✅ Online Business Setup Checklist
Pulling Everything Together Before You Move Forward
You made it through the full Building Your Business Online section.
Now it is time to look at the entire setup in one place.
This page is not here to make you feel like you need to do everything today.
It is here to help you answer:
WHAT HAVE I COMPLETED?
WHAT STILL NEEDS ATTENTION?
WHAT CAN WAIT?
AND WHAT DO I NEED HELP WITH?
Use this checklist at your own pace.
You can come back to it later and update it as your business grows.
🌐 1. DOMAIN NAME
I HAVE:
☐ Chosen a business domain
☐ Checked the spelling carefully
☐ Checked that the domain fits my business
☐ Considered whether the name gives my business room to grow
☐ Checked the current registration cost
☐ Checked the renewal cost
☐ Registered the domain in an account I control
☐ Saved the login information securely
☐ Added current recovery information
☐ Turned on two-factor authentication where available
☐ Reviewed auto-renew settings
☐ Made sure the payment method is current
☐ Written down the renewal date
☐ Confirmed who the domain registrar/provider is
MY DOMAIN:
DOMAIN PROVIDER:
RENEWAL DATE:
📧 2. PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS EMAIL
I HAVE:
☐ Decided whether I need a domain-based business email
☐ Created a professional business email if appropriate
☐ Decided which email addresses I actually need
☐ Determined whether each address needs its own mailbox
☐ Used aliases where appropriate instead of paying for unnecessary mailboxes
☐ Secured the account with a strong password
☐ Turned on two-factor authentication where available
☐ Verified recovery information
☐ Made sure I know who controls the email administrator account
☐ Created a professional email signature
☐ Separated business email from personal email where appropriate
MAIN BUSINESS EMAIL:
EMAIL PROVIDER:
ADDITIONAL BUSINESS EMAILS:
🖥️ 3. WEBSITE DECISION
I HAVE DECIDED:
☐ I need a website now
☐ I may need a website later
☐ I do not need a full website right now
THE MAIN PURPOSE OF MY WEBSITE IS:
MY CUSTOMER SHOULD BE ABLE TO:
☐ Learn about my business
☐ Shop
☐ Book
☐ Pay
☐ Contact me
☐ Request a quote
☐ Read information
☐ Join a membership
☐ Download resources
☐ Sign up for email
☐ Other: ___________________________
📝 4. WEBSITE PLAN
Before building, I have thought through:
☐ Who my customer is
☐ What the website needs to accomplish
☐ What pages I need
☐ What should be in the main menu
☐ What should be in the footer
☐ What products/services need to be included
☐ What photos I need
☐ What wording I need
☐ What policies I need
☐ What payment options I need
☐ What shipping/delivery options I need
☐ What booking features I need
☐ What contact information customers need
☐ What happens after the customer orders/books
☐ What my initial budget is
☐ What my monthly website costs may be
📄 MY WEBSITE PAGES
Check the pages you need.
☐ Home
☐ About
☐ Shop
☐ Products
☐ Services
☐ Booking
☐ Contact
☐ FAQ
☐ Shipping
☐ Returns/Refunds
☐ Privacy
☐ Terms
☐ Blog
☐ Membership
☐ Other: ___________________________
🛍️ 5. SHOPIFY — IF I AM USING IT
MY STORE BASICS:
☐ Shopify account created
☐ Store owner account is under my control
☐ Business contact information is correct
☐ Billing information is correct
☐ I understand my current Shopify plan
☐ I know what my plan costs
☐ I know when Shopify bills me
☐ I understand that apps may have separate charges
☐ I understand that themes may have separate charges
📦 PRODUCTS
For each product, I have reviewed:
☐ Product title
☐ Description
☐ Photos
☐ Price
☐ Variants/options
☐ Inventory
☐ Condition
☐ What's included
☐ Shipping information
☐ Product category
☐ SEO information where appropriate
NUMBER OF PRODUCTS CURRENTLY READY:
📂 COLLECTIONS / PRODUCT ORGANIZATION
☐ Products are grouped in a way customers can understand
☐ Collection/category names are clear
☐ Customers can find products easily
☐ I am not creating unnecessary categories
☐ Navigation links to the correct collections
🎨 SHOPIFY THEME
THEME:
☐ Theme fits my business
☐ Theme works on mobile
☐ Fonts are readable
☐ Colors are readable
☐ Buttons are easy to find
☐ Product pages look good
☐ Home page has a clear purpose
☐ I am not constantly switching themes
🧩 SHOPIFY APPS
Before keeping an app, I have asked:
☐ What problem does it solve?
☐ Does Shopify already do this?
☐ Does my theme already do this?
☐ Do I already have another app doing this?
☐ Is the app free or paid?
☐ What is the monthly cost?
☐ What permissions does it request?
☐ What happens if I uninstall it?
TOTAL MONTHLY APP COST:
$________________
💳 PAYMENTS
☐ Payment methods are set up
☐ I understand my payment-processing costs
☐ I reviewed any additional transaction fees that may apply
☐ Deposits go to the correct account
☐ Business/bank information is current
☐ I tested the payment process where possible
🚚 SHIPPING / DELIVERY / PICKUP
Check what applies:
☐ Shipping
☐ Local delivery
☐ Local pickup
☐ Digital delivery
☐ No delivery required
I have reviewed:
☐ Shipping areas
☐ Shipping rates
☐ Processing time
☐ Packaging
☐ Pickup instructions
☐ Return shipping responsibility
☐ Customer-facing shipping information
🔗 6. DOMAIN CONNECTION
I KNOW:
☐ Where my domain is registered
☐ Where my website is hosted
☐ Whether my domain is connected or transferred
☐ Who handles domain renewal
☐ Whether my business email uses the domain
☐ Which domain is my primary domain
☐ How to access my DNS settings
☐ That I should not randomly delete DNS records
☐ That DNS changes may take time to update
☐ That changing website companies does not automatically mean canceling my domain
DOMAIN STATUS:
☐ Connected
☐ Transferred
☐ Still needs to be connected
☐ I need technical help
🎨 7. BUSINESS BRANDING
MY BRAND BASICS:
Business Name:
Tagline:
Primary Color:
Secondary Color:
Accent Color:
Heading Font:
Body Font:
🖼️ BRAND FILES
☐ I have a good-quality logo
☐ I saved the original logo files
☐ I have a transparent logo version if needed
☐ I have a horizontal or alternate logo if needed
☐ My logo is backed up
☐ My brand colors are written down
☐ My fonts are written down
☐ My important files are stored in one organized location
🗣️ BRAND VOICE
My business should sound:
☐ Professional
☐ Friendly
☐ Conversational
☐ Fun
☐ Luxury
☐ Educational
☐ Direct
☐ Warm
☐ Other: ___________________________
THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE MY BRAND:
📸 8. BUSINESS PHOTOS & CONTENT
MY PHOTOS:
☐ Are clear
☐ Have good lighting
☐ Have clean backgrounds
☐ Show important details
☐ Show accurate product condition
☐ Show flaws when appropriate
☐ Are not over-edited
☐ Include several angles where helpful
☐ Work well on mobile
☐ Are backed up
🎨 GRAPHICS
☐ Business name is correct
☐ Logo is current
☐ Brand colors are consistent
☐ Fonts are readable
☐ Headline is clear
☐ Prices are correct
☐ Dates are correct
☐ Website is correct
☐ Contact information is correct
☐ Graphic looks good on my phone
☐ Editable master copy is saved
©️ CONTENT RIGHTS
☐ I use photos I own or have permission to use
☐ I understand that Google Images is not a free photo library
☐ I check licensing before using stock images
☐ I verify whether vendor photos can be used
☐ I do not copy another business's graphics or content
☐ I am careful with copyrighted music
☐ I review AI-generated images before using them commercially
🤖 9. USING AI IN MY BUSINESS
I understand that AI can help with:
☐ Writing
☐ Rewriting
☐ Product descriptions
☐ Customer responses
☐ Social media
☐ Blog ideas
☐ Business organization
☐ Research
☐ Brainstorming
☐ Images
☐ Website wording
☐ SEO wording
☐ Checklists
☐ Learning
✅ BEFORE USING AI CONTENT
I ask:
☐ Is this information true?
☐ Did I verify important facts?
☐ Did AI invent anything?
☐ Does this sound like my business?
☐ Are prices correct?
☐ Are names correct?
☐ Are dates correct?
☐ Are links correct?
☐ Did I remove unnecessary private information?
☐ Did I personally read everything before publishing?
REMEMBER:
AI CAN HELP YOU.
YOU STILL MAKE THE FINAL DECISION.
🔍 10. GOOGLE & SEO
MY WEBSITE:
☐ Clearly explains what my business does
☐ Uses descriptive page titles
☐ Uses useful meta descriptions
☐ Uses understandable URLs
☐ Has clear product/service descriptions
☐ Answers important customer questions
☐ Works on mobile
☐ Has clear navigation
☐ Uses appropriate image alt text where needed
☐ Has current contact information
☐ Does not stuff pages with keywords
🔑 MY CUSTOMER MAY SEARCH FOR:
PRODUCT/SERVICE:
LOCATION, IF RELEVANT:
SEARCH PHRASES:
📍 GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE — IF ELIGIBLE
☐ I checked whether my business qualifies
☐ Business name is accurate
☐ Category is accurate
☐ Address/service area is accurate
☐ Phone is accurate
☐ Website is accurate
☐ Hours are accurate
☐ Photos are current
☐ I request honest reviews
☐ I respond professionally to reviews
☐ I do not use fake locations
☐ I do not buy fake reviews
📊 GOOGLE SEARCH TOOLS
☐ I understand what Google Search Console is
☐ I know whether my website has a sitemap
☐ I understand that SEO results take time
☐ I know ranking is not guaranteed
☐ I am cautious about companies promising #1 Google rankings
📱 11. SOCIAL MEDIA
MY ACTIVE PLATFORMS:
☐ TikTok
☐ YouTube
☐ Other: ___________________________
🔐 ACCOUNT SECURITY
For every important account:
☐ Strong unique password
☐ Two-factor authentication where available
☐ Recovery email current
☐ Recovery phone current
☐ Correct administrator access
☐ Former employees/contractors removed when appropriate
☐ I know who controls the account
🔗 SOCIAL PROFILE CHECK
☐ Business name correct
☐ Logo/profile photo current
☐ Bio current
☐ Website link works
☐ Phone number correct
☐ Email correct
☐ Business hours correct if listed
☐ Old promotions removed
☐ Branding consistent
☐ Customer knows what to do next
📣 MY SOCIAL-MEDIA GOAL
I primarily want social media to help me:
☐ Get website traffic
☐ Make sales
☐ Get appointments
☐ Build awareness
☐ Get leads
☐ Build my email list
☐ Build my membership
☐ Educate customers
☐ Build relationships
☐ Other: ___________________________
🌐 12. MY BUSINESS DOES NOT DEPEND ON ONE PLATFORM
Ask yourself:
IF MY MAIN SOCIAL-MEDIA ACCOUNT DISAPPEARED TOMORROW...
Could customers still find me?
☐ YES
☐ NO
Would they know my website?
☐ YES
☐ NO
Could they contact me another way?
☐ YES
☐ NO
Do I have another sales channel?
☐ YES
☐ NO
Do I have customer contact information that I am legally allowed to use?
☐ YES
☐ NO
Do I have backups of important business content?
☐ YES
☐ NO
IF YOU ANSWERED “NO” SEVERAL TIMES:
That doesn't mean you need to panic.
It means:
YOU FOUND SOMETHING TO WORK ON.
💰 13. ONLINE BUSINESS EXPENSE CHECK
List your recurring online expenses.
| SERVICE | MONTHLY COST |
|---|---|
| Website/Platform | $______ |
| Domain | $______ |
| Business Email | $______ |
| Apps | $______ |
| Email Marketing | $______ |
| Booking System | $______ |
| Membership System | $______ |
| Design Software | $______ |
| AI Tools | $______ |
| Advertising | $______ |
| Other | $______ |
TOTAL MONTHLY ONLINE COST:
$________________
ESTIMATED ANNUAL COST:
$________________
Ask:
AM I ACTUALLY USING EVERYTHING I'M PAYING FOR?
🗑️ SUBSCRIPTION CLEANUP
Review periodically:
☐ Apps I no longer use
☐ Old website services
☐ Extra domains
☐ Duplicate email services
☐ Unused marketing software
☐ Unused design tools
☐ Free trials that became paid
☐ Services an old contractor added
☐ Duplicate features
SMALL MONTHLY CHARGES ADD UP.
🔐 14. ACCOUNT OWNERSHIP & SECURITY
I know the login or secure access process for:
☐ Domain
☐ Website
☐ Business email
☐ Shopify/store
☐ Payment processor
☐ Bank account
☐ Social media
☐ Google Business Profile
☐ Google Search Console
☐ Email marketing
☐ Booking software
☐ Design software
☐ Important apps
👤 MY BUSINESS CONTROLS:
☐ Domain account
☐ Website owner account
☐ Billing account
☐ Recovery email
☐ Recovery phone
☐ Payment account
☐ Important customer data
☐ Business files
SOMEONE CAN HELP YOU MANAGE YOUR BUSINESS.
THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO OWN IT FOR YOU.
📂 15. DIGITAL BUSINESS FILES
Create an organized business folder.
POSSIBLE FOLDERS:
📁 BUSINESS INFORMATION
📁 LEGAL DOCUMENTS
📁 BRANDING
📁 LOGOS
📁 PHOTOS
📁 PRODUCT PHOTOS
📁 WEBSITE
📁 SOCIAL MEDIA
📁 MARKETING
📁 POLICIES
📁 RECEIPTS
📁 CONTRACTS
📁 EMAIL MARKETING
📁 AI PROJECTS
📁 ARCHIVED CONTENT
DO NOT STORE PASSWORDS OR SENSITIVE FINANCIAL INFORMATION IN AN UNPROTECTED DOCUMENT.
Use an appropriate secure password-management system.
🚦 16. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO NOW?
Not everything has the same priority.
Use these three categories.
🔴 DO NOW
Things that could cause an immediate business problem.
Examples:
Expired domain.
Wrong payment account.
Broken checkout.
Incorrect prices.
Wrong contact information.
Security issue.
Missing shipping information.
Incorrect business hours.
MY “DO NOW” LIST:
🟡 DO SOON
Things that would improve the business but are not an emergency.
Examples:
Improve product photos.
Clean up menus.
Write FAQs.
Update branding.
Set up Search Console.
Organize files.
Build an email list.
MY “DO SOON” LIST:
🟢 DO LATER
Things that may be useful as the business grows.
Examples:
Professional photography.
Premium theme.
Advanced SEO.
Additional platforms.
Custom website development.
Automation.
New marketing software.
MY “DO LATER” LIST:
🚫 WHAT I DO NOT NEED RIGHT NOW
This section is just as important.
Write down things you've decided NOT to spend money on yet.
THIS CAN SAVE YOU FROM BUYING THINGS JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE TELLS YOU EVERY BUSINESS “NEEDS” THEM.
🆘 17. WHAT CAN I DIY AND WHERE DO I NEED HELP?
I CAN DO MYSELF:
I NEED HELP WITH:
PROFESSIONAL I MAY NEED:
☐ Website/technical professional
☐ Graphic designer
☐ Photographer
☐ Accountant/tax professional
☐ Attorney
☐ Marketing professional
☐ SEO professional
☐ Other: ___________________________
You don't get extra points for doing everything yourself.
And you don't need to pay someone for everything either.
KNOW WHAT YOU CAN HANDLE.
KNOW WHEN YOU NEED HELP.
🗓️ 18. SET A REVIEW DATE
Your online business will change.
Set a date to review:
Website.
Domain.
Email.
Apps.
Subscriptions.
Social media.
Security.
SEO.
Policies.
Contact information.
MY NEXT ONLINE BUSINESS REVIEW:
You could review your setup:
Quarterly.
Twice a year.
Annually.
or whenever your business goes through a major change.
⭐ MRS. GWEN'S FINAL ONLINE BUSINESS RULES
1. OWN AND CONTROL YOUR IMPORTANT BUSINESS ACCOUNTS.
2. DON'T BUY SOMETHING JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE SAYS EVERY BUSINESS NEEDS IT.
3. Know what you're paying for every month.
4. Keep your website simple enough for customers to use.
5. Protect your accounts.
6. Keep your information current.
7. Don't depend entirely on one social platform or marketplace.
8. Learn enough to understand what you're paying other people to do.
9. Use technology and AI to HELP you—not confuse you.
10. START WITH WHAT YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS TODAY AND BUILD FROM THERE.
❤️ YOUR BUSINESS DOES NOT HAVE TO LOOK LIKE EVERYONE ELSE'S
One business may need:
Shopify.
A large product catalog.
Google Search.
Email marketing.
Multiple social-media accounts.
Another business may only need:
A simple website.
Business email.
Phone number.
Booking link.
And one active social-media page.
BOTH CAN BE REAL BUSINESSES.
The goal is not to collect every business tool available.
The goal is to create an online presence that helps:
YOUR BUSINESS.
YOUR CUSTOMER.
AND YOUR GOALS.
🎉 YOU COMPLETED BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE
You have now covered:
✅ Choosing & Buying a Domain Name
✅ Creating a Professional Business Email
✅ Deciding Whether You Need a Website
✅ Planning Your Website
✅ Shopify Basics
✅ Connecting Your Domain
✅ Business Branding
✅ Photos, Graphics & Content
✅ Using AI
✅ Google & SEO
✅ Social Media vs. Your Website
✅ Your Final Online Business Setup
YOU DON'T HAVE TO COMPLETE EVERYTHING AT ONCE.
Use these resources as a reference.
Come back when you're:
Building.
Changing platforms.
Rebranding.
Adding products.
Hiring someone.
Troubleshooting.
or simply trying to remember:
“HOW DOES THIS WORK AGAIN?” 😄
That is what the resource is here for.
← PAGE 11: SOCIAL MEDIA vs. YOUR OWN WEBSITE
🏠 ONLINE BUSINESS HOME
⚠️ IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER
This information is provided for general educational purposes only and is intended to help business owners better understand common online-business tools and concepts.
Website platforms, domains, email providers, social-media platforms, search engines, AI services, software features, pricing, policies and technical requirements change over time.
Business owners should verify current information directly with the applicable provider and seek qualified legal, tax, accounting, technology or other professional assistance when appropriate.