Business

How to grow your business as a local online company in Kenya Set up your local online business profile on Google Setting up your business profile on Google is very important as a local online company. About 90% of Internet searches are carried out on the Google platform. This includes people searching for businesses with solutions to their problems. For example, let’s say someone requires a plumber and searches for ‘plumbers in my area’. Plumbers in their area that have set up their business profile on Google will appear first in the search results based on their proximity to the person and their business rating. These plumbers have a considerable advantage over those who haven’t claimed their business since they do not appear at the top of Google’s search results. Only 25% of Google users scroll down to the second […]

We have very many types of domain names. While .com domains make up for 46.5% of all global registered domain names. It still leaves plenty of room for other domain name types like .org and .net. Overall, the most common types of domain names include: TLD: Top Level Domains A top level domain is exactly what it sounds like.  A type of domain name which is at the top level of the internet’s domain name system. There are over a thousand TLDs available but the most common include .com, .org, .net, and .edu. The official list of TLDs is maintained by an organization called the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). It can be viewed here. IANA notes that the list of TLDs also includes ccTLDs and gTLDs, which we’ll talk about next. ccTLD: Country Code Top Level Domains ccTLDs use […]

  Domain names works by acting as a link or alternative name to the server that hosts your website. Without a domain name, anyone who wanted to visit your website would have to enter the full IP address which is usually 12 to 15 digit number. But the problem is that an IP address is difficult for people to memorize or to include on advertising materials.For example, www.softlinkoptions.co.ke is our domain name. Let’s say it points to the IP address 162.241.159.80.70. The IP address points to a server, but it doesn’t lead to the website if visitors try to use it. That’s because for an IP address to lead a website, the remote server needs to be using port 80 with a default page (i.e. index.html) stored in its public accessible directory. As you can see, messing around with server defaults […]

A domain names are a website’s equivalent of a physical address. It works similarly to GPS. A web browser like Chrome or Internet Explorer needs domain names to direct you to a website.A domain has two main elements. For example, the domain softlinkoptions.co.ke consists of the website’s name (softlinkoptions) and the name extension (co.ke). When a company or a person purchases  domain names, they can specify which server the name points. Organizations such as ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) oversee registrations. In Kenya, the local registry KENIC (KE). ICANN or KENIC oversees the registration. KENIC specifies which domain extensions are available and keeps a centralized database of where the names point.Every website one visits effectively consists of two main elements: domain name and a web server.A web server is a physical machine that hosts websites’ files and […]

A registered trademark is a powerful option when it comes to protecting your brand. However, whether you need to register your it and license your domain name will depend on your circumstances. Companies use trademarks to differentiate their business from their competitors. The registered trademark owner has the exclusive right to use the trademark relating to the brand’s goods and services. However, trademarks don’t apply to domain names. Companies carry out licensing of domain names on behalf of KENIC on a first-in, first-served basis. Therefore, a trademark application or registration does not automatically entitle you to the domain name license. If someone has licensed a domain name the same as or similar to your trademark, you need to lodge a complaint with KENIC. However, this only applies to the .ke country code – it doesn’t extend to other countries, nor generic […]

Why does online marketing work for some businesses and not others? Online marketing is simply the use of web technologies to achieve marketing goals. This is the part that we all need to understand. It is a means to attain specific laid down business goals. Different businesses have different goals. That is because companies have different products and different markets. Therefore, customers will vary even between one business and its competitor. For example, it might be pretty easy to sell green groceries online to residents of an upmarket area. However, it might not be easy to do the same in a middle-class estate. This is because consumer behaviour and purchasing powers are different, among other things. At Softlink Options, we understand that there is no one-size-fits-all business. Thus we present you with a tailor-made and goal-oriented approach to your website […]

Positive Secure Socket Layer License  What is an SSL certificate? Did you know since July 2018, Google Chrome and other browsers marked all websites without a secure connection as “Not Secure,”. Consequently, this could cost your website visitors and customers. An SSL certificate creates an encrypted connection between your website and your visitors’ web browser. This enables the transmission of private information without the problems of eavesdropping, data tampering and message forgery. Your website search engines will mark your website as secure using either a green padlock icon or HTTPS URL with your SSL Certificate.  Our SSL Certificate will: 1. Secure credit card transactions, emails data transfer and logins for customers. 2. Protect your online shopping transactions from fraudsters 3. SSL Safeguard your website information to help keep it safe. 4. Improve your site’s trustworthiness and gain visitors’ trust. 5. […]

FACTORS Here are some factors that should be considered before starting your online business: 1. An appropriate domain name. Your online business needs an appropriate domain name. Clients identify your website online, via its domain name. So, choose one that is short, easy to spell, and represents the business accurately. 2. An easy to navigate website. Then online business’ website should be easy to navigate, with a good search function.Choosing the right web host. A good host is what your business needs. Ensure you check out all our hosting packages and features.   3. Reliable banking. Your online business needs a prompt method to accept credit cards and take orders. 4. Complete database. It is used to find out what your customers are doing on the site and what more they would like to see. 5. Complete information. An online business […]

How many businesses start and fail to the point of closure? How much time and money do entrepreneurs spend on such ventures instead of channeling them to more worthy courses? Does the government take note of the number of businesses churning out of the business environment? What role does business incubation play in the development of enterprises? Is a written down business plan sufficient to start any business? These are some of the critical questions any business owner would ask at one time or another. Let us consider business incubation as the social, entrepreneurial or public development process designed to nurture business ideas through a comprehensive business support program towards helping them establish and accelerate their growth and success. Only a few entrepreneurs have used this as most deem incubation as expensive. Therefore, many businesses function without a broad of […]