Over the past few years, there have been many developments in technology that have influenced how business is conducted. These include everything form chat apps to use as your main communication tool to having computers do most of the work for you.
Many of these innovations were initially designed to make our lives more efficient, but some ended up changing the way businesses operate as well.
Here we will discuss several ways technology has improved the way business functions. Some are practical applications and others may be fun to try out. No matter which ones you pick, all can enhance your workplace and help you achieve your goals!
Keep reading to learn about five powerful uses of technology for business.
Social media
Many businesses these days can’t survive without an active presence on at least one of the many social networking sites. With the explosion of people using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other such services, it has become essential for most companies to have a profile on each.
For example, back in 2009 when Barack Obama became president, his staff made sure to update his personal Facebook page with pictures and information about him and his family. This is now the standard practice for every presidential candidate!
It isn’t just politicians that make use of social networks- it is common practice for business owners as well. By posting pictures and updates, followers are able to get a sense of who your company really is and what areas you are focused on.
This helps promote trust, as people can see that there are no hidden agendas. It also gives you the chance to connect with others, spread your brand name, and gain new clients or customers.
Overall, having an online presence is very important part of running a business today.
Online advertising
A growing number of businesses rely heavily on online advertisements to generate revenue. With the explosion in use of social media sites, it is very easy to advertise your business via this medium.
By using applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus, you are able to target specific audiences that may be interested in what you have to offer.
This is done through advertisement settings where you can specify whether or not you want your ad to appear for people who are already fans of yours on these sites, if you want to send them direct messages about your product, or even both!
There are many ways to spend money on ads, so making sure you are looking into all of them is important. It is also worth noting that some companies will give you a lot more leeway with how much you spent than others!
Seek out discounts from vendors by shopping around.
Email marketing
In our constant connected world, with technology becoming more pervasive every day, it is easy to forget that not all people have access to internet-connected devices. This includes those who live in rural areas or even those who no longer use landlines due to the rise of smartphones.
For this reason, there are still some effective ways to market your product or business. One of these is email marketing.
Email is one of the most used online tools for doing things like shopping, searching for information, and sending messages. By adding your business’s contact info into an automated system that sends emails, you can use this tool to promote your company.
What makes email special is its readability. Since everyone has an account already, people do not need to create an account to enjoy email marketing. Also, since it is typically free, individuals don’t feel limited by budget when they add yours as a mailing address – especially if they are trying to expand their network!
There are many types of email marketers out there. Some send promotional material about products or services, while others keep in touch through greetings and updates.
Phone calls vs face-to-face conversations
Over the past few years, there have been numerous studies that show how much phone calls can slow down your interaction with other people.
When you call someone, it can easily distract them from their work or whatever they were doing before the call came in.
On the other hand, when you meet someone in person, you get a more authentic connection. You feel closer to them, which is why some may choose to go into business with someone after just meeting them once.
With social media, posting pictures and videos online has become very common. Before, this was not done as frequently because people wanted to be careful about who could view these things.
Use technology to your advantage
Over the past few years, there have been many ways that technology has improved business. It is easy to get distracted by all of the new tools and apps that hit the market, but not every tool is worth investing in.
What are some examples of technologies that can be left behind?
You do not need fancy software like Microsoft Office or Photoshop to lead a successful career. These products are definitely worthy acquisitions if you are looking to progress professionally, but they are not essential for most individuals.
Many people use free alternatives to these applications which work just as well! For instance, Google Docs allows you to create documents, edit them, and share them easily. Many professionals use this app to collaborate with colleagues online.
These types of apps should be given limited time to see how effective they are before being invested in. The same goes for smartphone apps – some apps may feel necessary at first, but will quickly lose their appeal.
Design your website
A well designed website is an integral part of your business, it can make or break how well you do your job.
Website design has come a long way in recent years. Back in the day, sites were very plain and sometimes lacked any style at all!
Now though, web design has become a pretty complex art form. You have to consider many different factors when designing a site for your business.
These include: choosing between classic, modern, or even cartoon styles, picking colors that match or clash, using content and media efficiently, and ensuring your visitors can easily access everything they need.
And don’t forget about mobile compatibility!
There are several free tools available online that can help you test the usability and look of various websites. This will give you some ideas but not necessarily fully-designed pages so you’ll have to work around that.
We recommend staying within their guidelines unless you have specific creative goals that cannot be achieved otherwise.
Create a blog
A business can’t survive without an online presence these days, so creating a blog is one of your first digital marketing steps as a company owner or entrepreneur.
A well-crafted blog will draw in new customers, enhance engagement with existing ones, and strengthen your brand image.
It also doesn’t hurt to add some SEO value to your site! Your website’s “About Us” section and other key areas should be matched up with what you write for each article.
Your about page and product pages can even be rewritten using content from your blog, which boosts their SE optimization potential. You get extra credit for doing this yourself – it will take you no more than 30 minutes per change.
And don’t forget to keep posting articles! Even if you’re not actively writing new material every day, at least twice a week is needed to retain readers.
Infographics are another good way to grab attention and spread important information. They make it easy to compare similar products and services, and are a quick way to convey complex concepts.
What I love about infographic websites like VisualViral and Piktochart is that you can create your own by editing and adding elements, colors, and components.
Offering a service
One of the most significant changes technology has made for business is offering services instead of products. Product companies still exist, but they are becoming less common.
Technology now makes it easy to offer your services to other people. Online platforms make it simple to create an online store or website that you can use to sell things, or provide services to customers.
This is different from what we were used to back in the era of internet pioneers such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. They designed and manufactured their own equipment and software, which they marketed directly to others.
More recently, tech giants like Amazon have transitioned into making more affordable hardware and software that people can access through their sites and apps. These businesses earn money by charging sellers to list items on their site or giving them special perks for being a member.
But even though these corporations advertise heavily, they also require members to do some basic self-service to keep earning rewards. This sometimes includes creating an account, responding to customer inquiries, and supporting other members.
