Yet, despite that, 73% of the world’s countries are only piloting computer science in school or doing nothing at all. In the US alone, only 47% of public schools teach a computer science class. 

We believe that computer science is foundational for students everywhere. This is why Domain.com has partnered with .tech Domains to help expand access to computer science in schools, especially for young women and students from marginalized communities.  

You can be a part of this cause, too!

If you register a .tech Domain between 5th May to 5th July, .tech Domains and Domain.com will donate all the proceeds to Code.org, one of the world’s largest non-profit organizations that is working to increase access to computer science in schools.

Help support the cause and grab your .tech Domain today.

Significance of Code.org

Code.org’s mission is to make computer science education accessible to young women and students from marginalised communities. They strive to ensure that every student in every school has the opportunity to learn computer science as part of their core K-12 education.

They focus on free curriculum and course content for schools, Hour of Code events, teacher training, looking at government policies, and developing international partnerships. You can learn more about their charitable organization here. 

How .tech domains and you can help increase access to computer science. 

Almost everything that we do today is powered by technology and computer science is at the heart of it. Giving students equal access to computer science engenders a more advanced and inclusive future for the world tomorrow.

The .tech domain extension stands for innovation, whether you’re building a startup, coding a new app, or shaping an innovative idea.

You can use your .tech Domain name to:

• Grow your tech business or a startup
• Share exciting information about the tech industry
• Build bustling communities to discuss robotics
• Write a blog to share the latest industry news
• Host hackathon events

With a .tech Domain, you can build a unique space for your content whatever part of the tech world you’re in. Use a keyword-rich domain name to build a tech brand, work collaboratively, or educate the world like Code.org.

Register your .tech Domain today to help young women and students from marginalized communities get access to computer science.

Relevant, insightful, and well-crafted audio content delivered in a friendly yet authoritative voice can be an easy, intimate, and powerful way of connecting with different segments of the audience, educating them about your business and its products, generating brand awareness and love, strengthening your identity and eventually boosting your sales. 

If the numbers stated above don’t make a convincing enough case for the humble podcast as a worthy addition to your content marketing mix, the six compelling reasons mentioned in this article surely will.

However, before you get into making the most of your newfound passion, you must address the first step — building an identity for your podcast. This starts with registering a domain name. 

Instead of going the traditional route, consider getting a little creative and giving your podcast a meaningful and contextual online identity.

For example, if your podcast is more tech-oriented, you could register a domain name on .tech. If you’re talking about small business marketing or subjects like SEO and customer management, you could opt for .online or .site. If you’re speaking to creative professionals, or have something to do with housing, design, or outer space, you could opt for .space.

New domain extensions such as these add more character and flavor to your online identity and make you stand out. This ensures that your listener is impressed with you right from the beginning.

6 Ways Podcasts Supercharge Your Marketing

1. Easy and Inexpensive to Produce

It costs money to produce well-researched, high-quality, professional-looking content. But when it comes to podcasts, your production costs are far less than those for other forms, especially videos. 

You don’t need to hire a professional cameraperson or editor to create a podcast. A basic headset with a mic is all you need to get good audio quality. Podcast editing software such as Alitu and Audacity are fairly simple to use and there are enough tutorials on YouTube to help you get started (Audacity is also completely free).

If you are a good writer, you can write your own podcast script, one that channels your thoughts in your own voice and thus is more authentic. However, if you don’t trust your writing skills, hiring a freelance content writer from a platform such as Fiverr is also an option.

2. Stand Apart from the Competition

Content marketing is highly competitive. Almost every brand has a blog, a YouTube channel, and an active social media presence. Compared to these, podcasts are still relatively untapped, yet they have a fast-growing listener base. The number of podcast listeners globally has increased by 42% during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Moreover, research has shown that podcast listeners are dedicated to the podcasts they love. According to this 2019 report by Edison Research on Podcast Consumers, 52% of monthly listeners will listen to an entire episode. And, even though it is easy to listen to podcasts while doing something else, 70% of the listeners claim that, at least sometimes, they listen to podcasts while doing nothing else. 

This is your chance to stand apart from the competition, create simple, meaningful content, and connect with a niche audience that sees the true value of what you have to offer and has great potential to become loyal to your brand. 

3. Establish Your Authority

People nowadays look toward brands as more than just transactional entities. They gravitate towards companies that are experts in what they do, whose products and services are guided by knowledge and experience, who aren’t just in the business of selling but of truly understanding and satisfying their needs. 

This evolution of the customer-business relationship forms the crux of content marketing, and with podcasts you have an edge over other formats. As revealed in the 2019 Podcast Consumer study mentioned above, 74% of listeners say that they listen to podcasts to learn new things, while 71% do so for entertainment. By tapping into this medium, you can establish your brand’s authority not just as a business but as an industry expert and an authentic source of knowledge and entertainment. 

4. Better Engagement

Unlike videos and articles that require people to focus their sight and thoughts on a screen, podcasts can be consumed anywhere, anytime, and in conjunction with other activities. People can listen to them while driving, doing household chores, exercising, or just before bed. 

But ease of consumption isn’t the only way in which podcasts offer better engagement. This is a chance for you to also engage more personally with your audience. Through your voice, you are able to infuse your personality in your content, while a conversational tone makes your matter more relatable. It’s like a person is having a real conversation with you rather than reading an email from you. 

In fact, you should consider including real conversations in your podcasts to encourage audience participation. You can do this by incorporating live chats and Q&As, reading comments and feedback shared with you in real-time, and giving shout outs to people who are tuned in. All of this makes for a wholesome interaction that is missing from other forms of content.

5. Connect with New Audiences

Your podcasts can cover a range of topics all directly related to your business industry — such as trends, product reviews or tutorials, or other general interest topics. For instance, a bike company can have a fitness or travel podcast, while a travel company can have a nature or photography podcast. 

As the owner of a company, you can even leverage your personal brand to gain more customers for your business. For instance, let’s say that you’re an avid surfer who runs a sports equipment company. Talking about your passion for surfing on your podcast and sharing your expert tips and exciting experiences is all sure to help you attract fellow surfers. By identifying topics that interest different segments of your target market, you can reach new audiences and build brand affinity with them. 

If you’re collaborating with another brand on your podcast or inviting people to co-host or interview, you are also opening up immense opportunities for cross-promotion and tapping into yet another consumer base. All you have to do is make sure that all parties involved are actively sharing and promoting your podcast on their platforms.

6. Build Deeper Connections

When you’re talking to your audience through your podcasts, you are quite literally telling your brand’s story in your own words and in your own voice. The very nature of the medium makes it one of the most authentic, personal, and heartfelt forms of communication. It helps people see your brand in a more personable light.

Writing about your brand’s journey, the passions that led to it, the struggles you faced, and the successes you celebrated are good enough, but nothing beats the sentiments that a human’s voice can evoke. It helps people relate better, feel empathy, get inspired, and form a deeper connection with your business; and these are the kind of connections that transform into long-lasting relationships based on friendship and loyalty. 

Get Started with Podcast Marketing

Now that you are well aware of how a podcast can boost your marketing, it’s time to hone your speaking skills and put your voice out there! 

Ensure that you have the right recording equipment that does justice to your content and voice. Find a recording space that permits minimum disturbance. Look for the right music to complement your podcast’s theme and mood. If you’re looking for co-hosts or guests, try to find people who would appeal to your target demographic or whose demographic you’d like to connect with. 

Make sure you put out at least a few (typically three) episodes to start with, so that people who are curious to engage with you more get a chance to do so. This increases their likelihood of becoming your subscribers and potentially becoming your customers and brand ambassadors. You can experiment with different formats and episode lengths to see which ones work best for you. 

Remember that the key is to deliver great content consistently to entice people into coming back for more. 

Author Bio

Alisha is a Senior Content Marketing & Communication Specialist at Radix, the registry behind some of the most successful new domain extensions, including .STORE and .TECH. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Now comes the hard part (as if leaving behind the security of your regular job wasn’t hard enough). Along with the thrills of being your own boss comes the burden of having to manage everything on your own. 

Suddenly, you’re a CEO, a designer, a social media manager, a customer service representative, and an office administrator. Throw in client meetings and chasing vendors for payments and you’re cruising toward burnout.

The good news is you don’t have to do it all on your own. With the help of technology, you can take your mind off mundane tasks and get some free time to focus on making your solopreneurial venture profitable and scalable. 

Online Tools for Solopreneurs

Here are some tools you need to make your solo journey a smooth-sailing one.

Create a Website 

First of all, you need a website to create an online presence to help prospective clients or customers find you and connect with you. 

Creating a website doesn’t have to be an expensive affair but it’s definitely one that needs thorough research and attention to detail. Start by thinking about what purpose you want it to serve and then assemble the tools you need to get it up and running.

If you find the prospect of creating a website intimidating, relax. Creating a website is an easy process when you use WebsiteBuilder. To start, answer a few questions and Domain.com’s AI-powered WebsiteBuilder will select the right layout, along with initial images and content for your site. If you’d prefer to work with a professional to create your site, Domain.com can help with that, too. 

Website Hosting

Domain.com offers powerful and reliable hosting plans ranging from your basic hosting to more complex plans for eCommerce and high-volume sites. Additionally, they offer WordPress hosting, which is among the most versatile tools offering various templates for different kinds of websites. 

Domain Name

Next, you will need to register a domain name that people can use to find your website. An ideal domain name is:

• Similar to your company name so as to strengthen your online branding.
• Short and simple enough to be memorable and easy to type.
• Indicative of your industry or nature of business.
• Creative enough to stand out from competitors.
• Readily available to use and free of trademark protections.

Consider using new domain extensions that can not only be more affordable but can also make your domain name more meaningful and contextual. For instance, you can use .store for an online store, .tech if you are a coder, programmer, or web designer, .online if you are going to take online classes, or .space if you need an online space to display your art.  

Analytics

You will also need tools to provide data that measures the success of your website in terms of the traffic it is receiving from different sources, conversions, and bounce rates. Google Analytics is a free tool that offers most services that a solopreneurial venture would need, but you can also opt for paid tools such as Ahrefs and SEMrush that can provide more complex data such as in-depth competitor analysis and backlink monitoring. 

Task Management and Communication

Being a one-person army is never easy. You need tools that can help you plan and organize your tasks, track workflows, track the amount of time spent on different jobs, and set up reminders. Fortunately, there is no dearth of online tools to help you in this department. Here are some of our favorites.

Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 offers all the tools you know and love to help you establish and run your business. Need to reinforce your brand with a professional email address that matches your domain name? Microsoft 365 has you covered. They also offer the tools you’re already familiar with, like Outlook, Word, Skype, and more. From cloud-based document management to virtual meeting software, you have everything you need to manage your business when you use Microsoft 365. 

Google Workspace

Stay on top of all your tasks with Google Workspace. Whether you need to stay in touch with your customers and clients or share documents with partners and employees, you can do it all with the tools they offer. And there’s no need to worry about confusing set up, domain verification, or toggling between Domain.com and Gmail. Google Workspace is completely integrated with your Domain.com control panel, allowing instant access so you can get down to business, fast.

Todoist

Todoist offers a host of features for different types of workers from creative professionals to freelancers to techies to business owners. It allows you to list and prioritize tasks and subtasks, segregate them into different categories, and set deadlines and reminders. You can also track your progress through productivity charts and earn points for completing tasks. 

Monday

Monday can easily be integrated with other apps such as Google, Dropbox, and Slack to set up automated workflows and help you save time. It also offers different viewing styles such as kanban, graphs, and charts so you can pick the one that you find easiest to read and understand.

FreshBooks

FreshBooks is particularly useful for freelancers as it also provides tools for managing finances, time-tracking, and setting up estimates and timelines for projects. The invoicing tool ensures that you get paid on time while its collaborative project management tool makes it easy for clients to share feedback, so you can be on the same page at all stages of the task.

Accounting and Invoicing

Managing your business accounts can be the most daunting task for solopreneurs, especially if you’re not from a finance background. Hiring a bookkeeper may not be within everyone’s budget. But there are a number of online tools, from simple to complex, that you can use to take the load off your hands and learn a thing or two about accounting. 

Wave

This free software offers simple yet useful money-management solutions, making it ideal for small solo businesses. Its best feature is easy-to-create invoices, but it also helps you visualize your cash flows and stay on top of payments. If you want to manage your credit card payments through the app, it charges you a basic fee of $3-4 per transaction.

Xero

For more complex accounting needs, especially for those pertaining to online stores, Xero offers all of the services that Wave provides along with seamless integration with other apps that can help you automate workflows. Other useful features include inventory tracking, bill payments, bank account connections, tax calculations, financial reporting, and file sharing.

Social Media

As a solopreneur, you may not have a big marketing budget, but you can harness the power of social media to build your brand, connect with your audience and even sell your products. However, managing multiple social media accounts is no mean feat. 

That’s the reason why big companies have teams dedicated purely to social media. Not only do you need to understand the platforms well, but you also need to know your audience behavior, post on multiple accounts, and have the design and writing chops to create beautiful creatives and catchy captions. Sound intimidating? It doesn’t have to be, we’ll explain below. 

Analytics Tools

The best part about using social media platforms is that you can use their native tools (Facebook Ads Manager, Instagram Insights, and Twitter Analytics) for gaining useful target audience insights, such as demographic information, learning when they’re most active, and to discover how they’re engaging with your posts. You can even estimate the reach of your ads based on the cost and the time frame of your posts. 

Social Media Management Tools

Instead of setting up multiple reminders for posting on different accounts, you can use apps such as Hootsuite, Sprout Social and Buffer to run multiple accounts from a single platform, schedule future posts and receive advanced analytics.

Content Creation Apps

Social media is nothing without stunning visuals, but don’t fret if designing isn’t one of your strong points. You don’t even have to enroll yourself in an online Photoshop or video-editing course (although those skills are always useful in the long run). With the help of apps such as Canva, Wordswag, and VSCO Cam, you can create beautiful content with pictures, text, and other design elements to take your social media game to the next level. 

Start Your Solopreneur Journey Today

Don’t let the burdens of being a solopreneur dissuade you from taking the journey. Armed with the right tools, hard work, and willpower, you can enrich your life with meaningful work that resonates with your passion, reap the benefits of well-deserved rewards, and live life on your own terms. 

Author Bio

Alisha is a Senior Content Marketing & Communication Specialist at Radix, the registry behind some of the most successful new domain extensions, including .STORE and .TECH. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Many have used this time to strengthen their eCommerce operations as more and more people resort to online shopping. And with the holiday season upon us, this trend is gaining more traction.

According to a 2020 holiday predictions survey, 85% of the retailers interviewed estimated that online sales will increase in this holiday season as compared to 2019 and 55% said they are investing more in upgrading their eCommerce platforms.

It’s evident that this holiday season will take the competition to the next level while also posing new challenges for businesses to keep up with the increase in demand, handle shortages created by reduced scale of operations and, most importantly, build trust with new and existing customers.

This, in fact, is the perfect opportunity for businesses to gain the loyalty of wary online shoppers through a fulfilling and secure shopping experience.

Build Trust with Your eCommerce Customers.

Whether you’re a seasoned eCommerce company or have recently started your online store, these five trust-building tips will help you make the most of this pandemic-fraught holiday season.

1. Reassure customers about safety

The pandemic has everyone on the edge about the transmission of COVID-19 through physical contact. Physical distancing rules are either firmly in place or strongly recommended. Several companies have come up with a strict contact-less delivery policy to allow people to reap the benefits of home delivery without hesitation.

If your business has such a policy in place, along with other rules of how products are handled from packing to delivery and safety measures followed in your workplace, such as wearing of gloves, masks, and other protective equipment, make sure you communicate them clearly to your customers.

A great idea is to send an email about it to all of your subscribers to show them that their safety is your primary concern.

Moreover, communicate these policies to each and every member of your team and make sure that everyone is on board to make this virtual holiday shopping season safe for customers as well as staff. 

2. Be transparent about delays

The competition in eCommerce makes it mandatory for businesses to be well-stocked at all times and offer the quickest, most hassle-free delivery possible.

However, most eCommerce companies rely on third parties such as suppliers, warehousing facilities, delivery management agencies, and customer support. Often, delays are caused by situations that are not in your hands.

Several companies had to press pause on their operations during the pandemic and while business is bouncing back now, companies are still at different stages of resuming their operations. This means that not everyone is operating at full capacity, which can lead to longer wait times than usual.

People, too, have become more patient with such inevitable delays but as a brand that cares about its customers, it is your duty to be transparent about any issues that impact their shopping experience.

Make sure you communicate realistic wait times so that people don’t have unrealistic expectations that set them up for disappointment. If a product is out of stock and it will take time for you to obtain it, let the customer know, offer alternatives, and reward their patience with a discount or a freebie.

3. Improve your website experience

If you’ve been considering a website revamp, this is the perfect time to do so. Here are three things to keep in mind when you’re looking to improve your website’s user experience.

Unique Landing Page

To highlight the merriment of the holiday season, you could create a unique landing page where you highlight all your start products that are perfect for holiday shopping.

To give it an additional flavor of branding, you could give this landing page a unique domain name such as www.holidaybonanza.store or www.merrytimes.fun. New domain extensions such as .store, .online, .fun, and .space, can add that extra spark in your branding.

Speed of site and service

People have little patience when it comes to browsing the Internet. Keep bounce rates low by ensuring that your website loads in less than 5 seconds. Optimize image sizes so that they load quickly. Remove all unnecessary plugins and make sure that the built-in apps for payments and other features are not slowing you down.

Optimize for mobile

While there’s nothing like your own mobile application, you can still create memorable mobile shopping experiences by optimizing your website for mobile devices. Before you start your holiday season campaign, see how your website loads and looks on different devices such as computers, phones, and tablets. Take steps to ensure it loads quickly, the alignments are proper, and that scrolling and browsing are easy.

4. Offer quick checkout

Customers have a lot to accomplish when they’re shopping during the holiday season and you can help them save time by offering a short and sweet checkout.

Simple process

The fewer steps in your checkout process, the less likely people are to abandon their shopping carts. Limit your checkout process to no more than three steps: name and address, purchase review, and payment.

Guest checkout

Every brand likes to gather contact information of their customers to get to know them better and continue to attract them with personalized offers and deals.

However, not every customer feels comfortable sharing their email address especially if they’re doing business with you for the first time.

Some customers just want to make the purchase and be done with it and they shouldn’t feel like they’re being compelled to create an account with you. Provide a guest checkout option to make shopping easy and stress-free for everyone.

Multiple payment options

People have different preferences when it comes to online payments. Some are apprehensive about divulging their card details to different companies. Some prefer online bank transfers. Others use third-party apps such as PayPal or Google Pay. Make sure you cater to all preferences by providing as many payment options as possible.

5. Secure your site

Several people are skeptical of online shopping for security reasons. They are unsure about what might happen when they need to input sensitive information such as personal details and credit card or bank account numbers when making online purchases.

As more people may resort to online shopping due to the closure of physical stores and for health safety concerns, eCommerce companies must reassure buyers that their information is safe at every step of the way.

If you haven’t obtained an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate for your website, this is the time to do so. This certificate ensures safe transmission of encrypted data from browsers to websites.

Websites that don’t have SSL of HTTPS in their URL are flagged as “insecure” by Google when a user tries to access them. This message can raise suspicion among visitors and discourage them from shopping on your website.

Apart from the SSL certificate, you should also display security seals across your payment pages, such as badges by trusted companies like Visa, Mastercard, Google, and PayPal so that people feel safe about sharing their sensitive bank account information.

Ready to make the most of the holiday eCommerce season?

The holiday season is always an exciting time for people and businesses, but this one is slated to be unlike any other. For people, it is an opportunity to connect with their loved ones after a difficult year, even if just through gifts or virtual meetings.

For businesses, it is an opportunity to make up for the losses suffered so far. By building trust among customers through safety measures and enhanced online shopping experience, businesses not only stand to increase their revenue but also evolve as players to watch out for in the eCommerce playing field.

Author Bio

Alisha is a Senior Content Marketing & Communication Specialist at Radix, the registry behind some of the most successful new domain extensions, including .STORE and .TECH. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

●  You’ve grown so much that you’re struggling to keep up with customer demands.

●  Your growth has plateaued.

Planning for future growth is crucial for any online business. In today’s time, entrepreneurs have to be prepared to face any unexpected challenges. That’s how you become a leader and stand out in your niche.

The only hiccup here is: preparing your exponential future growth demands a lot of time and patience.

But — it’s not as difficult as you think.

Having a vision for the future and making smart decisions from day one can help you build a scalable business model that can make a significant difference in the longevity of your business.

In this article, we explore five ways you can take your online business to the next level.

How to scale your online business

1. Get your foundation right

This involves two things — your domain name and your website. These form the foundation upon which your online business stands. Your domain name is your business’s online identity. It’s the address that you communicate in presentations, on your business cards, on your banner ads, in a podcast, and more. Registering your domain name is the sign that your idea is now a business.

When registering your domain name, think about how you can make your website more brandable. This doesn’t mean you www.stuffallthekeywordsinyourdomainname.com.

It means making use of new domain extensions that are more meaningful, industry-specific, category-defining, relevant, and most importantly, keyword-rich. For example, a technology startup could opt for a .TECH domain name, an e-commerce business could go for a .STORE domain name, a creative agency could choose .SPACE. And if you’re looking for a more versatile and open name then you could go with .ONLINE or .SITE.

These domain extensions give you a domain name that’s brandable and meaningful to your business. Add a well-made, fully-functional website to this concoction and you have a strong online foundation to build and scale your business.

2. Always plan for the future

Building a business and planning go parallel to each other. That’s because planning is vital to your business whether you’re on day one or year one.

A good way to plan ahead is to start by setting realistic goals for growth. These could be yearly goals that are further broken down into smaller quarterly goals. Doing a simple exercise such as this gives you time to prepare for the coming weeks.

As you start preparing for these goals, you’ll be able to outline the resources and features that you’ll need to move to the next level. Here are some components that you can factor into your plan:

●  Possible resources that you might need.

●  Digital marketing goals.

●  Customer acquisition plan.

All these components will all come down to one key factor: budget.

3. Arrange for funding and spend wisely

A great option here would be to get featured on Shark Tank and get the necessary funding, however, that’s not an approach most online businesses can take advantage of.

Most small business entrepreneurs have one big responsibility to run and scale their business: secure the right amount of funding and collateral.

One of the options here could be bootstrapping where you either dig into your personal savings, take a loan from family members and friends, or get crowdfunding through sources such as Kickstarter.

Another way for entrepreneurs to get funding is to pitch to investors. While investors can provide great value to your business in terms of funding, valuable advice, resources; they’ll also take part ownership of your company.

Most small businesses opt for the latter, however, if you’re unsure about partnering with an investor then you could consider other options such as scholarships and grants. Many large organizations offer scholarships to startups and small businesses. These can range from $5k and up to a larger sum to help you reach the next level.

A few that you could consider include:

●  Fundbox Small Business Funding Scholarship

●  FedEx Small Business Grant Contest

●  U.S. Small Business Administration Grants

4. Study your analytics

Monitoring your business performance gives you a clear insight into the speed of your growth. Sales performance is one of the first metrics you should be studying when your objective is to scale.

●  Is your sales trend healthy?

●  How fast are your sales growing?

●  During what period do you see a spike in sales?

●  What do you attribute that growth to?

Strong sales performance is a key indicator of the overall health of your online business. If your metrics are positive and growing, then you know your business is scaling.

Other important metrics that you could consider to measure business growth are:

●  Primary platforms – which platforms are bringing in the most sales / new customers?

●  Product performance – which products or plans (in case of a service) are your top sellers? Is there an opportunity to add another feature to your product/service?

●  Lifetime Value:Cost per Acquisition (LTV:CAC) – how effective is your marketing? Can you justify the cost per customer acquisition?

Having a strong grip on your analytics will give you confidence and a competitive advantage when pitching to investors. It’ll also give you enough data to justify any expenses on updated technology or tools.

5. Determine your resources

The more you grow, the more resources you’ll need to manage your online business. These resources could be human or technological.

Here are two instances where you might want to invest in human resources.

1. If you’re looking to build a strong content marketing strategy and build a strong company blog, you may want to consider hiring an experienced SEO professional, a content manager, and a few freelancers who can write good content that can help you lead the search results.

1. If you’re looking to build your community on social media, you may want to consider hiring a professional who understands the nitty-gritty of all the social platforms. Someone who can curate engaging posts, drive engagement, and target relevant audiences on different platforms.

For technical resources, let’s explore these two examples.

1. While you could hire an agency to manage your accounts and keep track of your expenses, you could save time by getting a simple accounting software that can do all this and more.

1. As your business grows, so will your customer queries. Instead of managing a customer line that receives an overwhelming amount of calls in a day, you could install a chatbot on your website that could resolve basic customer queries 24×7.

Identifying areas where you can be more productive will help you prioritize your investments. However, once you do invest in these resources, ensure to check their performance periodically to make sure that you’re getting value for your spend.

Ready to scale your online business?

Your next step from here is to get started!

Carve out a plan and list down all the resources that you might need to scale your business.

●  Create systems and processes.

●  Look for investment and other income streams.

●  Find new clients and collaborators.

●  Have the time to step back, relax, and work on your own development.

Author Bio

Alisha is a Senior Content Marketing & Communication Specialist at Radix, the registry behind some of the most successful new domain extensions, including .STORE and .TECH. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Our current state of digitalization has allowed customers to have endless choices. For them, moving to your competitor is as easy as clicking a different link. However, it is this competition in the business that makes it so exciting. Even more so in the eCommerce landscape. If you’re looking for ways to one-up your competition, then this article is for you.

10 Tactics to Succeed Online

1. Know your unique selling point.

Your unique selling point (USP) is what differentiates your brand from others. It’s a trait–like product quality, competitive pricing, exceptional customer service, being conscious about the environment — it’s something you have but your competitors don’t. In short, your USP is your competitive advantage.

Identifying your USP is the first step toward standing out from the crowd. It’s what makes potential customers choose you over your competitors. 

To find your USP, ask yourself the following questions:

• Why should a customer buy from your business and not from your competitor?
• What is that one thing that you do differently? 
• What does your target audience truly care about?

Once you’ve identified your unique selling point, showcase it on your website, ad copies, and all the places where you can catch your customers’ eyeballs.

2. Understand your audience.

The only way you can beat the competition is by truly understanding your target audience, especially their needs and pain points. You need to gather as much data as you can about your customers and their purchasing behaviors. There are plenty of marketing tools available that can help you better understand your users.

Apart from these metrics, you also need to know what motivates them, what scares them, and, more importantly, what makes them click the “Buy Now” button. Having a clear understanding of your customers will help you speak their language and communicate how you can make their lives better as clearly as possible.

3. Establish your niche.

Establishing your niche in a crowded marketplace and clearly communicating with your audience what you do can give you an edge over your competitors. One of the ways to do this is by looking at finer details such as your domain name. 

For example, look at these two web addresses and guess which one might be an eCommerce store:

1. www.bettergardens.com
2. www.bettergardens.store

The latter immediately establishes that you’re selling supplies that help people make their gardens look beautiful. Domain extensions such as .STORE help you add more meaning to your domain name and your overall business. They give you credibility against competing generalists and help you focus on the right segment of a larger market.

4. Engage with your customers.

It’s important to create a continuous, two-way dialogue between your brand and your users. Be active on social media and get involved in conversations that your prospective customers are passionate about. Focus on platforms where your prospects and customers are likely to hang out and provide value whenever possible. The key is to stay authentic and true to your brand’s values. What is important is building relationships that are meaningful.

Also, send out feedback forms regularly to find areas to improve and focus more on the things that keep your customers happy. It will communicate the fact that you listen, understand their needs, and acknowledge their opinion.

5. Provide great customer experiences.

When customers have a great experience with your business, it’s likely for them to come back. It also increases customer satisfaction levels. They will become your promoter and refer you to other people, improving your word-of-mouth marketing efforts. 

Think about the unspoken needs of your customers and address them.

What can you do to make this purchase a wonderful experience?

Use quick delivery, hassle-free billing, and flexible return policies to delight your customers and create great customer experiences. It’s the little details such as these that set you apart from your competition.

6. Study your competitors regularly.

If you need to stay ahead of your competition, you need to understand and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Actively studying them and learning from their best practices is crucial when it comes to running a successful online business.

You need to go back to the drawing board periodically and have an active strategy in place to keep track of all your competitors.

Here are some of the things you need to stay updated on:

• Website and advertisements
• Shipping policies
• Product price
• Product range and quality
• Social media presence
• Online reviews and customer grievances

You can use online tools, like G Suite or Microsoft 365, to track and manage this information. 

7. Experiment often.

Any business that doesn’t innovate is wiped out by new disruptors. Innovation is key when it comes to standing out from the crowd. 

Try to keep up with trends and see if you can apply anything to your business. Make brainstorming a regular team activity and come up with radical ideas. If you get it right, your audience will love you for it.

You can also experiment with your online storefront and the whole customer experience. Start with small, incremental, and measurable changes and see if it makes a difference. 

8. Be aggressive in your marketing.

To stand out, you’ll need a holistic, all-around marketing strategy to reach a newer audience and upsell to existing customers. Use content marketing, SEO, PPC, social media, email marketing, and affiliate marketing to leverage all marketing channels. You can give some of these a spin in the beginning and focus on the ones that give you the most bang for your buck.

A combination of both inbound and outbound tactics create brand awareness, produces loyal customers, and ultimately increases your bottom line. Some of these strategies might require outside help from marketing agencies or consultants, but it’s easy to get started on your own.

9. Optimize your web-store for mobile.

Providing a great mobile experience is one of the key ranking factors in SEO. 

Most website builders automatically optimize your website for mobile, but the job isn’t done. You need to make sure that your web pages load fast, and the entire shopping experience is as seamless on the phone as it is on a desktop.

You can check your page speed with a free tool like Google’s PageSpeed Insights. 

10. Stay up-to-date with trends.

You always need to stay up to date with market trends, especially the ones in your niche. Most of the time, your competitors will have put in the work to identify new trends. Following them will help you anticipate market shifts and make informed decisions. 

Be active in communities and forums where your users are discussing this trend. Follow and establish relationships with key influencers in your niche. Staying connected through these channels will give you a headstart on upcoming trends.

Ready to level up and beat the competition? 

This constant rise in the number of online businesses is only increasing the competition. On the bright side, the crowded field proves the demand for such businesses is also on the rise, making eCommerce an exciting place to be.

Launch your eCommerce store today with Domain.com!

Author Bio

Alisha is a Senior Content Marketing & Communication Specialist at Radix, the registry behind some of the most successful new domain extensions, including .STORE and .TECH. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

If you have been mulling over the idea of launching your online store, now’s the time to get started. However, be mindful and realistic about the stiff competition that you may have to face and how you plan to combat it.

One of the first things you need to consider is how you will design and develop your e-commerce website where you’ll deliver a seamless, easy and intuitive buying experience.

Mentioned below are eight things you need to keep in mind when creating your website.

8 elements of a successful e-commerce website.

1. Find the right online identity for your website.

There are thousands of websites selling similar products, offering impeccable services and aggressively vying for the attention of the customers. So, how do you differentiate?

Smaller details play a huge role here. For example, for two e-commerce stores selling similar merchandise, the domain name can be a key differentiator. One website could be www.comictees.com and another could be www.comictee.store.

Which one of these two websites would you say for sure is an e-commerce store?

A simple domain extension such as .store can help you stand out and create a unique space for yourself in the industry. With a category-defining domain extension such as .store, you immediately establish that you’re an e-commerce website that’s selling something.

It gives you a unique opportunity to brand and market yourself differently.

2. Match your website design with the products.

Every website needs to be aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate. However, as an e-commerce website, it is even more crucial that its look and feel is in sync with what you’re selling.

For instance, if you are selling niche tech products, your website’s design should ideally include crisp visuals or animations, clean lines and digital fonts. A loud or cluttered design may not help you attract the right audience.

On the contrary, if you are selling casual apparel and home accessories, use of bold, bright colors and playful fonts will do a better job of reflecting your fun personality.

3. Showcase your products properly.

In a physical store, customers are able to see, touch and try out products and speak to experts to gain a better understanding. This is not possible on an e-commerce website. Therefore, it is your duty to make sure that the customers have all the information they need to be able to create an accurate picture of the product in their heads and make an informed decision.

• Use large, clear and high-quality images of the products you are selling.
• Include images in various angles so that people can examine the product properly.
• Ensure the colors and sizes in the images truly depict the actual product.

Apart from images, you must highlight the key features of the product such as:

• Different ways in which it can be used.
• Tips to take care of it.
• The audience it is intended for. 
• Its warranty period

For instance, if you are selling clothing, your product information should include size, material, washing instructions, brand name and information (in case you are selling multiple brands). Make sure to include a size chart because sizes vary across different brands. Images of models wearing the clothes will allow people to better picture what they intend to buy. Some items do not qualify for returns, so make sure you clearly indicate that information.

4. Provide an easy checkout process.

A lengthy and complicated checkout process can cause people to abandon their shopping carts without completing the purchase. Ideally, your checkout should include no more than three steps:

Step 1: Basic information such as name, email address and phone number

Step 2: Shipping address

Step 3: Payment information

You can provide customers with the option of creating an account on your website as it provides valuable information about them, allows you to track their purchases, customise your communication and personalize recommendations.

However, don’t make it mandatory. Several customers, especially first-timers, are wary of giving out too many personal details and forcing them to do so may make them abandon their purchase.

5. Provide multiple payment options

Different customers prefer different modes of payment. Many of them may only be comfortable using a credit card. Yet others will want to pay by an eWallet or by card on delivery. They may not feel comfortable divulging their card information on the Internet or they may want to receive and see the physical product before they pay. As a business, do the best you can to cater to all kinds of customers and thus provide as many viable payment options as possible.

6. Secure your e-commerce website.

Security is of utmost concern when you’re running an eCommerce website. Your customers are required to share sensitive information pertaining to their address and credit/debit cards and any compromise of such information can put them in grave difficulty. It can also potentially ruin your business.

Every website that collects the personal information of others needs a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate, this provides a secure channel over which sensitive information is transmitted. It will further assure customers that their private details are safe on your website. If your website URL begins with HTTP and not HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure), that’s another sign that your website is not secure. This may dissuade a customer from doing business with you.

7. Be accessible to your customers. 

Unlike in a brick-and-mortar store, people shopping online do not have access to a salesperson or an expert to address their queries. Nevertheless, it is your duty to assure them that you are there to help them out at every step of the way.

Apart from sending regular and accurate updates about the status of their order, you should also provide contact information for your customer care team that can promptly address their concerns.

Create a full-fledged “Contact Us” page on your website where you provide clear details and a variety of ways in which people can contact you, including email, phone number and/or a contact form. Make sure to include your social handles because a lot of people use social media channels to contact businesses or raise their concerns. If you have the manpower for it, a built-in live chat is the best and fastest way to address a customer’s query.

8. Encourage and publish reviews.

According to a BigCommerce study, 69% of online shoppers want more reviews from e-commerce websites, while 77% say that they read product reviews before making a purchase. If you have been receiving positive feedback on your products and your customer services, it will serve you well to highlight these on your homepage as well as on specific product pages.

Encourage people to write reviews for you by sending them follow-up emails after their purchases, thanking them for shopping with you and letting them know that you value their feedback.

Ready to launch your e-commerce website?

An e-commerce website needs to be the right blend of aesthetics, easy navigation, robust security systems and relevant and accurate information which can translate into a wholesome shopping experience. By ensuring that you incorporate the tips mentioned above into your website design, you increase your chances of converting visitors into revenue-generating customers.

You can launch your e-commerce website today using Domain.com’s AI-powered WebsiteBuilder.

Author Bio

Alisha is a Senior Content Marketing & Communication Specialist at Radix, the registry behind some of the most successful new domain extensions, including .STORE and .TECH. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Yet, for all that time set aside, 61 percent of managers admitted that the time they spent making business decisions was used ineffectively.

When the decision-making process lags, productivity loss isn’t the only issue. The subsequent opportunity loss is also staggering. Considering these numbers, the researchers estimated that the decision-making process could cost a typical Fortune 500 company a collective 530,000 days of managers’ time every year. In annual wages, that equals around $250 million.

The Importance of Strategic Business Decisions

Building a strong brand is a combination of a lot of great strategic decisions. Delegating the right decision to the right team and making those decisions at the right time is crucial.

For example, deciding on the domain name of the company. It’s a small decision but management often delegates it to the IT department. The conception of your brand happens with its name. For something that is at the core of your brand’s identity, often entrepreneurs underestimate the importance of a good name.

Often when the first-choice domain name isn’t available, people tend to add a hyphen or change the spelling or add a number to find a name that’s available. They completely ignore new domain extensions such as .TECH, .SITE, .SPACE, .STORE, .ONLINE, etc. that give you the opportunity to get a great name that’s meaningful and contextual.

Choosing the right domain name is a crucial decision. New domain extensions allow you to get domain names that are more relevant to your business and your industry. They help you get a meaningful online identity and offer a great deal of support in your marketing and branding efforts.

4 Keys Ways to Make Better Decisions for Your Small Business

You want to drive your company forward, but your time is valuable. That’s why it’s important to deploy smart strategies that can help you reach the right decision sooner.

Read on to learn about four key ways you can optimize and improve your decision-making process, starting today.

1. Perform a Marginal Analysis

A marginal analysis measures the cost of activity against incremental changes in volume, determining how the overall change in costs will affect your bottom line. To perform this analysis, you’ll weigh your marginal benefits against marginal costs.

To find your marginal benefit:

1. Determine a variable to change (for example, the volume of output produced.)
2. Determine your increase in total benefits if you add one more of that unit (marginal unit.)

To find your marginal cost:

1. Determine your current costs associated with that variable.
2. Determine how that cost would increase if you added the marginal unit.

Does the marginal benefit outweigh the marginal cost? If so, you’ve reaped a net benefit, and it’s wise to add the marginal unit of that variable. Conversely, the opposite also holds true.

For example, assume you manufacture a product that sells for $100 and costs $75 to produce every 50 units. You’re wondering if you should increase production to 51 units. If you do so, the anticipated revenue will remain $100, and your potential profit is still $25.

However, when you do the math you realize that there will be an uptick in overhead and labor costs. This will increase your production cost to $105 per unit, and you’ll lose $5 on every extra item you manufacture.

In this scenario, your extra costs now outweigh your potential sales revenues/profits. That makes it easier to see that increasing your manufacturing output is an unwise move.

2. Create a Decision Matrix

Listing the pros and cons of a potential decision can be helpful. Yet, the procedure becomes complicated when you have myriad variables and choices to select from. This is where a decision matrix comes into play.

In short, this is a pros/cons list that allows you to rank each factor by its level of importance. This way, you can understand which option is the clear winner.

You can create your matrix manually or in an online spreadsheet. Let us consider a situation where you have to select an IT vendor based on certain parameters. Have a look at the table below. 

Here are some steps that you can follow:

1. List your decision options as columns.
   1. (Vendor A, Vendor B, and Vendor C)
2. List all your relevant factors as rows.
   1. (Capabilities, Reputation, Technology, and others)
3. Create a scale to assess the value of each option/factor combination.
   1. (2 for the Price and 1 for the rest)
4. Assign weights to each factor depending on their level of importance.
   1. (Any value between 1 and 10. For the Price factor, double the weightage value)
5. Add up the factors under each option.
   1. (36 for Vendor A, 37 for Vendor B, and 45 for Vendor C)
6. Now calculate the score for each vendor by using the formula:
   1. (Score obtained/Total score) ✕ 100
   2. In the above example, that would be – Vendor A: (36/70) ✕ 100 = 51 percent
7. The option with the highest score wins (Vendor C).

You can apply this matrix to a variety of scenarios, including:

●  When you can only implement one solution or problem-solving approach.

●  When you can only select one new vendor.

●  When you can only develop one new product.

Have a look at some examples for a better understanding.

3. Make a SWOT Diagram

Are you planning to make a substantial change to the infrastructure of your business? If so, a SWOT diagram can help you break the situation into four actionable pieces, helping you analyze:

●  Company strengths (internal).

●  Company weaknesses (internal).

●  Company opportunities (external).

●  Company threats (external).

To create the diagram, draw a grid with four quadrants. Assign one quadrant to each of the above sections. Bring in team members, partners, and other key stakeholders to help you determine the data that fits into each one. Together, you can analyze the finished diagram to draw comparisons and better understand the long-term impact that your decision will have.

4. Perform a Pareto Analysis

This analysis is often referred to as the Pareto Principle or the 80/20 rule. It states that 80 percent of a project’s benefits are derived from 20 percent of its work. At the same time, 80 percent of a problem traces back to 20 percent of its causes.

You can use a Pareto Analysis to identify the problem area or task that will have the greatest impact on your business. Benefits of performing this exercise include:

●  More efficiently optimized workloads.

●  Improved productivity.

●  Improved profitability.

Wondering why your sales are lagging and trying to decide what to do about it? This analysis can help. To create one, follow these steps:

1. Identify and list your root problem.
2. Identify the root cause behind each problem.
3. Score each problem by the importance.
4. Group like problems together.
5. Calculate your scores for each group.

Have a look at an example for a better understanding of the concept.

With these numbers in mind, you can prioritize your efforts and take action. You’ll begin by tackling the most important causes, dealing with the top-priority problem first.

Make smarter, data-driven business decisions

Better business decisions start with better data. When you allow emotional or impulsive thinking to dictate your next move, it can exacerbate confusion and muddle outcomes. These four steps allow the information to take center stage, revealing the key insights you need to make a well-informed next step.

Author Bio

Alisha is a Senior Content Marketing & Communication Specialist at Radix, the registry behind some of the most successful new domain extensions, including .STORE and .TECH. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Benefits of a .ONLINE domain name.

One such domain extension is .online. It is a versatile domain name that comes with multiple benefits such as:

• It is available.
• It is globally understood – the word online is understood in more than 25 languages.
• It is meaningful.
• It is brandable.
• It is relevant.
• …and many more.

Here are 10 businesses or industries that can use this highly adaptable domain extension to create a memorable online brand.

1. Architecture

Even an engineering and design-oriented field like architecture, which is dominated by blueprints and scaled models, cannot afford to ignore the importance of a strong online presence.

With a domain name on a .online extension, you can craft your unique online brand that mirrors your offline style in terms of color scheme, design elements and other aesthetic aspects.

You can use your .online website to showcase your credentials as an architect or architectural firm, introduce your team to potential clients, upload blueprints and other plans of your best projects and provide contact information. For example, www.architectscollective.online or www.buildingblokes.online.

2. Interior Designing

The word ‘online’ is a universally understood and accepted term, which makes it the perfect choice for the web address of an interior designer or a design firm, especially if it wishes to find clients in multiple geographies.

With a well-designed website on a .online extension, you can not only showcase your best projects but also get into the details of your thought process, your inspirations and aesthetic understanding. Your favorite works can truly come alive in the form of a story when presented online.

You can take the visitors on a virtual journey of how you transformed your client’s vision into a beautiful cafe, restaurant, home or office space. Examples of meaningful domain names include www.bestinteriors.online or www.designbydavid.online.

3. Real estate

Real estate deals are only sealed after in-person meetings and site visits but that doesn’t mean that a real-estate company should ignore being online.

A website that states your company’s history, property listings with photographs, 360-degree views and videos as well as client testimonials can enhance the legitimacy and reputation of your business.

A domain name that includes your company’s name and the .online domain extension is a great way to establish your online presence. For example, www.youradobe.online or www.malikestate.online.

4. Agriculture

The penetration of the Internet is no longer restricted to urban areas. Farmers in almost all countries heavily rely on the Internet for gaining useful information regarding weather conditions, new methods of farming and irrigation, agricultural technology, market trends and new products.

By creating a website on the .online extension, an agricultural company can create a unique online brand that stands out but still resonates with its offline work. For instance, your website can be an important tool for highlighting your CSR work, case studies and promoting any technological or product innovation that your company may have created or contributed to.

It can also be a source of information, not just for farmers but also for people who ascribe to clean and organic food consumption. This is especially beneficial for an agricultural company that wants to establish itself as an industry expert. A few examples include www.agricare.online or www.agrotalks.online.

5. Advertising

If there’s one industry that has truly been revolutionized due to the digital revolution, it is marketing and advertising. New digital-only advertising agencies are mushrooming at a rapid rate to cater to the new businesses.

Veteran firms that earlier prided themselves on their TV ads and witty print messaging are creating and expanding their digital footprint to stay in the game. For agencies with digital at their core as well as those looking to expand from traditional channels to digital, the .online domain extension provides the ideal base for building a memorable brand.

Firstly, it gives you an easy and relatively inexpensive opportunity to create a brand-new website that still resonates with the name and reputation you have already created in the industry.

Secondly, it lends greater credibility to your passion and expertise in all things digital by its mere definition. For instance if you are an advertising company called Vibgyor and are now getting into digital marketing, your domain name can me www.vibgyordigital.online. In fact, an Australian digital marketing agency called Louder Online has a similar domain name at www.louder.online.

6. Music

Music is the universal language and there’s no reason why your musical creations shouldn’t transcend borders. Whether you’re an amateur musician or someone who has already garnered fame locally through live performances, you should consider taking your music “online” with the help of the .online domain extension.

You can use your website to post recordings of your music, studio sessions to give fans a glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes, stripped-down acoustic versions of your favorite tracks, tour dates and so much more. For example, you could have www.learntrumpet.online (if you’re a music teacher) or www.martinsings.online (if you’re a singer).

7. Healthcare

Thanks to digitalization, healthcare is now literally available at one’s fingertips. Whether it’s finding practitioners in the area, booking appointments, ordering medication or seeking advice and information, every kind of healthcare brand or company benefits immensely from being online.

The .online domain extension can help you create a digital presence that exemplifies how digitally-savvy you are. It can help you become a useful and reliable source of information for both patients and healthcare professionals. For example, www.healthytalk.online or www.findadoctor.online.

8. Food

Having an online presence offers a wide range of branding and expansion opportunities to anyone in the food industry. For standalone restaurants, bakeries, home chefs or family-owned food businesses, a website is the perfect platform to showcase your legacy and expertise.

For those companies that are new entrants to the digital world, the .online extension is a short and sweet way of letting patrons know that you are now online.

Moreover, with the trend or ordering food online on a drastic rise, every food establishment needs a strong online presence to allow people to place online orders and to manage them efficiently. For example, www.veggietreats.online or www.expressfood.online.

9. Beauty

Whether you’re a beauty blogger or a well-established beauty brand, there is a lot you can do with a domain extension as versatile as .online. Consider the following names for creating a personal brand out of your blog: www.beautyonduty.online or www.allmadeup.online. All make for fun, catchy and creative domain names that are sure to entice beauty enthusiasts to click on your website link.

Beauty brands can use the .online extension to create their brand website or microsites for new products or campaigns. For instance, if you have recently come out with a revolutionary product, you can create a standalone page for it that includes the product and/or your brand name followed by .online. You can also create domain names for campaigns and giveaways using .online, such as www.getpouty.online (for a lipstick giveaway) or www.freemakeover.online (for a free online makeup consultation).

10. Sports

Sports channels can use the .online extension to create a web presence that’s different from but still relatable to your reputed name, such as www.allforsports.online. This online platform can be used for showing live scores, clips from tournaments and reviews by experts.

Sports enthusiasts and experts can also use the .online extension to create blogs that post exciting content on sports analysis, predictions and highlights, for instance, www.yourtopsport.online or www.matchpointbygreg.online.

Get .ONLINE today.

With an easily available and versatile domain extension such as .online, there is no excuse for you to put off creating an outstanding online brand for yourself with immense potential for growth and popularity.

Author Bio

Alisha is a Senior Content Marketing & Communication Specialist at Radix, the registry behind some of the most successful new domain extensions, including .STORE and .TECH. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

Domain Names and Voice Search

Search engines are evolving at a constant pace making their user experience as simple and hassle-free as possible. The introduction of voice search has, in many cases, eliminated the need to type your queries. Every phone and computer is now powered by a voice assistant (such as Siri, Google Assistant, Cortana, and more). The presence of voice-first devices such as Amazon Echo and Google Home are now highly common.

Voice search is all set to be the next big thing, and for good reason. Conducting a search through voice takes a lot less time than typing out a query and it even offers faster results. A user doesn’t even need to look at the phone or the device in order to get the answer.

A revolution in the way people use search engines also requires a revamp of SEO strategies. In fact, Comscore predicts that more than 50% of all searches will be done by voice in 2020, with Gartner predicting that 30% of all searches will be done on a device without a screen. Since users are asking questions differently, experts need to find better ways to be able to give what search engines will see as the best possible answer. Apart from SEO, there’s also a need for Voice Search Optimization.

What is Voice Search Optimization (VSO)?

Voice Search Optimization is essentially the process of optimizing your webpage content, business listings, and brand information in order to improve your ranking in the search results. VSO is, in a lot of ways, similar to SEO. Users are widely using search engines to find on-the-go answers for everything from “Best restaurants that serve sushi” to “Will there be snow tomorrow?”.

You may think that it’s too early to get into voice search but this is the perfect time to prepare for it. In fact, the sooner you get your VSO right, the better its benefits will be for your business.

How can voice search benefit your business?

Voice search optimization is a phenomenal way for small and medium businesses to attract potential customers to their website. According to Google, 39% of voice searches center around finding out more information about businesses. This is especially true for local businesses. The more you strengthen your brand presence locally, the better you’ll fare in voice search. A lot of voice search queries are local such as “Where can I get the best burrito in Los Angeles?” Or “Best hair salons near Sunset Boulevard.”

Therefore, highlighting the details of your local business such as the location, office hours, pictures, etc. can help increase the number of visits to your local store, office or working space.

By properly implementing voice search optimization, both B2B and B2C businesses can enjoy a variety of business benefits. Some of those are:

●      More website traffic.

●      Better brand awareness and visibility.

●      More foot traffic to your stores.

●      Stronger, more relevant connection with the users.

●      Enhanced user engagement.

●      Better chances of conversion and sales.

How can your domain name help you win at voice search?

A meaningful keyword-rich domain name can go a long way in ensuring that you win at voice search. Mentioned below are a few tips that can help you get the right domain name that is a perfect fit for this new search era.

1. Get voice-search-friendly domain names

The right domain name can be a huge aid in performing well in voice search results. A domain name that is clear in its intent and incorporates the right keywords can enhance the chances of your website being picked up by the voice search assistant.

To ensure you have the most voice search-friendly domain name, ensure it has the following characteristics:

●      It is short and simple.

●      It is devoid of hyphens, numbers, or creative and incorrect spellings.

●      It is keyword-rich.

For example, let’s assume someone wants to visit your website. Between www.gothicskullz-stuff.com and www.gothicstuff.store, which website do you think will be more easily comprehended by a voice search assistant?

A domain name can be your secret weapon in fighting the competition and ranking well in voice search. In fact, the use of new domain extensions such as .tech, .store, .online, .space, and more is on the rise and for good reason. They help optimize your domain name voice search.

2. Use natural speech patterns

Text based searches are very different from voice searches. When people type their search query, they prefer to use as few words as possible. However, when they use voice search, they will phrase their query as if they were asking another person. On average, people can only type around 40 words per minute, but they can talk at 150 wpm. Longer tailed queries are more natural for speech, so make sure your content is suited for this.

Let’s imagine that you’re using voice search to look for websites that sell Batman posters. Here, a domain name such as www.batmanposters.online has a stronger chance to beat the other competing websites. That’s the benefit of having keyword-rich domain names. Just remember, instead of only using single, to-the-point keywords that sound robotic, ensure that the sentences and phrases used on your site and in your content are more conversational.

According to a study by Backlinko, Google tends to answer voice search queries with short, 29-word results. This means that it is important that you keep your answers short, simple, and crisp and avoid any super technical jargon.

3. Optimize for local searches

According to research, 58% of consumers use voice search to find local business information. Just think about the number of times you’ve searched for things that include the words “near me”.

While the content on your website plays a crucial role in optimizing for local searches, your domain name can also be of great help. Domain names such as www.miamioxfordshirts.store or www.floridatacos.online are direct and to the point; they’re optimized for city-based voice search queries such as “Order tacos in Florida” or “Buy oxford shirts in Miami”.

Localized searches are no longer just about the city or state, but also about particular neighborhoods or localities. Local businesses would do well to factor this into their decision making process when choosing a domain name. For example, www.queensapparel.store is a good, local VSO-optimized domain name for anyone looking for apparel in Queens, New York.

With relevant domain extensions such as .store, .tech, .online, .press, and others, you can pick a short and definitive name that clearly highlights the nature of your business and where you are located.

A relevant domain name coupled with your business listings on search engines will make it easier for customers to find you.

Conclusion

In many ways, the era of voice search is already upon us. Marketers, business owners, and entrepreneurs must identify this enormous opportunity to power such searches and take the necessary steps to optimize their content for a voice-first future.

Author Bio

Alisha is a Senior Content Marketing & Communication Specialist at Radix, the registry behind some of the most successful new domain extensions, including .STORE and .TECH. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.