Tablets are going to replace computers — or so we’re told. Despite divided opinions over tablet use in corporations, they’re coming… fast. While the screen of a smartphone may be too small for books, documents and articles, tablets bring the best features of a full-size computer to our fingertips. Free of bulk and excessive cords and filled with apps for everything we need, it’s hard to imagine a future in which the tablet isn’t a standard gadget.

Though it’s exciting to view this emergence as a consumer, business owners should be prepared for the technology shift toward the tablet. No matter what industry you’re in, there are small changes that can be made now to prepare for an inevitable frontier. Even more so, by integrating the tablet into your business model earlier than others, you can actually boost your business — now.

I asked a panel of successful young entrepreneurs the following question:

What are some tips for getting the most out of a pricey tablet in your small business?

Here are 14 simple tips for overcoming common tablet handicaps and making the most of the gadget for your business:

1. Everyone Has a Type

“While tablets have pretty awesome keyboards and touchscreens, we’re still very much programmed to type on a regular keyboard. Plus, you can really increase your efficiency while working on a table with a keyboard attachment.”

-Danny Wong, Blank Label Group, Inc.

2. Keep Your Tools

“OnLive Desktop gives you remote access to Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer. It’s perfect for doing work on the go, and along with a Bluetooth keyboard, your tablet can replace your computer when needed.”

-Josh Weiss, Bluegala

3. Pitch the Clients

“Tablets are worth their money when you effectively use them in getting deals done. Make a practice of finding ways to incorporate your corporate tablets into client meetings. For example, if you’re a mobile development firm, you can do app demos on tablet to show the prospective customer how the app works. Or, replace pen-to-paper during meetings and take your notes on the sleek tablet instead.”

-Doreen Bloch, Poshly Inc.

4. Don’t Be Cheap!

“Don’t be afraid to spend “too much” on apps. Applications like Keynote and Air Sharing that hit the $10 price point are worth the extra money. To embrace the mobility that comes with tablets, you need to spend the money and time on creating systems that actually allow you to use the tablet in everyday business tasks.”

-Jennifer Donogh, Young Female Entrepreneurs

5. Limit Your Gigs

“Don’t fall prey to the psychology of getting enough storage “in the event that you need it.” I currently have a 32GB iPad using that theory, and looking back, I could’ve gotten the 16GB and been more than covered. Tablets are ultimately for consumption and display, so content can be accessed via the cloud. Apps like Splashtop even let you access your desktop remotely via your tablet.”

-Pete Chatmon, Double7 Images

6. Plan Ahead

“A data plan can save you time and money. Free wireless access isn’t quite ubiquitous yet, and you never know when you might need the Internet. I’ve been able to easily demo my product for potential investors and business partners in coffee shops and hotel lobbies, thanks to my data plan.”

-Bhavin Parikh, Magoosh, Inc.

7. Pick Your Battles

“I quickly learned that while tablets are great for some business functions, they’re no means a replacement for more robust computers — yet. For instance, drafting a document that requires viewing multiple sources on the tablet is an exercise in frustration; on the other hand, they’re great when you need to focus on drafting one piece. Don’t try to make the tool fit the wrong activity.”

-Charlie Gilkey, Productive Flourishing

8. The Tradeshow Star

“I always invest in having the best iPad available. I love to bring them to tradeshows, walk around and show live demos of my website to prospective clients. Tablets are a great tool for mobile presentations, and people love to geek out on the latest technology too — they may listen to your pitch if only to play with your cool tablet!”

-Eric Bahn, Beat The GMAT

9. Mind Map Ideas

“I love mind maps, and although there are tons of tools to create mind maps on a desktop or laptop, using a tablet to create mind maps allows you to jot down ideas on the go. It also helps to visualize an idea from start to finish — without being distracted by the multitasking environment that a full computer offers.”

-Nathalie Lussier, Nathalie Lussier Media

10. Learn Your Target Medium

“If your customers are looking at your site or product on a tablet, make sure that you’re giving them a great experience. The fact that our online reporting dashboard renders nicely on an iPad is a big advantage for our company over some of our competitors.”

-Allie Siarto, Loudpixel

11. Consume That Content

“Tablets are best for consuming content — downloading books and PDFs and streaming videos — and communicating with others. Make sure your tablet can do all of this, but be clear on its limits. Tablets aren’t computers, so certain features won’t be as good, if even possible.”

-Ash Kumra, DesiYou

12. Get Creative With Clients

“If you have retail business, why can’t the tablets replace the regular menus or brochures? Why not have an in-house sale that’s only available on your tablet (yes, not even on your website)? How about replacing the whole POS for a tablet with POS app. Let clients use and have fun with them.”

-Devesh Dwivedi, Breaking The 9 To 5 Jail

13. Download Apps Wisely

“When people get tablets, they often head for the App Store and download hundreds of apps that just add more confusion, more chaos and more inefficiencies to their businesses. Instead, download the apps that compliment the programs you already use in your business so you can create a seamless workflow, instead of adding more steps to it.”

-Erin Blaskie, BSETC

14. Got a Pen?

“Whether it’s scribbling down notes, making mind maps or drawing crude prototype images, the ten bucks I spent on a pen for my iPad has completely changed it from being solely a consumption device to a creative resource.”

-Sean Ogle, Location 180, LLC

bloomua via shutterstock

As January 2012 draws to a close, I recently concluded a highly non-scientific study of various product websites and a random sampling of “business” sites via StumbleUpon.

My mission? To see not only how often these sites are regularly updating their content, but also how many of them are paying attention to the details.

My point? When consumers want to know more about a product, service, i.e. your business, chances are they’ll ask a friend or family member first, but also jump on the Internet and happily Google away.

After speaking with a number of colleagues and friends, I found that the biggest turn off was seeing a bunch of static content whereby users had no idea if the business was still actually in existence, with common comments including, “But where’s the …? Am I missing the Facebook link? Where’s their Twitter feed? What’s their position on…?”

Based on these findings, I couldn’t help thinking that my small focus group wasn’t alone with these thoughts. If the company that produces the product you’re interested in purchasing isn’t staying on top of their web presence, are they really in it to win it?

In December of 2010, SiteKreator published a survey that included over 100,000 small business website owners, discovering that more than half (54%) update their website less than once a month (on average once every 2 months). Digging deeper, the same survey found that those who regularly update their website, 5 times or more a month, garner 300% more traffic than those who update every two months. Businesses that throw some social media into the mix stand to gain 400% more traffic than those that did not engage.

Sure, these figures are a year old now, and social media has grown leaps and bounds over the course of 2011, but my non-scientific research shows that there are still a number of small businesses out there that consider their website “finished” when live and provide little to no content updates.

As the SiteKreator survey illustrates, those that regularly update receive more traffic. And how? Google of course. It’s a widely known secret that search engines love fresh material. If you’re pushing out fresh content, you’re effectively providing Google’s (and others) crawlers with fresh meat, as it were.

If this isn’t enough to catch your eye, remember that announcement Google made back in November about adding a freshness factor to its ranking algorithm, effectively pushing older content down in the listings? Remember, Google presents searchers with the results of the combination of their keyword searches with a variety of magical factors (the algorithm), one of which we know is freshness. If your content isn’t fresh, Google, and thus a steady stream of visitors, could care less.

Putting Google and other major search engines aside for a moment, let’s focus on the image of old content. Who wants last year’s model? Even if you haven’t revamped and redesigned your products or services, perhaps the start of a new year is the time to run a targeted promotion at your best customers. And how will you let them know about this promotion? Well, updating your website would be a very wise start. On the other side of the coin, if your company is in the business selling, and most are, you’re trying to capture the hearts and minds of your would be consumers by pushing the “industry leader” image. If your website is dead as a doornail, how are your really leading anything?

Now that’s not to say that you should undergo a major website revamp every 6 months. Regardless of the time, money, and effort such an undertaking requires, you’re likely to only confuse consumers. If you’ve got a standard website set up outlining your product or services and are wondering what more you could be communicating to your consumers, one of the most dead simple solutions is to add a blog. In addition to opening a new channel for your consumers to interact with you, you’ve also now created a platform for you to prove that “We’re industry leaders” statement. Remember that Google loves fresh point above? Nothin’ says Google lovin’ more than a regularly updated blog.

To put it in simple terms, think of your blog as a homing beacon for Google’s crawlers. If your current static website is old news to the crawlers, a regularly updated blog is a bright shining, “Hey guys, come check this new stuff out!” light, thus aiding you in shooting up the SERP.

With that said, also keep the Panda in mind. Google shook things up early last year with the introduction of its Panda algorithm which effectively cracked down on thin content and content farms. The message here – keep your content relevant. Prior to Panda, you might be able to garner some traffic from some hot topic content, but if you’re selling widgets and writing about frankfurters, it’s a no-go in Google’s eyes.

If you’re looking for a quick rundown of the top 5 features your business blog must have, go ahead and click. If your looking for 5 Golden rules of Content Marketing, look no further.

As a side note, and final thought, do yourself a favor and scroll down to the very bottom of your website. Did your system automatically update to read © 2012, or are you still stuck on 2011?