What is digital transformation?

It is hard to give a one fits all description of what digital transformation is, but we define it as the integration of digital technology into all areas of a business that will result in fundamental changes to how your business operates and how it can deliver value to your customers.

In a nutshell – Adopt, integrate, automate and interrogate current and new technologies to transform your current business workflows and deliver better results.

Digitise everything!

Why is digital transformation so important for 2019?

 

 
66% of companies working on digital transformations expect to generate considerably more revenue from their operations.

48% predict that more business will arrive through digital channels.

40% predict that empowering employees with digital tools will dramatically reduce costs

76% predict people expect information on demand, preferably live.

81% believe information is more secure when delivered through mobile connected devices

57% say thanks to GDPR, interrogating, reigniting and segmenting their databases has highlighted they were sitting on potential gold mines.

Digital transformation strategies for 2019

 
Simplify – Start by reviewing what you do, find where the pain points are in your business processes, think out of the box and be brave enough to disrupt your norm. ‘Think different’ as Steve Jobs would say.

Web Apps – Stop thinking websites and start thinking web applications. An app adds value to your users beyond the static brochure web. Integrate real time dynamic content that offers real user engagement and furthermore that captures data and tracks user insights for your business.

MVP’s. – Experiment more and often with your digital strategy by creating rapid prototypes and converting them in to ‘minimum viable products’ – then respond to customer feedback and iterate, iterate, iterate.

Content Marketing – Digitise all new and existing content – make it evergreen, repurpose it across multiple media types such as video, audio, photography, illustration, infographics and then outreach it through high authority individuals and organisations online channels.

Automation – Automate workflows to provide relevant content to inbound enquiries automatically and increase profitability.

Social – Use listening and brand mention tools to understand where your brand is getting maximum traction and focus on transforming your presence there.

AI Chatbots – Use chatbots and AI to keep your inbound traffic always engaged and get back to them instantly with the help of digitally expert teams, both in-house and outsourced.

Video is King – Use video conference to talk with your customers live whenever possible or pre and post record video to answer questions, educate and sell to customers 24/7 – Promote all your videos, the highest consumed content format in 2018. Stop thinking big production and start thinking accessible social video – be in the now – share and engage and witness 400% increase in conversion rates.
 

How to implement a digital transformation strategy?

Define goals – Determine what your business/brand goals are? Awareness, inbound enquiries, traffic, conversions, sales and more.

Know your customers – Setup your customer (buyers) personas and build your growth plans with the digital transformation strategy.

Research – Analyse your market and what your competition is doing – Hire a digital agency to do a deep dive and extensive market research.

Open API’s – Access your incumbent software partners applications, understand their roadmaps to offer open API’s and a two-way sync. Identify new technology partners that can fulfil your business operational goals, who seamlessly connect and talk together in real time. Your nirvana should always be ‘a single source of truth’.

CEO’s – You have to own your business’s digital transformation – no one else can make it happen without your buy-in and 100% commitment. Either recruit talent within or probably better outsource deliverables to a consultant or teams of experts who can help set-up scaleable yet robust best-of-breed solutions that deliver quantifiable results.

Agile – Prepare clear short term and long term goals that can be closely monitored and delivered. Achieving lots of small milestones regularly creates incredible traction over time – Scrum and sprint with daily stand-ups. Find out more about Scrum.

Decentralise – Let the times move you. Don’t keep doing things the same old way. Embrace technology and realise that the world is already decentralised, so why aren’t you, your team and your company? It’s a new mindset that once realised, you never go back. In fact, you’ll wonder why it took you so long and previously cost you so much to get there. See the light!

Starberry is focusing its efforts in 2019 to assist new and existing customers with their digital transformation. With a primary focus on lead generation, Starberry offers a full stack of digital products – Digital strategy, web design and development, apps and digital platforms, through to powerful content marketing strategies and campaigns.

Find out more about what we do and contact us to discuss the digital transformation of your business.

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The web industry is evolving rapidly. Players such as Slack, Deliveroo, Purplebricks, Airbnb and more are demonstrating what you can do if you really synchronise technology, but even these companies are only scratching the surface.

Starberry have stopped building websites, instead we are creating web apps – just this change in mindset helps you focus on transitioning away from static brochure web to dynamic data-driven pages, with the prime aim of delivering value to your customers and ultimately creating engagement through to increased sales or leads.

Trees need to be left standing and paperwork needs to be disposed of, with digital transactions taking over.

We are all time-poor these days and very comfortable using a wealth of apps that communicate with us in real time – Trainline, Google Maps, Uber, WhatsApp, Revolut and the list goes on.

To take your business to the next level in this digital revolution, everything needs a 2-way ‘realtime’ sync – all platforms and apps should be connected by APIs and work with the same up to date information. This will improve the accuracy of information, assist with GDPR compliance, make information flow quicker and ultimately save everyone time and money.

Google are masters at offering multi-directional APIs and now it’s time for all of us to take their lead by connecting our management systems, CRMs, marketing & automation tools, banks & communication systems to play catch-up.

We had a great time talking about 2-way sync with our property clients at EAvolution 2018. We’re really excited about taking the conversation forward in the new year, in property and other industries. If you would like to know more, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
 

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Blockstack‘s ICO raised $50 million through the sale of 440 million tokens in back November 2017. The sale saw investors – including Union Square Ventures (USV), Foundation Capital, Lux Capital, Winklevoss Capital, Blockchain Capital, Digital Currency Group, Y Combinator partner Qasar Younis, Techcrunch founder Michael Arrington and Digg founder Kevin Rose – fund Blockstack’s vision for a new internet for decentralized apps where users own their data built on blockchain technology.

The lunch was an excellent opportunity to get first-hand knowledge on progress of the road map, and have an open discussion of how we can get further involved in evangelising Blockstack, and helping to market or build the break out app!

We had an inspiring chat with investor Richie Saville, CEO of Answerspace, and was especially nice to meet Ryan Shea the Co-Founder of Blockstack.

It’s exciting to be involved at the bleeding edge of this paradigm shift

If you want to know how we can help you align your business with blockchain technologies, or if you need us to launch your shiny new startup with a fresh, lead generating, digital marketing campaign then give us a shout.

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Email marketing is, of course, an integral part of any marketer’s toolkit, and it’s still a viable channel under GDPR. But you’ll need to stick to the rules: GDPR also has the means to fine transgressors up to 4% of their global turnover or €20 million, whichever is larger. So how will your email marketing change?

How GDPR affects consent

To begin with, think hard about who is doing the emailing. GDPR applies to anyone collecting and processing data from EU citizens in a professional or commercial capacity. It also applies to companies that are based outside the EU, too, if they are dealing with EU citizen’s data. So whether you’re a financial adviser, property management expert or investment fund manager, you need to stay within the rules.

One of the central tenets of GDPR is the principle of consent. This follows a stricter definition than in previous directives. Consent has to be given by the subject for a single type of processing, and has to be requested in a clear and concise way, with full explanation in plain language. This is an ‘opt in’ at all times.

Handling email contact data

The subjects also have strengthened rights of access to the data you hold. You must show clearly how they can request to see their data, where it is being stored and for what purpose. If asked, you must be able to share it with them in a way they can readily access. You also have to respect their right to be forgotten. Subjects have the right to request you erase their data and block any future processing.

In real terms, this means smarter management of your lists. In some cases, you will need to go back and cleanse your data, ensuring you can track all opt-ins and manage the data in a way that lets you respond to the subject’s requests in future. It includes knowing where the data has been kept, how it has been processed, and how it is being used.

Clear opt-ins and organising your data

When building your campaign, you must first request permission from the subjects through clear and affirmative action. You also need to make sure you have clearly identified your company and the reason you want them to opt in. Once collected, you must keep the data organised by category so it can be searched and sliced if the subjects request to see it, or ask for it to be erased.

Above all, you need to be diligent and secure when it comes to your email campaigns. Understanding GDPR will help you avoid penalties, as well as reducing the burden of extra administration in the long run. Make sure your email campaigns meet GDPR by contacting Starberry.

WE’RE UP TO SPEED

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Terms and Conditions

Until now, it’s been common to present people with lengthy terms and conditions online, full of complex legal jargon which few people ever read before ticking the consent box. GDPR sets up a couple of important tests for these terms and conditions. They have to be clear and concise to pass these tests. In practice, this means that the terms and conditions must be written in a way that can be understood by the reader – in plain, everyday language, not legalese. It also means that they have to be short enough to read and comprehend. They must be understandable, and useable. If the data being collected is going to be used in different ways, then the individual has to give consent to each of those, too. So business as usual with terms and conditions ends in May: your company will need to pass these tests.

Privacy Policies

Your privacy policies also need to be usable and understandable. That means simple language, presented clearly in a reader-friendly style. Importantly, consent must be asked for, explained and each consent has to be for a single type of data use. Where data is being taken, the policy should spell out where it is going, why, and who is being given access. There should also be a reference to where the reader can freely go to find out more about how their data will be used.

Cookie Policy

Whenever an individual can be identified through data, GDPR applies. It doesn’t even have to be their name or home address – information from cookies would also count. Cookies contain identifiers that could be used to work out someone’s identity, such as their IP address. While not every cookie contains this kind of information, most do. To meet with GDPR standards, cookies must give users a clear affirmative action to complete, to give consent. Passive consent – such as the old-style ‘by using this site you agree to our cookie policy’ – will not be accepted. As well as consent, you also have to give people a clear path to opting out in future.

When GDPR comes into force on May 25, make sure your terms and conditions, privacy and cookie policies are updated and fit for purpose. Find out more about how your data policies can meet GDPR.

CONTACT STARBERRY TODAY

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General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a new kind of regulation that controls the way people’s data is handled. It’s become necessary because in our connected world, we all need to have our rights protected. Find out the answers to the most commonly asked GDPR questions here.

Q1. What is GDPR?

A1. It’s a set of laws that have been created by the European Union to protect all EU citizens. It does this by regulating the way an individual’s personal data is processed. If it’s processed in a commercial or professional sense, then GDPR has to be followed.

Q2. What’s new about it?

A2. GDPR applies to any company that processes the data of EU citizens, even if the company is located outside the EU. GDPR also features heavy penalties for breaching the regulations, with fines of up to 4% of a company’s annual global turnover or €20 million, whichever is greater. There’s also a strong emphasis on using realistic consent for opting in, so companies can’t hide behind jargon or long, unreadable terms and conditions.

GDPR gives individuals eight fundamental rights. They are:

1. The right to be informed
2. The right of access
3. The right of rectification
4. The right to erasure
5. The right to restrict processing
6. The right to data portability
7. The right to object
8. Rights of automated decision making and profiling

Q3. When do I have to start following GDPR?

A3. GDPR comes into force on 25 May 2018. It was approved by the EU back in 2016, so companies have had two years to prepare. If companies breach the rules after 25 May 2018, they are liable for heavy fines.

Q4. Do I still have to follow the old rules as well?

A4. No. GDPR replaces the old Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC entirely with a new set of rules for everyone in the EU.

Q5. What’s the GDPR definition of personal data?

A5. It means any information about an identified or identifiable living person. It includes pieces of information that would identify someone when collected together, and also counts data about someone that has been encrypted or used with a pseudonym, if that data can still be used to identify someone later on.

Q6. What would lead to my company being fined?

A6. The 4% of turnover or €20 million limit is for the most serious breaches, like processing data without consent. Other breaches will attract different levels of penalty, such as a fine of 2% of global turnover for not keeping the proper records.

Q7. Who does GDPR apply to?

A7. Any organisation processing personal data as part of the activities of one of its branches established in the EU, and any company from outside the EU that offers goods and services to, or monitors the behavior of, EU citizens.

Q8. Does company information come under GDPR?

A8. No. GDPR only applies to information about individual people. Where a company is only run by one person, then GDPR may apply if the company data can be used to identify that person.

Q9. Do I need to appoint a Data Protection Officer in my company?

A9. Only if you are a public authority, or an organisation that engages in large-scale monitoring, or processing of sensitive personal data.

Q10. Because it’s an EU law, will GDPR still apply after Brexit?

A10. If the UK decides to create its own data protection legislation after Brexit, then it’s likely to follow the same or similar rules. Until we know whether the UK will pursue its own legislation, then your company has to stick to GDPR – and if you operate in any other EU countries, or hope to, then you must comply anyway.

GDPR is going to change the way many companies work with data. Make sure you get ready before it comes into force on May 25 this year. Worried about GDPR? Find the answers you need now.

CONTACT STARBERRY

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The ‘not secure’ Google Chrome warning will come up next to the web address browsing bar. What users are looking for is a green padlock and the word ‘secure’ so they can shop and enter personal details with confidence. They will halt any interaction with your website if they get the warning triangle and text blazing away in red – it shouts that your site isn’t safe. In fact, Google chose the warning triangle to repel users – effectively scaring them off a site.

The ‘not secure’ Google Chrome warning will also appear if your website doesn’t have an SSL certificate – this is now a ‘must have’ requirement if your website has contact forms or any fields that users have to fill in.

You don’t need to be a genius to realise scary warnings and pages ‘down’ will lose you leads, cost your business and tarnish your reputation (probably permanently). You do need, however, website expertise to solve these red flags and build online trust.

So what should you do next if you’re among the estimated 31% of Chrome web traffic still using http* or you need an SSL certificate? Sign up for our http to https migration service, of course, and we’ll get the ball rolling with a free proposal for everyone – you don’t even need to be a past or present Starberry client. We can identify your website’s http issues using the following HTTPS migration checklist:

• Check where all internal links point to
• Check where links from other sites and social shares point to
• Check where all rel=canonical tags point to
• Check if new HTTPS URLs on a page-to-page level need mapping out (every page needs to be https://’)
• Check 301 page redirects on a page level
• Check the XML sitemap
• Check robots.txt
• Check Google Search Console, sitemap and Google fetch requirements

Don’t worry if the above sounds like gobbledygook – you don’t have to understand a word. Simply let Starberry manage the http to https migration for you.

We’ll even go the extra mile to preserve your online presence and protect your clients during the process by rectifying other warning screens and pop ups. We’ll fix it if your online customers see an ‘oops, this page could not be found’ screen, as this gives people the impression that your website is down. And we’ll eradicate those pop ups that say ‘logins entered here could be compromised’ as they really leave people feeling vulnerable to phishing and identity theft.

Start a conversation with us today. We’ll make sure your http to https migration is a smooth process. We’re also happy to discuss the latest website design trends with you as well as ways to increase lead generation.

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Unlike the world of printed magazines, where ‘new’ is revealed on a weekly or monthly basis, fresh web design trends emerge almost daily and it’s our job as a web design agency to keep on top of what’s emerging. Our web designers are constantly surprising us with clever uses of colour, fonts, layouts and iconography – they draw inspiration from the world around them and apply it to web design.

We’ve invited the Starberry team to share its insights into 2018’s hot web design trends. Like what you see? No problem! We can redesign your business website so it’s sick, on fleck or da bomb (or whatever this 2018’s urban word is for awesome).

EXPLORE OUR OFFERING

Text & Typography

#1 Bold Typography – Can you read me now? We’re maxing out font sizes so the simplest of words stand out on the page. There’s no room for overkill though. We’ll probably confine the largest to your home page.

Credit: theenglishbus.com

#2 Text-Only – What, no pictures? You read it right. Some brands are keeping it simple with a few choice words. It can work, if designed with precision and flair.

Credit: pioneeringwomen.bwaf.org

#3 Cross words – Nothing to do with anger but all to do with the newspaper quiz. Watch out for words that appear both horizontally and vertically on the same page – maybe not whole sentences but definitely headlines and punch statements.

Credit: play.studiogusto.com

#4 Serif Fonts – It’s a return to the old school with serif back in fashion. Serif means a curl or finishing flourish that adds finesse to each letter, with a new wave of serif fonts ousting Times and Roman.

Credit: parisamericanacademy.fr

#5 Bespoke Fonts – These can be created using a computer or hand drawn but the result is always a real talking point and something unique your rival can’t copy. Boom!

Credit: typesoftype.com

#6 Overlapping Text & Images – Not one for the OCD clean line brigade but if you can go with the flow, running text over images brings a coffee table magazine-style to web design.

Credit: kymberleejay.com

#7 Kinetic text – Stop being so static! Text that appears before your eyes, maybe one word at a time or in bursts, builds suspense and tells a story. Try it!

Credit: create.bang-olufsen.com

Patterns, Colours & Images

#8 Saturated Gradients – Being clever with colour has a big impact – two or three colours that fade in to each other are finding favour as web page backdrops.

Credit: openai.com

#9 Colour Layering – Giving web pages definition and texture is possible even on a flat screen. We’re jazzing up layouts with layers of complementary and clashing colours.

Credit: dropbox.design

#10 Duotone – So cool it hurts! The web designer singles out two key colours – perhaps a brand’s corporate ones – and uses various shades of this limited colour palette to knit a site together.

Credit: jargonfreefridays.com

#11 Geometric Shapes & Patterns – We’re not talking random triangles or squares but hatch lines, tessellation and repetitive shapes forming funky backdrops or replacing a solid colour as an infill.

Credit: stayhideoutlodge.com

#12 Cinemagraphs – Ah the moving image! A dash of video always grabs attention and the cinemagraph is a video or mobile friendly GIF animation played on a loop to add interest to an otherwise static page.

Credit: bakucitycircuit.com

#13 Illustrations – There’s plenty of room for pen and paper in 2018. Hand-drawn illustrations commissioned for a brand lend a friendly, human air to any web design.

Credit: bloom.com

Arrangement of space

#14 Less Is More – Some call it ultra minimalism but translated, it means a really paired back web page with only the essential information. Leave the bells and whistles behind and stun your audience with your simplicity.

Credit: gelateriacapani.it/index.html

#15 Broken Grid Layouts – Need to fall in line. Strict grids and frameworks are being relaxed in favour of an organic, unrestricted use of space. It really is starting with a blank sheet of paper.

Credit: shopjackie.com

Websites need refreshing almost constantly to keep pace and maintain interest. From a major design overhaul (we’re talking back to the drawing board) to a few tweaks here and there, Starberry will keep your web design engaging and on trend. No need to feel overwhelmed by the smorgasbord of website designs trending this year, we’d love to talk you through the best lead generating options for your business. Food for thought? Contact us today.

CONTACT US TODAY

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To see clever, visible and vocal women – such as Amal Clooney, Gina Miller, Denise Coates, Karen Brady, Martha Lane Fox and Michelle Mone – at the top of their professions is inspirational but many have had to break glass ceilings, smash stereotypes and defy convention to get there.

The female-led revolution in digital marketing and tech may not be generating the same hype but it is just as mind blowing. The online sector has always been very flexible but with wifi, cloud computing and a decentralised approach to work, women have been able to start their own businesses and develop their careers in a much more adaptable environment.

At Starberry we like to lead by example. Within our own digital agency are talented women who are an essential part of the team – performing at the highest level and delivering our services while juggling families and other commitments. We’re harnessing the power of software such as Slack and Zoom to facilitate 24/7 working that allows everyone – not just women – to optimise their time without compromising their role within the workplace.

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We’re in good company too. The internet is full of all-female tech lists. ‘Top 29 Coolest Female Founders in the UK’; ‘Top 10 Young Female Entrepreneurs to Watch in the UK’ and ‘50 of the UK’s Most Inspirational Female Entrepreneurs’ are just three you might like to browse. Scan the list and you’ll see Priya Lakhani OBE, founder and CEO of Century Tech; Michelle Kennedy, CEO and Co-Founder of Peanut; Emily Forbes, Co-Founder of Seenit; Louise Leolin, Founder of DinoByte Labs and Justine Roberts, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Mumsnet. They are the real face of the digital revolution but it’s their knowledge of the user experience, grasp of ecommerce and digital marketplace prowess that’s recognised, not their names.

Despite the lack of mainstream recognition for many of the above, there’s a tangible sense of empowerment out there. Female CEOs, BDOs, Directors and Business Owners are thriving, succeeding and growing thanks to the technology, programmes and web solutions developed by other women. Web-based businesses are taking off thanks to lead generation campaigns devised by their digital strategy sisters (we have plenty of lead generating campaigns here at Starberry if you need help).

And we can’t publish this blog (written, proof read, optimised and distributed by an all-female team at Starberry, in case you’re wondering) without mentioning #MeToo and #TimesUp – new movements that have gained traction, thanks to girl power and the viral abilities of social media.

We’ve come such a long way since throwing yourself in front of a horse was the best way of getting noticed. The digital arena is the perfect place to excel – it’s exciting, fast paced and powered hugely by women, and Starberry is proud to be part of that.

Discover the broad set of Starberry skills and services today – we’d be happy to introduce you to the team and chat ecommerce solutions. Get in touch.

THIS GIRL CAN

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There’s a big tick for those of you who are already incorporating video into your digital marketing strategy. Video immediately grabs attention, allows people to digest your message with limited effort and can be clever, entertaining and subliminal without the hard sell. Factor in the autoplay function on Facebook, and you’ll understand why marketing campaigns are finding an improved level of engagement when they involve video.

Now, can we award you a gold star to go with that big tick? For those of you who are already using video content, are you using responsive videos? You’re not? That needs to change. A responsive video is one that automatically adjusts to suit whatever device is being used. That means vertical videos are played when using a mobile device and a full screen horizontal video when someone is using a desktop. Everything adjusts automatically and the full picture is seen – nothing is chopped off.

If your video isn’t responsive, it won’t play properly and your art direction, creative thoughts, clever cinematography or tear-jerking vignette will be wasted, and your customer disengaged. It’s a massively poor return-on-investment. Having said that, if your whole website isn’t optimised to be fully responsive, you’ll be losing website traffic and failing when it comes to lead generation on a 24/7 basis. Food for thought, eh?

We can’t emphasise enough that responsively optimising your website for all mobile devices should be a cornerstone of your digital marketing strategy. Portable devices are driving customer research and ecommerce. If your website and videos don’t display properly on an iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Kindle or any mobile device that’s glued to everyone’s palms, you’re waving goodbye to new custom and repeat business.

Ask us about optimising your video content and your whole website today. As a responsive website design agency, we’re ready to help. Once your website is completely responsive, we’ll help you market it through a bespoke digital marketing strategy prepared based on a careful and thorough analysis of your business needs.

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