How To Do Market Research For Online Business

Market Research For Online Business

When you want to make money online and have decided on one of the online business ideas, the next logical step is to do a market research on your line of business. You might have decided to offer digital marketing services to local businesses, do blogging, affiliate marketing, dropshipping, freelancing or any other form of making money online, the bottom line is at some point you need to carry out a market research.

How To Do Market Research Online

There are many types of market research but which type to do is influenced by the kind of business you are into. The process you will follow for offering digital marketing service would be different from the one you follow when going into dropshipping. The common thing would be that your business is done online so most of the research would be done online.

How To Do Market Research For Online Business In 2020

Find out how to do market research for online business to develop a robust marketing strategy for your target audience…

One of the best market research methods is doing keyword research because anyone who uses the internet to satisfy their user intent in one way or the other has to perform a search query (with a search intent). So as an online entrepreneur you need to know how to do market research for online business and be aware of the different market research methods.

Conducting market research for an online business is different from other forms of market research and is usually cost effective. The cost is dependent on the type of product or service being offered.

Domain Name Registration In Botswana

Botswana, Digital Marketing

Domain Registration Botswana

If you are looking for domain name registration in Botswana, there are several companies that provide that. But before we get into that let us first get into explaining a domain name, website and hosting because some of our customers need further explanation into these aspects.

What Is The Difference Between Domain Name, Website And Hosting

To appreciate what a domain name is for those who are struggling to get the concept let us look at what is and and the differences of domain name, website and hosting.

What Is A Domain Name

A domain name would be the name of your website and it is unique including the TLD. e.g. mybusinessname.com and mybusinessname.net are two separate unique domain names though the first part is the same.

TLD stands for Top-level domain and is the last segment of a domain name, or the part that follows immediately after the “dot” symbol. You can have country specific TLD (ccTLD) like .bw or a generic one (gTLD) like .com, .net, .org, etc.

A domain name can be likened to a cellphone number or any telephone number by virtue of uniqueness. In Botswana there was a time where we had cell numbers starting strictly with 71, 72 or 73. And we were able to tell if the cell number is from Mascom, Orange or beMobile respectively.

Some companies would have say 71456345, 72456345, 73456345 such that it would be easy to contact them all you needed to memorize was the last 6 digits and if using Mascom network one had to just start with 71, Orange Network start with 72 and beMobile Network start with 73…

In the same way some TLDs are country specific like .bw, .co.bw, .ac.bw, etc. .bw siginifying that it is a Botswana TLD. At the same time one could have popular TLDs like .com, org, .net, etc. This has now improved to even have TLDs like .agency, .site, .club, etc. TLD available depends on the domain registrar.

One is free to use any TLD with a few restrictions depending on the hosting company. We will explain this when getting to the hosting company. However, if one wants a website name that can be easily identified to be “belonging” to Botswana, stick with a TLD bearing .bw at the end.

So in conclusion, a domain name is unique in the whole World Wide Web, no two websites can have the same domain name, and a domain name includes a TLD and this adds to its identification and uniqueness.

To learn more about what a TLD is read – Top-Level Domain (TLD)

What Is A Website

To easily understand what a website is, it is a group of files that are stored under one directory named with the domain name you would have selected. This directory would have sub-directories and files in it.

The directory and its contents can be accessed in a particular way and have its contents displayed on the internet. The layout of the display is what a web designer or developer would have created using programming languages like HTML, PHP, etc.

In a nutshell a website is a directory containing sub-directories and files like images, videos, text, etc accessible and displayable on the internet. Then the next question or point to consider is where this files are stored.

What Is Website Hosting

The directory containing sub-directories and files i.e. the website must be stored somewhere. This storage can be likened to files stored locally on your computer. To access a file you simply go to the directory containing that file and have it displayed on your monitor.

In website terms, this storing is the hosting. So in other words as we are used to saying files are stored in a computer, websites are hosted. Hosting is done by hosting companies which you can liken to a computer – in layman’s terms.

To be in context, a computer stores files and in the same way a hosting company hosts (stores) your website (files).

Now the next question is where to host a website. Website hosting in Botswana is not widely spread as with domain registration. What is important to note when choosing where to host you local business website is knowing what the hosting will provide, cost, support, etc. What can be challenging is that .co.bw hosting is not universally hosted like a .com TLD by many hosting companies.

Some people may refer to website hosting as domain hosting services in Botswana while in fact a domain name is registered and it is the website that is being hosted.

Getting Them Together

Hopefully the above explanation clearly distinguishes the differences between a domain name, a website and hosting. To have a website you need a domain name and this website needs to be hosted with a hosting company. A domain name is registered with a domain registrar.

Domain Registration

Now going back to domain registration in Botswana, a domain name is registered with a domain registrar, i.e. a domain registering company. There are several domain registrars in Botswana and they should be registered with BOCRA. The registrars will vary in price depending on several factors and the best way to get a good price is to shop around.

Domain registration can also be done with other registrars outside Botswana especially when interested in buying domain names with TLDs like .com, .net, agency, etc.

The price also varies with the TLD chosen as well as the domain registrar used. In the case of international domain registrars, they can researched online for shopping around.

Normally a domain name carries a 1 year validity period after which it expires or needs to be renewed for you to continue claiming ownership.

If it expires and not renewed anyone can purchase it since you no longer own it.

However, whoever purchases the domain name they have not purchased or will not have access to your website files. A domain name is not your website files but merely a name of a directory so to speak.

Not to make it too confusing, domain registration and website hosting are two different services though a company can provide both services. At the same time one can purchase a domain name from one company and host the website for that domain name with a different company.

A hosting company provides means and ways to connect the domain name with the website files. Once the domain name expires and not renewed that connection is disabled and the two will exist separately.

The website files will exist until the web hosting company deletes them or yourself deletes them.

What is important to note is that a domain name expires and has to be renewed on yearly bases to hold onto the ownership otherwise there is risk of loosing it forever.

Domain Registration Companies In Botswana

There are many different domain registration companies in Botswana to register a domain name and choosing one can be a taunting task. This is because when purchasing a domain name there are several factors that one needs to consider, including but not limited to;

Price,
Where you are going to host the website,
Easiness of payment especially when renewing, etc

Let us look at them individually.

Price
Price varies from Domain registrar to another and according to the TLD chosen. Some .bw TLDs cost above P500 while .com and other cost below $20 USD. Usually the price of purchased is locked and you will pay the same amount upon renewal. Some Domain Registrars offer discounts when buying more years.

Where You Are Going To Host The Website
It is important to purchase a domain name after knowing where you are going to host it because some hosting companies do not host some TLDs. Not only .bw TLDs but also the new ones like .agency, .club, .gym, etc. The .com, .net, .org (the old ones) seem to be universally hosted. So better check with your hosting company especially if you would be using a .bw TLD.

Easiness Of Payment Especially When Renewing

A domain name usually carries a 12-month validity period before expiring. Some registrars make it possible to buy more years to make one payment. However, even if they do one may not have enough money or not yet ready to pay a lump sum covering few more years which means they will have to renew after expiry period.

So how easy it is to renew is important. Some companies can only accept cash and that means travel or some extra effort to effect payment.

A company that offers online payment would be a better option because there would nothing extra to spend money on in order to renew your domain name. Some companies will not notify you well in time that your domain name is expiring so you need to make sure that you can get notification well in time – 12 months can be a long time to remember that a domain is expiring.

How We Can Help With Domain Registration In Botswana

Understanding how tedious and confusing domain registration can be, especially in Botswana, we assist our customers if they need help. We can help with choosing your preferred Domain Name (esp. TLD) and where to buy it.

We also offer FREE hosting as long as the domain name can be hosted with the hosting company we use. Our hosting offer is not mandatory though we found it very handy when providing technical support.

So if you want to have a website bit not sure where to start, contact us and we will gladly assist.

Also see Digital Marketing Services In Botswana | Affordable Local SEO Services | Website Support And Maintenance

3 Local Marketing Stats And What They Mean For Your Business

Digital Marketing, Google My Business

Thinking of focusing more of your marketing efforts on local search but you’re not sure if it’s worthwhile? Consumers have been using the internet to search for information for well over a decade. Search engines have revolutionized the way we handle everyday life. During this journey, location-based searching has shown steady growth as well.

Location-based searching is the practice of searching for a product, service, or business based on location. Couple this with the fact that mobile usage has grown exponentially in recent years, you can only image how this has impacted the level of local searches performed by consumers.

Both local and mobile consumer buying habits have had significant impacts on the marketing world and are becoming more popular as time goes on. Here are some statistics you may not know and what they mean for your business:

Most Local Consumers Use Local Information In Ads

Google actually carried out a survey into local search behavior and the results showed over 60% of consumers wanted ads to be customized based upon their location. Around 61% prefer ads that are customized to their exact location, while 67% want them to be customized to include at least their zip code and city.

So what does this mean? It means your business needs to ensure that the ads you place are extremely targeted by making uses of location extensions.

Nearly 70% Of Consumers Use “Call” Or “Get Directions”

If you’re wondering just how important it is to list your phone number and address, this statistic clears it up. With this amount of smartphone users claiming to use the “call” and “get directions” feature on Google, your business is seriously missing out if your details aren’t included in your Google My Business profile. Double check to make sure your address and phone number are correct. Also, claim and optimize your listing for even better results.

Mobile Searches Lead to Action FAST

Another very interesting fact is that 70% of searches on mobile devices are followed up with an action within one hour. Even more importantly, a significant 50% of consumers who carry out a local business search on their smartphone or tablet, visit the company’s store within one day.

So not only are potential customers carrying out more local searches, they’re also following up on their search. You know what this means… If your company wants to connect with SERIOUS potential buyers, your local listing has to be up to par and ready to give these consumers the information they need. In other words, make it easy for them to buy from you.

As you can see from the information above, local search has become extremely popular in recent years. It’s driving in a lot more local consumers, not only to company websites, but into physical company doors.

So if you’re looking to draw in new customers, increase website traffic, and boost profits, local search is definitely your first order of business.

3 Tips to Help Your Business Show Up in Google’s 3-Pack

Digital Marketing, Google My Business

The change from Google’s 7-pack, to a reduced 3-pack has had a major impact on local SEO. Many businesses struggled to get featured when there were seven spots available. Now getting into the top three can seem like rocket science. The good news is that this goal is not impossible.

However, it does take time, skills, and knowledge to get it done. Being seen by local consumers just as they’re searching for your type of product or service is the most targeted type of marketing known today. But getting there can be tricky unless you really know what you’re doing.

To help you get started down the right path, here are three helpful tips to help your business show up in Google’s 3-pack:

Get More Citations

When it comes to ranking your local listing, one thing Google pays close attention to is how often a company is mentioned in other sources. In other words, it looks for “citations” to validate your business.

A citation is a mention of your business name along with another piece of business information anywhere on the web – with OR without a link back to your website.

The additional information could be your phone number, website URL, or physical address – combined or individual. In order to count as a citation, the information must be an EXACT match to the information on your Google My Business listing.

Citations help prove to the search engines that you are a real company; therefore, the more of them you have from quality sources, the better your local listing rankings will be.

Add Photos To Your Listings

It’s no secret that consumers love photos. The more, high quality images you have on Google local listing profile, the more appealing it will be to potential customers. This goes further than Google; Yelp has even published advice on how to optimize your business listings, claiming that photos make a massive difference. It even goes as far as to say that according to research from Review Trackers, consumers spent 2.5 times more of their time on listings that featured photos.

Get As Many Reviews As You Can

Reviews are an important part of getting noticed online these days. Consumers love writing reviews about businesses and they also like reading them. Google has taken note of this. It wants to promote the best local businesses and what better way to determine who those businesses are than through positive user reviews? If you want to really increase your rankings, encourage your customers to leave reviews whenever you can.

Getting your business to show up on Google’s 3-pack is a lot more challenging than it was with the 7-pack; obviously, because there are less spots. The tips above will help, but you will need to continually keep up with local search changes and ensure all of your company’s information is listed correctly and updated going forward. Not only that, but make sure you make smart use of categories and strategic keyword placement within your profile to give it strength.

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