Small Biz In A Digital Age

Small Biz In A Digital Age

The world of business is moving faster -- hyper fast. Small businesses face the challenge of trying to keep up and innovate their business to create an advantage.

Starting this week, GoLocal will offer, "Small Biz In A Digital Age" -- information to make your business go faster and smarter. This series is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island - but know they have no editorial review or control. The goal is to help small businesses compete and grow in a period of tremendous change.

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Focus on Mobile

The discussions of mobile devices are too often under appreciated in most small businesses. How big is mobile? How fast is mobile growing?

"We expect global mobile transaction volume and value to average 35 percent annual growth between 2012 and 2017, and we are forecasting a market worth $721 billion with more than 450 million users by 2017," said Sandy Shen, research director at Gartner.

Basic Function is Critical

For businesses looking to let customers know where their store is located or list the hours - a mobile platform is critical. Where do consumers search for the basic? It is most often via their smartphone.

According to Goldman Sachs research, digital commerce adoption and expansion is anticipated to further accelerate, with annual growth reaching nearly 17 percent within the next three years.

Small businesses need to have a mobile version of their websites and if they want to capture customer's attention and economic transactions.  Small businesses need to understand that mobile devices are in the hands of 70% of the US adults and this is only growing.