7 Basic Tips Every Digital Entrepreneur Should Know In 2021
Almost every entrepreneur these days is at least partially a digital entrepreneur. Why? In today’s technology-driven industries, utilizing digital technologies is essential for a business to succeed – and even just to run. Many of the day-to-day operations are already reliant on technology, not to mention the marketing strategies that mostly revolve around searches and the Internet.
What Is a Digital Entrepreneur?
According to SmallBizGenius, out of thousands of participants in a survey, 99% say that they use at least one technology tool to perform day-to-day operations. Of course, not all of them use the same tools or have the same proficiency. However, if you’ve moved at least a part of your business online, whether it is selling on a site or social media, you are somewhat of a digital entrepreneur.
Why ‘’somewhat’’?
By definition, a digital entrepreneur is exclusively focused on selling on the Internet. Their products are delivered, marketed, and supported entirely online. To be more, a digital entrepreneur can sell products that can be sold exclusively online such as downloadable software, eBooks, online education, web hosting, SaaS products, etc.
Best tips for digital entrepreneurs in 2021
Succeeding in the online market these days is not easy. However, it offers you bigger chances at wider reach than anything else, as well as many prospects for rising success. Not to mention, it’s pretty much the only thing that has great chances to work now that we’re fighting a worldwide pandemic. Nothing great comes easy, does it?
No one can know everything about the digital marketing industry or the idea of selling online. However, your job as a digital entrepreneur is not only to build quality products that meet the demand on the market but also to stay up to date on what’s happening in this industry.
With that in mind, here is a list that every digital entrepreneur should follow to succeed in 2021.
1. Optimize for voice search – but not exclusively
For a while now, voice search has been all the hype in the technology world. People from all around the globe utilize smart tech like Alexa, Siri, and Echo to take care of the micro-tasks in their lives, both personal and business. People are busy these days. When walking on the street, you can see many of them with headphones in their years talking to their phone. They don’t have the time to type – so they tell Google what they need.
If you haven’t done so already, it is time that you make your online business voice-optimized. Latest voice search statistics reveal that almost half of all the searches in 2020 were done by speaking. This same research shows that over 72% of people already use voice search in their daily routines.
However, this is no reason to go overboard and forget about old-fashioned content. Content is still king and it probably will be for a long time to come. When making your to-do list for this year, make sure to add a point that says: transcribe audio to text and vice versa. In other words, optimize for voice and traditional searches. Thanks to tools like HappyScribe, this is now easier than ever. You can voice your ideas into a speaker, turn them into written text, and have every new idea optimized for all users, regardless of how they search.
2. Have a mobile optimization strategy ready at all times
This is no longer optional. For some time now, mobile search has surpassed desktop use. In the US alone, 96% of people own a cellphone. Most of them own a smartphone, which means that they have information at their disposal wherever they go (provided that there’s an Internet connection).
The number of smartphone users already surpasses 3 billion on a worldwide level. It’s forecasted to grow by hundreds of millions in the years that follow. Out of all users, over half make their searches and/or purchases online.
What does this mean for you?
It means that, if you want to succeed as a digital entrepreneur, mobile optimization is no longer optional. Going forward, you need a mobile-friendly website and mobile-optimized features. Unless you do this, you’ll lose half or more of your leads and potential customers. Even the ones you attract on a desktop, you will lose as soon as they figure out that you’re not optimized for mobile.
3. SEO is not dead – and it probably won’t be any time soon
Search engine optimization was and remains one of the top priorities when it comes to selling products or services online, or even simply for attracting some audience. If you’re thinking that the buzz around SEO was a phase and this project is gone now that there are new things on the market, you couldn’t be more wrong.
In June of 2014, Marshall Simmonds, the lead SEO consultant for numerous publishers like The New York Times, had a presentation where he clearly stated that SEO should never be seen as a project.
Optimization for search engines is not dead and it probably won’t be, at least not for a while. It’s only logical – people will keep going on the Internet to find what they need. They go there to find information, make purchases, make contact with people, and whatnot.
If you want leads, you want SEO. It’s as simple as that. With that in mind, you should never stop focusing on optimizing your website, all pages, posts, guest posts, and every other thing you publish online for search engines.
4. The privacy of your customers is paramount
With growing crime rates on the Internet and news on digital frauds appearing every day, people are scared. They are now more informed and less willing to share personal data with you.
What is personal data, really?
This is everything that a customer shares with you that is personal to them, including their name, address, banking details, and even the preferences, searches, comments, etc. Here are some examples of personal data that will show you what people are concerned about.
Right now, you need people’s personal data more than ever. You don’t just need it for customers to sell them products, ship them to their address, or get in touch with them. You need it for analytics and the progress of your online business. You need it to track their actions and figure out what exactly they expect of you. You need it for email marketing, personalization, and better communication.
This is why you must make sure that your customers feel safe about sharing personal data with you. No matter how great your products or services, people won’t choose you unless you set their privacy as your priority.
What can you do?
Find the best digital security options that will protect everyone’s information safe. Tell people what measures you’ve taken to ensure their safety. Talk to them, update your T&C page, and always, always remain informed on the latest privacy laws. This won’t just help you build credibility, but also prevent you from making mistakes unintentionally, legally speaking.
5. It’s not just about pay-per-click ads
A few years back, digital entrepreneurs were obsessed with paid ads. This was the digital marketing solution to all. However, the hype is diminishing and today, PPC has a smaller impact than before.
It’s definitely not gone or irrelevant. Missing out on the opportunity is a stupid idea. However, you need to remember that digital marketing is more than just setting PPC ads.
So, don’t drop the Adwords account – not just yet. It’s very helpful for businesses, but it’s only a small part of what it means to sell online.
6. Visualization is very much ‘’in the picture’’
Readable content remains to be very important for digital entrepreneurs. However, it gets very dull without some visualization. People need colors and design to spice things up. Visual content should be your priority this year, too. Think images, videos, infographics, stories on Facebook and Instagram, podcasts, etc. With social media platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, a visualization is no longer an option – it’s a requirement.
Not to mention, some companies already started investing in visual search, which means that you should aim to get ahead of this as soon as possible.
7. Grasp the modern marketing trends
The digital marketing world changes every day. Popups were all the fuss for a minute there, followed by stories that vanished in 24 hours, followed by live streams that people watch on social media platforms.
Things change, and so should your strategies.
With that in mind, you should grasp the modern trends of 2021. On top of the list are, of course, live streaming and influencers. Even since the pandemic began, people have used these more than ever. Artists had their concerts live, people had their birthdays on a live stream, and influencers helped businesses move their physical sales online.
Conclusion
The online world is changing every day. As interesting as it is to sell things online, it’s also challenging to keep track of everything. As a digital entrepreneur, you must make sure to meet the current demands on the market. This article should help you get ahead of the competition by following 2021’s trends.
