CAIRO: Smaller businesses can now own websites that would help them promote their products at the lowest possible cost through a new initiative called “Egypt Online.” The brainchild of IPL Media, the initiative was launched 15 days ago with the aim of helping small businesses, workshops and factories. Businesses will also be able to display their company profiles, contact information, as well as any additional services they may offer. “Any owner of a small business can choose his domain name, then select from a wide range of website designs we provide,” said Nabil Afifi, General Manager of IPL Media in a statement. “Then he can easily update his website using a dynamic online tool, add text, images, data and anything he needs to submit to his customers, anytime, anywhere, and through and computer connected to the internet.” Afifi said that the new service will “enable the beneficiary of the initiative with an online 24/7 show-room overlooking 23 million Egyptian internet users, 75 million Arab internet users, and even 2 billion internet users worldwide.” Ali Mohamed, head of sales at IPL, said that the idea to start the project came after the staff met with several clients who all had different needs. “We wanted to cover all of these requests,” he added. Mohamed explained that the goal of “Egypt Online” is to help small businesses that have become a rapidly increasing trend in the local market. “Owners of large business are not as concerned with costs, but small business owners, which are a lot these days, wanted something affordable and simple to advertise their products. We thought we wanted to provide something that will help everyone.” Mohamed Gamal, project manager of the initiative adds that the idea of the websites is to also cater to the needs of the Egyptian business owners, specifically, since they have different expectations as well as budget parameters. “The problem for small business owners is always the cost, and the issue in the Egyptian culture is that some small businesses do not realize that software costs for websites can be high,” said Gamal. “So, we decided to make something simple, yet affordable, for any small company in Egypt producing any product.” By allowing these smaller enterprises to showcase their work and products on the internet, Gamal said that the names of these companies will reach more and more customers. “We give them a showroom online, so we are extending their business to the world. This way they aren't just on the ground here; small Egyptian business will get exposure on the world wide web so that way customers can easily reach them anytime, anywhere.” The websites, he continued, will allow the users to have up to 30 emails, which will be named after their company name, their custom designs, and the option to reach out to their users via their web page. The website will also provide clients with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which allows better access to people around the world searching for a product or service related to any of the company's SEO-enhanced websites; their page will have a better search rank in the search results through major search engines like Yahoo, Google, or Bing. Launched in 2005 in Canada by Egyptian businessman, Hatim Zaghloul, the company started off as a publishing house and web design agency and was later incorporated in Egypt as an investment company in 2009 to provide services for the Middle East region. Currently, IPL launched an office in Bucharest following negotiations in 2006 with a Romanian web studio for work on several projects.
