The term ‘online stocks’ sounds like real serious business and there’s no doubt that it is. However, the strategy for investment in Online Stocks isn’t as hard and nerve-racking as most beginners might think. All you need is an online brokerage account to get started.

Stock investment means buying small shares of ownership in a public company. People invest in stocks hoping that a company grows with time and, if that happens, the value of shares increases and other investors may want to buy them from you at a higher rate. 

Get started

Beginners can start by putting money in an online investment account. The money can later be used to purchase shares of stock or stock mutual funds.

1. How do you want to invest?

One can either choose to purchase stocks and stock funds by themselves or take the advice of an expert to manage the process on your behalf. Once you decide on a preference, you may begin investing.

• Choose an investment account

One can either create a brokerage account while people who need a little help can create an account through a Robo-advisor.

• Brokerage Account– It is the least expensive path for purchasing stocks, funds, and other forms of investments. It can open an individual retirement account (IRA) or a taxable brokerage account.
• A Robo-advisor Account– One can invest in stocks without having to do the research necessary for individual investments. Robo-advisors offer holistic investment management and offer you advice based on your investment goals. A Robo-advisor creates a portfolio for only a fraction of the fee of a human investment manager.
• Difference between investing in stocks vs. funds

Individual stocks allow you to purchase a single share or a few shares just to dip your toe into stock trading. One can create a diversified portfolio out of multiple individual stocks, but it takes significant investment. On the other hand, stock mutual funds allow you to buy small pieces of multiple stocks within a single transaction. So, investing in funds means you own small pieces of each of those companies. 

Since investment in mutual funds means you are inherently diversified, there is less risk involved in this form of investment.

• Set a budget

Like with any kind of purchase, one needs to also fix a budget for stock investment. For individual stocks, the share prices can range from a few dollars to a few thousand dollars. So, if you have a small budget, then investment in mutual funds such as exchange-traded funds is your best bet. ETFs can be purchased for a share price- in some cases, less than $100.

• Invest for the long haul

Stock market investments are famed for growing long-term wealth. Over a few decades, the average stock market return has been approximately 10% /annum. Strategically diversifying your portfolio will help you keep your risk in online stocks at the lowest.

While the stock market is inundated with intricate strategies and approaches, the market is a great way of getting your return, irrespective of the day-to-day or year-to-year fluctuations.