smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

With a growing number of the UK's population using the internet, and an ever increasing number shopping online, the time has never been better for small businesses on tight marketing budgets to exploit the web.

During December, January and February, 800,000 new UK users logged onto the net, a growth of 5% according to new figures from market research company BMRB International. 16.6 million adults logged on during February 2001, around 36% of the UK's population.

The benefit of this increase is that it should enable many more businesses - especially smaller ones - to target their potential online audiences more quickly and cost efficiently. According to Trevor Vagg, a senior research executive at BMRB, "the internet used to be a good way of targeting ABs and younger people [but] now it can be used to target more of the lower socio-economic groups as well as more women."

The figures show that age and demography still remain the prime factors in determining those most likely to use the net. 65% of fifteen- to nineteen-year-olds have gone on-line in the past month compared to a mere 5% of over 65's. The pattern is repeated over the different socio-economic groups. 55% of higher earners (classified as ABs) have logged on over the past month. In contrast, only 11% of those people in group E - the lowest economic group - have done so.

The survey also suggests that small businesses can tune their sites to make them more appealing to their target audience. For instance, the survey revealed that the most important feature of a website for women is the ease with which it can be navigated, whereas men value the speed with which information can be downloaded the highest. For both groups, the content of the site comes second place.

Vagg also suggests that the general public's reticence to shop online because of security concerns seems to be receding. Says Vagg, "Attitudes towards security over the internet have been getting more positive. Almost half of internet users, something like 47% or 48%, have now shopped online". According to the figures, in the last 3 months the proportion of e-shoppers (those who have bought goods or services online in the last 6 months) has risen 4% to 47% of all internet users and now totals 7.8 million people.

To find out more on how to take advantage of the internet and its marketing potential, have a look at the Government's Small Business Service website at www.businessadviceonline.org .

With thanks to Lloyds TSB Success4Business. For more news and information visit www.success4business.com .

(04/5/01)

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