Are you using digital effectively?

The digital landscape has probably changed since you last made decisions about your digital strategy. Are you using digital most effectively? Whatever industry you're in, we highlight a quick rundown of what you should be considering.

Customer expectations are shifting

• Customers expect highly branded, contemporary, media-rich and dynamic web experiences
  
• Customers want a consistent and remembered experience whatever the channel
• Customers in the “now” generation are demanding instant gratification, round-the-clock support and self-service

The online market is shifting

• Businesses are facing tougher competition not just from traditional peers, but new online-only entrants, intermediaries, related industries and international players
• Your brand and presence online needs to reach out beyond your website to get attention and share in a saturated market – “go where your customers are, don’t expect them to come to you”

What you should be considering

• Integrate with added value third-party services on your website, and on other websites your customers use
• Focus on the user experience of your presence online – be on brand, personally relevant and intuitively valuable for your customers
• Use rich media, data services and automated tools where there is distinct value to your business or your customers
• Prepare to conduct more of your business operations online to be competitive and reduce cost-to-serve
• Leverage online opportunities to expand your product or service lines, or extend market reach (including internationally)

How you get there and why it's easy

• Web services such as mapping, analytics, payment engines, scalable hosting and community tools are free (or virtually free), open, flexible and easy to integrate with little or no IT dependence
• Regularly conduct research to understand changing customer movements and expectations, who your competitors are and what they’re doing – new automated analytics tools are starting to provide this research for you
• If you don't have the skills in-house, recruit a web agency that knows how to balance business goals, user needs and technology to deliver compelling user experiences