Tech tools for business are evolving faster than many human observers are able to keep up with. Chatbots can make personalized clothing recommendations tailored (figuratively, not literally — yet) to each user. Predictive analytics can determine how news events might affect grocery and retail supply chains. Every company seems to know everything you’ve ever even thought about buying from them — or might really like to buy in the future.
With so many new tools and trends emerging every day, it may be overwhelming to choose what’s right for your business. At the same time, it’s never been easier or more affordable to take advantage of tech developments and try out something new. To cut through the thousands of options on the market, here are some accessible solutions to focus on. With a little effort, any or all of these can help you scale your online business exponentially.
1. Evolving SEO
Search engine optimization isn’t by any means new, but it’s made major strides in the last year or so. Optimizing your content for online visibility must now be done differently. That’s because major search engines like Google are changing their search engine results pages and adjusting the way algorithms rank content. They’re also adopting conversational AI search, so users get answers to their questions in full sentences from a bot. Bill Gates has even said that conversational AI will eventually eliminate the search engine as we know it.
Done correctly, next-generation SEO could still be a huge opportunity for your business — maybe even bigger than before. That’s because new search methods and AI bots tend to value high-quality, relevant content from sources who know their stuff. Google’s bot, for instance, prominently cites its sources, potentially giving your business the credit.
An online growth agency can help your business develop the kind of helpful, educational content it takes to rank highly with evolving SEO algorithms. Rather than using disingenuous tactics like posting keyword-stuffed word salad, a smart content strategy can enable you to build credibility and topical authority. When a casual search leads users to your brand’s insightful content, you’ll earn loyal fans, more conversions, and better brand recognition.
2. Generative AI
Conversational search and chatbot technologies both fall under the umbrella of what’s called “generative AI.” Generative AI refers to different types of artificial intelligence that create written content and images and generate ideas. There are many AI image generators currently available for the casual user today. You can find them through a web search or even in the form of TikTok filters.
There are many ways generative AI can spur online business growth. For example, you might employ image generation AI to create high-quality product images for your social media or webstore. You could take advantage of generative AI to come up with the copy you use to sell your product or optimize marketplace listings. If you’re a small business owner or sell your own service, AI can create professional-looking headshots for your site and LinkedIn.
In e-commerce, generative AI may be used to offer customers personalized product recommendations via chat. It can also leverage customer data and sales data to cross-sell and upsell them on other products related to their choices. Generative AI can use data analytics to help you make better decisions about how to market or sell products. And it can automate many repetitive tasks, freeing up you and your team to focus on growth strategies.
3. Social Media Tech
Social media has long been one of the most important ways to grow a following and expand an online business. But in-app payment configurations like TikTok Shops and Instagram Shop have now led more people to purchase directly through social media. Conversions are easier when the customer doesn’t have to go to a second location to check out. Businesses who expand to sell directly through social media channels should see expedited growth online.
Social listening tech lets businesses find out what’s being said about them on social media by searching for mentions of their name. Advanced programs with AI are able to extrapolate context without relying on human users — a tactic called sentiment analysis. In this way, social listening can detect emerging trends to jump on and facilitate social media crisis management. Whether by joining a relevant discussion or disarming an angry customer, businesses can use these tools to spread the good word and advance their sales.
AI can also help you establish influencer partnerships and generate content for campaigns. For instance, it’s able to detect influencers’ ages and other demographics to allow companies to find a good fit. Working with a micro- or nano-influencer could be an important step for your business’s growth in 2024. AI can assist you in finding the right (and/or most affordable) person for the job, as well as measuring campaign ROI.
Options Abound
These are just some of the many technological advancements enabling faster businesses growth online. Other, more industry-specific options abound in areas like inventory management, supply chain analytics, and risk analysis. In 2024 and beyond, the vast majority of these tech developments will be AI-powered. It will be important to understand the various — and numerous — use cases for AI, rather than lumping them all together.
No matter which tech tools you use to advance your business’s online growth, remember to always consider the customer. Make working with you more convenient for them, not less, and use new technology for practical applications, not novelty. For instance, adding multiple smart payment methods that save user information is a great use of evolving tech. But a chatbot pop-up that blocks your customer from browsing until they click it away will always be a big nope.