Streamline.net Reveals That Only 1 in 10 Small Firms Update Their Website Daily
GLOUCESTER, England/PRNewswire/ -- Streamline.net, a
leading UK provider of web hosting, has revealed two sets of new
research that shows a worrying number of firms could be taking their
foot off the Internet pedal. The company's latest 'Small Business Bytes
Survey' of 2400 UK firms* finds that only 10 per cent of small firms
are updating their websites on a daily basis with 1 in 3 firms admitting
that updates are being done 'infrequently'.
A further study of 400 UK firms** finds that over half of Britain's
small companies are now building and maintaining their website
themselves. However, the data reveals that many time-strapped business
owners are limited to using their evenings to address their web
presence. Whilst businesses clearly see value in the web, the research
suggests that many could be losing revenue by cutting corners with their
web presence.
The survey carried out by Streamline.net, which specialises in
providing value web hosting, also found that many small companies with a
website struggle to maintain a compelling web presence. Despite two
thirds of those surveyed having had a business website for 2 years or
more, only 1 in 10 firms succeed in making updates on a daily basis. 1
in 4 companies admit to updating their websites on a monthly basis.
Over half (54 per cent) admit to making technical tweaks only
'infrequently'. In general, investment in the web is modest. For
example, one third of companies surveyed use only a single domain name,
and three quarters own less than 6 domains.
It appears that for many firms online marketing is an area that can
be neglected. Alarmingly, nearly half of firms (48 per cent) are not
currently advertising on search engines. 1 in 3 (34 per cent) are
unable to quantify the popularity of their website as they do not look
at their visitor numbers. For many companies, the web is still not
performing as strongly as traditional methods of generating new
business. At present, 'word-of-mouth' is viewed as the most important
driver, with the company website ranking third after printed
advertisements in second place.
Claire Lewis, Marketing Manager at Streamline.net, said: "Important
elements like Search Engine submission and website measurement can
transform the return from a website. 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."
Lewis added: "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 website visitors. Leveraging an up-to-date website
package can help, as today there are features designed to make the
process far quicker and more enjoyable."
As a market leader for value web hosting, Streamline.net can offer
small businesses a high quality professional, reliable service at low
cost. Customer websites are hosted in a state-of-the-art UK data
centre, and customers receive free technical support by phone or email.
Streamline.net offers a comprehensive range of web solutions including
email packages and tools for online marketing.
Notes to Editors:
* 2479 UK small businesses using a website surveyed via electronic feedback form
** 410 UK small companies using a website surveyed by OpinionMatters via electronic feedback form
About Streamline.net
Established in 1999, Streamline.net is a leading value web hosting
provider. Based in the UK and operating 24x7 from dedicated UK data
centres, Streamline.net hosts over 150,000 websites. The company
focuses on providing unrivalled value for web solutions. Streamline.net
delivers a high-quality online service at the lowest possible prices.
Streamline.net products include a free web hosting trial, domain name
registrations tools for web design, search engine optimisation, web mail
and eCommerce.
For further information please contact:
Richard Stevenson
Fasthosts
Discovery House
154 Southgate Street
Gloucester
GL1 2EX
+44 (0)1452 561 857
www.streamline.net
Source: Fasthosts
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