Let me tell you why… registering a domain has become an integral part of most small businesses in Kenya. A domain is a powerful tool that promotes your business brand and its online outreach. Though this might be true, I have found that most entrepreneurs in Kenya do not have a clue on how to get their business online, start a blog or a website that will promote their products and services in an affordable way and with ease.
What is a Domain Name and Why Should I Get One?
A domain name is a web address and identity that is provided to your website in order to establish an online presence. In at this day and age, not having a domain or website is the equivalent of not existing. Most Kenyans typically prefer searching for information about a company online, I included. This helps me make a more informed decision on what I might want or need. It is clear that without having a domain name, I might not find any relevant information about any business that is not yet only, which might be challenging for any potential customers or clients that might try and find your business, don’t you think?
Your Brand Image
Looking through different business portfolios and websites I found that domain names are a huge part of their brand image. This meant that the biggest advantages of registering a domain for your blog, e-commerce business or organization is instilling brand credibility and authority in your startup organization. As a client, I can better relate to an image brand I can associate with and have a connection to online. Your domain promotes your brand’s image that sets you apart in the general market not only in Kenya but around the world. With the growing number of businesses, it is important to create an image that cannot be rivaled. A good domain name will offer you a better competitive edge in the market promoting better interactions with your business brand. One of the major reason why most businesses might not pick up as quickly as intended id due to the lack of consumer confidence and trust. From this, it is clear that the authenticity of your brand’s image online might be dependant on the domain of your business.
Increase your Level of Professionalism
Domains have been found to act as a branding tool that emphasizes on your business’s professionalism. Why not improve your level of proficiency in your company? In many ways, this may include having personalized emails that will ensure your business has a better market hold than other business in the market. This might be my opinion alone but I do believe that using generic domain names and email services might be overrated. According to allbusiness.com/why-domain-names-are-so-important-681-1.html, over the years the use of free web hosting sites and ISP have declined. This might be due to the increase in well-established domains. With the increasing number of corporate and business fraud, more customers will more be inclined to associate with businesses they know or relate to. As a Kenyan entrepreneur, your domain will help create your online identity that I can associate with. It is therefore important to get a domain that resonates with your target market.
Email hosting and your brand
Email services also play an essential role in ensuring the brand’s online breakthrough. Email hosting services for your startup company provides the necessary infrastructure for communication while promoting your brand. Customized and personalized corporate emails add a feel of professionalism and elegance to your business. Though free email services are more than convenient for a small business, they may seem unprofessional and may drive your clients elsewhere.
Enhancing your business with TDLs
To be honest, it is not easy finding your business niche. The Kenyan market has become flooded with new businesses. Finding the right audience for your company, in the beginning, might be challenging. When you having to think about the kind of clients and customers you would like in your store or shop might more confusing even though, you might have everything planned out. Registering a domain with a relevant TLD (Top Level Domain) extension might be what your business needs to sprout. TDLs enhance the online presence of your business. According to WP Beginner, about 50% of all websites, the rely on extensions search as .com, .org. and .net. This might make it hard for your business to stand out in the market as the older business had already established their own online brand and presence. On the other hand, with the growth and acceptability of new ideas and ideologies, the market has seen a new age of unique businesses, which has also increased the leverage on creative domains to enhance the presence of your brand. Extensions like .art, .shop, .casino, .villas are some of the existing extensions that would put your business over the top. These extensions might give your clients an idea of the type of website, products or services that your new startup might be providing online.
Get your .co.ke
Domains have also become an important localization tool. One of the other amazing benefits of TDLs including localization. Geo-location tag extensions have played a huge role in the enhancement of opportunities depending on the location of the business. These domains are not only cheaper than international domains (IDNs) but also give a geographical advantage to your business. In Kenya, .co.ke domain extensions have become popular within the country for the most business that is trying to establish a local brand in the country. On the other hand, if you would require your website to run in other regions, having extensions that relate to the country might also enhance business in that market. The geo-localized domain helps your business capitalize on the native audience in the country and the brand will better relate with its clients or customers.
Brand Architecture and Domain Names
Your domain would also be an important tool in the alignment of your brand’s architecture. In Kenya alone, there has been a growing expansion of business and market which can be contributed to domain architecture. Your product-specific domain is more likely to rank better on search engines like Google and Bing with a domain moulded to its brand architecture. By aligning your domain name with your brand plus your product and service, it might significantly play a huge role in increasing your client base.
Conclusion
In conclusion, why is it better having a domain for your new business? The domain gives you an online presence and identity that clients can better relate to. It makes it easy for individuals to look you up on the internet. This ensures your business’ mobility, not being limited by physical space and boundaries. Finding a cheap solution to register your domain might be the break you need to grow and expand your company and have a greater outreach, increase your sales and improve your customer relations. Register your domain today.