Web-savvy SMEs the most ambitious
Computer Retailers - 16/08/2007 15:28:39
Innivative small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) are maximising their internet advertising and opportunities, according to new research.
Those that utilize their web presence have bigger growth expectations than those who do not, the study by national local marketing portal thebestof.co.uk said.
Sectors such as online recruitment anticipate growth of 41 per cent, compared to just 20 per cent for their traditional counterparts.
The findings are based on telephone interviews with 500 SMEs and an online survey completed by an additional 2,583 SMEs from across the UK.
Nigel Botterill, chief executive of thebestof said: "What this research shows is that there's a whole generation of ordinary small businesses – like recruitment agencies - who have been quietly working in the background, using the web to steal market share from their bigger competitors."
One in five SMEs plans to launch a new product or service in the next year and a further 13 per cent intend to expand into a new area.
Respondents asked to score their optimism for the future of their business on a scale of one to ten gave an average score of 7.8.
Thebestof.co.uk recently won best e-company of the year at the Sharp Edge Awards in February.