Any big changes in a company can take time to implement, and the same can be true of establishing digital maturity. However, in today’s increasingly streamlined, automated, and generally tech-oriented world, it’s important to move toward this end as quickly as possible. In a previous piece here at Solitaire Consulting, we explained that while the idea of digital transformation speaks to a shift in thinking about the implementation of technology, digital maturity is the actual implementation process that unfolds over time toward broader, deeper digitisation. The goal is to “achieve an efficient and effective process, where the actors are adding real value, not just pushing paper.”
To speak to that point further, we wanted to use this piece to point out some specific ways for a modern business to expand its digital maturity.
1. Building A Strong App
Depending on what sort of business you’re in, an app may or may not seem necessary. For instance, a lot of financial services firms wouldn’t necessarily recognise the need for this sort of digital tool. With more and more people depending on mobile devices for their internet activity however, the argument can be made that today, having a strong app is as important as having a website. Forbes has provided a very handy list of tips about common mistakes to avoid when building an app, and they can actually help you to learn how to tailor the mobile tool toward your company’s function and audience. One way or another though, establishing this digital channel to your business’s information and function is vital. Start with something that’s simple, clear, and easy to use, and build from there as needed.
2. Growing A Strong Social Media Presence
Social media can be a little bit of an enigma, in that a lot of business owners might view it as something of a “time-waster,” while also recognising its potential utility. At this point, however, maintaining a strong presence on social media has become more of a necessity than any kind of extra or luxury. A focused, specific effort across multiple platforms is one of the best ways to keep your company relevant to a modern audience. It also fits into the broader work of establishing digital maturity where outreach and marketing are concerned. You may need knowledgeable experts in the field to come on board to make it happen, but a strong social media presence is very much part of the digitisation process.
3. Implementing A Full-Scale SEO Effort
Building on the idea of digital maturity relating to outreach and marketing, one of the most effective things you can do is to harness the power of search engine optimisation. This is a foreign process to some, but one that’s necessary to learn about and put into place. Ayima Kickstart explains that modern companies can gain digital marketing traction through clear SEO strategies involving keyword integration, link development, and the technical analysis and creative adjustment of your website’s content. These specific efforts can essentially work together not just to make your site’s content clearer and more relevant to visitors, but to actually give you a digital advantage. The better and more cohesive your SEO efforts are, the more likely your business will be to come up in Google searches, which can in turn lead to consumer engagement and customer acquisition.
4. Grow A Team That Values Digital Maturity
Ultimately one of the most important aspects of all of this is ensuring that your team understands what you’re doing by working toward digital maturity. To accomplish this, you should invest in employee growth and education so that everyone involved in your business understands why you value this effort and how their tasks matter in the grand scheme of things. In this way, you’ll cultivate digital leaders and make digitisation a priority on a company-wide level.
These four strategies don’t tell the whole story of working toward digital maturity. But they can certainly work together to modernise your business and turn digital processes into clear priorities and – more importantly – drivers of expansion and growth.
Article written for solitaireconsulting.com
by Jacie Beatriz
