UK businesses failing to exploit search engine ranking
19 July 2005
Businesses in Britain are reportedly failing to take advantage of the internet and the potential of search engine rankings.
Almost three quarters of companies surveyed by independent hosting provider Fasthosts admitted that they do not submit their websites to search engines, failing to establish an online presence and resulting in a loss of revenue.
The poll found that 68 per cent of companies are missing out on potential sales because many consumers use search engines as a first point of call to locate products and services.
Online sales for 2005 are forecast to reach £19.6 billion, up 35 per cent from 2004 (£14.5m) and accounting for seven per cent of all retail spending, according to the Internet Advertising Bureau.
"Companies that believe it's enough to register a site and stick the web address on business cards are naive. If you are not listed on Google or Yahoo, your web site might as well not be online," said Andrew Michael, Fasthosts CEO. "The search engines are the first port of call for most of the consumers, and the higher the ranking the bigger the chance of a sell."
Fasthosts suggests that online spending in 2006 could increase even more substantially if UK retailers improve their visibility online. The firm advises that companies should submit their websites to search engines immediately after registrations and continue submission updates on a regular basis.
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