The Beginnings

The Beginnings

As a large portion of the world is taking tremendous strides in technological advancements ranging from self-driving cars to augmented reality, an even larger portion of the world is left behind. Whether by stubborn choice or unfortunate circumstance, many people do not have access to technological resources. There is a growing disparity between people who do and do not have ready access to computers and the Internet—let alone the skills to use them.

(International Telecommunications Union, 2013)

23% of people in developed countries do not have Internet access, in comparison to 69% of people in developing countries (International Telecommunications Union, 2013). Digital access impacts education, employment, health and much more in individual’s daily lives. Therefore, technology and understanding how to utilize it are some of the major drivers to success in today’s increasingly globalized world.

So why isn’t everyone online?

Aside from the disparities across developing countries, many people in the United States, a developed country, are not online because of technology’s learning curve. Technology can be intimidating when not second nature. As a member of the Google Community Leaders Program, I seek to conquer the digital divide in the local areas of Ann Arbor and Detroit. My job is to reach out to local businesses and teach them Google tools such as AdWords and Analytics to help grow their businesses and optimize their functioning.

But before I teach, I must change their perception.

Perception refers to consumer’s awareness and interpretation of reality (Babin, 2016, p. 51). Perception serves as a foundation upon which consumer’s learning takes place. Often times, a business owner’s perception of reality in regards to Google tools is filled with self-doubt. They believe that the tools are “impossible to understand”.  Below are some examples of emails I received just over a week ago from perspective business owners seeking Google CLP’s help that demonstrate this negative perception of both Google tools and their own technological ability.

Consumers believe that the Google products are not just complicated but impossible to understand. Often I combat these misguided perceptions by shaping their behavior. Shaping is a process through which desired behavior is altered over time in small increments (Babin, 2016, p. 66). Because these consumers have such strong negative perceptions about the product and their abilities, slow and small achievements make them more receptive to eventually running their own online marketing campaign.  Often, these small advancements are enhanced through the mere exposure effect. The mere exposure effect leads a consumer to prefer a stimulus to which they have been previously exposed (Babin, 2016, p. 60). Many of the business owners that I work with have never even looked at the AdWords or Analytics interface. I often tell these business owners just to go home and “mess around”—at least before they put in their credit card information, just to be safe. I tell them to click buttons and scroll over definitions to understand the vocabulary and become more familiar with the tools. The mere exposure effect has applications both in consumer learning and attitude formation (Babin, 2016, p. 61). As the business owners become more familiar with the tools, their attitudes toward them become significantly more positive. I observe this with all attributes of the Google tools (Babin, 2016, p. 12).   As business owners become more familiar with different features involved in each tool, they have a more positive outlook on the potential benefits they could receive by utilizing it.

More often than not, conquering the digital divide often begins with conquering consumer’s perceptions toward Google tools. With their small businesses, owners often find it very intimidating to use a tool associated with the empire know as Google. However, Google’s entire business platform is centered on providing equal opportunity for everyone. Small business owners who do not take advantage of the technological advancements around them are robbing themselves of opportunity. Particularly in the United States, income inequality is drastically increasing. Small business must equalize the business playing field in any way that they can.  By exposing them to Google tools, CLP hopes to empower small businesses to reach their full potential.

Works Cited

Babin, B., & Harris, E. (2016). CB 7 (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

International Telecommunications Union. (2013). Percentage of Individuals Using the               Internet. Retrieved February, 2017.