7 Reasons To Go Online This New Year

2015 has been a roller coaster of a year as far as eCommerce is concerned. We saw a sharp rise in the sheer number of players online. This of-course had a strong effect in the rise of the total transactions and customer behavior online. Indian eComm sector is pegged to grow to almost USD 22 billion by 2015 end. This is almost a 100% growth compared to where we were at the end of 2013. This marks a sign of big things to come in the near future. 2016 will continue to bring the promise of the web to all those who care to seize it, only To Those Who Seize it.

With that being said, we don’t think there is room for doubt as to why should YOU be online. But if you’re still doubtful, here are 7 key reasons to go online in 2016:

1. The World is your Oyster: One of the key things about the web is that you’re no longer limited to your neighborhood or your city as far as customers are concerned. This was and always will be one of the greatest reasons to be online. The way things are going in the eComm space, this is now a verifiable fact. Imagine a multi-billion dollar industry just waiting for you, it’s almost criminal to let it go.

2. It’s Easy: For a very long time, building a website has been associated with enigma and confusion. A lay person will have no understanding of the technicality or the various nuances that need to be focused on. But wait, what about setup offline? Indian red-tapism is notorious to crack, not to mention expensive. A lay person may not understand tech but we’re certain he/she surely doesn’t understand the nuances associated with setting up a business offline either. Think about all the legal stuff, permissions, rent, costs and a million other things that we’re not even thinking about. It’s time to realize compared to all that, setting up a website is cake-walk. And to make your journey a tad bit simpler, we present DesignXchange, a network of some of the best designers from across India. Now, what’s your excuse?

3. Your Customers are already there: No matter what you’re selling your customers are already there. Don’t you think its high time you go meet them? Indians are getting online and fast. While they spend a bunch of their time interacting with friends on Facebook and Googling for new information to learn. They do spend a significant of their time and money in purchasing products and services. 5 years ago, buying furniture online would’ve been a laughable joke, today it’s a reality. Companies like UrbanLadder, Pepperfry and Fabfurnish have become successful business with immense funding being pumped in.

4. Internet is Growing: Internet penetration in India is still under 20% only. Now factor the $20 billion revenue and you’ll see the immense potential there exists. There are plenty of customers for everyone to enjoy. The only failure is not joining in the opportunity.

5. Investors Love India: The sheer number of VC Funds entering or focusing on India is a clear sign of potential the web has to offer. India has seen more startups in the last 5 years than ever before. These startups get all the help and money they need to fulfill their big dreams. This means you don’t have to worry about investments or the risk of failure, you will have the support and the backing you need. All you need is a plan and the motivation to get started. Look at all the new age CEOs, Ola, Oyo, Hola chef, Zivame, they’re all under 30 and started with only an idea and faith in the promise of the web. You can walk among these giants, all you need to is start.

6. Not Only for Business: Sure we’ve only looked at the business angle of things but there’s so much more to the web. There are writers, story tellers, singers, you name it. Imagine AIB without Youtube or Amit Agarwal without his blog. None of these amazing folks would’ve been able to do what they do and make it big without getting online.

7. It’s Time: Lastly, because it’s high time.

We can go on and on about the benefits of being online but we think you get the gist. Make 2016, the year you go online. We’re sure you wont regret it. We’ll even offer you a sweet deal, get 30% off on your next purchase of hosting

Source: Bigrock

7 Things StartUp Founders Can Be Thankful For

As a startup founder, you might have plenty to complain about. But with Thanksgiving around the corner, let’s take a minute to remember exactly why you became an entrepreneur, and thank the people and programs that made it possible.

1. Investors. Whether it’s an angel investor or your parents, without them — and their money — your company wouldn’t exist.

2. Google Docs. Remember when you used to edit a document, save it, send it to someone else, and wait for them to send it back to you like an animal!? Thank the Google Gods you don’t have to waste time doing that anymore.

3. Your team. For their hard work, patience, and fearlessness.

4. Flexibility. Being able to set your own schedule and work from anywhere may be the best perk of all.

5. That meltdown you had a few months ago. Without the panic attack that almost had you shutting down the company and moving to a beach in Argentina, you wouldn’t have learned how to fix that bug in your website, how to meditate, or how to use Kickstarter. Those lessons have helped you and your business evolve. Every freakout counts.

6. The problem you are solving. Without it, there wouldn’t be a need for your company.

7. Your boss. They challenge you when you need a push and never kick you when you’re down. They had the guts to start a business, and that courage enables you to do what you love every day. Hey wait, that’s you!

Source: Bigrock

Boost Sales by Using A/B Testing

Recently, Sony made a simple tweak to its banners that upped online purchases by 20%.

When the Guardian used the same technique to optimize its landing pages, the newspaper saw a 46% boost in subscriptions.

And nope, neither change involved adding pictures of Scarlett Johansson.

The key was A/B testing, a web optimization strategy where you test multiple versions of your creative to identify which one produces the best results.

Get ahead of the pack (and 83% of Fortune 500 companies) by incorporating A/B testing into your site.

Here’s what to test:

• Varied banners that drive customers to a landing page, form, or another call to action where you can track traffic.


• Gated content (content hidden behind a form) vs. non-gated content (no form). Are users willing to sign up or provide more info to access materials on your site?


• Image types. Are photos of people more successful than product shots?


• Headlines and copy. Test the length of headlines and copy on your paid campaigns to see which ones get the most clicks.

Source: Bigrock

Power Your Email Subject Line By Using Emoticons

Have you noticed a lot of Emoji or emoticons being used in the subject lines these days? If you have then you’re not alone. We’re seeing a lot of brands take up this new feature and use it very creatively. Curious, we researched and found out that brands are claiming a higher email open rate.

Better open rates are good for business and we think you should capitalize on this new trend before the majority do. Adding emoticons to the subject line is fairly simple and we’ve cooked up a quick guide for you.

1] Visit FSymbols, where you’ll see a large collection of emoticons (compatible with Windows & Apple devices)

2] Click on the icon that you want to use. A pop up will appear with the icon ready to be copied.

3] Copy the icon and paste it into the subject field.

That’s it folks, this is all you need to do in order to use emoticons in the subject line. Do try it out and leave your findings in the comments section below.

Source: Bigrock