It’s The Time to be Online

The world of websites and services has changed. A lot. Now is the time to be online.

When I first started in the industry, I was trying to sell web services to people that still preferred to put their ad spend into the phone book (for those of you that aren’t familiar, a phone book was an antiquated print publication that listed every person’s and every business’ phone number and address). 

Back then, websites were mostly static, with the common use of content management systems still a few years in the future. Mobile and responsive designs weren’t even on the radar, and Internet Explorer was the most highly used web browser.

I can’t fool anybody about my age anymore. That was a long time ago. 

 

The need for Web

Today, in 2020, the digital world is going through yet another change. The new reality in the COVID era has put a spotlight on web and remote services. Both B2B and B2C companies are having to pivot in order to accommodate shifting consumer needs and priorities. Online meetings, work-from-home staff, touchless delivery of service, parking lot pickup, and social distancing have put an emphasis on digital infrastructure and customer fulfillment. Now, more than ever before, a robust web presence is a requirement for business. 

More than just requiring a web presence, the information age has created a new breed of consumer. Highly informed, socially networked customers can share reviews and opinions in a matter of seconds, making the customer experience another key business component. Companies don’t just need a website – they need a user-friendly, mobile responsive, relevant, and engaging web presence. 

 

Seizing opportunity

Despite the economic turmoil that has enveloped 2020, many organizations have seized the opportunity to update and transform their business practices to accommodate a more web-focused world. In fact, as the year continues to move inexorably forward, companies are faced with one of three choices: adapt, survive, or die. 

For most business owners, with their internal motivation, competitive nature, and purpose, the idea of closing the doors is a worst-case scenario. But as economic uncertainty thrives, the willingness and ability to invest further in digital marketing becomes strained. The current situation leaves many companies in a tough spot. Without a significant online presence, irrelevance in the market is almost inevitable, and there just isn’t enough certainty to start hiring additional full-time employees. 

Enter the WebOps approach. With WebOps, companies can supplement their current internal teams with additional resources or simply hire an entire 3rd party team to manage their online properties. 

 

The upside of WebOps

Unlike hiring a new internal resource (or several), working with 3rd party service providers means that a company doesn’t need to pay for training a new hire or wait for that employee to get up to speed eventually. Holidays, sick time, benefits, and additional tax commitments no longer exist for the hiring company. 

But more than just the financial benefits, utilizing a full-scale WebOps team means that for the price of a single resource, an organization can have access to several. Marketers, designers, strategists, and developers come together in a unified team to help companies reach their digital goals. 

Goals are a particularly good facet of the WebOps approach as well. Whereas traditional outsourced teams are very task-oriented – you tell them what to do, they do it – a WebOps team is goal-focused. They get to understand your business goals and then perform tasks and do the measurement, tracking, analysis, and make ongoing recommendations on the best ways to succeed. Companies can take advantage of a broad team’s talents, and they gain the benefit of the added brainpower to help guide strategy and progress. 

 

Evolution in difficult times

As 2020 creeps along, the new business environment has made it imperative for businesses to have a robust web presence that engages the customer and provides an immaculate experience. But, as more and more organizations feel budgets tightening in the face of uncertainty, it becomes harder and harder to affordably manage the web upgrades that are necessary. 

WebOps, as a web development approach, provides an option to companies that continue to persevere. By utilizing a multi-faceted team of marketers, designers, developers, and strategists, organizations can take advantage of a wider spectrum of talent for the same price as a single resource. It’s possible to fill in the gaps on a company’s web team even in the current challenging business environment. For those that refuse to fold in the face of obstacles, WebOps allows companies to evolve their web presence without sacrificing the future.