How Being Online Is Paying Off for Micro-Businesses
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. CREDIT: Micro-business image via Shutterstock |
Just because your business is small doesn't mean you have to think small when it comes to using the Web and social media to promote your business. Nearly all micro-business owners believe that having a website is important to them and more than half of them report that their online presence is generating revenue, a new survey shows.
More than two-thirds of all micro businesses currently have a website, according to a survey of nearly 1,500 small business conducted online by Vistaprint, a provider of marketing products and services. Vistaprint defines micro-businesses as those that have between one and 10 employees who primarily work out of their homes and generate less than $100,000 annually in revenues.
That online presence is paying off, the survey found. Of those micro-businesses that have a website, 75 percent are generating revenue either directly or indirectly. A little less than half (46 percent) sell physical products on their websites.
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Business generally is going well for micro-businesses, the survey found. Nearly half (46 percent) are on track to make more money this year and 55 percent have more customers now than they did at the beginning of the year.
"It is clear that micro-business owners recognize the importance of having a Web presence and how it can positively impact their business," said Don LeBlanc, chief marketing officer for Vistaprint. “Being online extends the potential reach of small businesses and introduces them to new audiences and customers. Interestingly, the survey shows that 75 percent of respondents are generating revenue from their businesses, but only 46 [percent] are actually selling products on their websites. That indicates that websites are also driving brand awareness through search results.”
Reach BusinessNewsDaily senior writer Ned Smith at nsmith@techmedianetwork.com. Follow him on Twitter @nedbsmith.We're also on Facebook & Google+.