Innovation and Strategic Planning of Digital Technology

   

 “The site was such a massive spaghetti-ball mess” (Dredge, 2015). Can you guess what platform that statement was made in reference too? Think back to the early 2000s and the emergence of the internet. MySpace was the “it” site, everyone seemed to have a profile, sharing music, and spending hours updating their top 8. What happened to the top website in 2009 (Dredge, 2015)? Competition, and the refusal to embrace the developing technologies of the time. The downfall of the site that is considered the first social network is highly attributed to the fact that they lacked a strategic plan to incorporate developing technologies and stay updated on trends of the digital age. 

 (Hapsis, 2015)

Taking a trip down memory... Wow remember when this was the epitome of digital technology in 2006? 

As technology continues to develop, companies need to have a plan of attack to keep up with the ever-changing times. I propose a three-tiered plan that will keep companies up-to-date with the latest digital innovations: incorporate digital tools, take risks, and create and environment of growth. Through this plan of implementation, a company will be able to adapt to the digital world and grow alongside it, rather than suffering from the changes and later having it affect the livelihood of the company.

Implementation of new digital technology is the first step to adapting to the new digital world. It makes sense, right? This includes researching and discovering what new trends are out there, and then implement those technologies into the current strategy. By “tool[ing] up with technology,” the company stays updated on trends and creates an atmosphere of technical innovation (Talks). For example, introducing a mobile app as the world convergences and depends more on their mobile devices is a great use of adapting to new digital technology.

The next step is taking risks! “Be comfortable with risk” (Digital Marketing Institute). There is going to be a fear with every decision made, that fear is the risk. In order for the company to truly separate themselves and stand out from the competition in the digital world, that fear needs to be embraced. Introducing a new technology, such as launching a new mobile app or updating the platform with a new feature, is a risk. It could go really well for the company, or could crash. However, embracing new digital technology is a risk that needs to be taken. Take the leap—create that mobile app. Introduce new features. Don’t be afraid of messing up, because you will. Embrace the fear, and worse comes to worse, come out with a new software update that fixes the bugs. 

The final step is to create an environment of growth. Communication is the foundation to creating this environment in the company. Incorporating training of the new technology at every level is a crucial factor for the environment to be successful (Digital Marketing Institute). People are the sole focus of this step to success. Through enabling and inspiring your people, they can confidently do their job and ensure a smooth transition into the age of digital technology (Talks). 

References:

Digital Marketing Institute. (n.p.) How To Create & Cultivate A Digital Culture in Your Organization. Digital Marketing Institute. Retrieved from: https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/how-to-create-and-cultivate-a-digital-culture-in-your-organization

Dredge, S. (2015, March 6). MySpace- what went wrong: “The site was a massive spaghetti-ball mess.’ The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/06/myspace-what-went-wrong-sean-percival-spotify

Hapsis, E. (2015, June 11). Let’s Overanalyze Kim Kardashian’s MySpace Page from 2006. KQED. Retrieved from: https://www.kqed.org/pop/16727/lets-overanalyze-kim-kardashians-myspace-page-from-2006

Talks, M. (n.p.) The 8 step plan to build a digital culture. Avado. Retrieved from: https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/511436/collateral/8-step-plan-to-build-a-digital-culture.pdf