Low code/no code programming

A marketing solution for small businesses on a budget

In the era of digital media, it seems impossible that any business, no matter the size, would lack an online presence or application. However, the pandemic revealed quite the opposite. Main street businesses servicing their local communities were not prepared for the shift to online, resulting in little to no application development and the sound of business doors closing.

When trying to understand why a business would not have an online presence, the reasons were consistent – lack of time and money. With limited budgets, funds had to be spent on supporting customers and building in-store capacity.

The no code/low code solution

The good news: It does not have to be expensive or time-consuming for small businesses to create online commerce solutions or apps. A new generation of non-coding tools is equipping individuals with an easy-to-use coding experience. These “citizen developers” as coined by Gartner, can build business-critical applications using a low-code or no-code platform. Rather than hiring an IT developer or coder to build an application that requires updating maintenance, small business marketers can take on the task themselves.

With low code, there is little coding needed to build applications and processes. No code is even better as it does not require writing code at all and is based on a “drag and drop” model using a graphic user interface.

Today, more than ever, small businesses must be present online. Data-rich applications provide insight into consumer preferences, feedback, and innovation of new products and services. Marketers and small businesses now have capabilities to develop various digital platforms without the burden of expensive development or outsourcing costs.

Case study: Recruit-HQ

Tessa Thomas is the founder of Recruit-HQ, a free site created for the student athlete community to share experiences in real-time through ratings and feedback about specific academic and NCAA athletic programs in the United States.

Her own experience with American colleges and universities led her to realize there was a lack of resources in Canada to help Canadian students understand the process of choosing the best American academic institutions. Thus, there was a need for a centralized platform for students to share their experiences to help navigate the decision-making process, which led her to create Recruit-HQ.

Knowing she wanted to build an online digital platform, but not knowing how, she explored hiring a software specialist and quickly realized it was too costly. As a small startup, her budget was tight. She could not afford to spend all her funds on simply building the site and was determined to find a low-cost solution. Through her research, she stumbled on the concept of low code/no-code programming, and found assistance through communities that offer advice, guidance and troubleshooting support, leading to a successful app launch. Her advice? Start small, build up your network, take risks, and be willing and ready to ask for help.

The world has changed, and small businesses have carried a heavy burden since the onset of the pandemic. The good news for marketers is that the growth of low code/no code solutions will democratize software development, reduce the need for large budgets and create a more level playing field for online presence.