There are so many new technological platforms, tools, and widgets out there. It can be hard to know where to invest your time and money, especially if you are a smaller business that doesn’t necessarily have a lot of either to spend. The National Federation of Independent Business is all about helping small business owners grow and succeed in their industries, so can be worthwhile to take a look at some of their recommendations. This year, they put together an infographic listing the five hottest technology trends for small business. Let’s check it out.

  1. Mobile optimization. Did you know that mobile-friendly websites now appear higher on Google searches than sites that aren’t optimized for mobile? It’s true. And it makes perfect sense – the amount of mobile and tablet commerce for 2016 is projected to be around $142 billion. Make sure to get your slice of that pie by optimizing your brand’s website for mobile devices.
  2. Mobile videos. Just as more people are making purchases on their devices, more people are watching videos on them – and sharing them. Marketing videos are a great way to engage with your audience. Try creating short marketing videos, product demos, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into your business as a way to connect with customers.
  3. It’s easier than ever to offer live streams to your audience. Periscope, Twitter’s live streaming service, boasts 15 million accounts. Offer your audience valuable live streaming content, like expert discussions, live event coverage, and new product launches.
  4. Online ads. Google’s ad revenue hit $59 billion in 2014. The trick is to make sure that you’re hitting your target audience – make use of keywords, demographics, location, and spending and browsing habits in order to aim your messaging at the right people.
  5. With highly-publicized cyberattacks happening regularly, it’s important to have a cyberattack response plan in place – and 79% of small businesses don’t, even though the majority have been victims of an attack. Buck this trend by investing in EMV chip credit card technology and user behavior analytics that track user behavior in order to identify possible fraudulent transactions.

I know that many of you are already working on (or have mastered) mobile optimization, but how many of you have dipped into live streaming? I’m interested to hear about your experiences in the comments!

5 Top Tech Trends for Small Business Infographic

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