Name of your website?zimgreats.com
Your name?
Peter Moyo
Your Location (city, etc)
Johannesburg
When did you start your website and why?
zimgreats was launched on 3 July 2006 to fill in the gap for the need for a more focused news source for the Zimbabwean diaspora which is predominatly in South Africa. Zimgreats seeks to reach to the more than 3 million Zimbabweans currently living in South Africa and also others in other diaspora countries. It uis also appealing to those still in Zimbabwe
Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc
We are targeting Zimbabweans who have set up their own businesses in countries like South africa, the UK, the US etc and would want to reach the Zimbabwean market in those countries. The companies can also target Zimbabweans who flock to shop in South Africa each month and would want courier services and others who just want to find places for a good time
What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?
Updating the website and making sure we stay ontop. The website is virtually a one man show, updated by one person each morning and making sure it stays up to date and current - meaning following events as they happen and making sure the website is updated.
What has been the easist part of operating your website?
The operating costs are quite low - seeing that my stories are taken from Zimbabwean journalists living in Zimbabwe - meaning that any type of foreign currency will be a lumpsome back home
What was your biggest mistake?
Moving the website to a US server which was operating on Windows instead of Linux. The server also crashed, leading to the loss of my whole database. Luckily, we had saved some offline but we still lost 100 stories. we lost readership in the process whilst the server was down and it has been an uphill battle trying to regain that readership. We had to change back to a linux server in South Africa, meaning the loss of more money
Who maintains your website and why?
The editor, owner, publisher - one person does. It keeps the costs down and makes it possible to update the website as the current events unfolds.
Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?
After my kidnapping by zimbabwe's secret service in February, my website was able to spread the word. Also, on the business front, advertising is starting to trickle in
What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?
Its growing fast and this is the new market of the future. Almost every educated person wants to get on the net making the future of advertising quite promising. In South Africa for instance, 42% of the country's household buys houses on the net
What are your views on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
The more the numbers visiting your website, the more the advertising. search engines have to be taken advantage as another way fo cheaper way of advertising your website
What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?
They are quite helpful in making sure that I reach a wide audience
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Advertising on other websites and also sending out a daily newsletter
What method has been least successful for promoting your website?
Promoting events - this is still on a low scale and it has not brought any dividents so far
What would you like to see change with respect to the internet?
The big players like MSN, Google have to give the younger guys more space. At the moment they are like a monopoly
You can enter a question of your choice and the answer here: Hie
yes I do
What is your website address?
zimgreats.com
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