Few days ago I was making an application online that’s connected to Young Leaders on the Global Goals. Now the Global Goals have to do with SDGs and how to profer solutions to achieve each.
And as a inserted my normal details – name, date of birth, nationality, why do you want to apply – I got to a point where I had to give them my profile on these platforms:
As, I did that – before I forget, I also gave them this website you’re reading from – I realized how important these little things have become in our world.
And I believe it’s because of one thing – Globalization. Surprisingly, it’s come to stay. It has no respect for you. That’s the wave of humanity.
Related
See what Kofi Annan would tell you if you had a meeting with him:
It has been said that arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity.
So what’s the safety nest? What should we do?
Well, before I suggest what we should do, I’ll like to let you into why you need a good online presence.
It Increases Your Personal Brand Awareness
That’s a picture of the demographics of visitors to this site. I’m in Nigeria trying to serve African employees who want to build personal brands in their chosen field yet I can reach more people outside the continent.
100 years ago, for me to do that would have required at least a visa or a DHL service at a cost that will be enough to buy few more laptops to boost my productivity today.
If you have an online presence you have this as an advantage.
Better Customer Satisfaction
How and why?
The market does not exist where the product is. It does where the consumers are. And they are online. So, with a Facebook page, you are able to satisfy them because now you can attend to them where they are.
And somehow this is what they want – selfies, pictures… videos, chats and many many.
Why do you think big companies invest so much to transform their online presence? In fact, there’s even budgeting for online marketing.
Global & Local Market Insight
Thanks to google analytics and all the analytics present. With my personal Facebook page, I can know what the market wants. I can determine when they are most active and why they are most active.
I did a post for African Highschool Students at the end of January that was a summary of the discussions during the World Economic Forum, 2020. If anyone of them sees it online, he or she can take advantage of it.
I am online and so I can see the trends. I can know the direction the world is headed for.
Another example here is this: I started sharing the links to this blog via my Facebook account and I’ve received more visitors from that medium. Why? I took advantage of the trends and insight of how the online space works.
You are Leveraged to Build Trust
How do you feel when you can see the live video or picture of Beyonce or Cristiano Ronaldo?
I saw this on the website of beamlocal.com
The 21st century consumer is a skeptic; in fact, 56% of people stated that they won’t trust a business without a website.
If this is true for businesses then it is similar for your brand. In our age, being online gives you credibility within minutes. How can you explain to so many people, who need your value, in so little time, that you’re real?
Although, this does not replace your offline participation, it’s relevance is undisputed.
An Opportunity to Express Yourself
I’m aware that my generation is taking this for granted at certain times as we now say a whole lot without caution from twitter hasgtags to Instagram short clips…
Howbeit, if you have an online presence, you can share your ideas. And like myself, if an organization needs to know you more, they can get to meet you and discover you through a post.
Just one post can make you the right person for the job.
Free to No Advertising Cost
This is the best reason why you should have a strong online presence.
Have you discovered that those who use social media to make profit are not really consuming more data than those coming in to just feel the groove?
The difference between the two groups is intentionality.
With as little as $10, you can touch more than 10 thousand persons within 24hrs. What about your Whatsapp?
Content is fire. Social media is gasoline.
Jay Baer
Now wait… Before you begin to think big or take your mind off it, you’re online already. You can’t go offline and I mean it. Your bank has placed you online. Or that registration you did in school…
The question now is not, Should I be online or not? Rather it should be, How do I want to be online so that I can maximize the opportunity?
Even our fathers are not exempted from this. My dad joined Facebook few years ago and he’s getting to learn it more. We’ve had reasons to create a Whatsapp group for the family where we discussed family issues in depth.
If my dad is there and using it, I don’t think you have a stronger reason not to. Although, you can still decide to. Your choice.