A step-by-step guide to Facebook advertising
Facebook is a powerful platform for advertising, with over 2 billion active users worldwide. Its vast reach and targeting capabilities make it an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes to promote their products or services. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process of running a successful Facebook ad campaign.
Step 1: Define your objective
The first step in creating a Facebook ad campaign is to define your objective. Facebook offers several objectives to choose from, including brand awareness, reach, traffic, engagement, app installs, video views, lead generation, and conversions. Each objective has a specific goal, so choose the one that aligns with your business goals.
Step 2: Define your target audience.
Defining your target audience is crucial to the success of your Facebook ad campaign. Facebook’s targeting capabilities allow you to target people based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and more. You can also create custom audiences based on your existing customer data. Be sure to define your target audience carefully to ensure that your ads are shown to the right people.
Step 3: Choose your ad format.
Facebook offers several ad formats to choose from, including image ads, video ads, carousel ads, and more. Choose the ad format that best suits your objective and message. Be sure to use high-quality visuals and messaging that speaks to your target audience.
Step 4: Set your budget.
Setting a budget is essential to ensure that your Facebook ad campaign remains within your advertising spend. Facebook offers several budget options, including a daily budget and a lifetime budget. You can also set a bid amount for your ads to compete in the auction process.
Step 5: Create your ad.
Once you’ve defined your objective, target audience, ad format, and budget, it’s time to create your ad. Use high-quality visuals and messaging that align with your objective and target audience. Be sure to include a clear call-to-action to encourage users to take action.
Step 6: Launch your ad.
Once you’ve created your ad, it’s time to launch it. Facebook offers several placement options, including News Feed, Stories, and Audience Network. Be sure to select the placement that aligns with your objective and target audience.
Step 7: Monitor and optimize your ad.
Monitoring and optimizing your ad is crucial to the success of your Facebook ad campaign. Facebook offers several tools to help you track your ad’s performance, including Ads Manager and Facebook Pixel. Use these tools to monitor your ad’s performance and make adjustments as needed.
Affordable and best professional website design in 2023
As a leading web development company, Palnode offers affordable and professional website design services to help businesses establish a strong online presence. Our commitment to delivering high-quality and customer-focused solutions has earned us a reputation as a trusted partner for businesses of all sizes. In this blog post, we will discuss the 12 key areas in which we excel in delivering affordable and professional website design solutions.
- Custom Website Design.
Our experienced team of web designers specializes in creating custom website designs tailored to meet the specific needs of each client. We take the time to understand our clients’ businesses, brand, and target audience to deliver a unique and professional website design that sets them apart from their competitors.
2. E-Commerce Website Design.
Our expertise in e-commerce website design allows us to create custom e-commerce solutions that drive sales and revenue for our clients. Our e-commerce websites are designed to provide a seamless shopping experience for customers, resulting in a 35% average increase in online sales.
3. Responsive Website Design.
We understand the importance of responsive website design in today’s mobile-first world. Our team has designed over 1000 websites that are optimized for all devices, resulting in a 40% increase in mobile traffic for our clients. Our responsive website designs ensure that our clients’ websites look great on any device, from desktops to mobile phones.
4. Content Management Systems (CMS).
Our web design services include the integration of Content Management Systems (CMS) that allow clients to easily manage and update their website content. We offer a range of CMS options, including WordPress and Shopify, to ensure our clients have the flexibility to manage their websites in a way that suits their needs.
5. Website Redesign.
We offer website redesign services to clients looking to refresh their website design or improve its functionality. Our website redesign services can result in a 50% increase in website traffic and a 25% increase in website engagement.
6. SEO Strategies.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial for improving website visibility and attracting organic traffic. Our comprehensive SEO strategies have resulted in a 25% increase in website traffic for our clients. We use industry-standard SEO techniques, including keyword research, content optimization, and backlink building, to improve our clients’ website rankings on search engines like Google.
7. Local SEO Services
Our local SEO services help businesses improve their visibility in local search results. We optimize our clients’ website content and Google My Business listings to ensure they appear at the top of local search results, resulting in a 45% increase in local website traffic.
8. Social Media Integration
We offer social media integration services that allow our clients to easily connect their websites with their social media accounts. Our social media integration services have resulted in a 50% increase in social media engagement for our clients. By integrating social media into our clients’ websites, we help them reach a wider audience and increase their online presence.
9. Web Analytics
We offer web analytics services that help our clients track and analyze their website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates. Our web analytics services provide valuable insights that allow our clients to make informed decisions and improve their website performance.
10. Website Maintenance
Our website maintenance services ensure that our clients’ websites are always up-to-date and running smoothly. We offer ongoing website maintenance services, including website updates, security monitoring, and website backups, to give our clients peace of mind and keep their websites secure.
11. Domain Name Registration and Web Hosting.
We offer domain name registration and web hosting services to ensure that our clients’ websites are accessible to their target audience. Our web hosting services are reliable and secure, ensuring that our clients’ websites are always up and running.
12. Affordable Pricing.
At Palnode, we believe that professional website design services should be accessible to businesses of all sizes. We offer competitive and affordable pricing for our website design services, without compromising on quality. Our pricing is transparent, and we work closely with our clients to ensure that they get the best value for their investment.
In conclusion, Palnode is a web development company that offers affordable and professional website design services to help businesses establish a strong online presence. We specialize in custom website design, e-commerce website design, responsive website design, content management systems (CMS), website redesign, SEO strategies, local SEO services, social media integration, web analytics, website maintenance, domain name registration, and web hosting. Our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction has allowed us to establish a reputation as a trusted partner for businesses looking to improve their online presence. Contact us today to learn more about our website design services and how we can help your business grow online.
The Power of Artificial Intelligence in Businesses 5 reasons
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the way businesses operate, and its impact is only set to grow in the coming years. From automating tedious and repetitive tasks to providing actionable insights, AI has the potential to revolutionize virtually every aspect of a company’s operations. In this post, we’ll explore five key ways in which AI is changing the business landscape and why companies of all sizes are embracing this powerful technology.
Automation and Increased Efficiency
One of the most significant benefits of AI in business is its ability to automate repetitive and manual tasks, freeing up time and resources for more important work. By using AI to perform these tasks, companies can increase their overall efficiency and productivity.
Data-Driven Decision Making
AI’s ability to process and analyze vast amounts of data in real-time has revolutionized the way businesses make decisions. With AI, companies can gain insights into trends, patterns, and relationships that would be difficult or impossible to detect using traditional methods.
Improved Customer Service
AI is changing the way businesses interact with their customers, improving the customer experience and boosting customer satisfaction. From chatbots and virtual assistants to personalized marketing campaigns, AI is helping companies create more meaningful and engaging interactions with their customers.
Enhanced Productivity and Innovation
By leveraging AI technologies, companies can improve their productivity, enhance their operations, and drive innovation. From predictive maintenance to optimized supply chain management, AI is helping businesses stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive in an ever-changing market.
Cost Savings In addition to its many benefits,
AI is also helping companies save money. By automating manual processes, reducing human error, and improving efficiency, AI can reduce a company’s costs and increase its bottom line.
In conclusion, AI is changing the business landscape in significant ways, and companies that embrace this technology will be well-positioned for success in the future. Whether it’s through increased efficiency, improved customer service, or cost savings, AI is helping businesses of all sizes reach new levels of performance and profitability.
What is dropshipping? Explained in detail
Dropshipping is a business model that allows entrepreneurs to start an online business and sell products to their customers without ever actually stocking the items themselves.
But dropshipping isn’t a new business model.
Huge companies like Amazon, Sears, and Zappos have all used this business model for a while in their early years.
And it isn’t just the big companies who use dropshipping to start an online business – an estimated 33% of the entire eCommerce industry uses dropshipping as their primary inventory management model.
Dropshipping is a model which has some very clear advantages, like not carrying an inventory, which allows entrepreneurs to concentrate more on important things like bringing in new customers and scaling their businesses.
Want to know exactly why dropshipping is adopted by such a large portion of businesses across the globe? In this article, we’ll do a deep dive into what dropshipping is, why AliExpress dropshipping is so popular, and why you should care about this business model if you’re interested in starting your own eCommerce store.
Ready? Let’s dive in.
At this point you might be asking yourself, how does dropshipping work?
Maybe you’ve heard the term before, or maybe it’s your first time hearing the concept – don’t worry, it’s simple to understand regardless.
Essentially, dropshipping is a business model that allows entrepreneurs to start an eCommerce store without every stocking inventory – dropshipping entrepreneurs will have suppliers who store their products in their warehouses until they make a sale.
Whenever dropshipping entrepreneurs make a sale they’ll need to contact their supplier, who will then ship their products directly to their customer’s doorstep.
Benefits of Dropshipping
Dropshipping is a business model which offers entrepreneurs a bunch of advantages, especially when they’re looking to start an online business.
- You control your margins – you aren’t bound to a suggested retail price (MSRP) and you can decide your retail prices on your own.
- You don’t need to be an established business entity before getting started with your store (although you will need one as you grow.)
- You have access to a catalog of millions of products that you can add to your store through Oberlo using AliExpress dropshipping.
What Is Dropshipping?: How to Start a Dropshipping Business
1.How to Start a Dropship Business: Can You Dropship Products Easily?
Yes, you can easily dropship thanks to tools like Oberlo. Oberlo is an essential tool if you’re looking to start an ecommerce store using the dropshipping business model.
2. Will My Customers Know If I’m Dropshipping
We can’t make any guarantees about this. If you’re using AliExpress dropshipping to run your business, we recommend reaching out to suppliers to let them know that you don’t want any promotional materials included in your packages. The best way to avoid any suspicions from your customers is to build a professional online store and provide a high-quality service for your customers.
3. Why Should Someone Buy From My Store Instead of the Supplier?
Because you’re better.
Call it better marketing execution, which reached the prospective customer first.
Call it branding, which drives people to buy from you.
Call it creating a store that people trust.
Call it the value you offer by providing extra services or content.
Call it technology that allows your customers to shop more easily.
Don’t get preoccupied asking questions like “why wouldn’t customers just buy from my supplier instead?” Think about it – when was the last time you purchased products directly from a supplier rather than a brand?
4. Shipping Takes Too Long With AliExpress Dropshipping, Will My Customers Wait?
Your task is to define your shipping policy and then display it on your store’s website to set clear customer expectations.
With the commonly favored ePacket delivery option, it typically takes only 7-14 days for a package to reach the US from China.
In addition, some suppliers keep their most popular products in US warehouses, which will mean your delivery will be even quicker.
5. What About Quality Risk and Copyright Infringements?
You’ve probably heard stories about the ridiculously bad quality of Chinese products. Sadly, some of these claims are true. As usual, though, there are two sides to every story.
In reality, you can easily run into a bad supplier no matter what their geographical location is.
In the end, you need to be cautious when it comes to choosing your dropshipping suppliers.
6. Do Dropshipping Suppliers Speak English?
When it comes to AliExpress dropshipping, lots of the suppliers who you’ll be interacting with will be Chinese, which means that their English isn’t always perfect. However, you can always contact the suppliers in advance to get a sense of their level of proficiency before doing business with them.
Larger suppliers are typically quite responsive as they’ll have sales teams managing your orders and can answer your questions via live chat or email.
7. Is AliExpress Dropshipping Favored by PayPal?
PayPal is one of the most well-known and widely used payment gateways, so it makes sense that many ecommerce entrepreneurs want to use it for their businesses.
From a customer’s perspective, PayPal is a great system as it tends to favor customers over merchants. If a customer has a payment dispute or wants a refund, for instance, it’s likely that PayPal will take the customer’s word and respond accordingly. All of this is meant to protect the many millions of people who use PayPal to make purchases every day.
In order to create a more stable and secure experience for customers, PayPal has set some precautions in place that can make using it as a payment gateway a bit of a hassle. For example, PayPal puts limitations on the money in your account in advance. These limitations are based on your business history, track record, ability to provide proof of delivery on time (via tracking numbers), your business’s physical location, and many other factors. Holds on your funds can sometimes last for months, which can end up being a problem when you’re trying to grow your business.
As dropshipping becomes increasingly more popular, PayPal is also adapting some of its policies to make it a friendlier environment for eCommerce entrepreneurs who dropship, and there certainly are merchants who have success with this option. That said, we still suggest exploring other payment gateways. Some of our top picks in this regard include Stripe, 2Checkout, and Shopify Payments. Shopify Payments in particular is a great choice if your store is hosted on Shopify because you can accept payments directly with this inbuilt system, which eliminates the complication of utilizing a third-party payment gateway. Note, however, that Shopify Payments isn’t available in every country.
8. How Can an Established Business Benefit From Dropshipping?
When it comes to dropshipping, learning by doing usually works best.
Dropshipping is the ideal model for first time entrepreneurs. It’s totally understandable that an established business wouldn’t change its order fulfillment model and adapt to dropshipping, but it’s still worth considering in these scenarios as well.
Why?
Simply, dropshipping is a great model that you can use to quickly test new product ideas regardless of the size of your business.
In addition, you can add a new product category within a few days and if it proves to be successful, you can stock the products in your warehouse as you usually do. This way, you reduce the risk of stocking the inventory before knowing what sells. It increases your business flexibility.
9. How Does AliExpress Work?
AliExpress is an ecommerce website which offers a huge catalogue of products. Consumers can use AliExpress to find products to purchase online for their personal use. Entrepreneurs can use AliExpress to find and source products for their ecommerce businesses. You can use oberlo to import products directly into your Shopify store with just a few clicks. Whenever you make a sale using AliExpress dropshipping, you can then purchase your products from the AliExpress supplier, who will then ship them to your customer.
Would like to get a prebuilt dropshipping store today? contact us and we get it for you.
Call/Whatsapp +256-705490849 | Email: info@palnode.com
Email Marketing in Uganda explained
In this article, we shall take a look at the world of email marketing in Uganda. Is it worth it? What are the benefits of email marketing? Keep reading to find out more.
What is Email Marketing in Uganda?
Email marketing is one of the most effective forms of digital marketing. It involves sending out emails to potential visitors with the intention of turning them into paying customers. It is a great way to keep in touch with one-time customers by routinely reminding them to check out your business.
Email Marketing in Uganda is used by Jumia Uganda. You might have seen periodic emails from Jumia informing you about sales and promotions. This prompts you to check out the products on Jumia and potentially buy something.
Additionally, Jumia Food also sends you promotions on your email. People eat every day, so there is a high chance of people ordering food based on the discounted prices.
Other shopping apps also use emails to send you receipts of your purchase.
Email Marketing in Uganda is also commonly used by banks. It is essential to get emails regarding your bank balances, whether weekly or monthly.
You might overlook the power of email marketing in Uganda, but the power of suggestion is always in action, whether you see it or not.
Why Choose Email Marketing in Uganda
What are the benefits of using email marketing? Let’s find out.
1. Email marketing improves sales
Placing a strategically worded Call to Action (CTA) in your email title can boost your sales. Most people won’t open an email if they read the title, and it doesn’t sound important or interesting. However, if you excite people with your emails, for example, by offering discounts and treasure hunts, you have the potential of improving sales.
Imagine a scenario where you attract a customer via email. They end up loving the way you do things. From there, they begin to order more products from your business. In fact, they don’t stop there – they inform their friends and family, and this grows your user-base rapidly.
2. Email marketing lets you communicate with your customers
While social media may be an excellent platform for informing customers of new changes in your business, some people may miss your post. When it comes to email, there is no way a user will ignore your message. Emails are very reliable in that they always reach the user.
One of the best ways to build your brand is to send out frequent emails. It is imperative to change your narrative from a voiceless brand to one that your audience can relate to. Your audience will feel closer to your brand with frequent communication.
3. Email marketing generates traffic to your website
Email marketing can bring users to your website. When they read your email and see something they like, they will click through to your website. From here, they may find other products that they are interested in.
Having a website is one of the most significant aspects of internet marketing. It offers valuable information to users. People like to search for your website so they can find out everything you offer. Your website should also have contact details so that your audience may reach you in case they need to communicate with you.
4. You can deliver more value to your audience
Emails are a great way to send your audience important information they might have missed from your website. Some businesses like to send links to their blog posts via email so that users can click through to get a better reading experience.
When people like a brand, they will be interested in reading blog posts from it. In some cases, it can be hard to monitor a blog for the latest posts. In such a scenario, it will be highly effective to send out emails to notify your audience about new blog posts.
5. Email marketing allows you to get feedback
Email marketing gives you personal access to your users. Being able to talk to your audience opens up a door to many possibilities. You can inform people about new products. You can contact them concerning promotions. Or, you can ask for feedback.
Request your audience to give you feedback by providing simple questionnaires, for example, Google Forms. You can explain to them how important the feedback is to you in terms of helping you improve your business. Many people will be happy to provide feedback.
Advantages of Email Marketing in Uganda
Now that you know how email marketing can benefit you, let’s check out the advantages of email marketing.
Email Marketing is inexpensive
Email marketing in Uganda can be entirely free for small businesses. When you manage to obtain email addresses from interested users, all you have to do is craft valuable content and send it out. However, if you are a larger organization that collects thousands of emails from users, you will have to pay for an email automation service which is relatively inexpensive.
Emails will always reach the intended user
Emails always end up in a user’s inbox. Unlike digital marketing strategies like social media that depend on whether or not a user is online, emails will always be delivered.
Email marketing offers stability to brands
Trends have shown us that social media apps have fallen in the past. Some stop being relevant, while others run out of funding. However, emails have proven over time that they are here to stay. The most popular emailing apps have been around for decades.
5 Ways to Grow Your Email List in Uganda
What is an email list?
An email list is a collection of emails from users who opt in to receive emails from a website.
Email marketing is all in the email addresses. You need to collect as many email addresses from potential customers as you can. This is the most challenging part of email marketing. Business owners fail to entice customers to give up their emails. But with these 5 tips, you will begin to see growth in your email list.
1. Craft good content
Even if you come up with all sorts of tactics to pull customers, they will inevitably leave if your content is subpar. Focus on making sure that you create high-quality content. Sending out low-quality emails might even cause your subscribers to opt out of receiving your emails.
Examples of good content ideas include:
- Blog posts
- Freebies
- Promotions
- Announcing new products
2. Make interesting Call To Action (CTA) buttons for your email list
Telling people to “Sign Up” for your emailing list is pretty boring. Find more interesting phrases that will entice people to sign up. Some phrases will incentivize an uninterested user to sign up just to see what you are offering. Remember to use power words like “Free” or “Exclusive” or “Now” and exclamation points.
Here are some excellent phrases to consider when inviting people to your email list:
- Get Instant Access!
- Sign Me Up!
- Count Me In!
- YES, I want free goodies!
- Get it Now
3. Offer free content
Nothing excites people more than free content. Be ready to create guides, worksheets, or e-books that you can offer for free to your audience. In exchange for the freebie, you will obtain their email address. Now, you can send them emails whenever you have new products that they would be interested in. Offering free content is the best way to grow your mailing list in Uganda.
4. Ask subscribers to share your emails
At the end of every email, write a short paragraph asking your current subscribers to share or forward the email with their friends, family, and coworkers. Be sure to add a small “Subscribe” button at the end of every email. This way, people who were forwarded the email can easily sign up to your email list if they like your content.
5. Optimize your email for mobile viewing
An email that can’t be read on mobile will cause people to not read your email, or worse, unsubscribe. Everyone has their email app set up on their phone. Chances are, they will check their email on the phone. However, if your email is too huge to fit on the user’s mobile screen, they will close it without reading. It’s better to craft emails that have smaller images that won’t overlap a mobile screen. Additionally, you can consider asking users to download a PDF attachment if you have many elements within the email.
Does Email Marketing Work in Uganda?
Is email marketing dead in Uganda? Many people have voiced concerns over whether or not it is essential to have an email list. While it may seem useless, having an email list is definitely worth it. It can bring you paying customers when other sources of traffic are failing. Additionally, platforms like social media are not stable – they may shut down or change their policies without notice. Email platforms are reliable and long-lasting.
How to Use Email Marketing in Uganda
Email marketing in Uganda involves subscribing to an email automation platform, creating and maintaining an email list, crafting emails, and emailing this content to your audience. If this seems like a lot of work, you can always opt for a digital marketing partner to take on the work for you.
10 Reasons Your Business Needs A Logo
When starting a business, having a logo may not be on the top of your list of agendas. But think of any brand that comes to mind, for example, Nike or Apple. What pops up first? Their logo. Logos are an undeniably important aspect of brand creation, and in this article, you’ll learn why you need one for your business.
Why your business needs a logo
Today, you will learn the seven reasons your small business needs a logo designed before launching it.
Let’s get started.
1.The first impression is everything for your business.
You want your potential customers wowed the first time they see your business. With an eye-catching logo designed for you, you can create a lasting first impression.
Then you can strengthen the impression in the future with a quality product or service delivery to the customers.
2. It’s a form of professionalism.
In this modern age, potential customers have raised the bar of expectations. Most of them are informed. So, having a professionally designed logo is a massive plus to your business.
Nobody wants to associate with a business that looks unprofessional from the first interaction. Everyone imagines that a legit company must have a professional logo to make them feel proud to associate with it.
3. Logos raise business expectations.
When you buy and wear Nike shoes, you expect a high quality and durable product. The brand has kept these expectations for every new product they launch.
Your small business logo sets the expectations you intend to deliver to your customers from the moment you launch. Having a logo that has your message clearly defined on what customers should expect from you is critical. The moment they start interacting with your brand, they know what to expect.
4. Get easily recognized
Human beings heavily rely on their sense of sight. A logo for your small business printed on clothes that your staff or other people wear can give your brand free recognition.
It’s common for big brands to have their company logos on printed material like fashion wear, banners, and even billboards. It’s a powerful form of advertising.
5. Create an emotional connection with customers
All the famous consumer brands like Apple, Nike have created emotional connections with their customers that still keep their products relevant. Their logos alone connect in a positive way to their customers.
Your business has only one chance to impress. If your logo is designed poorly, it will scare away potential customers since they cannot connect or relate to it.
6. Nurture brand loyalty
After your brand is recognized in the market, you need to foster loyal customers who will be your brand ambassadors through giveaways of products with your business logo.
These can be water bottles, pens, t-shirts, or even sponsoring a local event. Global brands like Visa does this by supporting football games. Nike does it by sponsoring individual athletes.
Also, it cultivates trust and credibility for your brand by showing interest in your community’s growth and progress.
7. Create consistency.
Brands evolve all the time, but their message doesn’t. It’s consistency. If you want your business to remain in your customers’ minds, your message must be consistent, and it can quickly be done with an eye-catching logo.
Besides, a well-designed logo gives your business identity regardless of its size and eliminates any identity confusion with competitors.
What makes a good logo?
Now, it’s easy to get a logo designed for your business at an affordable price from a company with expert illustrators. But, how do you know your logo has been made by a professional?
There are four characteristics your logo must have. These are;
Simplicity
A simple logo is easily spotted, and its message is quickly delivered. Your logo should communicate what your business does at a glance.
Memorability
Humans have a short memory. The logo designed for your business has to be memorable for your potential customers. They should connect with it, to remember it. The logo should leave a lasting impression.
Relevance
A logo with an exact meaning will be relevant. When requesting a logo design, provide the core principles that will govern your business for logo designers to bring out its relevance in the design.
Versatility
In this digital age, your business needs to have a digital presence. So, your logo has to be adaptable to different platforms because of sizing and re-sizing. This change in shape can blur your business’s identity through a logo when using online platforms if not well adjusted. You’ll want to ensure your logo looks good on a variety of media and digital platforms.
Other Considerations
When recommending a particular layout for your logo design, it helps to ask yourself a few questions because a poorly designed logo will turn off your prospective customers the moment they see it. These questions include;
Which primary color to use when designing?
The color you choose must be consistent with the branding you want to build for your business. A logo can have as many colors as Slack or Google but using one or two colors makes it simple and straightforward.
What shape should the logo take?
It can be circular, oval, rectangular, or star-shaped. The shape is essential when scaling up and down of your logo to fit other platforms. If you want your logo to have words written on it, the form you choose might be different from one without.
Should the logo have words written on it?
A logo can be written words only. But if you are thinking of a drawing or picture, should there be words written on the logo? You should consider these questions before submitting your instructions to a logo designer.
Over to you
For the above reasons, it’s clear that having a logo for your small business is essential. More so, it provides you with cheap branding because you only need to put it on a banner or printed material, and your core message is delivered to potential customers the moment they see it. If you need a compelling logo for your business, consider hiring a logo design agency to bring your ideas to life.
Top 30 Startups and Online Business Ideas to Try in Africa 2022
Starting a business has a variety of implications.
You own your time, get to do what you love for a living, and increase your earning capacity. Increasing your earning capacity is only a single benefit of starting a business, the growth of the company will also allow you to recruit other members, inadvertently providing income and sustenance to several other households.
Starting a business has positive implications for the community and society. The formation of startups and online businesses provides an alternative to job creation, decreasing the unemployment rate and increasing the quality of life within a society.
The current business ecosystem in today’s modern world is filled with willing and eager Angel investors and Venture capital firms determined to assist entrepreneurs in establishing a startup or online business.
Creating a startup or online business has never been this easy! The environment gradually entering a post-pandemic climate is a conducive one, ripe with endless possibilities.
If you are eager to start an online business or startup, we’ve got you covered! We’ll be exploring 30 Startup and Online Business ideas that you should try.
The businesses that we will focus on are not capital intensive, so they should be within reach and could be why you quit your job and retire early. Without further ado, here are 30 startup and online business ideas to try in 2022.
1. Cleaning Service
Starting a cleaning business is relatively straightforward and does not require much investment to get started. All you will need are cleaning apparatuses and a good work ethic.
The financial rewards of a cleaning business are incredible. The larger your business grows, the more personnel you would require, and it would also allow you to branch off into different avenues of cleaning services. Below are some cleaning businesses you can easily get into:
House Cleaning Services – The target market of this niche would be busy and single professionals. The starting equipment required would be simply necessary detergents and other equipment that should not be difficult to obtain; your main effort should go to expanding knowledge of your business through word of mouth, fliers, and other forms of marketing strategy to get your name out there.
Vehicle Cleaning – Another cost-efficient business with significant demand. Like home cleaning services, you can utilize direct marketing to advertise your services, and you can take things further by advertising to companies, which might land you your first big contract.
Carpet Cleaning – If you have access to carpet cleaning material, this might be something to consider. Some companies rent the equipment; outsourcing the equipment during the early days could provide you with an opportunity to save and buy your equipment, which will, in turn, increase your future profits by reducing your operating expenses.
2. Daycare
Do you have an affinity for children? Why not provide a service that gives overburdened parents a little relief.
Starting a daycare business can be fulfilling. The bonus aspect of this business is it requires very little investment to get it up and operational; you can even do it from the comfort of your own home.
Depending on your location, you might need a child care license, make that initial investment, and you could be nurturing tomorrow’s leaders while getting paid to do it.
3. Social Media Management Service
The rise and dominating influence of the digital age has created several opportunities that had previously not existed.
The arrival of social media platforms developed an entirely new industry that companies have identified as a necessity. Companies of all ranges and sizes are eager to strengthen their online presence. Providing social media management services by handling in-need companies and busy entrepreneurs’ social media accounts could help you build a future empire.
4. Virtual Assistant Service
Many small businesses, startups, and solopreneurs require a lot of assistance to keep their businesses going. Providing assistance such as composing and sending emails, responding to customer queries, client liaison services, among others, could be an avenue to explore.
Often these businesses are in dire need of an additional set of hands and are willing to pay appropriately. On top of the benefits of providing such assistance, you get to do all of this without being present; most of the required duties can often be done remotely. Platforms such as Upwork provide platforms for you to offer your virtual assistance.
5. Start a Podcast
Podcasts have become increasingly popular. Their rise to prominence has led to many people deciding to start a podcast as a business.
The primary demographic of podcast consumers is the younger generation, but it’s hard not to find your area of interest with the variety of podcasts available. When considering starting a podcast, stick to a micro-niche to make your podcast stand out. Sticking to your specifications might seem to constrict your business, but this will allow your podcast to grow organically and build a loyal group of enthusiasts.
6. Home Tutoring Services
Offering home tutoring services is a unique business idea and worth trying. There will always be a significant demand for tutors as long as children are still in school. Capitalizing on the comfort of virtual services created by the pandemic could put a little money in your pocket. You could teach anything from Math, English, Etc.
Additionally, you could start this business and offer your services without being physically present, which would minimize your running costs. Platforms like Turtorme allow interested tutors to find clients on the forum.
7. Video Editor
YouTube recently achieved the status of being the second largest search engine. This statistic indicates the rise of visual consumption preferred by consumers. Offering video editing services could see you harness an in-demand market that is certain to require your services.
8. Web Design Agency
If you like to design stuff and would be able to commit time to learn WordPress, you might want to consider starting a website design business. Unlike the old days where you needed intricate coding knowledge to build a website, the introduction of no-code solutions such as WordPress and Wix has changed all of this.
In addition to website development, you could offer automation testing services, which is a process that verifies if the software is functioning appropriately and meeting the requirements before it is released into production.
9. Writing Resumes and Cover Letters
The increasing competitiveness of the job market has created a demand for tailor-made resumes and cover letters. If you have a knack for personal branding writing cover letters, this might be the opportunity for you.
Use job searching platforms like LinkedIn to find clients. You can also provide pro-bono work to your network circle to allow them to refer you to their network contacts.
10. Sell Online courses
If you possess a particular skill that you can also teach, then selling the skillset online could gain you that extra income. Whether that skill is gardening, copywriting, or even video editing, you could begin to sell your knowledge in your area of expertise online.
What’s more, you don’t need extra filming equipment to get started; a smartphone should suffice until you decide to invest in increasing the quality.
11. Blogging
If you naturally like to write and enjoy writing platforms, then blogging could be a way to subsidize your income. Choose matters of your interest, whether tips for new moms, teaching financial literacy, etc. To grow your blog would require you to produce regular content, but when writing about your subject of interest, the task shouldn’t be difficult.
12. Errand-Running
This idea is beneficial for teens and young graduates. It has a minimal entry threshold and does not require much to start.
Grocery shopping, picking children from school, collecting clothes from the cleaners, to mention a few, could earn you a good income. Advertise your services online; you would be surprised at the demand for this service.
13. Laundry
Laundry services is a tried and tested method that is still an in-demand service. It is perfect for new entrepreneurs looking to venture into their first entrepreneurial endeavor. It also possesses the potential to become a lucrative business when run correctly.
14. Ice-Cream
Who doesn’t love ice cream? Your Geographic location and the current season of the year might affect your sales, apart from that, this idea should prove to be popular among consumers of all ages. Invest in an ice-cream vending machine and space to serve as an outlet, and you should be good to go.
15. Teaching English Online
The demand for online English tutors has been steadily increasing in recent years. If you speak English natively and have a good internet connection, then you could start a business from the comfort of your couch.
If you love travelling and exploring, teaching English Online could open a host of avenues for you to explore some of the best and most remote places on earth.
Platforms like Oakery allow you to connect with clients from all over the world.
16. Offer Translation Services
If you are bilingual or proficient in two or more languages, this type of service could make good use of a skill you may take for granted. Consider receiving certification to access more reputable clients.
Duties and responsibilities may range from translating material to localizing content to suit the target audience’s culture.
17. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is relatively straightforward. You find a physical or digital product online and help drive traffic to the site; when a sale is made as a result of your referral, you receive a commission on the item sold.
18. Become an Audiobook Narrator
Although becoming an Audiobook Narrator may sound simple, it is a bit more nuanced. You might be required to express the narrated story with accompanying emotions, so acting skills may often be necessary.
If you possess the necessary acting chops, then becoming an audiobook narrator could be a perfect fit for you, not to mention they often pay well for material converted.
19. Handmade Crafts
If you have always been crafty with your hands, capable of sewing a good sweater, mittens, shawls, or other similar material, then selling your Items might be something to consider. You could sell your items in places like Etsy. Many women who produce identical products have found great success on this platform.
20. Offer Technical Writing Services
The US Bureau of labor statistics released statistics illustrating the increased demand for technical writing, growing faster than 7% faster than the expected average.
The purpose of technical writing is to simplify industry-specific material and ideas easier to understand; this may require compiling user guides, technical products, and services or even handbooks, among others.
Consider receiving certifications and building a reputable portfolio to increase your earning potential.
21. Launch a YouTube Channel
The rise of content creators has made video content creation a lucrative business idea. YouTube receives over 30 million daily active users. You will have carte blanche as to what video content you wish to submit, anything from video tutorials, book or movie reviews, cooking lessons. The choice will be yours, be sure to stick to a subject matter you know particularly well.
Surpassing the YouTube metric of 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours will allow you to apply for the YouTube Partner Program, enabling you to monetize the channel.
22. Food Delivery Service
Opening a restaurant is expensive; a cheaper alternative is a Food Delivery Service.
How does it work?
You prepare a tasty meal, take orders online, and send it to your hungry and willing customers. This type of venture allows you to start small and gradually work your way up.
Confirm with your local municipality if you need a license, as some areas require this.
23. Aerial Photography
If you think you can fly a drone, or at least learn how to fly one, Then the aerial photography industry is worth deliberation. The demand for aerial photography in recent times has gone through the roof. The drones required for this service are pretty affordable; making a single investment with a view on the returns is a business idea in waiting. The demand for aerial photography ranges from music videos to real estate shoots, among other industries.
24. Sell Stock Images
Businesses often incorporate stock images into marketing campaigns to evoke the desired emotional effect. Stock images, which are licensed images for various uses, have seen a natural increase in demand in recent years. Investing in a good camera as starting equipment and specializing in a specific market niche will aid you in standing out.
25. Pet Grooming
Do you generally love animals? Then offering pet grooming services could help you achieve your passion while earning. Consider giving your clients house calls to provide them with further convenience to branch out further.
26. Write Guest Posts
If you love writing, but don’t want to go through the hassle of starting your own blog, then this is for you. You will earn by submitting articles to blogs. Often some platforms look for ghostwriters, with the content shared under someone else’s name. For instance, Sadja WebSolutions offers guest writing opportunities. Visit Sadja WebSolutions guest blog submission to learn more about this offering.
27. Amazon Kindle Publishing
This one is for lovers of literature and writing. Getting your book published and released on a public platform has never been this easy.
All you have to do is once you have written your book, upload it to Amazon Kindle publishing. They will have a look at it, and if it gets approved, it will be shared by the platform. Each time a copy is purchased, the platform will take its commission and send the rest to you.
28. Launch a Data Entry Service
Many corporate organizations are often looking to outsource data entry work that might include documenting sales reports and minutes from meetings, to mention a few.
If you have quick keyboard fingers, this opportunity might take you to the next level. Delivering excellent and timely work will only earn you a good reputation and referrals.
29. Work as an SEO Consultant
SEO has become a critical component of the online success of businesses.
SEO consultants advise businesses on how to optimize their websites to rank higher in search engines.
Consider focusing on a specific market segment or niche to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
30. Flip and Sell Thrift Goods
The business of buying and flipping thrift goods is a business idea that could suit just about anyone. All you would require for this is to look around for second-hand goods that possess resale value; this might require investing in some instances.
Conduct market research and obtain the market value of the items. You might need to invest in recycling some products to increase value. You resell the item at an increased price.
This type of business is scalable. Visit Flea Market Flipper for more inspiration with regards to this.
Conclusion
Deciding on a business idea and further achieving success can be a long journey.
Try the above 30 online and startup business ideas if you are stuck for ideas. If you already have a business going then We can guide you to achieve all your digital marketing needs if you need further assistance.
Grow your Business: Guide to digital marketing
What is a Website Marketing Strategy?
A website marketing strategy is a detailed plan to establish awareness on the internet through online channels, social media, organic search, paid ads, and any business’ website.
A solid marketing strategy for websites is vital in this competitive internet landscape. According to Statista, there are over 1.88 billion websites as of 2021.
Audit Your Existing Website Marketing Strategy
Before diving into a modern website marketing strategy, we need to audit the existing system. If your business doesn’t have a website already, it’s essential to get one. Get your business website designed today.
When auditing your web marketing strategy, these are some areas to check if the systems are still relevant.
a) Website Landing Pages
Most website landing pages are too general. The design and copy must be clear, concise, and persuasive to optimize your website landing pages. Double-check on these four landing page categories;
● Form
● Trust
● Visual hierarchy
● Offer
b) SEO Audit
Search engine optimization is not about publishing content on your website. It also involves technical aspects that you should include in your SEO audit checklist like;
● Loading page speed with the PageSpeed Insights tool
● Analyzing and fixing broken backlinks
● Optimize for UX Signals
● Check mobile-friendly responsiveness
c) Content Marketing Strategy
Before executing your content marketing plans, you create a strategy. However, the content marketing strategy evolves as your business does. For your content plan to keep pace, you need to audit it continuously.
Here are some aspects to audit and keep updated in your content marketing strategy.
• Audience personas
• Your brand positioning story
• Content marketing mission and goals
• Content marketing campaigns and projects
d) Paid Ads
Paid ads drive website traffic faster than organic traffic. However, ad spending continues to rise. This includes Google ads, Facebook ads, and other sponsored posts for your business website.
Audit if the juice is worth the squeeze for your ad costs using tools like Google Analytics to get reports on the traffic conversions.
Steps To Create a Website Marketing Strategy
Follow the steps below to create an effective website marketing strategy that will give you excellent results.
Build Your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
The ideal customer profile defines the behavioral attributes of an individual who is set to be the desired customer for the business. A website marketing strategy analyzes quantitative and qualitative metrics to develop the ideal customers.
Designing your buyer personas is a critical part of any business’ go-to-market strategy (GTM). A well-researched and developed ICP framework aligns marketing and sales, creating repeatable and scalable processes that engage and convert customers.
Identify Your Website Marketing Goals
A new marketing goal for a business may be to create short videos to share on TikTok and Instagram Reels. As a call-to-action, the shared content has a link to drive viewers to the company website to either purchase or get a free resource. This creates brand awareness for the business and conversions.
Here are other marketing goals to consider for your website;
Establishing industry authority
Being recognized as a niche authority in your field builds credibility. Sharing thought leadership content on channels your customers use boosts your brand among your peers and ideal customers.
Increasing customers’ value
Only delighted customers become repeat buyers. Any business that wants to delight its buyer’s needs provides immense value beyond what they sell. Make sense of your data on how your customers interact with your content. Analyze and interpret the data to create tailored content that meets their needs.
Boosting brand engagement
Encourage customers to engage with your content. This boost your brand’s awareness overall. Here are some steps to do it;
● Encourage action by initiating conversations.
● Personalize communication whenever possible
● Host giveaways and contests
● Be consistent in sharing valuable content
Increase revenue
A website marketing strategy that generates content across the sales funnel will increase the company’s revenue. Each content piece needs to solve a section of the funnel. Here is an illustration:
● Top of the funnel – Create and distribute content that drives visitors to your site to learn more about your business or get free resources.
● Middle of the funnel – From the content shared, identity the signals that make your website visitors into most-qualified leads (MQLs) and nurture them to convert.
● Bottom of the funnel – Share customer testimonials, and create tutorials for your products to help customers get value from using them.
Evaluate the Existing Digital Channels and Assets
Both owned and paid media are important for the success of your website marketing strategy. What existing content assets and digital channels have you invested in? Can you repurpose some of the evergreen content?
However, suppose earned, and owned media are successful. In that case, you may not need to invest in paid media to generate qualified leads for your business.
Plan for Digital and Owned Media Campaigns
Owned media is content your business has developed and shared across customers’ channels over time. For your business to scale, you need to audit the existing content first.
Then, discover existing content gaps and determine ways to fill the voids. For example, a consumer business selling shoes may find an existing gap in TikTok content. It could also consider editing its YouTube fashion tutorials into short videos to share on TikTok.
Finally, it would be best to build a content creation plan based on these findings. A solid content creation plan has the following;
• Format
• A title
• Promotion channels
• The priority level of the content
• Why you are creating the content
Six Website Marketing Strategies
Below are six marketing strategies that can boost your website’s overall performance if you implement them the right way.
1. Publish SEO Content
Search engine optimization content refers to content that helps web pages rank higher in search engines like Google and Bing. SEO content is often optimized around specific keywords.
SEO enables your site to appear among the top results on the search engine whenever users type in a string of keywords. Google alone handles over two trillion searches a year.
To produce high-quality SEO content, follow this strategy below.
• Choose a topic by quickly searching content ideas on channels your customers mostly use. You can check competitor blogs, infographics, and social media channels for ideas.
• Carry out keyword research to get the best keywords to write content. You can use Google Suggest (keyword ideas that pop up when your type on Google) or use tools like Ubersuggest to get relevant keywords that your ideal customers are searching for.
• Write detailed content that covers everything on the topic. Consider long-form content [1,447 words & more]. Go in-depth with tips and insights that make the content stand out from the competition.
• Optimize the content for User Experience with strategies like On-page SEO. Write short sentences that include an average of eight words.
• Make your content SEO-friendly by optimizing the keywords. However, when optimizing, the content avoids keyword stuffing as it will hurt your Google rankings.
• Share your SEO content on social media channels like Twitter, LinkedIn, and even Instagram with catchy displays to drive traffic to your website.
• Lastly, consider link building for higher and fast rankings on the search.
2. Repurpose Content with Social Media
What is content repurposing?
The practice of re-using existing content materials to expand a business’ content reach. You can repurpose your SEO content to social media channels in different formats.
Repurposing content helps you get the best out of your content. This improves your business return on investment (ROI) in the long run. Some ways to repurpose your content are;
● Turn blog posts into video scripts and make YouTube videos
● Chop down long-form SEO content into Twitter threads
● Cut down blog post subtopics into LinkedIn posts
● Record podcasts from published thought leadership pieces
● Compile all short blog posts into an eBook
● Turn researched data for SEO content into infographics
● Design downloadable checklist from written content
● Create slide presentations from a published blog post.
Any content for your website marketing strategy can be repurposed into any format.
Best practices for repurposing content
• Adapt your content for all formats. During your research and drafting process, you can use case studies, audio, video, whitepapers, infographics, or other content formats.
• Split the content into smaller sharable pieces. You can cut them into Shorts and Reels for TikTok and YouTube videos. For long-form blog posts, summarize them into Twitter threads or LinkedIn posts.
• Repurpose content for guest posting across websites that your customers engage with.
• Update and republish existing content. Great content can be seen more than once.
3. Launch an Affiliate Program
An affiliate program is a business model where the affiliates are compensated with a commission for generating leads or sales. The affiliate programs work in these ways;
● People sharing product reviews on social media
● Promoting products or services using affiliate links on blog posts
● Promoting products and services on online platforms like podcasts, and YouTube channels
Typically, the affiliate gets a unique tracking code to identify who referred the sale so that commissions are paid appropriately.
How to launch an affiliate program
a) Choose the right affiliate platform.
b) Ensure the affiliate commission makes sense for your business and is comparable with the competition
c) Calculate your customers’ live time value ( LTV)
d) Write a clear affiliate description for the affiliates to understand what is in for them.
e) Offer copy creatives that align with your business and brand voice.
Some of the top affiliates to join your program fit in these categories;
• Publish content in your industry
• Using paid media to drive affiliate sales
• Write product and services reviews
• Some are influencers in the industry
• Some make strategic partners for your business
4. Run Paid Campaigns to Drive Traffic
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) is a digital marketing model in which advertisers pay each time the ad is clicked. The top PPC platforms are;
• Google Ads
• Facebook Ads
Adding either or both platforms to your website marketing strategy will grow your business faster, requiring you to invest in some ad spending.
Google Ads have been simplified into three options for marketers;
• Cost-per-engagement (CPE). You pay the amount/price when a user performs a specific action on your ad (signs up for a list, watches a video, etc.)
• Cost-per-click (CPC).The amount/cost you pay when a user clicks on your ad.
• Cost-per-mille (CPM). The amount you pay per 1000 ad impressions.
Using Google ads, you can run several types of campaigns, namely;
• Shopping campaigns
• Video campaigns
• Search campaigns
• App campaigns
• Display campaigns
Running Facebook Ads with an option to advertise on Instagram from the same platform is cheaper than Google Ads. Facebook ad costs, on average, $0.97 per click and $7.19 per 1000 impressions.
Other benefits small business websites get when running Facebook ads include;
• Get in front of billions of users ( 2.91billion active users on Facebook)
• Track real-time performance using the Facebook Analytics platform
• Get a better return on investment ( ROAS), with the average conversion rate across all industries being 9.21%
Before creating a Facebook ad campaign, here are best practices for Facebook ads for small businesses;
● Consider if your promoted ad will be an image, video, canvas, image carousel, or slideshow.
● Ensure any creative dynamic you choose accomplishes a clear value proposition, has a call to action, uses bright colors, and is catchy to the eye.
5. Have an Email Marketing Strategy
Email marketing brings in the highest return on investment (ROI ). You get $36 for every $1 spent on email marketing. The ROI in other
industries go up to $45 for every $1.
Your marketing strategy cannot overlook email marketing. 62% of consumers ranked email as their top preferred communication channel with small businesses.
When to use email marketing
● For brand awareness, keep your company product and services top of mind for your customers.
● Promote your product for repeat purchases or newly stocked products.
● Build relationships with your loyal customers through constant engagement.
● Nurture new leads on the journey to conversion.
You can build an email list with these simple steps;
a. Create a form for newsletter signups using an email provider. If you already have a website, create a pop-up lead magnet.
b. Create a lead magnet resource to capture emails. Choose a lead magnet that adds value to the user. It can be an eBook, coupon, checklist, free quote, or free trial.
c. You can share your web content on social media to drive your signups with content repurposing.
Examples of email marketing strategies
These are some of the simple email marketing strategies you can add to your website marketing strategy;
Segment your email subscribers
Your email has all types of subscribers that meet your ideal customer profile. They all want to receive messages that speak to them directly. Segmenting your emails in terms of things company size, industry, and sales cycle helps you reduce message redundancy and increase open rates.
Personalize your email messages
Customized email subject lines with a recipient’s first name can increase open rates by 16%. Other email personalization tips like asking for the correct information upfront and adding your genuine email signature at the bottom add a personal touch, and readers feel connected.
Send mobile-friendly emails
As of 2021, email mobile open rates stood at 61.9%, up from 42% in 2014. To optimize emails for mobile devices, keep the CTA (call to action) button more prominent and noticeable, write shorter subject lines and implement responsive email design (RED). This functionality often comes from the email provider you use.
Split test copy, design, and email buttons
The best way to find an email tactic that works for your business is to do the A/B test.
Test the subject line, email copy, design, and call-to-action buttons.
Automate email campaigns scale
Trigger emails are sent whenever a subscriber takes action. The most common email triggers that make email marketing work include; Welcome emails, Thank You emails, and Transaction emails such as order confirmation.
6. Consider Influencer Marketing
Social media growth hugely ushered in influencer marketing. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and even YouTube empower their creators (influencers) to build a partnership with businesses.
The influencers promote the businesses to their audience for an agreed price or strike strategic partnerships where the influencers become brand ambassadors.
According to research, businesses make $5.87 ROI for every $1 spent on influencer marketing. The leading platforms, including Instagram and TikTok, took the second position as of 2020.
The influencer marketing guide gives the three Rs to consider before picking an influencer for your business.
● Relevance
● Reach
● Resonance
Why you need a website for your business
1There is nothing more powerful than a professional website to build your ‘Know, Like and Trust’ factor
If for some reason, your rented platform (social media) stops working, there is no digital home selling for you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
No place where, under one roof, someone can learn about who you are and what you have to offer.
If you’re selling services; services that require a client to make a significant investment, potential clients need to get to (all together now) know, like and trust you.
Of these three things I say ‘trust ’ is the most important.
My clients are all over the world, almost all of them I have never met face to face. Yet they will whip out their credit cards and send me thousands of euros or dollars over the internet.
Why?
Because they can check me out on my website.
They can flip through my portfolio, read through all the client testimonials. Get a feel for who I am on my ‘About’ page.
On my website, a potential client can look at large, clear, pictures of my face. If they want to dig deeper they can read blog post after blog post.
Some of my posts are informative and germane to the topic of getting a website live, others are more personal, like the story of how and why I quit my day job.
Last month a client told me she finally pulled the trigger to book with me after she read that post.
