Stay one step ahead of your digital competition

By Nicole Laidler

As consumers move from bricks to clicks, digital literacy is more important than ever. 

The COVID-19 pandemic drove consumers online like never before, as people turned to digital channels to buy everything from groceries to education. Digital adoption is expected to remain above pre-pandemic levels as retail stores, offices, entertainment venues, and schools reopen, but a recent study by McKinsey & Company suggests that organizations will need to work harder than ever to retain their digital customers.  

The April 2021 survey of 29,000 people in 24 countries found that not only did the pandemic move consumers from bricks to clicks, it changed their expectations, too. As consumers became more comfortable accessing goods and services online, many discovered a new, global marketplace. No longer limited to what local providers can offer, they now expect a best-in-class experience and may not settle for anything less.  
According to the McKinsey study, companies will need to innovate in three key areas in order to remain competitive in the digital marketplace: 

Trust in digital services.

About 44% of respondents said they don’t fully trust digital services when it comes to online security and protecting their privacy. 

Improved user experience.

More than 55% of dissatisfied digital users said they lacked enough information about products and services when making high-ticket or complicated purchases online. 

Improved customer journey.

Around 39% of dissatisfied digital consumers said they weren’t able to accomplish everything online, while around 20% say they wanted to chat with an online agent as part of their customer journey.

In the post-pandemic world, consumers will continue to embrace the power of being able to browse, compare, and review in just a few clicks – whether they make their final purchase in-store or online. That means that brick-and-mortar retail and e-commerce will need to work hand-in-hand to provide a seamless buying experience. 

Strengthen your digital skills

If you’re looking to strengthen your digital skills, Western Continuing Studies can help. Here are three courses that will boost your digital literacy and keep you one step ahead of your online competition.

Full Stack Web Development

Whether you are looking to launch your career as a web developer or just want to gain a deeper understanding of the digital space, this 24-week virtual bootcamp, powered by RoboGarden, will help bring your digital skills up to speed. 

Designed for people with no previous coding experience, by the end of the program, you’ll be able to design, build, and manage a website and mobile app. The hands-on curriculum covers front-end skills like design and user experience, as well as back-end development work like coding, database design, and programming. The course wraps up with a capstone project that involves publishing your application to an app store or launching a web application. 

Foundations of Digital Marketing

With nearly 85% of Canadian consumers now making purchases online, digital strategy can no longer be an afterthought. Instead, your website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok, Snapchat, YouTube and more should play a key role in any marketing strategy. 

Feeling overwhelmed in the ever-changing digital space? This 18-hour online program will give you a solid foundation in online marketing. You’ll learn how social media channels can help you achieve your organizational goals, how to create effective content, and how to measure the results of your digital campaigns.  

Podcasting

According to the 2020 Canadian Podcast Listener report, more than one-quarter of all Canadians tune into a podcast at least once a month. That’s a lot of listeners who could be learning about the benefits of your products or services. 

Today, it’s easier than ever to create and launch a podcast – and potentially reach a global audience. Our 18-hour online Podcasting course can show you how. From creating and recording your first episode, to editing, uploading, and promoting, you’ll learn how to share your brand story and add a valuable tool to your digital marketing toolkit.

Search our professional certificates, accelerated certificates and micro-credentials.