Go Digital
Our Digital Economy report in 2013 found that 86% of businesses in the region did not sell to customers online in any capacity, while 56% had no e-commerce site or online strategy at all. Any increase in skills that reduces those figures is a positive for the growth prospects of our region. The Go Digital program was designed to provide businesses in the Northern Inland with the skills they needed to go online and Go Digital.
Go-Digital was a free short course that was produced by our Project Officer, Tiffany-Jo Gilleland, which ran between January to July 2017 to introduce business owners to trading online. Delivery of the course involved face-to-face workshops in all 12 Local Government Areas in the Northern Inland, online materials through a course portal, Q&A sessions held by Webinar / teleconference, and ongoing support throughout the six-month period.
The course walked people through step-by-step video instructions on elements of trading online such as building a simple website, or how to outsource this, how to use social media to attract customers, how to use Etsy, and how to photograph products. The materials were provided in a modular format and participants will have the freedom to select the sections they require, or go through all of the content.
The end-goal was to provide businesses with the knowledge and ability to sell their goods and services online through a fully-functioning and easy-to-use e-commerce website.
Regional Development Australia Northern Inland is committed to encouraging growth in the region. The project provided businesses with additional skills to grow and / or create alternative opportunities in a changing marketplace.
This project was funded by the Murray-Darling Basin Regional Economic Diversification Programme.
Course Content
The 20-week course included seven modules:
Module 1 - Introduction to Online Business and the Course
Module 2 - How to Build a Website in Squarespace
Module 3 - How to Use a Blog to Attract Customers
Module 4 - How to Use Social Media to Attract Customers
Module 5 - How to Create an Etsy Store
Week 17 - Online Security for Your Business
Module 6 - How to Source or Create Imagery for Your Website
Module 7 - Keeping the Balance in Your Online Business
Bonus: How to Improve Your Communication Skills and Win More Clients
Please note that this Go Digital course content was developed in 2017 and therefore should be used as a guide only as the referenced online services may have changed over time.