems with articles, videos, or free materials. In the beginning, you can write high-quality articles that answer the most important questions of your target groups.
Regular content can influence your rankings and win the loyalty of visitors, converting them into paying customers. In addition, Google will reward you with better search engine rankings. Avoid embedding external images unless they are royalty-free (always with proper attribution). Also avoid copy and paste when it comes to your texts. Plagiarism is penalized by Google and results in poorer search engine rankings.
Anyone who has started one or another blog knows the immense effort behind writing, revising, and finally publishing an article in its final form. And not everyone is naturally a gifted writer. The creation of good blog articles is one of the most time-consuming tasks for a marketer. Alternatively, you can outsource content creation to freelancers or hobby/occasional writers, who usually achieve better results.
Internet users are long accustomed to receiving guides, tips, and other forms of assistance – and they appreciate them. Offer guides for your services and products.
Ideally, provide these in an external download area that requires prior registration with an email address. Once your visitors enter their email address, you can add them to your mailing list and contact them repeatedly over time. In this way, you can also create so-called sales funnels that convert your users into paying customers through a series of strategic steps.
The learning platform Lynda regularly provides high-quality content.
TIP 6: RESPONSIVE DESIGN
Another very important aspect of an online platform is the so-called responsive design. With responsive design, your pages are displayed correctly on mobile devices such as smartphones, iPhones, or tablets. This must be taken into account when creating your online platform.
Not only is it conceivable, but it is also extremely desirable to develop a mobile app for the online platform, which will further ease its use for mobile users. Given the continuously increasing share of online accesses from mobile devices, this aspect is indispensable in 2019.
TIP 7: USABILITY
When planning and creating the online platform, it is advisable to view the platform from the visitor’s perspective. Emphasis should be placed on usability, meaning that user-friendliness comes first. Ideally, the visitor should feel immediately that they are on the right site upon their first visit. In addition to a design that is simple, elegant, and above all modern, it is important that the visitor can immediately navigate the site. This includes clearly visible offers from the start as well as a clear structure—often in the form of a sitemap for more complex sites—to help the visitor navigate through the subpages.
A visitor who feels well taken care of and sees their needs met in no time will usually return repeatedly and often become a paying customer.
Uber is another example of excellent usability – at first glance, Uber addresses both user groups with a CTA button each.
TIP 8: AUTOMATION AND CONTROLLING
Without automation, no complex website runs smoothly today. On one hand, the technical effort is so high that there is simply not enough time left for creating new content or drafting new newsletter texts. On the other hand, not everyone is tech-savvy enough to handle this technical workload in a timely manner, leaving insufficient time for more important tasks.
A cloud-based marketing automation solution can help alleviate this and conserve resources.
Even during the planning phase, especially when creating the online platform, automation should be prioritized wherever possible. Automating processes saves time resources, allowing the operator to concentrate on what is truly important.
TIP 9: SEO FOR THE ONLINE PLATFORM
Ensure that your online platform is SEO optimized from the very beginning:
- Use of the right keywords
- Proper formatting
- Inclusion of an XML sitemap
- Internal linking
- Integration of categories
- Integration of rich snippets
The basics of SEO setup include the technical configuration as well as keyword research for your content strategy.
Another area of search engine optimization is backlinks. Good and properly placed backlinks have a lasting impact on your platform’s traffic and are an important factor influencing your SEO rankings. Organic backlinks will come naturally if your services and content are of high quality.
TIP 10: TECHNICAL PERFECTION OF THE ONLINE PLATFORM
Creating the online platform and publishing regular content alone is not enough. The computer age is one of the fastest-changing eras. This naturally affects the technology of the online platform and all its facets.
First, you should ensure through numerous technical tests that all the functionalities work properly. If your platform’s usability fails, you will lose potential customers every day.
Regularly monitoring your competitors’ sites can provide insights into emerging trends. Keeping an eye on social networks is also worthwhile. Early detection of trendsetters and areas in need of improvement in your industry is possible this way. With an appropriate feed reader, you can stay updated and react in a timely manner.
BONUS TIP: ANALYZE KEY FIGURES AND CONTINUALLY IMPROVE
You can only manage what you can measure. Only by diligently tracking the performance of your website can you react in time and recognize emerging trends. Tools such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console, OnPage.org, or Screaming Frog reliably help you measure your website’s performance. Identify the most important KPIs, analyze them, and use them as a reference for further optimization of your online platform as well as your marketing activities.
Furthermore, the use of so-called heat maps is recommended. Heat maps are tools that observe user behavior on your online platform and record it as video footage and aggregated statistics. It is clear that this information is extremely valuable for optimizing the user-friendliness of your online platform. They can show you how far users scroll, whether the image and the above the fold area convert, and much more.
Conclusion
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