Digital transformation (DX) has been a hot topic in the business world. The recent pandemic forced many companies to adopt digital technology to connect with customers and resume business operations remotely. 

Statista reported that about 78 percent of technology and 77 percent of energy companies, followed by healthcare, construction, and retail, advanced DX during the pandemic. DX involves technology, process, and people investments to increase business value.

In 2023, what can businesses expect from technology? How can technological innovation further improve business processes and related aspects? Read on to learn the business technology predictions of industry experts this year. 

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Increase Business Mobile App Usage 

During the pandemic, mobile app development accelerated, and this positive trend will continue in 2023 and the upcoming years. Market Research Future predicted that consumer spending on mobile apps would reach USD$180 billion by 2025 because of the growing demand in social networking, e-commerce, and gaming. 

Simon Bacher of Ling App also shared his DX prediction, centering on mobile app usage in business. He said, “Many brick-and-mortar businesses have launched their websites during the pandemic. Now that business operations are returning to normal, most companies plan to continue adopting digital technological trends by launching mobile app versions of their brand.”

He added, “Even if COVID-19 is more manageable, there’s no turning back to traditional business practices. Mobile apps help future-proof any business size and nature because almost everybody has learned to use them during the pandemic. Digitally transforming your business involves launching a dedicated mobile app to stay connected with stakeholders.”

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Marketing Technology Acceleration 

Marketing technology (MarTech) plays a critical role in DX, encompassing the increased use of digital marketing strategies, including search engine optimization (SEO) and social media marketing. Because of the high demand, many companies offer MarTech services, including demand generation, lead generation, gamification, and display ads. 

Garrett Smith of GMB Gorilla explained the future of SEO, a vital aspect of MarTech. He said, “SEO continues to stay relevant this 2023 and beyond. As I always say, SEO will be an important part of a website’s lifetime. Neglecting to monitor your SEO metrics can negatively affect your brand’s online visibility.”

“Driving your MarTech efforts also boosts your sales. SEO increases online presence, thereby boosting your traffic and prospects. Treat your SEO nicely, and you’ll reap promising business benefits, ramping up your sales. Most importantly, your business remains visible and relevant to your target customers,” Smith added.

Business Sustainability Revamp

According to SustainLab, the top sustainability trends in 2023 include protecting global biodiversity, renewable energy, social sustainability, and increased focus on emissions. In 2022, the Boston Consulting Group said that over 80 percent of businesses planned to increase their investments in sustainability. Many companies have already implemented sustainability measures, influencing others to do the same. 

Digital transformation can be a powerful entity to make businesses more sustainable. Wesley Oaks of Betta Fish Bay shared how DX can make this goal possible. He stated, “Businesses can create helpful and informative website content with sustainability goals. You can promote caring for the environment on your website in different ways. Use your digital power to increase awareness and promote eco-friendly practices, such as planting trees and protecting fish and other marine creatures.”

Oaks added, “The new normal is the perfect timing for sustainability awareness. Protecting Mother Earth is protecting ourselves. Harmful microorganisms mutate because of the harm inflicted on our environment, leading to more difficult-to-treat diseases like COVID-19. It’s time to go back to basics by taking care of our planet so we can live healthily and protect future generations.” 

Sam Tabak of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities shared his business DX predictions in 2023 relating to sustainability. He said, “DX has a direct impact on sustainability. Digital carbon footprints can be reduced by embracing renewable energy. I think this is what many companies worldwide are trying to achieve this year.” 

Tabak recommended ways businesses can embrace sustainability. He explained, “Businesses must compensate for digital carbon footprint or gas emissions with carbon offset. You can partner with reputable carbon offsetting companies to fund specific environmental projects. Avail insurance from an insurance provider that allocates percentage profits to sustainable programs. You can also consider buying raw supplies from local farmers implementing sustainable farming methods.”

He also added, “There will be more sustainability marketing campaigns this year. Consumers prioritize health and environmental protection after the lessons we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first quarter, I observed a significant increase in brands promoting sustainability advocacies. I think all of us learned the hard way. The pandemic serves as our wake-up call to act now before it’s too late.”

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Freelance And Outsourcing Services Adoption 

In a statistics compilation of Exploding Topics, about 1.57 billion people worldwide are freelancers, with a total of $3.39 billion freelance platform market. Gitnux also reported that freelancing will become the majority workforce in the United States by 2027. The demand for freelance and outsourcing services is unstoppable. 

“Freelance and outsourcing services help companies get more things done in less time and less hassle at a lesser cost. The demand is soaring because businesses can now quickly find the right talents to perform administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on core tasks. Any business wanting to ramp up digital transformation efforts will need the help of freelancers,” said Milo Cruz of Freelance Writing Jobs. 

Cruz also shared his predictions on business DX this year. He said, “We can expect a 1 to 20 percent increase in demand for freelance and outsourcing services this year. These services make a practical solution to fast-track digital transformation. Millions of freelancers and outsourcing companies in the world have become the go-to solutions for many tech and marketing companies, including those businesses with remote and hybrid work settings.” 

Conclusion

Industry leaders are positive about the promising benefits of adopting digital transformation. Most of these predictions are a continuation of existing DX efforts many businesses have initiated during the pandemic. After the pandemic, many companies decided to keep and further improve their digital tech solutions and ramp up their DX strategies to stay relevant and competitive.