History is littered with instances where major events have driven huge changes in the way people operate on a daily basis.

World wars, internal conflicts, recessions and pandemics are amongst the factors that have historically impacted many aspects of society.

With technology now such an integral part of 21st century life, these types of incidents have the potential to cause huge disruption to the digital economy.

For any sector to be successful it must be able to adapt to challenges, so read on as we look at how to stay ahead of the digital game during troubled times.

Learn to pivot

Businesses (digital as well as brick and mortar) have had to make substantial changes to their operations in recent months and whether it’s shutting down operations completely or transitioning to working remotely, it has been, for over 90% of businesses, a difficult time.

Even the digital space has been rife with layoffs and possible bankruptcy – in the digtial advertising space furloughs and layoffs have been going since March.

Of course, smaller companies or merely more agile companies have found it easier to pivot and maintain revenue margins as well as provide a high quality service, and digital advertising startups such as AdSavvy have done well to not only launch during the pandemic but also rapidly increase their market share.

Getting the website messages right

In an age where communications are mainly conducted online, it is hugely important that businesses invest resources in their website.

During most online transactions a consumer will search for information about a company on its website, highlighting the importance of ensuring that the messages on there are fit for purpose.

This is a particularly pertinent point during times of trouble, with people eager to find out how their orders may be impacted.

During difficult times companies should also focus on using their website to raise engagement – consumers will remember this and are more likely to return again in the future.

Leveraging social to your advantage

The internet is unquestionably now an integral part of daily life, having revolutionised the way people purchase goods and services.

Social media is often the first port of call for many consumers when they are searching for something – a point that social media marketing agencies like SportsHabit have fully leveraged to their advantage.

Having a strong social presence on the main platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn is an integral part of commerce today.

As with websites, ensuring that the messages on social when society is going through a difficult patch can undoubtedly help to improve perceptions of a business.

The devil is in the detail

‘Fake news’ has become a buzz phrase in recent times, but it is a factor that any business or freelancer worth their salt needs to be familiar with.

The spread of misinformation has become increasingly prominent online, making it difficult for people to separate fact from fiction.

Luckily, we have also seen news agencies as diverse as the Guardian, Dawn and Sportslens (to name a few) that have invested even more into their news gathering operations this year, to ensure that they implement fact-checking as part of their content production routine.

Attributing the information to trustworthy sources helps with this and will set your business apart from competitors who fail to operate to the same standards.

Boosting search engine optimisation

Search engines such as Google are a crucial part of the digital landscape and it is crucial for businesses to maximise their usefulness.

Search engine optimisation sometimes get overlooked, but troubled times afford businesses the opportunity to re-evaluate how they operate in this respect. It may be worth checking out the articles over on The24hourmarketer, a digital marketing blog, which may inform you of some of the best SEO-boosting strategies out there right now to get you on top.

Conducting an SEO audit can not only help your organic search rankings, but also give you the opportunity to fix neglected technical problems with your site.

Enlisting the services of a web development company could benefit in this regard. Not only do companies like Classic Informatics help businesses with optimizing their website for SEO purposes, but they are also equipped to handle the entire gamut of the digital transformation for businesses.

Taking an international approach to your SEO is also advisable, as this will help to spread the word about your business to a much wider audience.

The freelance conundrum

Businesses are not alone in needing to keep themselves ahead of the game when society finds itself under the cosh.

For instance, freelance professionals may find things tough when life hits a bump in the road, so it is vital for them to have a contingency plan in place to deal with this.

With help from governments not always easy to come by, people who work for themselves must be able to adapt to ensure their income streams remain intact.

Thankfully, digital platforms give them the opportunity to do just that, thus making it a little easier to navigate through difficult periods.