Saturday 28 May 2016

How to convert traffic into sales on your website


So you have the content, and the content has generated relevant traffic, now it's time to convert that traffic into money. For ecommerce sites that would mean product sales, for a regular site it would mean advertising that leads to profit for the publisher.

This post will focus on ecommerce sites, whether they have a retail store offline or not. This post will dive into a couple key ways you can increase your online sales and thereby your overall profit.






  • Build a trustworthy relationship with your visitors
Obviously, they are enjoying coming to your site whether to window shop or as a point of reference, either way they are already displaying signs of online trust and so it is important to now build on that trust. Make up for the lack of face to face comfort with testimonials written by your actual pleased clients. Make sure your website's security certificate is always up to date. Lists the associations and accreditation's that the company posses on the site. Most people seriously neglect to market there site locally, doing so shows that your site is for the people and by the people.

  • Improve your website's navigation
Some of the most popular website online have the simplest of layouts. Most of them use simple host site developers such as WordPress. Massive companies such as Apple, BBC, and CNN. So, what can we learn from these sites? Keep it simple and to the point. Allow users to go from featured product to checkout without having to navigate through your entire site. Give them as much information on one page as possible, and be consistent. Have categories and sections. These days it also helps to have a call to action button. Do not pressure users into opening accounts in order to checkout. Make checkout simple and more people will purchase. 

  • Think about who you are targeting
Your audience is your top priority, getting to know them is your key to sustainable growth for your site as well as your sales. Set up Google Analytic and get on top of who your audience is, where they are from and what they are looking for or clicking on the most. Find ways to make it more attractive for them to seal the deal and purchase. Tailor the content to your users. It is even worth tracking how your competitors sites are performing and how your target demographic is using their site, their interests on their site etc. Make this something that is done regularly so as to keep on top of your audience. 

  • Be clear
Be transparent in the information you provide, and please try your best to limit the amount of information that you request from potential customers as well as customers themselves. No one likes to enter loads of information just to be able to purchase a product.

If you have any questions or need any advice please feel free to leave a comment or shoot us an email. Please be sure to check out our post on expert tips to increase website traffic . 




Monday 23 May 2016

Millennials and million dollar one person businesses

Starting a business as a one man band is scary, and expecting it to become a million dollar empire is like expecting pigs to grow wings. But, in our current time period where millennials are dominant, more and more people are opting for the option of entrepreneurship. This is of course more so prevalent in developed countries than it is in non developed countries. 



In the US an average of 22.5 million entrepreneurial one person firms were founded in 2011 alone. The average revenue of these businesses were surprisingly close to that of the average revenue of the typical employed person. Difference being that the employed person has no over head fees to pay. This makes you wonder, is it really a lucrative choice to run your own business? and if so what is the most cost effective way of doing so. Lets dive into some statistics.




* 1.6 million owners rang up sales in the the $100,000 to $249,999 range (up from 1.5 million in 2010)
* 484, 479 had sales from $250,000 to $499,999 (up from 453,694 in 2010)
* 209,415 had sales between $500,000 to $999,999 (up from 198,755 in 2010).
* 26,744 had sales between $1 million and $2.49 million (up from 24,945 in 2010)
* 1,723 had sales between $2.5 million and $4.99 million (up from 1,618 in 2010)
*368 had sales of $5 million or more (down from 442 in 2010).
(Statistics: cur-to-see Forbes.com)
Based on the above figures we can see just why people are choosing instead the path of owning their own business. It clearly is more than a viably way to sustain ones life. However, what type of companies are these that are succeeding at this way of life? Let's take a look see, shall we....
Individuals earning upwards of $4.5 million work in either finance , art and entertainment or retail. Finance holds the largest amount of individual business owners while arts and entertainment come in a close second and retail come in 3rd. 
The numbers don't lie, and are increasing every single day. Just take a look at the internet giant YouTube, they are popping out internet thousandaires and millionaires left and right. 

As long as an individual is willing to put in the hard work and dedication necessary into building his/her own company, this too can be your future. More and more companies are going to feel the pinch as workers are more qualified, skilled and creative and less willing to settle for a lack of job security or even poor wages. 




How the internet works

How does the internet work? Are there actually place on this earth that the labyrinth of cables and wireless signals do not reach? 

Let's take a look into how the internet works as we continue to be baffled by the list of  Countries that do not allow the internet.

The internet is made up of wireless connections, mobile devices and satellites. At the core of the internet however, are fiber optic cables that criss-cross across the vastness of oceans. Today they connect all continents apart from Antarctica and also include most island nations. Did you know that many developing countries for example Africa depend mostly on the mobile connections in order to access the internet. In further research we even found that satellites are in actuality the slowest means of accessing the internet. The satellite responsible for all the heavy lifting of the internet and all like processes is called the Iridium Satellite. This satellite coverage extends over the entire world which makes it a more viable choice when seeking to get connected even though it is not the most reliable in terms of speed. 

The Ob3 Network recently launched four satellites that orbit a lot closer to the earth thereby increasing the dependability of the satellite source for communication. For the ones still suffering from  lack there of of the internet our friends at Google (whom else) have launched a project called Loon that promises to rectify the internet free zones. .....ahh Google, back at it again with the world domination projects. (Gotta love it). 



But, in the rare occasion that the internet superhero' Google don't save the day, there are other technologies hat are seeking to make accessing the internet a lot easier for those without it that remain around the world. You can still escape the internet in under ground tunnels, in some trains, and subways and even caves. However, if there is even the slightest hint of a cell tower nearby this problem can easily be fixed. 

There are place in the world that truly avoid the internet such as India, and can you blame them for saying no and choosing to remain isolated from the web of the world. Maybe one day more communities might partake in the digital detox from the internet and other like systems, but until then, lets enjoy the surf!

Places in the world without the internet


According to the Washington Post, there are over 4.4 billion people around the world without the internet. We know! We couldn't believe the figures either. I mean with the internet dominating our lives and all, we couldn't image how people even function without it. 

Every aspect of our day to day lives involves the internet, we even carry it around in our pockets in the form of a phone. Sigh (sad truth). So who are these 4.4 billion people and where do they hail from. Let's have a look see shall we. 


  1. Belarus
  2. Burma
  3. China
  4. Cuba
  5. Egypt
  6. Iran
  7. North Korea
  8. Saudi Arabia
  9. Syria
  10. Tunisia
  11. Turkmenistan
  12. Uzbekistan
  13. Vietnam
Now, we can all sit and speculate as to more than one reason why these non American regions of the world have opted for no participation if not very little in the saga, that is the internet (wink, wink). However, one has to wonder if this type of digital detox may be something that the world might need to partake in more often. After all the people in these countries especially China, do live a lot longer than the rest of the world. Hmmmm, I wonder if their internet lifestlye choices has anything to do with it? Check out our post on how the internet works and see how these countries are managing to evade the internet.

Why Google beat Yahoo in the war for the intenet



Google                                  Yahoo


Website:                        www.google.com                               www.yahoo.com

Founded:                      September 7th, 1998                       March 1st, 1995

Maps:                                Yes                                                          Yes

Book Search:                    Yes                                                           No

Search:                              Yes                                                          Yes

Mail:                                 Yes(15GB)                                              Yes(1 terabyte)

Slogan:                           "Don't be evil"                                 "Do you yahoo"

Purchase or Free:             Free                                                          Free

Registration:                 Optional                                               Not Required

Instant Messaging:           Yes                                                            Yes

Social Networks:              Yes                                                            Yes

Download:                        Yes                                                            Yes

Image Search:                   Yes                                                            Yes

Company Type:               Public                                                       Public

Search Engine Ranking:  No: 1                                                         No. 2

User generated video:       Yes                                                              Yes

Listed On:              August 19th, 2004                                         April 12th 1996

Profile:                              Yes                                                              Yes

Alexa Rank:                        1                                                                  4

Private Messages:             Yes                                                              Yes

Themes:                             No                                                              Yes

Games:                              No                                                               Yes          






Achievements

Google

  • Release of Gmail, with 1 GB of free storage, on 1 April 2004.
  • Launch of the social networking site, You Tube.
  • For Google, one of the main achievements is its innovation and work culture. Google has been voted by the Fortune magazine as the No. 1
  • company to work in. The corporate philosophy includes statements such as "Don't be evil" and "Work should be challenging and the challenge should be fun".
  • In 2004, Google.org, a nonprofit philanthropic wing of Google, with a start-up fund of $1 billion was set up. The mission was to create awareness about climate change, global public health, and global poverty.

Yahoo


  • Yahoo Mail Plus (this is a premium service) accounts with capacity of 2 GB. Later, in 2007, Yahoo took out the storage meters and made the storage limit unlimited. Yahoo has upgraded its mail service by providing various tools and add-ons, such as creating avatar, changing the color of mail window.
  • Yahoo is regarded as the most visited websites on the internet by Web traffic analysis companies ComscoreAlexa Internet and Netcraft, with more than 130 million unique users. The global network of Yahoo! websites received 3.4 billion page views per day on average as of October 2007, making it one of the most visited U.S. websites.

So, as we can comfortably deduce by the above data, Google for all intents and purposes is winning the universal war over the most prevalent and in demand real estate in the world; the internet. But, did u know that there are still some places in the world without the internet. I know, I couldn't believe it when I saw it either. Check out our post Places in the world without the internet .

Sunday 22 May 2016

Top 5 most powerful blogs in the world

With over 7.1 million likes on Facebook and over 4.3 million followers on Google+, this news mega power house is the definition of online success. They host discussions and articles on everything from elections, to comedy, to health, to entertainment, plus everything in between. Only the best write for the auspicious site in all of it's local and international editions. We are pretty sure you have read an article or 2 written by the Huffington post. But in case you haven't check them out.

This award winning blog and directory of stuff has silently made a dent (clears throat) ummm we mean made a ginormous sink hole in the nature of blogs to this date. And we mean that in a great way. With the simplest of layouts, coupled with a massive amount of hard work. They show that all the fancy techie stuff sometimes is not what is needed to be successful online. Content and all the right moves will more than beat out the competition. 
This go to online tech giant, has everyone  at their doorstep anytime we've got a tech related question we need answered. Powered by Wordpress......yes we said Wordpress VIP, this site's success is as much offline as it is online. They frequently host events that contribute to the inflow of revenue to their company. But all in all would never have been able to do these events and offline jobs had they not dominated in their online presence first.
If it's happening in America, you better believe that talking points memo is covering it, and covering it very well might we add. Breaking news is their forte, they are the go to source for what's happening the now as far as politics. We all know that no other place in the world does the political scape affect the entire world like the that of America. Talking points memo has easily become a staple in every house hold for what they cover. In fact if you can excuse us, we just read that Mr. Donald Trump is ahead in the US Presidential race...(brb - be right back)....we need to get that scoop...


For those who need to keep abreast with pop culture, tech news or even shop, Mashable is for you. With breaking news on what's trending and all the latest details in between. Mashable has earned a spot in this list and on our computer screens. Out and about since 2005, this internet power house isn't going any where any time soon. 


Monday 16 May 2016

Must read books for Entrepreneurs


We have been enjoying these books lately and thought we'd share the wealth!

Click on the book cover if you are interested in reading it.


Latest Musical Technology products of 2016

All you need to know about musical Technology is finally all in one place. Welcome to a well compiled listing with product links of all the latest musical technology products of 2016.


As per our usual efficiency, you can click on the product image for more awesome details.


Coming in at number 1). Wireless Airbuds




These wireless head buds are an expected, but still very welcomed creation. Naturally, it makes things a lot of sense since we have the wireless headphones. These though are a bit less bulky making them a choice in favor of convenience, and ease of transport.

Number 2). Glow Laser Headphones





Fitting really perfect within the ear, these laser light headphones are for those who shop based on usability and aesthetics. 


Number 3). Wireless Studios, wifi guitar cable



No routers, no cables, no fuss. Plug, push and play. Works with any guitar, amp or pedal, making it instantly wireless.

Number 4). Live wireless DJ Controllers



We all have seen these bad boys around, but if you exists in the world of music and don't own one. There is no time like the present. Click he pic for all the amazing specs.

Number 5). The Jamstick portable guitar.





Cool right! We know, this guitar is truly revolutionary and by no means traditional. No bulk or wires. This guitar is a true game changer. 

So, don't forget to click the image for all the information 


Saturday 14 May 2016

Expert hacks to increase blog traffic

Increase your blog traffic by over 200% with these expert hacks!

  • Target your content to people likely to share.
On inception of your blog to the vast space that is the world wide web it is of utmost importance that you find the niche of people that are huge fans of the internet and use it as reading material while sharing with others. Target them with your content and encourage them to share, like and comment as much as possible.
  • Participate in communities that is your audience.
Now that you have found the people that use the internet best, and you have targeted your content to their interest, based on what they are most likely to share, like and follow. It is time to participate in their communities. Participating in their groups and forums online. Show that you care about their concerns and you may even have some solution. In this always reference you blog and it's contents.
Search Engine Optimization will provide you with the gateway into the million dollar club on the internet. Most bloggers ignore this key tool. But those that do usually don't catch the million dollar train. It is tricky business, but when done it ensures search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo and others can search your content and lists it in their search results at a rank that would provide most traffic. The above link provided will give you the ticket you need for perfect SEO for your blog, website or even YouTube channel.
This is pretty self explanatory....Social media exists in order to help people make connections, and reduce the gap that exists between, oceans, cities and continents. Using it to build your blog traffic is a given. Have great pages on every forum where you can keep your readers up to date on your blog content, see what they are up to and into and give them more of that. This allows for you to stimulate relationships and conversations with them. This builds familiarity and makes the relationship with your readers a more trustworthy one. The key though, is using each social media medium in the optimal way in which is should be used and the link above can show you that. It would make the difference between a blogger that has a social media platform of 3 million plus and the blogger that has a social media platform of 100 followers.
Google Google Google....... the internet mastermind that is google, has a vast array of products and services that would optimize the performance of any blog. One of which is Google Analytics. Google analytics is a tool used by every serious webpage on the internet to track the performance of every aspect of the site. And you need to have it on your site as well. It allows for better decision making when it comes to traffic and content for the assure health of your web presence. 
Keywords are the equivalent of social trends, excepts it is on the internet. Keywords are, like SEO; a huge part of showing up in search engines. Google has a helpful tool Google Adwords Keyword Planner that makes this process a lot easier, so that you can research and use terms in your content that would make it more likely for google and other search engines to lists your webpage at a higher rank. 
Social sharing communities such as Reddit, Digg and StumbleUpon are perfect simple ways of sharing your links to readers in as well as outside of your niche. It is also a place where people recommend whats worth reading and what isn't, which would provide you with great feedback as to how ell your content is performing and what you need to enhance.

Some social sharing communities are:
  • Participate in online Q&A's
Online Q&A's are a great way to stimulate interest in your blog content and an even better way of generating more content by giving people information of the topic of the greatest interest to them, of course using your blog or website as the primary vessel for said information.

Some online Q&A Sites are:







  • Amazon askville
  • Yahoo! Answers
  • Stack Overflow
  • Super users
  • Linkedin Answers



    • Uncover the link to your fellow bloggers
    Collaborations are a great way to; for lack of better words, share the wealth of readers online. Link high ranking blogs to your website and get those blogs and sites to link you to theirs as well. 

    • Be consistent! Do not give up! 
    It's in the title, BE CONSISTENT AND DO NO GIVE UP! Most people give up right at the point where the success is not going to begin. If you work diligently at this the results will eventually show. Consistently post to your blog, and or website everyday if possible, use optimized keywords and SEO, as well as images. Have a scheduled upload date and time so that readers can in turn schedule you into their day or week. Commit to the process, and the process will commit to you. Do not give up! Rome was not built in a day, and neither was an online blog, website or network. 


    Check out these must read books below that can give even more blog traffic tips and tricks.





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