How to Start Your Astrology Portal?

How to Start Your Astrology Portal?

Ganesha - Lord of Beginnings

Prediction business has existed since Satyuga (for thousands of years). Hardly there existed any civilization in past which did not have oracles or astrologers. In this modern world when we have gone hi-tec, astrology has adapted the latest technology and is flourishing. Many consider (including me) it a fool’s science. In India, matrimonial alliances are still made after consulting astrologers. Astrologers are considered here as spiritual gurus and they mint money for the predictions made by them. If these predictions go true, it’s Balle-Balle (बल्ले-बल्ले) for the them. If predictions go wrong (generally it happens), who cares! Nobody approaches to the astrologer complaining against false prediction. Ironically, if a MBBS doctor fails to treat his patient, often the patient's relatives will beat him. Those believe in astrology of mention that Indian astrology is one of the important auxiliary of Vedantic Literature.

Anyway my purpose of the post is quite different. A person, a friend of my relative (let us call him Sanyam), approached me.  He wanted to start his website on Vedic Astrology and asked me guide him. Sanyam used to be a good salesman in a Nokia showroom at Connaught Place in Delhi. He sold Nokia phones for a good number of years and never realized that one day Nokia would run out of business and he would be jobless. He tried to approach other showrooms selling smartphones of other brands but couldn’t get a decent opportunity. Being in 40s he faced mid-life crisis, he failed to compete against much younger salesmen who knew Android and iOS lingos very well. Luckily his hobby helped him survive. Sanyam joined a part time course on Vedic Astrology at Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan when he was working at Nokia showroom. This course helped his salesmanship connect people, who used to visit him for astrological advice and might become his customers in future. During his bad phase, he planned to pursue his career as an astrologer and soon it started bearing fruits. He started appearing in TV shows and built up his brand. Being a salesman he understands the power of Internet or Social Media. He wants to offer his services online.

Here are the steps you would like to start as online astrology services:

1. Hire a web designer or a web designing company. Make a sign contract that the hired company will manage your web site. Ensure the web developer must provide you the backup of your website content time to time.
2. Buy a domain name and explore web site hosting charges. GoDaddy, Bigrock etc. offer good deal of packages. Ensure website domain must be registered under your name.
3. Your website should offer the following services:
1. Free Services: It will help build your brand. It includes, daily predictions, free consultation services.
2. Paid Services: Paid predictions, detailed horoscope, match making  etc. Mention the consulting charges (decide charges after exploring the market).
4. Your website must have the following to connect to people:
1. Facebook, Google+, Twitter page etc
2. Daily updates on predictions, articles, answers to the questions asked by people.
3. Your interviews, articles published in magazines.
4. Testimonials
5. Your profile.
6. Feedback Form or Book Your Appointment Form.
5. Other stuff you can do on your web site:
1. sell your books and/or horoscopes
2. affiliate with other professional astrologers or products and offer those products or services at discounted rates.
3. sign-up form, so that you can send newsletter to your customers
4. speak at local community centres and offer your services there.
6. Consult your accountant to verify how much service tax to be charged for the services/products you plan to sell at your website.

Be an efficient manager: 

Your website must be well organized and structured. Time to time update your website with useful and meaningful content e.g. daily horoscope, articles etc.

Spread the word: 

A good number of astrology websites exist. You would become a faceless website in the ocean of website unless you continually interact with your customers. Mention your website as your mail signature, provide feedback form on your website so that your website visitors can interact with you. This will result in greater number of those visitors become longstanding customers.