Social media is fast, it’s really fast. It changes constantly and forces technology to continually reinvent itself to keep up with how millions of people are now communicating. For example, the first iPhones went on sale in 2007, and the iPad debuted in 2010. Each new version and upgrade adds technology that allows us to communicate, collaborate and over-share all across the globe in just a matter of seconds.

Can you remember the Internet in 2002? It was a different world. Search was dominated by Yahoo. 95 percent of the people on the Internet used Internet Explorer, and we paid hourly for web access through AOL. Today, Google’s stock is nearly $1,000 a share, most of our Internet traffic comes from mobile devices and our download speeds have increased exponentially.

Businesses adapt to new technologies because they have to, not because they necessarily want to. Who remembers using the old credit card readers with the carbon copy receipts?

Now anyone can accept credit card payments through his or her smart phone and email a receipt without any paper being used.

The time has come for businesses to embrace the new tools that we have through social media. It’s no longer an option if you want to continue to be in business over the next few years.

And it’s not just small business: Companies like Blockbuster just simply weren’t able to adapt to these new tools and saw billion dollar profits evaporate in only a decade. But it’s not all bad. In the last few years, we’ve also seen new tech startups like Tumblr and Instagram become billion dollar investments by paying attention to how people are communicating and creating new channels to allow that communication.

Which category do you want your business to be in? Mississippi is known as the Hospitality State. We do a phenomenal job on customer service when we have customers in our stores, but do you feel like you’re offering that same level of customer service to those same customers through your website and social media?

You have more potential to reach people online than you ever will through your store, and it’s time to treat that website, Facebook page or Twitter account with the same love and care you give your showroom, dressing room or dining room so you can be a company that can say you excelled in the Digital Age.

 

Thomas Broadus
Director of Interactive & New Media
The Focus Group