HOW TO LEVERAGE THE INTERNET

"I know the internet and its benefits might not be new to you at this time. But another question you should ask yourself is since I became a user of the internet, have I optimized it? By "optimize" I mean, how much have you made, how many people have you reached, how influential are you?" The world is now residing in virtual space after leaving the earth planes. Virtual is now just as real as physical, people are becoming more and more interested in the internet, they spend more time on their phones than they do conversing with other people, and would rather chat with you on WhatsApp than in person.

Nowadays, companies, organizations, and people communicate digitally with their customers or audience.  More than half the world's population is actively online. Recent research shows that out of the projected 8 billion people in the globe, about 5.03 billion actively use the internet! that's a huge deal! This is why you must leverage the online population for your business, your ideas, etc.

There is a constant demand for new digital products and producers due to the growing online population and rising digital product usage. There's also rivalry, as there are many services available for different needs. In order to stand out and be sought-after, there is a need to produce high-quality products.

WHO NEEDS ONLINE LEVERAGE?

Anyone who has a traditional business and needs to reach more clients, anyone with services that want to increase/go global, anyone with special skills or talents that seek to impact, and anyone that wants to make money or fame. If you fall into any of these categories, then this is for you!

I know the internet and its benefits might not be new to you at this time. But another question you should ask yourself is since I became a user of the internet, have I optimized it? By "optimize" I mean, how much have you made, how many people have you reached, and how influential are you?

If your answer to this question is a no, a resounding no, a grumble or murmur or argument. Anything apart from a straight yes. Then this information is for you!

The next question is;

HOW DO I LEVERAGE THE INTERNET?

Now, the internet is replete with information and that alone is very distracting, this is why most young people stay online wasting because their being online actually has no focus, they feed on both relevant and irrelevant content. Becoming further handicapped by confusion. So the first step in leveraging the internet is;

1. FOCUS AND DIRECTION. The contents you consume online should be based on your why. If you're a business owner. Your why should be to reach more customers, better your products, provide better services, and make more money. If you're an influencer (maybe a comedian, dancer, actor, etc) your goal should be to improve your skills, increase your followers, and have more engagements in your content. Which would eventually give you more money.

When you know your "why" you would be able to do selective consumption. This means you wouldn't take everything the internet throws at you, instead you would only use what you need for your specific niche or industry. When you know what you want, it would direct your search or research, this brings us to the next thing.

2. RESEARCH YOUR MARKET/NICHES.

Learn to conduct thorough research. Most people find doing research challenges. Anything you want to do online, from personal to professional objectives. You must conduct market or specialized research. Know the local people and businesses, the value they already provide, how it compares to or differs from your own, the market's needs, and what the customers of that product or service want. the prospects, the dos, and don'ts, the successes and failings. The assistance you would require and the particular digital skills you would need to employ. These basic things would give you leverage. If research is too cumbersome for you. Then you could use the service of a researcher, this would cost you money, and the amount you're paying depends largely on your niche/market, and the quality of research you're willing to do. You can always find people ready to do this on LinkedIn, Fiverr, Upwork, etc. After researching, you implement.

3. IMPLEMENTATION. Implementation is necessary for growth. There is no "know-it-all" in this space, so you learn from research from people( YouTube is the easiest place to learn). But after all your research and learning, if you do not implement or practice, you're likely to have little or no result.

4. BE UNIQUE: Look for that thing that stands you out. If it's a particular craft or industry. What makes your service or product different from others? Make sure your uniqueness is also profitable.  When you discover your uniqueness hold on to it, don't become a copycat. Have your own Identity.

5. OPTIMIZE COMPETITION: Look out for your competitors, learn from their successes and grow by creating a solution to the challenge they are unable to meet. Never speak ill of a competitor. Use them rather for your own leverage.

6. CONSISTENCY:

The way to build and maintain relevance online is to keep showing up. Whether you are making a profit or a loss, jeep showing up. People trust your consistency, it proves you're serious with your business or craft, and you're available. And if you're serious and available, you can be dependable. The reason people would prefer Indomie to other noodles out there is not that they are better than the rest, but they are more available and consistent than the rest. This is where the use of social media comes in. The use of Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, etc are tools when it comes to online leverage. These are the platforms designed especially for interaction. So, if you own a website and you don't own any of these platforms or you don't maximize them, You'd be missing out on a lot.  For most businesses, social media managers are employed to do this job because of their expertise. As a business owner, you might not be able to manage social media together with business because it has its own technicalities too. It is advised to have at least one or more social media managers (depending on your budget).

6. SECURITY.

Protect your data/information. Know the persons that have access to them. If possible, Let them share non-disclosure agreements. Have a lawyer, ways seek legal advice. Also, employ digital security systems.  If for example you have a finance company that keeps people's money, and something happens to your data, you're in a big mess. Social accounts, websites, and other digital information products are prone to be hacked. So always think of ways to secure your content or products.  ruining your business.

If this article has helped you, or you would like to share your idea on how to leverage the internet. Comment below