Over half [55%] of SMEs believe that their competitors have a better digital presence than
they do, according to new research. Download now
The research, which questioned 500 decision makers from SMEs across the UK on how
much time, budget and resource they have invested into their digital brand presence, also
revealed that despite believing their competitors had a better brand presence, 45% of
respondents had not reviewed the performance of their website in over 18 months.
In addition, 25% of respondents advised that they rarely, or only annually, make changes to
improve the performance of their website to engage potential customers.
Also, a quarter [25.8%] of SMEs haven’t invested in their website and wider digital
brand presence in over 2 years.
45% of respondents had not reviewed their performance in over 18 months.
Other key take outs from the research include:
Only 31% of SMEs believe that they have a stronger digital brand presence than their competitors.
44.3% of SMEs have developed their website using ‘off the shelf’ platforms like Wix, Square Space or WordPress, with 31.6% opting for creative and technical input from an external agency.
A staggering 62.3% of SMEs have not taken advantage of tech features, like chatbots, blogs and feedback to increase stakeholder engagement or improve the performance of their website.
This new research comes as the majority of UK SMEs are forced to review and pivot their
existing growth strategy following the impact of the current situation.
Taking positive action
This latest research is incredibly telling and effectively demonstrates that SMEs UK wide do not place enough value into both creating and maintaining a strong brand and digital presence, which could be damaging to their business.
Currently, SMEs are facing the significant challenge of survival following recent
events. Those with the strongest brands, an engaging website and integrated digital
presence will instil confidence and drive growth, both during and following this time of
uncertainty.
For business owners looking to use this time to disrupt and develop, it doesn’t necessarily
mean investing tens of thousands into your website and wider digital presence, but it does
mean evaluating your brand by ensuring it represents your business and attracts the right
target audiences. This is consistently overlooked by the majority of SMEs, as demonstrated
by the research, but could be fundamental to future growth and success as we return to
some form of business as usual.”
To find out more about this latest research, download a copy of Sparkloop’s SME Digital Brand Presence Report.
Want to improve your digital brand presence?
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the agency has launched a Virtual Spark-Up Sessions
initiative, designed to help businesses quickly solve problems and identify achievable
outcomes when establishing a clear and effective digital brand presence. Get in touch for more information.