The importance of IT infrastructure to your company

Africa is the world’s fastest-growing internet market And your company needs to be part of it

Internet use is growing exponentially around the world – but nowhere more so than in Africa. Recent figures point to a staggering 11,000% increase in the number of internet users on the continent through the years 2000 to 2019 – by far the fastest anywhere in the world. Unprecedented opportunities exist online – locally, nationally, and internationally – to expand your business and reach new clientele.

Operating successfully online

Clearly, the first step of operating in the new online world is to have a robust and reliable IT network powering your company. Experts like Zeta Sky offer fully-managed IT services to get you up and running in the quickest, most efficient, and most secure way possible.

You should also look at investing in a website to effectively promote your business and operations. With more internet users than ever – and an increasing reliance on web technologies for communication, research, entertainment, and information – there’s never been a better time to start your online journey.

Actually, the global IT stats are eye-watering – on any level, from any viewpoint.

There are an estimated 4.5 billion web users worldwide

4.5 billion users equate to around 60% of the global population – though, as you might expect, the number of users in more developed countries is considerably higher. For example, in North America and Europe, over 90% of the population is online.

The highest figure of internet users comes from Asia, even though only 50% of the continent is currently online.

Why You Need to Be Online

Search engine giant, Google, is estimated to handle a staggering 3.5 billion queries every 24 hours – equating to 1.2 trillion searches every year. Directories and phone books simply don’t have a place anymore.

If your company is to have any chance of being found online, your website needs to rank high with Google and the other search engines. As well as your IT network, you should also look into web marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to increase your chances of appearing in search results.

We send 188 million emails every minute

The world of IT doesn’t just satiate our need for information; it has also become one of our primary forms of communication. For most companies, email is now the preferred form of communication, far eclipsing traditional mail and, to an extent, even phone calls. Your IT network is central to your ability to send and receive emails.

5G is coming and will increase internet use even more

On current 4G subscriptions, the average data consumption per user is around 6Gb per month. In countries where 5G is already prevalent, internet consumption jumped 400% to around 24Gb p/m per month. With increased bandwidth comes increased use.

80% of online content is provided in just 10% of all languages

As internet use spirals across the continent, there is a real opportunity for entrepreneurs to take advantage of the lack of targeted to African nationals. Of course, global markets are essential but don’t forget to cater for those a little closer to home too.

The World Economic Forum suggests part of the reason some countries are slow to get online is the lack of content in their native language. Most Gambians are fluent in English; however, it may also be worth catering for our other ethnic languages such as Mandinka and Wolof to cater directly to more local markets.

The incessant growth of social networks

Although many suggest Facebook has already reached its peak, the social networking giant is estimated to produce around four petabytes of data daily, with more than 1.6 billion users logging in to the service every 24 hours.

When used right, social networking can also be a great tool to aid in the promotion of your company – particularly in the global marketplace.