Web 2.0, the age of advanced digital technology and the nascence of the internet, is something that ties together modern global society and is something you cannot avoid.
It is something that businesses, even small ones or corporations whose products are niche is seemingly unconnected to technology or internet, should not be afraid of, but should instead embrace in the same way that the general public has. Fail to keep up with the brisk pace of digital progress, and you may run the risk of being left behind with nothing but a few flyers to hand out to disinterested passers-by on a high-street.
The advantages of the internet for growing your business are numerous but primarily they boil down to three core factors; low-cost, high-scope, and accurate targeting.
First of all, the most important element for any small growing business, how financially viable is it? Well, compared to television, print or even radio advertisements, producing a website or running a social media campaign can be relatively inexpensive, and also means you can advertise round the clock instead of jostling for a prime-time television slot. And of course, as your advertising budget increases over time, you can easily change your campaigns or content to match the changes in your business.
High-scope is also another advantage of the internet. Viral videos have been a staple of the internet even in its most amoebic state and are a testament to how a piece of content can spread so quickly and broadly in such a way that was never possible before computers.
Of course, you don't need to make a viral video or any other piece of viral marketing to grow your business, but if you utilise tools such as Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) to make your website more prominent online or use social media as a form of inexpensive promotion and audience engagement, you will reach far more potential clients than you ever could with old-fashioned word of mouth.
Finding and establishing your business niche and attracting the right clientele is also something the internet affords you. The 'spray and pray' approach of aiming to simply reach the biggest audience may not always be the apt option, and as such, you can use algorithms to make sure your advertisements and content reach audiences who are more inclined to engage with them.
Social media is the aptest platform for this, and utilising users likes, hobbies and interests can be a really effective way of finding the right audience member for your product or business. Even if it's something really 'out there', someone on the internet is bound to enjoy it.