Running An Online Business In A Rural Area
Running an online business in a rural area can sometimes seem a little “catch 22”: The fact that the business is online allows you to live in a rural location. Unfortunately though in rural areas the internet connection is sometimes patchy or even unavailable. But contrary to what you may think, internet connection is not the lifeblood of an internet based business. Lets look at a few facts and fictions.
Three things: The first being that you don’t need a massively fast broadband connection to run a rural online business – or even a city based one. My internet connection speed is around 4-7mbs here in the Argyle coast in Scotland for example. That’s about half of what I had in Glasgow.
When things are running fine I barely notice the difference. I can be working on my website with Facebook, Skype and half a dozen other tabs open. Even at that I can still send and receive what’s app and messenger messages and my partner can be surfing on the ipad simultaneously. I can also tune in to webinars or a variety of platforms on one device while she is online on another. That’s all I need.
A Global Business In The Country
The second thing is that running an online business in a rural area – or anywhere – doesn’t involve being online for every working hour. I’m writing this blog offline after all. I can also shoot and edit video, create slideshows, presentations and broadcasts to my subscribers. These can be uploaded or scheduled any time. In fact a sudden drop in broadband connection can be a godsend.
If you absolutely need to be online but the connection is playing up there are options. You can go to a library, café or pub and use free wifi (actually the whole point of the laptop lifestyle!). Alternatively you could always piggy back your mobile connection.
Thirdly the beauty of doing business online is that so much of it can be automated, pre-scheduled and systemised. Internet advertising, blog posts, videos and social media content once done are out there working for you whether you are online or not. You don’t even have to be awake in fact.
An online business is actually a superb option for those living in rural locations or those who want to. In less densely populated areas the internet has become an essential of daily life. As a result fast, reliable broadband is actually high on the manifestos of most local councils.
Why Running An Online Business In A Rural Area Is Good All Round
Running an online business in a rural area is a good thing all round. It’s good for those who want to relocate from cities but worry about commuting or local employment opportunities. Its great for rural property sales and rentals and of course for existing rural businesses. Also an online business has almost no environmental impact.
Running an online business in a rural area has further advantages. House prices tend to be lower and the relaxed way of life and beautiful surroundings are a joy. I’ve also found digital marketing to be relatively undiscovered here. I’ve have been able to market my services and promote my partners traditional business online. It also has to be said that although based rurally, an online business is actually global.
If you are looking for ways to relocate to the countryside running a rural online business could be the answer. I use and sell digital education products as my main rural online business. The companies I promote (SFM and DEA) have just introduced a free online business start up-training package, which you can investigate on the link below.
