With the right website, you can plug yourself directly into 3.9 billion potential customers. And, the great news is - you can build that website yourself.
Unlike the days of old, you don’t need to splash the cash on fancy web developers. With the simplicity of a flat pack, you can do-it-yourself. It’s a case of drag and make your online shoppers drop.
Here at GoDaddy, we're dedicated to helping create a global economy of independent ventures, whether it's your side hustle (and you can find out about how exciting that is, right here) or your weekday big gig.
Marshall McLuhan's oft-quoted prediction, back in 1962, of a "global village" has never been nearer to coming true. It's now possible - through the internet - to run a little street-corner shop, and have it be present on streets all over the world - with half the world's population wandering (virtually) past your window, looking in.
It’s official: 51% of the world is connected
The United Nations recently announced that, by the end of 2018, more than 51% of the world's population will be online - that's a total of 3.9 billion people. Or, in other words, 3.9 billion people who could be browsing in your online shop, reading your words, appreciating your work, digging your thing.
And, if the internet is more than half full, that means it's also less than half empty - there are more people and places getting online every day - with the internet offering ever-more opportunities for people to elevate their own lives, to empower themselves and their communities.
Like your business idea, the internet is a thing of beauty. And, very soon everyone who wants to be, will be online.
So take the time to sit back, put your feet up, and think about what you could do with a worldwide marketplace for your business.
Acorns and oak trees
The biggest oak trees grow from the smallest acorns. For Jeff Bezos, the source of Amazon was his garage, from which he started selling books in 1994. Steves Jobs and Wozniak built their first computers - planted their first apple seeds, you might say - at Jobs' parents' house, in 1976. Author Roald Dahl created some of the world's most beloved characters (and most valuable IPs) in his garden shed.
And none of these guys had access to half the world's consumers!
The point is, it doesn't matter how small your operation is right now, how modest your resources, you - yes, you - can market yourself to the world.
Not so long ago, setting up a commercial website wasn't for the faint hearted - you'd need to hire a website developer (a good one) and remortgage the house to pay for it.
Not anymore; now you can build that website yourself - for free! Never built a website before? Don't worry, most people haven't. Ever written a blog post or told people what's on your mind on Facebook? If you can do that, you can build your own commercial website - with GoDaddy Website Builder.
Let your business go mobile with GoDaddy
And don't forget mobile.
One of the most important - and most difficult things - with any website, is to make it responsive. This simply means ensuring that it looks cool on a tablet and on a phone, as well as on a laptop. Well, GoDaddy Website Builder does that automatically.
There are templates and tools you can use, to make your website look instantly clear and classy, or weird and sassy. It’s all about what you need. Then there's advice on best practice and loads of support on sharing your site once it's up and running.
If you build it, they will come
Word of mouth is the best form of advertising there is, right? But, how do you set tongues wagging?
Connectedness is the key. You could have the slickest website in the world, but it'll do your business no good, if no-one can find it. So GoDaddy Website Builder is fully equipped to let you share your site through Facebook, and it automatically optimises your site for search engines. So, if you don't know your SEO from your Shoeless Joe, that's okay; GoDaddy's got you covered.
Seriously, it has never been easier to get your name out there, and turn that attention into cool, easy cash. Is your spare room, garage or shed where the next Amazon or Apple is being built?
Think about it!
