The Beginner’s Guide to Choosing the Perfect Domain Name

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The Beginner's Guide to Choosing the Perfect Domain NameChoosing a domain name is probably the most difficult thing you have to do when setting up a website. You may think you need to spend days trying to figure out what name to use but there is no reason you can’t come up with a great name in a short time.

This article provides you with tips that can help ease the process and ensure you choose a name that suits your brand perfectly.

So, how can you arrive at that perfect domain name?

Think of something that adequately represents what you do

Your domain name should give visitors an idea of what the website is about even before they visit your landing page.

Your domain name should project what you do as a company – if, for instance, you run a dance crew and you are looking to get traction for your crew online, a domain name like thecreativedancers would be great.

Choose a name that is not complicated

Because less is more, and simplicity is sophisticated, it is best practice to choose a domain name without complications.

What you want is a simple domain name that checks the following boxes:

  • Easy to memorize and pronounce: If people find it difficult to memorize your domain name, they may never return to your website or share that amazing post you have there with their friends. You need a name that people won’t struggle to remember, preferably a short one.
  • No punctuation marks or numbers: Underscores and hyphens are not your friends. It is better to use words instead.
  • No wrong spellings: It may sound great to use realtymegist but 97% of the time people would type in realtimegist instead.

Try a domain name generator

There are applications that can give you different options to choose from. All you have to do is input a search term and you will find many results related to it.

Chances are you will find what you are looking for, but in case you don’t get one immediately, you will still have more domain name options you can tweak until you find one that works for you.

Some top domain name generators are Lean Domain Search and Nameboy.

The dictionary/thesaurus is your friend.

When nothing else seems to work you may need to use a thesaurus or a dictionary.

It is not easy to find the right words or phrase that capture what your brand is about, but don’t give up on that idea or word because it is already taken, a careful search through the thesaurus will provide you with synonyms and related ideas you can use.

Avoid legally contestable names, no matter how awesome

People get sued for infringing on a trademark. To avoid this, ensure that the name you choose isn’t similar to something that is already being used, especially by another brand which operates in the same niche as yours.

You can find this out by searching on Google. Scan each result on pages one and two and if you are in the clear, buy the domain.

Buy your domain from a trusted source

The internet is fraught with all kinds of fraudsters. Domain name registrars are not exempt either. Therefore we recommend that you purchase a domain name from tested and trusted sites, which have a reputation to protect.

Choose a perfect domain name extension

There are many domain name extensions, the oldest and most popular is .com. About 47% of websites use this TLD (top-level domain). You could also opt for more specific TLDs that make it easier for people to find you because it creates awareness in and of itself.

For instance, consider a .shop or .store if you plan on creating an e-commerce site. If it’s a local business intended to focus on local customers, using a TLD for that country is not a bad idea either. Other options include: .it, .blog, .club, .fm, and so on.

With all of these at the back of your mind, that seemingly difficult process of choosing the perfect name for your domain name becomes a walk in the park. For more information on choosing the right domain name for your website visit https://www.openhost.co.nz/domain-names

Web Hosting Options for your Website

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Web Hosting Options|Web Hosting Options for Your WebsiteOwning a website is the best way to stay visible in the digital world and a pre-requisite for businesses which intend to leverage the power of the internet and expand their reach. For individuals, a website can be a way to gain extra income or keep in touch with one’s followers.

There are different types of websites, classified according to functionality and content – each serving a unique purpose. They include blogging websites, community portals, eCommerce websites, brochures, social media sites, crowdfunding sites, and personal websites.

A personal website is a great way to share your knowledge, experience and expertise with the world. From food blogging, travel blogging, and book reviews to sharing pictures of events with friends, a personal website provides you with the means to share what you love online at little cost.

Creating and hosting a website may prove difficult after the need for a website has been identified. With open-source content management tools like WordPress, you can model a good website without much difficulty. Obtaining a domain name using domain name NZ seller Discount Domains and hosting options must be considered before you can share your desired content with the rest of the world.

There are many web hosting options available, each with its costs and payment plans. The right hosting platform depends heavily on the kind of website you want to host. Ensure you keep your eyes wide open while searching for the company that best fits what you are looking for. Their plans not only have different prices and memberships but also their payment methods differ. There are month-to-month hosting plans, bi-annuals, and annuals. With all this information at hand, you will hit the nail when hiring the best hosting service.

If you are looking for a suitable host for your personal website, here are your best web-hosting options

Hostinger

Hostinger’s single web hosting package is ideal for personal websites. At just $2.15, Hostinger offers a complete package for a basic website. Hostinger has other packages which make it suitable for other types of websites too, but the low cost of its single package makes it personal-website-friendly.

It offers 99.9% guaranteed uptime and 24/7 online support which keeps your site online and helps you resolve any issues you may encounter. It is user-friendly, optimised for the best WordPress performance, has an easy SEO-optimised website builder, and gives you every resource to set your own rules.

TMD Hosting

TMD prides itself on being one of the few hosting platforms which provide a Linux-shared, cutting edge technology, and fully managed hosting for its subscribers at a low price. Its least package, the shared hosting, comes at $2.95 per month and has the same features as the premium versions of most web hosting platforms.

Thanks to its cutting-edge tech and many data centres all around the world, websites hosted under them work seamlessly, and at optimum speed. TMD Hosting also provides daily backups, regular updates and 24/7 traffic and content monitoring.

HostGator

With more than 8 million subscriptions, HostGator is one of the leading hosting platforms in the world. For as low as $3.13 dollars per month, you get a free website builder, page transfer at zero cost, free marketing plan, and a 45-day money-back guarantee.

For personal websites, HostGator’s Baby Plan provides scalable tools that grow with the site, unlimited domains, unlimited emails, and 24/7 support. HostGator is the ideal hosting platform for personal websites, as its tools make building and managing the website very easy. You also have a 99.9% uptime guarantee, and more than enough resources in their knowledge base for every problem you may encounter.

SiteGround

SiteGround may not be among the cheapest web-hosting platforms, but it offers you a chance to enjoy premium features in even the most basic of their packages. Its basic package, StartUp, comes at $3.95 per month and its other two packages, GrowBig and GoGeek, cost $5.95 and $11.95 respectively. If you do not expect more than 10,000 visits monthly, then the StartUp plan is best for your personal website.

While it does not have all the great features other platforms offer, its fewer features make it faster and more effective than others. SiteGround provides daily backups even for shared packages – which is not common with all other web-hosting platforms. The platform offers one of the best protection options with its multiple layers of security, which is what helped the site itself survive a 2011 WordPress hack.

DreamHost

Depending on your needs, DreamHost has two hostings – shared hosting, and WordPress. To ensure 100% guaranteed uptime, the platform scales up its bandwidth from time to time – a very uncommon practice. Its shared hosting features unlimited domain names and websites with just one account, for as low as $2.59 per month.

DreamHost, besides hosting your personal website, also offers many tools that will make managing the site easy for you. This includes a page builder at $4.95 a month – Remixer – which aids you in designing your website. The platform is very easy to use, very reliable and provides 24/7 support.

Blue Host

Blue Host is one of the best hosting platforms for websites designed using WordPress. With more than 2 million subscribers, the platform is very popular and safe. For as low as $2.95 you get a basic website package, with a free SSL certificate, 24/7 support, and 30-day money-back guarantee.

Thanks to its alliance with WordPress, Blue Host offers a lot of great features for sites built with WordPress. The site is reportedly slow for basic packages due to the limited resources shared by its 2 million subscribers.

However, its premium package promises improved performance.

iPage

iPage offers a lot of awesome features at an introductory offer of $1.99 and a low renewal amount monthly. It also comes with a free easy-to-use drag-and-drop website builder for better website efficiency.

With iPage, you also get free ad credits for your marketing campaign, free email addresses, unlimited disk space, unlimited MySQL databases, enhanced security suite, scalable bandwidth and you can host unlimited domains – all in one cheap package. You can also track your website’s performance with the analytics tool that comes with the hosting package.

Cloudways

Unlike most web-hosting companies, Cloudways offers a fully managed cloud hosting for all kinds of websites on a pay-as-you-go basis. This means you can select the feature or service you need and pay for that only. The account comes with a CloudwaysBot assistant that keeps users updated on the health of their websites.

Being a cloud hosting platform, Cloudways provides a better alternative to VPS and gives you a full package for your website. It also offers a free trial and a free migration from the previous host. It is easy for clients who are not tech-savvy to operate as it takes away technical complexities so users can focus on growing their website.

InMotion Hosting

InMotion has an optimised WordPress option for personal websites that will be run on WordPress. The option has the CMS already pre-installed in order to get you live as quickly as possible. Its drag and drop builder and pre-installed themes are made available to first-time users to enable the easy building of the website and navigation.

Inmotion’s shared Business plan, just like the WordPress plan, also comes with unlimited disk space, unlimited emails, ultra-fast performance, free data backups and malware protection. The account comes with a free SSL certificate, auto-updates on web apps, a custom firewall, and DDoS protection.

Best Keyword Strategies in 2020 for New Product Launches on Amazon

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article |Keyword Strategies|Best Keyword Strategies in 2020 for New Product Launches on AmazonOverview

Amazon is the world’s ‘all-you-can eat’ buffet of products and any seller or marketer’s throne for kingdom-hood. With millions of transactions every day, an Amazon listing is ‘your voice’ to the world. A powerful product listing copy that converts is crucial to being an A-List Seller. And to put a halt to your depleting sales numbers.

In the world of online business, particularly Ecommerce and a large online platform like Amazon, your product listing page is highly dependent on a calculated and well implemented Amazon Product Keyword Strategy.

Below we will look at 4 of these crucial strategies.

1. Know Your Competition’s Market

Knowledge is power! Being aware of the “market landscape” and knowing who your competitors are and what they are offering, is a powerful weapon!

Knowing your competitors inside out can in turn help you create your products, services and marketing in a way that is stronger and far more powerful than what’s out there currently.

Constantly keeping an eye on your competition will provide you a wealth of knowledge and an ocean of information that gives you an effective ‘vantage point’ to make your products or services more ‘appealing’ and visible to the same audience that you and your competition are competing for.

You’ll be able to tailor your Keyword Strategy according to what your competitors are doing and not doing.

Now, let’s come to the tactics. What should you know about your competitors? Here are a few areas you can analyze and stay abreast with:

  • The back end, front end or merchant keyword strategies your competition is employing for their product launches and campaigns
  • The products or services they provide and how they market them to customers
  • Their brand and design values
  • Whether they innovate – business methods as well as products

2. Research Relevant Keywords

Keyword research is an important part of your Amazon product launch. Investing the time to properly assess the most important keywords in your niche can maximize your revenue potential. It can also position your product to be the highest asked item for valuable search queries.

But it’s a science and an art!

Have you have seen Amazon product listings with the super-long, keyword-stuffed, one-size-fits-all, uber-optimized product title, you may wonder what human would read such a title and be convinced to purchase the product. This is a valid question. Humans don’t naturally like long sentences.

Sellers who know this use these long titles so that their product shows up in more searched. They’ve done keyword research to identify the exact search terms they want to target. By incorporating variations into their title, description, bullet points, FAQs, and even images, they are improving their chances of being seen by potential customers.

Here are 3 ways you can do solid Keyword Research for your next product launch on Amazon:

Google Keyword Planner

Google’s Keyword Planner is a free tool that shows you estimated search volumes for any word or phrase. It can also help you find other related phrases.

Keyword Scout

While Keyword Planner and Site Explorer are great, simplistic methods for finding keywords, Keyword Scout is also effective.

It is an Amazon keyword tool that uses real Amazon PPC data to discover powerful keyword opportunities.

Hiring an Ecommerce Specialist

This 3rd approach in Keyword Research is the most rewarding, hassle-free, cost-effective, time-freeing and results oriented. Hiring a qualified Ecommerce Specialist frees you from the time, hassle and effort of Keyword Research, while giving you an edge over your competitors with a solid, skilled, experienced and expert Ecommerce Specialist that will do all the work for you.

3. Prioritize the top Keywords

Give strong priority to the keywords with the highest most relevance and potent search potential, based on all your research. Make sure these keywords are placed first in the product listing’s Title, as well sprinkled nicely throughout each of the 5 bullet point descriptions.

This will result in your product ranking higher on Amazon and on Google while being algorithm friendly. More powerful and prioritize keywords automatically mean more brand visibility and higher product sales.

4. Adding Keywords in Title

Just as with Google title tags are very important, but instead of 60 characters you get 195 with Amazon. Also, unlike Google, the longer and more detailed the title, the better. With Amazon it doesn’t have to be compelling or grab a viewer’s attention; it just must give off enough information for someone to make a purchasing decision.

For this reason, using all the 195-character limit is encouraged. If you look around Amazon, you’ll notice that the products with long, keyword-rich titles outrank those that are simple and clean. Below is an example that shows just that:

Now, it can be hard to get used to this after coming from optimization for Google, but it’s an important step. According to an Amazon help page, you should follow a formula to help create your titles.

For example, the style for many products may be: Brand + Model Number + Model Name + Product Type, Color

One example of using this formula for a title would be: KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan 5-Quart Mixer, Empire Red

Again, it’s not the prettiest title and it’s very different than something you would use on Google, but this is how it works on Amazon!

You only must have your keyword appear once in your title (that’s right, keywords in your description are less important), so again, that’s why you see some of the companies above using several different keywords all in one title.

5 Tips for Starting Your Own Website

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StrategyDriven Online Marketing and Website Development Article, 5 Tips for Starting Your Own WebsiteStarting your own website can be a daunting thought, but there is really nothing that should be holding you back. Creating a professional-looking website is easier than ever, and you do not need crazy computing skills to pull it off.

When you do start your own website, these five tips can help you to make sure it gets the best possible start.

Have a Plan

Creating your website is much easier when you have a plan for what you want it to look like.

Your site must be organized in a way that is easy to navigate for your visitors, and this is much more difficult to create without a clear idea of what you want your website to look like.

Before you start building your site, make sure you have a clear idea of how you want it to be structured. With the help of marketing consulting services, you can really narrow down your plan and focus on what’s going to make your website successful.

Speed

One thing you have got to pay close attention to is the speed of your website. If you load your site up with loads of plugins and big multimedia files, then it is really going to slow down your site, and this makes people bounce away from your pages.

For every second that it takes your page to load, you increase the likelihood that your visitor will bounce away from it without engaging with the content, and this will negatively affect your SEO.

Keep things simple, and make sure your pages load quickly.

Mobile Usability

For several years now, more mobile searches have been performed each day than on desktop. Not only does this mean your users need a site that works well on mobile, but it is one of the key things that Google, and the other search engines will look for.

Even today, though, with mobile traffic forming such a large part of internet usage, many websites are not fully optimized for mobile.

Make sure that your content is entirely mobile-friendly.

User Experience

We know how it feels when we visit a website that offers a poor user experience – it’s incredibly frustrating.

When you work so hard to bring people to your website, you cannot afford to be driving people away by having glaring user experience errors on your pages. The internet gives people lots of options, and if there is something people do not like about your page, they can easily get their information somewhere else.

You want to be getting as much engagement from your visitors as possible by offering a clean, easy to use experience.

Avoid the most common UX errors and make sure you’re not unwittingly driving your visitors away.

Offer Value

You have got to put your visitors at the heart of what you do.

Ask yourself, “how can I offer people value?”

If you can offer people lots of value with your website, then you are going to find that people respond to it and engage with your brand.

When Google and the other search engines see lots of people are enjoying your content, then they are going to want to get in on the party and start ranking you at the top of the ranking’s pages.

SMS & Email Are The Best Lockdown Marketing Strategies

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With the world getting used to the pandemic lockdown, businesses are having to get used to the fact that they’re customers are more cautious with their spending. They say that ‘only the strongest will survive’, but in the case of business, it’s those who adapt. Business expenses are also being limited as the same amount of income is not possible in these current times. The one place where you shouldn’t be decreasing spending is your marketing strategy. However, you must now tighten the scope to focus on strategies that will work the best in the current consumer climate. SMS and email strategies are head and shoulders above the rest and here is why.

Opportunity for expression

Email marketing has an advantage that no other marketing type has. You can convey your message in a much broader and thorough manner. You simply have more validity and space, for explaining your message. It’s been suggested that the word count should be between 50-150 but as people have more time on their hands, you could increase that to 100-200.

Ensure that your message during this crisis is pitch-perfect. The tone in which you express your call-to-action is absolutely critical. Don’t convey your products as essential but rather, things that could inject enjoyment or comfort into the customer’s life. As for the content of your email, keep it simple. Display the top discounted products and services through imagery and display how long the sales will be active. People are more likely to check their emails regularly throughout the day now that everybody is at home. This makes your email marketing approach even more important as every word will be absorbed to a higher degree.

Building new relationships

Customers are browsing like never before. Some internet providers are reporting over 50% more internet usage than before as people are working from home. This is a chance that you may never get again. Place a webform on your website so any visitor can type their name and phone number before carrying on to the page. With their contact details in your database, keyword SMS marketing is the strategy you should employ to display deals, discounts and future campaigns. This is how to build an sms funnel using a three-stage approach. Firstly, select a keyword that fits your brand. You could use your brand name with a number or so at the end of the keyword. The middle of the funnel is where you need to keep the customer engaged through broadcasting and drip campaigning.

Live stream confirmation

At the end of each week, using your social media and video sharing platform accounts, update and or acknowledge the campaigns you sent out during the week. Explain to customers what the campaigns were about, such as details on what products you’re discounting and why. You may also wish to give a heads-up to your viewers about future campaigns and what they can expect to keep them enticed and onboard.

With more time on their hands, customers are more open to SMS and email marketing campaigns. Use this time to your advantage by expressing why your products matter and sharing relevant opportunities that could help custom