Editor’s note – Spring 2021

WORDS: Brian Usher PHOTOGRAPHY Brian Usher - www.usherusher.com

Referred to as a ‘Once in a Hundred Year Pandemic’, COVID-19 has turned our world upside down. Border closures, business turmoil, unemployment, sickness and thousands of deaths around the world, this pandemic has certainly changed the world we live in. In many ways, our life can never return to the way it was before COVID-19. The pandemic has forced changes to protect our health but at the same time, created changes that have been embraced by many as the new norm, such as working from home.

Our digital world is one such area that has exploded as a result of the pandemic. The QR Code is a classic example of how the digital world has become an increasing part of our everyday lives. From a business perspective, Ocean Road Magazine has identified the importance of being on the cutting edge of the digital world. My eyes were first opened to the dark art of digital marketing when I watched a Netflix show called The Great Hack.

Despite questions around the legality of what it did, the company Cambridge Analytica certainly possessed serious technical skills and opened my eyes to what is possible if you know how to do it. I wanted a digital partner with this level of technical expertise that could keep Ocean Road Magazine on the cutting edge of digital marketing now and into the future. Those businesses that don’t embrace and take advantage of the digital world may well find themselves on a very slippery slope.

After significant research, I discovered a local company called ZipSites. I suppose we just clicked the moment I met the directors, Ben Kirwood and Max Perks. Max has a wonderful eye for creative design and Ben has a brilliant mind when it comes to all things digital marketing. He hates me saying it, but Ben’s career in the military sets him apart from your average digital propellerhead. “Military Grade’, as I like to say. Our CRM is second to none and the look, feel and navigation of our website has taken our brand to a new level. We have been generating online revenue streams I didn’t know existed and their recently formed digital psychology department now helps to guide our every move.

The digital future is exciting as we come out of this pandemic. I highly recommend anyone who identifies the need to be on the cutting edge of digital marketing gets in touch with Ben or Max from ZipSites.

ZipSites is offering a free website audit to all Ocean Road subscribers. To get started, click here.

Best regards,

Brian Usher