Online guide to help harness the power of digital

A NEW online guide will help small businesses and independent retailers harness the power of digital technology and data to strengthen their operations, attract more customers, and future-proof their place on the high street.

- By OWEN HUGHES Business Correspondent

Menter Môn, which delivers the Welsh Government-funded Smart Towns Cymru programme as part of the Transforming Towns package of support, has launched a free, downloadable toolkit designed to make crucial analytics and evidence more accessible to businesses across Wales.

From monitoring footfall to boosting online visibility, strengthening cyber security to using AI for smarter marketing, the guide highlights practical, high-impact areas where data can drive real results.

It draws on anonymised BT Active Intelligence data including WiFi analytics, LoRaWAN sensors, mobile networks, and 'Bluetooth beacons' to demonstrate how information once reserved for big corporations can now be used by independents to make smarter decisions.

The guide is built with time-pressed entrepreneurs in mind, recognising many small high-street businesses are run by lean teams who can't always attend workshops or events.