5 Technical Skills Online Entrepreneurs Should Learn About ASAP
We know the technological world is on an exponential growth trend. We also know it’s no longer just about highly-performing computers and gadgets. Nowadays, modern technologies are available in all types of industries from fully-automated production lines to advanced security systems against financial fraud to even intelligent algorithms that can create fact-checked news.
So what does that mean for the modern online entrepreneur?
It means that, as long as you are the owner or administrator of an online business, you must have a few basic technological skills up your sleeve. While no one expects you to build complex sites and apps, you should know how to navigate this world full of tech abbreviations and constant changes.
We did the research and identified the top five technical skills that are a must-have for the modern online entrepreneur, regardless of age and tech-related knowledge.
#1: Choosing a Platform
The first decision you need to take when building an online business is about the platform you will use.
The platform is the base structure used for building websites, launching marketing campaigns, selecting the proper social media channels, and more. They come with pre-programmed tools for various activities, so even non-technical users can understand and interact with them.
Right now, the online world is dominated by several business platforms such as WordPress, SquareSpace, Magento, Wix, and more. They all feature a wide array of products (sites, eCommerce stores, landing pages, and so on) and boast about making it easy for everyone.
Still, it’s important to understand how they work and what happens in the control panel section. For instance, even if we know that WordPress powers about 35.2% of all websites on the internet you still need to research if the platform has the features you need the most.
This means learning about the type of sites that work best on WP and the coding features that support them. It’s also important to know which web hosting services support the platform you choose and which are the optimum settings for it. If these terms are unfamiliar, we suggest looking into website basics and online environments.
You may also want to read: 7 Services, Tools and Plugins We Couldn’t Live Without
#2: Basic Coding Skills
Please keep in mind that we don’t advise against hiring a specialist to deal with complex issues and check on the general health of your site. Still, even with specialized help at your disposal, it’s good practice to know some basic HTML5, CSS, and JS (JavaScript). This is the trifecta of front-end interfaces and it can prove helpful in emergency situations.
Furthermore, HTML and CSS courses are easily available online. Also, most people who understand how the web works also understand a bit of coding. So, it may sound scary at first, but once you dive in, you’ll see just how easy it is.
As a plus, when you know the language and the technical terms, it is easier to communicate with your team of web developers.
#3: SEO Basics
Search Engine Optimisation is at the base of online marketing and requires at least a basic knowledge of what elements of SEO exist. SEO is a combination of market analysis, marketing, and technical knowledge and is in a permanent state of change due to the many Google algorithm updates and other factors.
While in today’s online business setting SEO is not as powerful as it used to be, it still matters. It’s still an important factor in a website’s visibility and can be the factor that decides if a small business is successful or not.
So, it’s useful to know things like keyword research, Domain Authority, backlink building, load times, Google Analytics, ranking in search engines, and more. If you’re new to the world of SEO, it can be quite scary to look at an analytics dashboard. But knowledge is power! Also, there are lots of free resources online, so anyone can get to learn a bit of optimization.
Good SEO tactics and strategies help brands stand out in niche marketing and provide stability during algorithm updates. However, it’s not something you can keep up with while also running a business. And this is why you will need help. But, in order to know who to hire, you should know a bit about how the world of SEO works.
You may also want to read: SEO Differences Between Google and Other Search Engines
#4: Working with Google Ads
Paid advertising is one of the main traffic drivers of any website and Google Ads is the main platform for it (especially for small and medium-sized businesses).
Analytics and Paid Ads platforms use lots of technical terms (such as CTR, Bounce Rate, PPC, and more), but it’s important to understand the meaning of some of the most used. Marketing people must understand all of them to create successful campaigns. But basic knowledge helps entrepreneurs to communicate their needs and observe progress. Furthermore, these terms are similar to the ones used to measure SEO progress. So once you learn about one, you will be up to date with the other as well.
#5: Graphic Design & Image Editing
There may come a time when you want to adjust images on your site or help create a visual campaign. As such, you should know how to crop and resize images, how colors fit together, and how to change the lighting and contrast in an image.
Luckily, modern graphic editing tools don’t require too much effort to master these simple features. Also, you don’t need to invest in expensive software like Adobe Photoshop. There are plenty of free platforms such as Gimp or Canva that provide access to a light version of their tools.
We also recommend researching how UI and UX work together and the graphic elements needed to create the best environment for your audience. You may be able to learn from some of the UX/UI companies on this list.
Of course, you should hire an experienced graphic designer to create an amazing User Interface that’s supported by an equally amazing User Experience. But it helps to know how UX and UI work in order to be able to communicate your thoughts to your employee or collaborator.
Wrap Up
An online entrepreneur has a lot on their plate, but everything starts with learning.
The online environment is constantly improving and changing, which means that new tools will be created and new platforms will show up. However, if you learn the basics of this world, it will get easier to understand the new technologies that are about to take the world by storm (such as AI & ML).
Overall, it’s important to keep your mind in the game and always work on improving your skillset. Whoever has the knowledge also has the power to make better decisions in real-time!
Stewart Dunlop looks after content marketing a Udemy and has a passion for writing articles that users will want to read. In his free time, he likes to play football and read Stephen King. You can follow or tweet him @stewydunlop
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