In today's world, the internet has taken a centre stage. Its use and application can be seen in every sector of the human activities.
Now, the unanswered question at this point is, "how can a business owner and entrepreneur maximise from the internet?" The answer: by registering your business on the net through a domain name! That's all. As simple as it is, yet, this discovery is one that determines how successful your business will and can be!
Domain name? Every business, company, enterprise, institution or establishment has a name. Matter of fact, even the smallest of groups sharing a vision entitles itself. Names distinguish you from every other person or thing, irrespective of how uniquely similar you are to the other. Your business name separates your business from mine even while we thrive in similar fields. Naming your business gives it a unique form of identification amongst competitors, adversaries and the like. A brand differs from the other, on the bare surface, by its name!
The same can be said of domain names. It gives your business a unique identification on the net! It adds an online appearance to your business. Once on the net, your products - goods and services - can only be identified and distinguished from others through a domain name. In summary, people can get to know of your business on the net through a name - domain name!
Registering your business on the net for a domain name is similar to registering it with a legal institution. However, many tend to duck this process particularly due to higher costs. Nevertheless, irrespective of cost, giving that business a domain name is an ideal way to grow and advance your business. You're entitled to your own website and its use is limited only by you! What is more, not only does it give your business an internet presence and access, it adds credibility and a form of professionalism to the business.
For some, however, business, products and services can be published through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). This is true and appears relatively cheaper than obtaining a domain name, but can also devastate the morales of high flying businesses. If you publish your site and business through an ISP or free web hosting site, you'll end up with a URL of your company through someone's company. It's more like registering your business through another business (e.g manufacturing company being registered under and through an entertainment company) belonging to someone else. On the bare surface, it does not inspire any confidence in customers as would a domain name of your own company only would. If you're unwilling to pay the required sum to get an appropriate domain name, why should customers think you'd put any effort into creating valuable products or services, especially in times when many are sceptical about internet and e-commerce?
Nothing increases growth in business as credibility. How can customers patronise you if they are not trustworthy of your products? How also, can they refer critics and comments that can be useful in avoiding stagnation? Not only that, if they feel your business is less credible, you stand a risk of losing customers.
Even more so, domain names gives mobility to your internet presence. This will be particularly appreciated if you own variety of brands. You can, at any point in time, boost patronage on one good or service, by advertising or displaying such good in your website of maximum credibility. For people without a domain name, their products will need to be branded through a new URL. If this URL is less credible, chances are, your brand will be affected.
Think of the perfect way to reduce cost and your first stake will be the internet. Domain names provide an excellent way to reduce a variety of general costs. On the one arm, you can feature electronic versions of your catalogue on your website without limits on sizes and quantities. What is more, additional photos and descriptive texts can be included. Errors can be quickly corrected without ordering a full reprint of the catalogue, and products can be added and removed as needed.
Again, as the domain name can be printed on business cards, brochures e.t.c, it provides a way for customers to learn more about your products and services any time. No extra cost is needed to advertise products on media, banners, handbills and posters.
Different types of domain names exist. .com, .edu, .net, .mobi, .ng e.t.c are just some few types you might need for your business, depending on the nature and interest. .com, on one arm is more encompassing as it increases your chances of merging and also introduction of brands and varieties. .edu bests suits an educational outfit, .mobi encourages a mobile format only while .net limits you to media and information. Of course, blending may occur in any of these types.
While the elixir of domain names should perform the magic at reviving your business status, it can also stall its growth, if it is wrongly chosen.
Choosing a domain name, however, should not be a hard work. As a reminder, you should consider a domain name that matches your business name and its produce. Names should be considerably easy to remember. In that vein, longer names should be avoided as they may wane out of memory. Of course, you are entitled to using numerals and periods, but their use should be minimal so as not to introduce controversy and ambiguity. You do not want to give your competitors any ground to top you, hence, avoid using names that would redirect you to other sites.
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