There are 4.57 billion active internet users in the world as of July 2020. This figure is based on a published report by Statista, a German online statistics portal company. This means that roughly about 59% of the total world population are now online. Thus, there is no denying that the world is moving towards a digital future. And if there is one consequence that this pandemic brought us, it accelerated our journey towards digitalization. That is to say, the new normal has forced individuals and businesses to digital transformation. So, if you want to stay afloat, you need to start to digitize your business or work.
What is Digital Transformation?
Digital transformation is the use of digital technology such as computers, the internet, social media, applications, systems and devices as leverage to meet the changing business environment. The pandemic compelled everyone to work from home. Despite the gradual lifting of the lockdown, many people opted to stay at home because of fear of the virus. It is very difficult for services to thrive in this kind of environment. Thus, digital transformation is a must in order to survive in this economic crisis.
How to Digitize Your Business?
There are many ways to digitize your business depending on your industry. You don’t need to actually start from the scratch or invent an application to cater to the specific needs of your business. There are already tons of business-ready applications and softwares available out there for you to use. Some are even offered for free. All you need to do is to look around you. It will help to take a look at what your competitors or those businesses who are selling the same products/services that you offer are doing in as far as digital transformation is concern.
If you are a big company, it helps to hire professionals to do it for you. If you are self-employed or owns a small company, there are still ways to do it without hurting your budget.
Things to Consider in Digitizing Your Business
Here are some things that you should consider in digitizing your business.
Visibility
The first thing to do is to create an online presence for your business. There are several webpage hosting and e-commerce platforms available out there that you can use for free. You only need to pay a minimal amount if you decide to upgrade your plan or if you want to have your own URL address. The URL is your official address in the world wide web.
If creating your own website is too complicated for you, you can still opt to just use social media sites. If you already have a personal account on any of the social medias out there, creating a business account is just as simple. But before you open an account in all the social media platforms available out there, make sure that you have already identified your niche. There is no point opening an account in a platform where most users are teenagers if your target market is for seniors. Having more accounts does not necessarily mean good. Sometimes it is better to maintain just 2 or 3 as long as it caters to your target market.
Frequency
Digitizing your business does not end with the creation of an online page. Your next goal should be how to increase your visibility. The more people who will see your page, the higher your chance of making a sale. Didn’t you notice how many times a commercial is being played while you are watching your favorite TV show? The same thing is true with online marketing. Frequency does matter.
Unless you are familiar with using basic on-page search engine optimization techniques (SEO basics), your best bet is to post valuable content frequently. But be careful, there is a thin line with being seen always and being annoying. You need to learn to strike a balance between the two so as not to annoy your audience.
Usability
Usability is very important in designing your page or shop. The customer experience plays a big role in your conversion rate of turning visitors to buyers. Thus, your page must be simple, easy to navigate and pleasing to the eye. Fonts should be readable. Use colors that not only grab the visitor’s attention but also evoke emotions. Most importantly, buying your goods and services should be secure and easy in just one click away. Make the whole experience pleasing to the customer so that they will come back for more. And lastly, make sure also that your page is mobile friendly. A great number of internet users use mobile phones in searching the web.
Launch Challenge
- Identify your niche or target market.
- Choose the proper social media account for your target market.
- Open an account.
- Plan your post for the week or month.
- Start posting.
Good luck!