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Retailers Not Doing Enough to Capitalise on the Web
Listed under: News
Published: Wednesday, September 01, 2010
Businesses in the UK are currently failing to take full advantage of their websites, according to a recent report, with only ten percent of company owners updating theirs on a daily basis and just one in four doing so each month.
The study, Small Business Bytes Survey from web hosting specialist Streamline.net, also reveals that more than half of Britain's small companies are now building and maintaining sites themselves, with many limiting the time they dedicate to theirs to evenings and spare moments here and there.
Surprisingly, the findings also reveal that a staggering 48% of companies are currently not advertising on search engines, with one in three business owners unable to quantify the popularity of their sites due to not monitoring their visitor numbers.
Revealing that the majority of firms view their company's website as the third most important factor in generating new business, the statistics reveal that word of mouth and printed adverts are currently considered the first and second most effective methods of marketing respectively.
Responding to the issues raised by the report, Claire Lewis, marketing manager at Streamline.net, says, “Important elements like search engine submission and website measurement can transform the return from a site. There are now easy-to-use and affordable tools for achieving these to suit all budgets, so every company should check they have these bases covered.”
She adds, “Business owners have felt the pressure in recent years. It is perhaps understandable that work on the company website can often get relegated to evenings. However, every firm should ensure they invest quality time and energy into presenting the right image and engaging with their visitors. Leveraging an up-to-date package can help, as today there are features designed to make the process far quicker and more enjoyable.”
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The study, Small Business Bytes Survey from web hosting specialist Streamline.net, also reveals that more than half of Britain's small companies are now building and maintaining sites themselves, with many limiting the time they dedicate to theirs to evenings and spare moments here and there.
Surprisingly, the findings also reveal that a staggering 48% of companies are currently not advertising on search engines, with one in three business owners unable to quantify the popularity of their sites due to not monitoring their visitor numbers.
Revealing that the majority of firms view their company's website as the third most important factor in generating new business, the statistics reveal that word of mouth and printed adverts are currently considered the first and second most effective methods of marketing respectively.
Responding to the issues raised by the report, Claire Lewis, marketing manager at Streamline.net, says, “Important elements like search engine submission and website measurement can transform the return from a site. There are now easy-to-use and affordable tools for achieving these to suit all budgets, so every company should check they have these bases covered.”
She adds, “Business owners have felt the pressure in recent years. It is perhaps understandable that work on the company website can often get relegated to evenings. However, every firm should ensure they invest quality time and energy into presenting the right image and engaging with their visitors. Leveraging an up-to-date package can help, as today there are features designed to make the process far quicker and more enjoyable.”
What do you think? Email your thoughts to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
