Step 1: Study! Learn stock trading a little bit…
Read as much as you can about stocks, what they are, where they are traded, and about stock trading strategies and rules. The more you learn before getting into it, the better. The internet is a phenomenal place to learn more!

Step 2: Find out your own stock trading strategy and profile
Depending on how much you know, how much time you are willing to invest to monitor your portfolio and how much risk you are willing to tolerate, your stock trading strategy and system will not be the same. Find out what your profile is, and what your needs and desires are.

Step 3: Determine what sort of stock brokerage service your require
Online stock trading is done via brokers, and different brokers can offer different levels of services. If you are comfortable with all the aspects of buying stock online by yourself, you may not require a full-service broker with which you can sit down and talk about your objectives. Also, determine what sort of securities you wish to trade: domestic stocks, foreign stocks, mutual funds, bonds…

Step 4: Choose your stock broker
Online stock trading has become very competitive, and most brokers have slashed fees and commissions in recent years. Shop for you broker. Look around, contact them to measure their level of service, and inquire about anything you have in mind. They want your business, so they’ll be happy to give you some precious hints. Make sure your broker is registered and follows the regulations in place.

Step 5: Follow your broker’s application procedure
Don’t be surprised if your stock broker requires you to send in a bit of paperwork, as well as a deposit to open the account. The application process should be completed within a few days.

Step 6: The fun begins – start buying stock online!
Once your brokerage account is open, familiarize yourself with its components and start buying and selling stocks online!