Is it difficult to start an online business?

My response to a question on Quora.

I suspect the answer to this question will depend on the person who wants to start the business. It is easy to obtain an online business. There are many companies that would provide you with a readymade business. If you want to attempt to build your own store, this should also not be too hard for somebody of an average level of computer literacy. 

The difficulty lies in running your online business. There are many aspects related to this which include marketing, SEO, your daily administration, financials and more. Just thinking of the vastness involved in social media marketing might be enough to leave people at a lost. You have to understand how different social media platforms work, each with their own strengths and functionality, how to create posts that will engage people, creating sales funnels, email campaigns, newsletters etc.

Then we have not even started to zoom in on other aspects related to online businesses like SEO, analytics etc.

So to conclude, I say again, it is more about the person. Some will have a natural feel for this world, others sadly not. This is not a bad thing. Everybody can’t be a pilot. Luckily for those that really want to pursue this dream, you will find many people out there that would gladly take over many of these key aspects for you.

Getting an online business is an easy part, turning it into a successful business is a different matter.