5 Digital Skills that You Should Learn to Become a Better Business Owner

5 Digital Skills that You Should Learn to Become a Better Business Owner 1

Running your own business brings up new challenges every day, and one area where some businesses still struggle is with their digital proficiency. To help you improve your online presence and become a better – and more effective – business owner, we’ve rounded up five digital skills that you should consider working on this year.

  • Scheduling social media content

Social media is one of the best ways to promote your products and services, but it can be tough to keep all of your channels up to date with fresh and engaging content. By using a social media scheduling tool, like Buffer or HootSuite, you’ll take off some of the pressure and keep your channels consistent, even if you’re too busy to sit down and post on the day. Sign up to a free scheduling service and familiarise yourself with the tools and options; you’ll be glad you did.

  • Search engine optimisation basics

If you don’t know what SEO is yet, it’s time you took a trip to YouTube and familiarize yourself with the concept. Getting the basics of SEO right is simple; include keywords when writing your content, using the Yoast SEO plugin and always working hard to build links. If you don’t have time or you’re too perplexed by the concept, consider outsourcing your SEO to a company that offers SEO for small businesses. Sure, you’ll be cheating, but it’s better than spending too long getting your head around a new concept that’s ever-changing and adapting.

5 Digital Skills that You Should Learn to Become a Better Business Owner 2

  • G Suite – Docs, Sheets, Gmail, Drive

Still using Microsoft Office and saving important documents to your desktop or a memory stick? It’s time you took the leap and entered the 21st century. Cloud-based computing couldn’t be simpler, and it gives you the ability to work wherever in the world, using whatever computer or smartphone you choose. Sign up to G Suite and start using Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Drive. Oh, and while you’re at it, switch your mailbox to Gmail, as it’s the most effective and easy-to-use client, and you’ll always have access, even if your site goes down.

  • Copywriting – and speaking to your audience

Being able to write and speak to your audience is one of the greatest digital skills you can have, so make an effort and start writing a blog today. Even if you don’t think that your content is good enough to publish, start writing at least once a week to hone your craft and become a better writer. In time, you’ll become more confident and your content will be able to speak for itself.

  • Photography and editing

You don’t need to invest in a flash digital camera, but you should practice taking pictures of your business and your team to share online. Having a basic understanding of image editing can also come in handy, especially if you want to create social media graphics to promote special events, new products or seasonal events like Christmas and New Year. Canva is the best free online graphics maker, and it’s easy to use, too. Just sign up for an account and get creative.

You don’t need to become a photographer or marketing expert to give your business a boost online – just experimenting with these new digital skills and putting them into practice will be enough. Whatever you choose to do, good luck with your business venture. You can do it!

About the Author

Max Greene is the Managing Director of Muffin Marketing, a marketing agency specialising in content marketing, social media marketing, and search engine optimisation.