Way back in the misty past of the internet, at the beginning of the 21st Century, owning a website was a difficult, expensive proposition. It was not unusual for business customers to invest over $30,000 on a full, managed clunky old website. Google search was in its heyday, and there was a general scramble for position.

As we have learned, a year in internet time is a long time indeed! Looking at the state-of-play here in 2019 we can discern that the digital world has now become the default home for well over 4 billion people, that is a conservative number. In the western hemispheres, online culture is now the “mass media” of choice.

It therefore makes critical, good sense to look at just how well your own presence stacks up, how well your business, or professional visibility is developing. All too often the ‘Digital Divide’ works to thwart many people, and their business and livelihood can suffer.

We often hear about this term, digital divide, and perhaps we think it refers to other people, to those people who are ‘technophobes’ and do not know how to turn on a device; the digital divide is actually far more insidious and widespread.

As someone who has worked extensively with all kinds of people in connection with information technology, and the web I have witnessed the digital divide first hand. This has nothing to do with ‘coding’ or esoteric technical matters, it is more about grasping how your general literacy can be transferred onto the digital environment, and what digital technology truly represents.

The internet is bursting at the seams with attempts to capture our attention, all types of banners, flashing lights, clever graphics and of course ‘copy’ which transcend the boundaries of hyperbole.

There is a colossal struggle taking place, between the powerful groups who gained their position during the ‘Broadcast era’, businesses which became enormous and powerful as a result of their clever use of marketing and advertising. However, the changes which have been fermenting over the past 25 years have worked to completely change the media, and marketing game forever.

We hear about how much society has changed all over the place. But very often the nature of these changes are not discussed, we certainly hear a lot about the ‘evil’ of social media, and how the internet is working to erode the golden values of previous generations. How true is this?

You must make your own mind up about the internet, and social media, but I also know that unless you choose to participate with the digital world, your business ventures will be severely restricted.

Attention is the currency of marketing, where people focus their attention is where we must meet them. Even strictly ‘local’ ventures, with one location as their market, need to be visible, and to make people aware of what you can offer them.

Everywhere we can see that self-proclaimed ‘experts’ and extroverted people are offering seemingly foolproof services where you can gain the attention of people who might be interested in what you sell; caveat emptor, or ‘let the buyer beware’ should always guide your choices. Confidence tricksters, and very clever digital ‘wiseguys’ prey upon the ‘Digital Divide’ each day.

If you are reading this, and you are wondering just what my ‘game’ is, I can tell you that I am an IT and web professional who is offering genuine services, but you don’t know who I am, and you do not have any assurances that I can actually help you, this is the leap of faith we all have to make.

You could look me up on good old Google, Mike Gorman from Australia, well there are quite a few of us! We could talk, and discuss your specific case, your objectives, how you want to be presented, what problems you have encountered, what results you have gained in the past, how you would like to change these. I prefer to talk with people, but these days people are reluctant to talk, to engage; I prefer to talk and discover exactly how my services and skill set can help you.

I know it is a bit ‘old fashioned’, but this is how I operate, I am a unique blend of the old and the very new.

I especially like to help people who are that little bit older, who are very good at what they do, but maybe they find the online and digital world something of an enigma, not quite within their purview?

By all means determine if I am a good match with your ambitions, with your world view. If you are reading this it means I have optimized, and built this site with a degree of technical skill, which is as good an advertisement as any ‘banner ad’. Advertising, and promotions have undergone a major change, but we can talk about this in way more detail when I speak with you directly, we can talk about many things, much like the ‘Walrus & the Carpenter’.