4 Tech Trends Your Business Needs to Follow
Business needs are always changing. Fifty years ago, the most successful CEO in the world would have had no idea about the way the business world would be today. This, of course, is largely down to changes in technology. Like it or not, technology has an enormous impact on the lives of people everywhere. Increasingly, people use technological solutions for all sorts of things they wouldn’t have before. What does this mean for a startup business? Or a young, growing business? Or even a well-established one? If you are just starting out in the world of business, you might feel a little out of your depth. Perhaps you’re wondering what technology to use and what you should just avoid altogether. The truth is, there are no right answers. In the world of business, sometimes it is those who break the rules of convention who succeed in the long run. However, there are trends that any business would do well to adhere to. So if you are considering starting your own company – or if you have recently set one up – consider the following points.
Be Mobile
Nowadays, the vast majority of purchases of all kinds are made using mobile devices. Remember that ‘mobile’ here refers not only to phones but to tablets as well. It is also the case that the majority of business’ web traffic is received from mobile devices. What does this mean for your startup company? It means you simply must ensure that your web presence is mobile-friendly. If you have a website (and you absolutely should), then spend the time and money necessary to ensure it works properly. If your site doesn’t work well when I try to access it from my smartphone, then I am likely to grow impatient with your brand. Currently, statistics show that around 93% of small business’ websites don’t work on mobile. So if you can get your business up and running on mobile, you will be well ahead of the rest.
But there is another side to all this. Being mobile doesn’t just mean that your website doesn’t freeze. It also means being ready to accept mobile payments. This is just starting to become popular in 2016, so if you get on board with this immediately, you will be well ahead of the trend.
Be Protected
With so much of your business being online, the last thing you want is to be left open to attack. Remember that, in general, a vulnerable website means a vulnerable company. You should treat your web presence with the same diligence you would show to your physical location. In other words, you wouldn’t leave your offices unprotected, would you? No – you need to ensure that you have CCTV, perhaps even a security guard. The same is true of your website, and anywhere you operate online. Get the best protection you can afford. Don’t be afraid to shop around. If you’re a bit of a novice when it comes to such matters, consider utilising the advice of people like ReviewTech.
But that’s not all. Protection has a wider meaning than that. It also means looking after your data – whether online or offline. You want to ensure that you have absolutely everything backed up in a secure manner. You never know when disaster could strike. When you back up, make sure you have a physical copy as well as an extra ‘soft’ copy. Just in case.
Be Social
This is an absolute must for any growing business, but it is overlooked far too often. You need to have a solid social media presence. The benefits of this are manifold. Firstly, there is the obvious marketing advantage. Any marketing team in the world worth their salt would tell you that you need to be on all the social media sites. If you are on Twitter and Facebook, you have the means to respond swiftly to the public. You can keep a monitor on any mentions of your company, and respond to people individually. This helps when you are trying to build a positive public image. Having a good-natured Twitter account does wonders for the public perception of your business. Sites like Twitter are also just an effective means of advertising. With tools like promoted tweets, you’d be mad not to take advantage of a platform that millions of users enjoy every day.
Automated Marketing
The main reason that small businesses fail early on is because of a lack of decent marketing. Automated marketing allows you to succeed where others have failed. There are all sorts of automated marketing options out there. Which one you need really depends on you and your business. The point to take away from this is: you need to do it! Without the use of automated marketing tools, you just aren’t using technology to its fullest potential. And in a world fueled by technology, the business which doesn’t use it is the business that fails. If you are starting up your own company, be sure to use all the tools that are available to you.