With the coming of a convenient and very efficient tool for business such as the internet, information and communication technology in general, many businesses in Africa are yet to take full advantage of the benefits of using this powerful tool to enhance their businesses. There’s a lot of truth to the saying that “if you aren’t on the web, you don’t exist.”

I remember when I used to work in a cyber caf, a group of people confidently walked into the caf and went straight to me and my colleague. They brought out a piece of paper and one of them explained; please, can you help us find information on the internet about this? They handed over the piece of paper to my colleague. After reading it he passed it on to me to read but quietly telling me not to laugh afterward. It was really a difficult thing to do because it read; based on the discussions in class, explain the following… Can you imagine that! Some one wanted me to perform an internet search “based on their discussions in class” after meeting them for the first time? I was never even in their class let alone understand or know what they discussed there. But of course they came to us with the assumption that any thing can be found on the internet so why not what they just discussed in class.

The point here is that to find information on the internet “based on their discussions in class”, some one has to put it there first. If no one does, then it’s simply not there. It’s not on the internet and so is it with businesses.

The extent to which people depend on the internet for information and the surge of customers going online at internet cafes, in addition to other forms of internet access simply means people are on a quest for more and more information. They are going to highly appreciate usable local content especially about addresses of local businesses and services in Jos. It is as simple as this;

I need a coloured photocopier, not knowing I can get it at Rwang Pam street which is about 300 meters from where I am. I thought it’s too much of a gadget to be found there, so instead of wasting my time going down to Rwang Pam street to look for what I don’t think I can find I searched the internet and found a company that had one for sale in thousands of kilometers away in USA, so I called a phone number on the website, placed my order and waited. 6 weeks later, I got my coloured photocopier after spending much money and wasting much time.

The situation above can happen even when some businesses have taken the stress and shared the cost for a lot of goods and services we would normally want to import, but how can you find them on the internet when they are not there? Looking for them online will be like trying to find something based on the discussions in the class the people in the story. If no one puts it there, then it’s simply not there at all.

The lack of presence on the internet even by the smallest business means you can’t patronize them unless you know where they are located physically.

Considering the need for businesses in Jos to have internet presence as a way of publicizing themselves, one can easily see the problem many of them face in terms of the cost for advertising in available mediums like TV, radio, newspaper and even designing and maintaining a private web site.

Even with the numerous and exotic advantages businesses get by having their own privately maintained websites, the issue of cost, “the internet jungle”, accessibility by customers, and popularity still show up as serious issues when you compare how much it cost to design and maintain a website to what most small and medium scale enterprises earn as profit especially here in Nigeria.

http://www.josaddress.com/

Author: Ezekiel Ramadan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Many people think that having a career as a celebrity is short lived. While they may say this about movie stars, they really think this way about Internet celebrities. The reason why so many people feel that Internet celebrities will not have a long lasting career is because the concept of Internet celebrities is extremely new. The reason why there hasn’t been Internet celebrity careers lasting longer than 10 years, is because there hasn’t been any major celebrity that came from the Internet in the past ten years. However, just because this method of fame is new and different doesn’t mean that there isn’t a future for Internet celebrities.

There are many opportunities that you can have if you are an Internet celebrity; however, it all depends on whether or not you received world-class representation. If you live your celebrity life without representation, you will quickly find that opportunities and possibilities will fly past you, and you are unable to grasp onto them. This is because many people who become Internet celebrities are not aware of the entertainment business, and how it actually runs. This is why it is imperative that the moment you become more than just an average Internet user, you begin to seek out professional representation.

Many Internet celebrities go on to have very lucrative lives through sponsors and product support. This is because many companies like to sponsor Internet celebrities that relate to their specific buying audience. If your main following is through individuals that are in their twenties, than you will find that many companies that sell products or services that are geared towards that age demographic will want to sponsor you, the same is true if you are known for partying, many liquor companies will want to have you lead one of their parties.

If you find that sponsoring is not what you want to take part of, there are also many other opportunities you can take with your Internet fame. You can help create online communities, and become a spokesperson for various companies. This is a great way to be able to travel as well as make a decent amount of money. However, like anything else, this will be out of your reach if you don’t have professional representation. It is very easy to understand that just because you are an Internet celebrity; it doesn’t mean that your life as a celebrity has to end quickly. If you are smart with your business decisions and hire on individuals that are committed to seeing you succeed, than you will have a very lucrative and long-lasting career. Of course, the main benefit of having professional representation is the fact that they will have ideas and creative solutions to keep you in the public’s eye longer. Many people have found that without their agent, they would not be in the business they are in for very long. This is because your agent has connections and years of industry knowledge that can provide you with many years of sponsorship, as well as income-generating opportunities. However, this will only happen if you have a professional and reliable representation company backing you in your new Internet fame.

With over a decade of expertise building communities online and search engine technology, I am recognized as a social media expert and a leader in search engine marketing. My areas of expertise encompass community building, web design and development, website architecture, online marketing, new media, natural web site optimization, online viral marketing, and social media consulting.

Author: Giovanni L Gallucci
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Building links to your websites have everything to do with the quickest success of your site in terms of search positioning. Have you ever wondered how those websites on Google get to the top of the listings? Have you ever imagined how much business you could do if your site was on the first page? Linking is the number one strategy that you have to know about to have a strong web presence.

Links can be built up in a number of ways: Comments left on blogs, your social networking profiles and even your YouTube channels. But some links are better than others to have, and Google knows which ones are better quality. It’s not how many links you have coming in, but where those links are coming from that is most important. You can acquire quality links from big and reputable sites with a minimal of effort if you are creative in how you do it.

The best links come from what is called an “authority” site. This is a website that is much larger and more popular than yours, with many pages and resources, good traffic and has been around for years. A site like this linking to yours will build your search positioning quicker than any other strategy. How can you get a link from their site to yours? Articles.

Guest writing an article for inclusion on their website is the easiest way to get a quality link. Not only will the link be what the search engines are looking for, you could get a blast of traffic from all their visitors clicking on your link to see what you’re all about. When you publish an article on someone else’s site, it is customary to have a link to your site at the bottom. Websites, even big ones, are looking for new material all of the time. Find out other traffic driving strategies you can do today for free!

How can you sell more of your artwork online and make bigger sales?

Discover the number one resource that artists all over the world have been using to excite their customers, create cash flow and get more of their art in front of the eyes of thousands of prospects. Learn to expand your art and craft business beyond the shows with a trusted, online presence.

Alka Dalal is an experienced internet marketer and fine artist that has been speaking to audiences for over 25 years about ways to increase their businesses.

Author: Alka Dalal
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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