Three Tech Buzzwords that are Actually Important

The business world seems to be full of buzzwords, and this is especially true where technology is concerned. The alleged “next” or “current” big thing gets encapsulated in a trendy, catchword or phrase which then gets thrown around in every direction.

Some people go in for all the tech buzzwords they can find, but to the cynical professional, many of them seem to be simply meaningless. The problem is, this means that any trendy buzzword tends to get filtered out, and this is a shame because some of them are genuinely worth paying attention to.

Three tech buzzwords that should probably not be completely ignored are:

Responsive

Where web design is concerned, it is well worth paying attention to the concept of responsiveness. Phrases like “mobile-ready” and “cross-platform” mean pretty much the same thing in this context. The past few years have seen mobile devices, predominantly smartphones, and tablets, take off massively and they now account for a very significant portion of internet traffic. Giving each user the best experience is important if you want your site to perform well, but the best experience on a phone screen is different from that of a computer. There are too many different devices to tackle this problem with a dedicated mobile site as in days of yore, so responsive web design is the solution. It causes elements of the site to change size and arrangement according to the size of the screen or even the viewing window, optimizing the site for each user on the fly.

The Cloud

“The Cloud” refers simply to things that are stored or hosted remotely rather than on-site by your business. Arguably the simplest application, yet definitely among the most useful, is cloud storage. This allows files to be stored remotely, protected from hardware failures or physical disasters impacting your business, and accessed by authorized users from any location. However, other things such as software packages can be hosted in the cloud for a range of benefits.

Integrated Marketing

While it’s arguable whether this is really, strictly a technology buzzword it is certainly a technology that has given rise to the concept. The internet may not seem quite so new anymore, but it hasn’t stopped growing and expanding. Over recent years, this has given rise to an extensive range of marketing techniques – most recently the growing importance of social media. It is important not to treat these various methods separately, but rather to ensure that they work together, complementing and playing off of one another. By ensuring that various marketing methods – online and offline – work together instead of being self-contained, it is possible to significantly amplify the results you achieve. At the most basic level, ensure your offline materials point people towards your site and social media pages. Social media can also help with SEO, and help you identify which messages get good responses before applying them elsewhere.