From Monday 20 December, it will be possible to register a placename as your domain name.  For example, Birr.ie, Raheen.ie, Rathdrum.ie.  So if you have a business that can show a claim to the name and a connection to Ireland, now is your chance to register it.  Think of the potential for promoting local tourism, food or agri businesses.  It’s also a great opportunity for your resident’s association, sports club or Tidy Towns committee. What placenames can be used? Any town, village, city or townland can be applied for. In the past, these domains were only available to Local Authorities,…

Online spending is on the rise in Ireland. From our previous research for the Digital Health Index and as discussed in our recent blogs, this presents a huge opportunity for Irish businesses. People want to buy when it suits them, from wherever they are, so it’s crucial that you offer them the opportunity through your website. For some, the idea of setting up an online store can be off-putting as there is a preconception that this involves a lot of work. However, there are various options available to suit different types and levels of eCommerce solutions. In this blog we’re…

Ireland’s Internet Day 2016, in association with the IE Domain Registry (IEDR), is for anyone interested in or involved with the internet in Ireland and beyond. It takes place on Thursday, 27 October 2016, when leading Irish and international digital innovators will come together for an inspiring half-day SME seminar to celebrate Ireland’s second annual Internet Day. We’ll have talks from digital disrupters that are using technology to transform the customer experience. We’ll hear from businesses that have broken the mould to meet the changing needs of e-consumers. SMEs that have kicked the door wide open into new export markets…

Online consumer spending is now a huge contributor to the digital economy.  We know from our research as part of the Digital Health Index that “Irish consumers spend on average €700,000 online each hour” In other words, your target audience is more than likely online, searching and buying products and services via their laptops, tablets and smartphones. Are you there? And if not, why not? Your website is your calling card to the world and allows consumers to understand more about you, your offering and how they can purchase from you.  It’s not enough to have social media business pages, for…

Recently we carried out research to understand more about the digital landscape of SMEs in Ireland.  Specifically, we wanted to understand the health of Irish SMEs’ digital presence. Our dot ie Digital Health Index analysed the number and quality of digital assets (like websites, apps and social media accounts) owned by SMEs in Ireland. The results were surprising. 1 in 6 Irish SMEs – that is 17% – still have no online presence whatsoever. No website, social media account or any other digital asset.  55% say they don’t intend to build a website in the future. 1 in 4 of…