SME’s to Recognise the Importance of Having an Online Presence by Beth McWilliams
This week, an article by Kiki Loizou in the Sunday Times has drawn attention to the fact that a large percentage of small and medium-sized companies are continuing to fail to reap the innumerable benefits of having an online presence. In fact, according to Lloyds’ UK Business Digital Index this year, 1.2 million SME’s continue to lack the basic digital skills needed to take their business online. Whilst the survey states that 77% are now online, in an ever-growing digital economy, this statistic means that an overwhelming 33% of SME’s are bypassing the huge potential that an online presence would bring to their business.
Loizou’s article invokes the story of Victoria Hopkins, a small business owner who, until seven years ago, was not utilising the internet to grow her business. Today, having hired a digital guru and built a successful website, Hopkins’ catering equipment company brings in over £5.5 million in revenue, over £1 million of which is generated from her online store. Like many others, Hopkins has reaped the rewards of allowing her business to adapt to a digital age in which customers are increasingly turning to the internet as a tool through which to search for the products and services they desire.
Whilst Lloyds’ survey has revealed that a quarter of SME’s still views digital as ‘irrelevant’ to grow their business, it is estimated that if British firms tapped into their digital potential, they could collectively unlock revenues of £18.8 billion. Allowing your company to expand into the digital realm can not only increase your company’s efficiency, but also open up a vast number of opportunities for new business as online, your products and/or services will reach a much wider audience, both nationally and internationally.
Your business may be hugely successful, yet without adopting a digital strategy you are failing to participate in a fast-moving digital economy that may leave your business behind as it continues to grow. At The Click Hub, we want to ensure that does not happen. Whilst Victoria Hopkins was able to hire a digital guru to help take her company online, many companies are choosing to work with digital marketing agencies, saving them time and money yet achieving astonishing results. With many years of experience in the field, The Click Hub is here to make sure your business reaches its maximum potential, in an ever-growing digital world.
Loizou’s article successfully highlights the fact that those companies most likely to succeed and grow are those who are able to adapt to a changing digital climate, with an online presence that reflects this. Businesses today should no longer be viewing the online world as an optional luxury, but instead as an integral and essential tool to building a strong and successful business.