Social media skills: How to improve your digital skills and online presence, according to a tech expert

More than 10 per cent of the working population in London doesn’t understand basic digital skills.

But what can we do to improve this? We spoke to Google Digital Garage’s first ever digital trainer, Becky Boyd, to find out what we can all do to upskill.

What are the most common digital problems people face?

“There are quite a range of questions people come in with, about everything from how can I better use my phone and download WhatsApp to building a digital marketing plan for a business, and getting it high up on the search results.

“People are often lacking in confidence and will come in and ask ‘am I doing this right? Someone told me this and I can’t quite remember.’

“It’s all about understanding how the technology works, how their data is being used, and what to do when locked out of their accounts, forgotten their password or not sure if their account has been hacked.”

What can I do to improve my presence on social media?

“Social media in particular is something businesses are keen on learning more about. A lot of people who are just starting want to know how to get ahead on social media. Everyone knows Instagram is big at the moment, and want to learn how to engage with it. Their content often looks good, but isn’t easy to find. So we advise them to:

- Try using hashtags

- Follow more people

- Add video content

“Many start-ups don’t necessarily have the budget for a website, but social media can be a great tool. It can also be listed and linked in the knowledge panel that comes up when somebody searches your business.”

Who needs to improve their digital skills?

The digital world is constantly changing, so everybody needs to be engaged with the latest tools as part of their lifelong learning.

“Just today alone, my colleague Rob had an elderly gentleman who had locked himself out of his email and back up email.

“We spent much longer with him, and made sure he left with a good plan of action. We unlocked his main account and showed him how to unlock the other one. He was so elated after having spoken to so many different people. He had loads of business emails about his work he had missed and didn’t have access to."

Becky also recalls a business she advised, which needed help with search engine optimisation (SEO).

“Their website was full of great imagery but had no text for customers or the search engine to read.

“So we suggested a few key words to include about the business and what it does.

“They considered paying to learn, but all this stuff you can do yourself for free, allowing you to grow quicker and invest in the right places.”

Where can I learn more about digital skills?

Our Future London partner Google Digital Garage has relaunched a digital bus tour in London to help close the digital skills knowledge gap.

The bus will travel to different stops around the capital to deliver free classes on everything from your first steps online to digital advertising, as well as providing 1:1 sessions.

Where can I catch the bus?

● 21 February: Feltham and Heston

● 22 February: Walthamstow Town Centre

● 23 February: Sutton High Street

● 28 February: West Ham Lane, Stratford

● 1 March: Trident Business Centre, Wandsworth

● 2 March: Thamesmead Town Centre

To find out more about the workshops, visit the Google Digital Garage website.