One of the things that can be frustrating when starting an online business is whether or not the hard work you are putting in will make your business a success.

This can be hard to tell if you don’t know the signs. Here are some good indicators that you’re on the right track.

You have regular and growing website/blog visitors

Generating traffic to a website or blog takes time. You won’t get a million page views overnight. But if your visitors are increasing and they are regular, that shows that what you are doing is having an impact. Pay close attention to the individual blog posts or other content that gets the most traction and make more content like that.

Your content is being read, shared and commented on

If people who visit your website read, that’s great, but if they share and comment on what you’re doing, that’s even better. Engagement is a much better indicator of impact than pure site visitors. Be sure to reply to those commenting and if you get a notification of shares, thank them.

You are constantly making new connections

Are people increasingly looking to you to connect with you on various social media accounts? If so, that’s a great sign that you’re having a big impact on their thoughts and actions with your online presence.

You are being invited to speak at events

One very exciting thing that can happen when you’re making an impact in your niche is being invited to speak at events, whether online or offline. It may scare you, or feel like you’re out of your comfort zone, but it’s important to embrace opportunities as they present themselves that will further your business goals.

Your content is being curated

If other people are talking about your content on their blogs and websites and sharing it, then you are making an absolute impact. This type of engagement is an excellent indication that you are making waves within your niche as a thought leader.

You are getting new email subscribers every day

If you’ve set up an email subscription form (and you should) and you’re getting new subscribers every day, then you’re making a big impact. Each subscriber will bring you closer to your goals of online business success.

You are building a community

The more you build your business online, the more you’ll build (if you set it up right) a community made up of leads and customers. Your customers will become your fans, convincing prospects to join them. You can do this through your Facebook page or a LinkedIn group, or even with a forum on your own website. It often happens quite organically when you’re making an impact.

you are making money

You promote products and services and start earning money or someone asks you to pay money to put an ad on your website. Even a few dollars means you made an impact on someone.