Do you know what cloud computing is and how it can help you grow your business? Believe it or not, most small business owners already use it—often, without even knowing it. But they usually aren’t aware of all the ways it can help supercharge their businesses.

Instead of storing your data on hard drives on your computer or servers in your office, cloud computing allows you to store your all data and manage it on the internet. Businesses usually make the switch so that they can safely store and share data, as well as easily access important software.

Let’s take a closer look at 10 ways cloud computing can help give your company the competitive edge it’s been needing.

1. Security

Stat: By 2020, 78% of U.S. small businesses will be fully adapted to cloud computing—almost double the current figure of 37 (Emergent Research/Intuit Inc.).

Small businesses are the preferred targets of online hackers since they’re normally less protected against threats.

2. Continuity

If you store your data entirely on hard drives or in-office servers, natural disasters, accidents or theft could ruin everything. Cloud computing services in New Jersey and PA will give you confidence knowing copies of your data and applications are always being updated.

3. Mobility

Stat: 56% of small business owners spend 30% or more of their time working remotely (Microsoft).

With cloud services, there’s no need to email yourself files or remember your thumb drive. Instead, you and your team can access documents from anywhere anytime. All you need is an internet connection.

4. Efficiency

With automatic updates, your company will minimize downtime. This means your employees won’t have to sit around waiting (and not working) for I.T. specialists to complete updates or fix their computers. By increasing the protection and performance of your workplace, you’ll also notice a significant boost in productivity.

5. Connectivity

Cloud hosting in Philadelphia and NJ provides innovative ways to connect with remote or virtual employees, as well as customers and prospects. From virtual conference calls to videoconferences, cloud VoIP technology will let your team view, comment on and edit documents or presentations simultaneously.

6. Affordability

Cost savings is one of the cloud’s greatest advantages for small businesses. By paying for cloud services as you go on a monthly or subscription basis, you’ll avoid the one-time payment for costly software.

7. Sophistication

Enterprise-level software tools were once beyond the reach of small business owners. But now you can access powerful, secure applications that most small businesses couldn’t afford without making costly investments. This way, you can compete with bigger companies on a more level playing field.

8. Scalability

Cloud services in Philadelphia and NJ are a perfect way to manage planned growth. As you expand, you can easily move to the next level of cloud services, implement new tools or add users almost instantly.

9. Flexibility

Stat: 86% of small business owners believe technology is important to the success of their company (Microsoft).

Cloud services provide unlimited flexibility for small business owners. Since most providers offer free trials or demonstrations, you can test out their offerings and see how well they fit your business needs. If you like the product, you can subscribe to it, and if you end up changing your mind, you can simply unsubscribe.

10. Focus

Cloud hosting in New Jersey and PA offers a ton of advantages for small business owners. Maybe the biggest is that it allows you to focus less on I.T. and more on strengthening your business model. Through the flexibility and simplicity of cloud services, can synchronize your business and help it reach its full potential!

Want to learn more? Check out some of our other blog posts or simply visit the cloud hosting solutions page of our website.