Equilateral

Category: Digital

Generally reserved for digital marketing, this category of posts features a range of information, thoughts and musings from my time and experience in the industry.

  • Top five platforms to share knowledge 2020

    Top five platforms to share knowledge 2020

    Looking to start a blog but can’t find the blogging software/ platform to fulfill your needs to assist in knowledge sharing?

    The following article will highlight the top five blogging platforms suited to give you the best blogging experience along with the pros and cons of each.

    WordPress.com

    The first platform on our list is the well-known Word press which is used by millions for knowledge sharing. Launched in 2005, its over 409 million users view over 21 billion pages on its blog network in any given month.  You can sign up for free right now before having to enter a few details about your blog and then an address. You get the following for no money at all: a sub domain of WordPress.com, Jetpack essential features, community support and dozens of themes absolutely free.  You can purchase a custom domain name, additional storage and other premium services.

    Tumblr.com

    This is not a site you’d expect to be on this list but, it is a ‘micro-blogging’ blogging platform for knowledge sharing. It contains social networking features such as being able to follow other blogs, reblogging as well as built-in sharing tools. Like Word press, it is also free. It gives a free Tumblr sub domain but connecting with a separately purchased, premium and custom domain name is also possible.  Tumblr is incredibly easy to set up and has an integrated component for social media. Due to being a micro blogging site, prompt blogging of videos, GIFs, images as well as audio files is possible as well.

    Medium

     Providing a community for writers, bloggers and journalists, to name a few, it is an easy to use knowledge sharing platform. Like Tumblr, it also operates as a social networking site but with limited features. You can set up an account for free where you can publish your work with Medium’s domain name as having your own is not possible. No tedious set up is required; your sole focus can be writing as Medium takes care of setting up your website and last but not the least, you can reach existing online communities with people sharing interests similar to yours.

    Squarespace

    It is a convenient website building service, facilitating you to make appealing websites using easy drag and drop down tools which is ideal for small businesses wanting to create an online presence. This knowledge sharing website powers around a million others online.  It is fairly easy-to-use for beginners with professionally designed templates and separately offers domain name for users. Squarespace has different pricing plans for websites and online stores.

    Wix

    This is a website building platform which can also be used as a blogging site for knowledge sharing. It provides a significant amount of support for its users as well as information. Their interface is easy-to-use, it provides plenty of third party apps and templates for customizing your site, hosting is included, plenty of design options available and a free Wix sub domain is also provided. Users wishing to have a custom domain can purchase one with a monthly charge along with other advanced and premium plans.

  • Why digital marketing must evolve to meet the demands of future business

    Why digital marketing must evolve to meet the demands of future business

    Digital marketing is a plan of action to advertise any product or service online. Or in other words, we can say that we are promoting and marketing our goods to people who have access to the internet. The boom on the internet has given birth to a completely new age of digital marketing.

    According to a study, 15% of the population was using the internet, in June 2017. In the year 1995, it was less than 1% of the world’s population. At this rate, it is obvious that in the future more people will be using the internet; this, in turn, produces more scope for digital marketers to gain International target audience. (Quora. Anup Prasad. July 19, 2018)

    All the industries of the world are struggling with a growth rate of 5% to 10%, whereas the Digital Marketing Industry is booming with a massive 40% growth rate annually. But the best part is that this growth rate will increase further in the future. Like everything else that evolves with time, Digital Marketing too must evolve to meet the demands of future businesses. (Quora. Rajat Tyagi. June 2, 2019)

    The evolution of Digital Marketing encompasses some amazing features like usefulness, convenience, instant response and cost-effectiveness. Digital Marketing is the future of marketing and advertising. Different types of marketing strategies can be applied to it. It can work for both, marketing a small business as well as multinational or international businesses. In terms of Digital Marketing, every firm is equal. It has what it takes to improve the sales of future businesses.

    Businesses around the globe are no longer using traditional marketing tools to target their customers. Since the introduction of the internet in the 1990s and the arrival of smartphone technology, people have been using them to interact and conduct business. According to HubSpot, global retail e-commerce sales will reach $ 4.5 trillion by 2021. Therefore, digital marketing must evolve to manage such a huge shift in business strategies. Digital Marketing is the best way to increase any business with a low budget and high productivity. (SEO Trench. Ideas to increase business sales through digital marketing. October 10, 2019)

    Electronic devices, for example, mobile phones, tablets and PC are used to market the products online. Marketing channels like email marketing, mobile marketing and social media marketing are applied to direct traffic for the websites. Nowadays, people are using the web with their full identity, which enables businesses to interact with targeted data with them. In order to fulfil the demands of the future. Digital Marketing must evolve so that it results in the overall growth of the economy. Digital Marketing allows for 24/7 customer support. This makes the customer feel valued and supported. Another advantage is that brands can receive positive and negative feedback instantly. The dialogues and discussions are increasingly advantageous for companies to improve their services.

    The future of Digital Marketing is a highly evolved experience with the customer as the centre of attention and with numerous customised approaches to target the audience itself. For businesses to draw the best possible ROI and revenue in the future, it is of utmost importance that Digital Marketing must evolve to embody the needs of tomorrow.

  • Collaboration – Essential for future problem solving?

    Collaboration, remote collaboration to be specific, is the need of the day.

    The globalization in the last few decades has brought the world together. It has also globalized the problems faced by us. Our struggles are not limited to our area, country, or region anymore. We are now part of a much bigger and extensive global village.

    So, when facing a problem in the future, the impact of our decisions cannot be restricted to our area only. We need to have some sort of communication with people across the world working on the same goal as us. 

    Take the example of Covid-19, originating in Wuhan, now its current epicenter is in the USA. Within two months of the first reported case, what set out to be a problem for China has become a worldwide problem.

    This whole, COVID- 19, episode has widened the perspective of what globalization means and the need for a collaborative expert model is now more than ever.

    What is remote collaboration?

    Remote collaboration involves a team that is not limited by their geographical location. In such a collaboration, people around the globe meet a shared goal. This enhances productivity and the efficiency of the team. It also results in an increase in the collective knowledge of the team.

    Examples of remote collaboration

    Before we move to the impact of remote collaboration on the future, we need to acknowledge the past. Following are s some of the greatest examples of this kind of collaboration in history:

    1. The Human Genome Project. The full sequencing of the human genome took 13 years and collaboration of 18 countries. It gave us a genetic blueprint of an average human being. This remote collaboration changed the way we understand the human body.

    Today you can get a full human genome sequence in a day and costs only a part of the original price.

    2. European council of nuclear research (CERN) is another example. The collaborative expert model was used to collect data from Italy, France and Denmark where scientists worked together. They shared ideas, knowledge, and costs of the research.

    As a result, today Europe dominates over the field of particle physics. Together, they were able to run the longest successful collaboration in scientific history.

    Not only that, but CERN is also responsible for the biggest collaboration tool to date. You might have heard about the tool known as WORLDWIDE WEB!!

    3. LIGO scientific collaboration (LSC) involved scientists from across the globe working together. The collaboration led to the detection of cosmic gravitational waves. LSC currently has 1.167 members. Their bases are in 103 institutions located across 18 different countries.

    How will remote collaboration impact the future

    Only a few years ago, collaboration meant the whole office working together as a team under the same roof. Things have changed now! Especially in the ‘post-corona’ future, we can see remote collaboration picking up pace already.

    This transformation of work dynamics is not only inevitable but also beneficial.

    So what are the advantages remote collaboration will bring:

    1. An increase in diversity will lead to creativity:

    People from different parts of the world will bring diverse ideas to the table. Having experienced different socio-economic issues will allow diversity.

    A combination of various skills and contrasting environments will lead to innovative ideas. This will allow us to observe problems with new angles.

    Engaging activities, such as brainstorming, may result in out-of-the-box solutions.

    2. Increase in productivity:

    Remote collaboration allows temporal flexibility. This means teamwork could go on at any time of the day.

    This will lead to an increase in productivity since the team will be working round the clock.

    3. Flexibility:

    A different perspective will allow project directions to be more flexible. The remote collaboration will allow more room for adaptation. Coming from diverse socio-economic backgrounds will increase the chances of divergent perspectives.

    In this situation, “the open to change” attitude of remote collaboration will come in handy.

    “My idea is the best, so we have to go with it.” will not apply in such collaborations.

    Mutual respect will allow different perspectives to be heard. Implementation of new ideas will lead to an outcome that is best for the shared goal.

    4. Increased Learning:

    Working in collaboration will also increase the chances of learning. Employees will be working with members from different fields. They will be getting exposure to a skillset outside their domains.

    They will experience new working ways.

    Cross collaboration may open possibilities for people to pursue a new field. This will improve employees’ value due to the enhancement of their skillsets.

    5. Inspiration for team members:

    Remote collaboration will allow more freedom and empowerment to the employees. It will flatten out the hierarchy.

    Curious individuals will get the chance to explore new business strategies. It will result in the empowerment of individuals. Diversity will challenge their existing point of view.

    It will inspire team members to come up with an innovative solution. Experimenting with different ways of approaching things will have a positive impact. It will result in unexpected and inspiring contributions.

    Conclusion:

    The remote collaboration is the future of offices and workplaces. It provides higher satisfaction and a better outcome for everyone involved. Increased creativity and productivity will attract this collaborative expert model.

    The remote collaboration will lead to a more diverse and positive working environment.

    There will be different, more complex problems arising in this world in the future. The above-discussed factors will result in more innovative, inclusive, and flexible solutions.

  • How Machine Learning Will Change Digital Marketing

    Machine learning and data science both have significant parts to play in the future of digital marketing. But what does this mean for marketers?

    As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes commonplace in advertising, it’s important for marketers to get ahead of the curve by learning to harness machine learning (ML). Let’s look closer at the predicted effect ML and AI will have on the world of digital marketing. 

    What is Machine Learning?

    It’s important to note that machine learning and artificial intelligence aren’t one and the same. As you may have gathered from sci-fi movies or media coverage of robot-led factories, AI is an attempt to harness certain aspects of the human mind in digital form. 

    Machine learning, on the other hand, is a discipline that helps humans solve problems in a more efficient and cost-effective way. Machine learning uses science, data and computer code to predict outcomes based on discovered patterns.

    An Example:

    Cloud computing is a prime example of machine learning in action. The cloud uses data to offer businesses a high level of scalability and power, driving innovation in almost every sector.

    Today, the best marketers are using machine learning to understand, anticipate and act on the needs of the consumer. This discipline allows businesses to deliver advertising to the right audience at the right time. As such, the best digital marketing departments rely on a strong set of analytics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to increase the efficiency and ROI of their campaigns.

    Machine Learning and Digital Marketing: What Does The Future Hold?

    According to a study by Quantic Mind, 97% of marketers believe that the future of marketing involves humans working alongside machines and AI-led tools. 

    By 2020, it’s predicted that 85% of customer interactions will be managed with no human involvement, according to Gartner. The study also reported that real-time personalised advertising and optimised message targeting would accelerate in this timeframe. Marketers also predict that Sales Qualified Lead (SQL) generation will also increase, potentially reducing sales cycles and increasing win rates. 

    The combined effect of these marketing technologies will no doubt increase sales effectiveness in retail and B2C-based sectors. 

    Why Do We Need Predictive Analytics?

    Predictive analytics are important because they give marketers insight into the future. That way, companies can react not just to what is happening currently, but also how a consumer will act in the future. Predictive analytics can also help prevent negative outcomes, reducing churn rate by boosting engagement with sales prospects. 

    Predictive analytics also help businesses plan for growth. It means business leaders can distribute their marketing budgets using predictive planning, rather than using historical data. 

    Do We Need Machine Learning in Digital Marketing?

    Regardless of the projections for the future, the purpose of machine learning and AI isn’t to take over the jobs of digital marketers. The main function of these emerging technologies is to enhance existing strategies, increase automation and make the jobs of digital marketers easier. By utilising machine learning, marketing professionals can streamline and future-proof their digital strategies in a more timely, cost-effective way.