Exploring why businesses struggle with their digital footprint

The internet has revolutionised the world and there is no getting away from the fact that technology is well entrenched in every aspect of our lives. From communicating with friends and family via social media networks, to using search engines to find information, right the way through to ordering products via large e-commerce websites.

The current global situation has further highlighted our dependency on the internet and digital media. Recent studies confirm that we are now spending more time online than ever before and this opens up many opportunities for individuals and businesses alike. Therefore, during this week's blog we wanted to explore why businesses struggle with their digital footprint.

The traditional view
For a long time, the vast majority of businesses have relied on traditional marketing methods to grow their businesses. Whether it was local print campaigns, word of mouth referrals or simply relying on walk in visitors, most businesses would see a steady stream of customers every day.

However, the global pandemic and resulting lockdown changed the landscape for almost all businesses. Businesses simply cannot maintain traditional marketing methods as people practice social distancing and change behaviour. As a result, the conversation has actually shifted from, "it would be nice to position my business better online" to, "I need to build an online presence".

The whole narrative has now changed as businesses understand the importance of utilising the various online tools available to build their digital footprint. As we discussed in some of our previous blog posts, marketing is all about placing the right product or service in front of the right customer at the right time. With most customers now spending more time online, this is where businesses need to actually market their products or services with an enhanced digital footprint.

What is a digital footprint?
In its most basic form, a digital footprint refers to a traceable set of digital activities, actions or communications that relate to you as an individual or business entity that is discoverable online.

In other words, any time a business is mentioned online, it is actually a component of their digital footprint. It is important to note that a digital footprint consists of elements that are controlled by the business (e.g. their website) and also by external parties such as their customers (e.g. online reviews).

What are the main components of a digital footprint?
A digital footprint has many areas but as mentioned above, they broadly fall into two categories.

If we examine the elements controlled by the business, it all usually starts with their website. This is a great way for any business to tell their story and communicate their products, services and mission to their audience in their own words. Emails and social media accounts are another source of business controlled communication that can help nurture and educate customers over time.

In contrast, there are lots of areas that are not controlled by a business but still impact their digital footprint. For example, third party review sites are a prime example of an area that can benefit or harm a business in equal measure. Objective reviews give social proof to a business but are based on the feedback of genuine customers.

Similarly, comments and conversations on social media sites can contribute to the digital footprint for all businesses. For example, people tweeting about a business on Twitter can create an image of the business and influence other users. Finally, news articles relating to the business, whether positive or negative, can again impact the digital footprint.

The thing about a digital footprint is it is easily accessible and to a degree always online. Therefore, it is important for businesses to be aware of their digital footprint and the main components that contribute to their overall online presence.

The struggle is real
There are many reasons why businesses struggle with their digital footprint as it is difficult for a busy business owner to get all the elements right. While it is not mandatory to tick off every area of a digital footprint, businesses that do well online are usually the ones that have built their presence through multiple channels, both controlled and uncontrolled mediums.

Lack of time
One of the biggest challenges facing businesses that are looking to build their digital footprint is a lack of time. The modern day business owner is stretched for time as they are often managing staff, customers, the operational side of the business and the finances. This leaves very little time for marketing and building out a holistic digital footprint.

Knowledge building
As we have seen during this blog, building a digital footprint requires a business to focus on multiple areas. From their website content to how they are perceived on social media sites. This requires a level of skill and expertise in order to leverage every medium correctly.

While there are lots of knowledgeable business owners out there, unfortunately, there are also lots of business owners who don’t understand the impact that their digital footprint is having on their business.

The pandemic situation has fast tracked the need for businesses to invest in technology solutions and digital marketing, but without clear guidance it can be difficult to work out which areas to focus on first.

Cost implications
We have all heard the saying that in order to make money, you need to spend money. This is especially true in the world of business and marketing. However, many business owners still try to rely on traditional marketing activities that are very difficult to measure objectively and calculate a return on investment.

In contrast, online marketing and investing in building your digital footprint is not as expensive as many businesses perceive. For example, the world's largest advertising platform is Facebook as they hold so much data about their users. Businesses can actually run campaigns on their ads platform for as little as £5 per day to test various promotions. This allows businesses to access new audiences while at the same time, building their digital footprint.

Competitor analysis
Businesses often perform some kind of competitor analysis. This could be in the form of checking a competitors website to benchmark prices or taking inspiration from their social media feeds. However, for most businesses, competitor analysis often looks and ends with evaluating prices.

A better strategy to adopt is to really dive into a competitors digital footprint and understand what they are doing to build their digital footprint. This could include things like researching their online reviews or which search terms they are being found for on Google. Competitor analysis is time consuming and is another area that is not fully utilised by most businesses.

Help is at hand
Although we have explored why businesses struggle with their digital footprint, it is reassuring to know that help is on hand for every business. Building a digital footprint is time consuming and that’s why we always advocate working with a team of professionals to get this right the first time.

Here at iOB Business, our partners are well placed to work with all types of businesses and help them build their digital footprint using a variety of technology solutions. Whether it is designing a cutting edge website to safeguarding a businesses online reputation, our partners have the solutions that all businesses need moving forward.

Summary
As we have seen throughout this blog, there are many critical elements to building a digital footprint for a business. From focusing on business controlled content to external mediums, all businesses need to enhance their online presence.

In the information age, where everything is a few clicks away, there has never been a better time to start helping local businesses transform how they market and position themselves online.

To find out more about how we help you launch a Digital Agency, please contact a member of our team.

Until next time, take care.