4 Advantages of Cloud Computing for Businesses

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, cloud computing has become the go-to model for IT in 2021. The shift to remote work and video conferencing accelerated the move to the cloud, according to IT industry news site ZDNet. This improves business continuity and collaboration as teams operate from home. Many businesses are now investing in cloud computing, and the industry is expected to reach over $300 billion in revenue within the next five years.

Cloud computing operates by allowing users to access all features and files within a system on-demand, without having to store those on their own computers. In our article on ‘What is Digital Transformation and How Can SD-WAN Help?’, we discussed how businesses must leverage technology to transform their businesses, deliver value, and adapt to changes in user behavior. Cloud computing, when integrated with our SD-WAN for connectivity control, can overcome networking challenges. Here are four advantages of cloud computing for your business:

Saves money

Cloud computing eliminates the need for in-house storage equipment and application requirements since your assets will stay on remote servers. This cuts down on overhead costs like rent and software updates or maintenance. Cloud-based services are also more practical because they’re deployed on a pay-per-use basis, so your business can rent exactly what you need and just when you need it. It’s ideal for small and medium-sized businesses with a limited budget, and large businesses that want to scale resources as their organization grows.

Allows for remote team collaboration

Gone are the days when you absolutely must work at the office, because otherwise, you wouldn’t have the resources at home to complete your tasks. Cloud computing virtualizes office tools like data storage, applications, and networks so you can work on-demand wherever you are, as long as you’re connected to the internet.

With documents housed in the cloud, it’s much easier for your company to collaborate with all employees in real-time. Even if your staff are located in different parts of the world, collaborating on the cloud allows everyone to stay updated on document changes. You can even communicate on the document itself. One example is Google Docs and how it lets groups of people make edits, suggestions, and comments on a shared file. This improves productivity for all your employees and boosts their interaction with their co-workers.

Improves digital marketing

In a hyper-connected world, digital marketing is essential to reach customers. Search Engine Optimization (SEO), in particular, is considered to be one of the key strategies in digital marketing. According to a council post on Forbes, a too-slow website will completely undercut any of your SEO efforts. Page loading speed is one of the key metrics that Google looks at to rank your page; if it loads too slowly, Google’s algorithm counts it against user experience. Cloud computing significantly speeds up this process, helping your business rank up on search results more effectively.

Digital marketing firm Ayima highlights how strategies should include performance SEO in order to drive traffic. Moreover, the firm also suggests complementing optimization with analytics and paid and biddable media for a more comprehensive approach. With the cloud, your website is more reliable and data is more secure. It also improves site performance, giving your digital marketing efforts a boost — and it does all this at a much faster loading time.

Reduces carbon footprint

Given the current state of the environment, many consumers and potential business partners have a strong demand for sustainable products, practices, and services — so it’s important to have solutions that address these concerns. Cloud computing, compared to on-premises data centers, is a more eco-friendly option.

Powering virtual services allows you to avoid physical hardware, which consumes massive amounts of electricity and produces heat. Cloud computing also enables you to cut down on paper waste, and even help reduce commuter-related emissions, since it lets employees work from home. Having eco-friendly technology may serve as a competitive advantage for your organization.

For more insights on cloud computing services, visit Connectra Technologies. You may also check out our products and services to learn about how we can help you with your IT system today.