Is your email style or wariness of QR codes & Social Media making you seem like a digital dinosaur ? Read on.
From sending a terse text that ends in a period—leaving the recipient wondering whether the sender is angry—to posting something on Instagram that is better suited to LinkedIn, people’s online interactions give away their lack of tech savvy.
Don’t: Paste a long URL link into an email
Pasting a cumbersome URL into an email, when a tidy hyperlink would suffice, can betray a lack of digital savvy and mark you as virtually prehistoric.
Do: Hyperlink the text instead
Nothing annoys an email recipient or reveals that you’re behind the times like a 10-line URL link with more symbols than letters. In most email platforms, you can hide a tremendously long (and ugly) URL by hyperlinking it to related text in the body of your note. It is usually as simple as highlighting the text, typing Control + K on PC or Command + K on Mac, and pasting the URL in. Or – simply right click on the text and check out the options to add in a hyperlink.
And Voilà !
Don’t: Ask for a menu
Do: Learn to scan QR Codes
People’s unwillingness to touch potentially germy surfaces and devices during the pandemic has greatly accelerated the adoption of unique QR codes. At most restaurants, only the out-of-it still ask for the opportunity to squint at a sticky menu; instead use your smartphone’s camera to scan the QR code (typically found on a placard at your table) to easily access the eatery’s offerings online.
Don’t: Get cash from an ATM to reimburse a friend
Do: Use an online payment App
Dragging a cohort along to an ATM so you can hand them a bundle of sticky bills is like insisting on communicating with them by snail mail. Apps like Venmo and CashApp help you automatically find friends in your contacts list or, if you’re sitting together, you can scan each other’s unique QR codes and get the job done. Plus: No line ups & friendship saved !
Don’t: Store files on a thumb drive
Do: Use the Cloud or Dropbox
New computer models are quickly phasing out USB ports, so if you have all your most secret and/or important files stashed on a USB thumb drive, you are a bit of a dinosaur and you need to move fast. Your best option is to use a secure cloud server like Apple iCloud, Dropbox or Google Drive.
Don’t: Write down all your passwords
Do: Utilize a password manager
If you still keep passwords stored in an email draft in hopes of eluding hackers, assume your passwords have already been compromised and come up with new ones. Better yet, download a password manager like LastPass, Keeper or Dashlane. These can securely create and store unique codes for every platform you visit and securing all your personal & important information.
Don’t: Listen to music on Pandora
Do: Download Spotify
In addition unearthing new artists & new music (Yes!!), another great reason to download a music app (in lieu of Pandora) is to easily share music with friends and family.
Don’t: Hoard those old manuals
Do: Watch how-to videos on YouTube
You can finally clear out that drawer of old appliance manuals you keep “just in case.” The tech-savvy know that, should they need to troubleshoot a device, jump-start a car, learn how to hyperlink a URL (see above), or even change a setting on an Email inbox, they can simply type a query into YouTube’s search bar and watch the video with the most views. Some are better than others, so if the first one seems too tedious, keep looking to find one that suits your experience level.
Technology - while it seems daunting at times - makes our lives easier. Whether you are an employee , business owner or a self-starter - being Tech Savvy in this digital era is more crucial than ever before - it could mean closing or losing a business deal or a dream job.
“The technology you use impresses no one. The experience you create with it is everything.” – Unknown
- Reference WSJ