Websites, social media expand revenue streams for small businesses

Small businesses have more customers today than they did at the beginning of 2012 and they credit their online presence for the growth, says a new study. Marketing experts at Vistaprint announced the findings in their second “Small Business Happiness Index.”<br /> The results signal online <a href="https://www.medicalwebexperts.com/marketing.html">marketing for doctors</a>, dentists and all medical fields is a sure-fire method to increase customer flow.<br /> The survey collected various data, proving the usage of websites and social media platforms increase revenue:</p> <ul> <li>69 percent of micro businesses surveyed currently have a website</li> <li>90 percent of respondents feel that it is important to have a website</li> <li>Of those micro business owners who have a website, 75 percent are generating revenue either directly or indirectly through a website</li> <li>56 percent of micro business owners have a Facebook page for their small business</li> <li>A little less than half (46 percent) sell physical products on their website</li> </ul> <p>&#8220;It is clear that micro business owners recognize the importance of having a web presence and how it can positively impact their business,&#8221; said Don LeBlanc, chief marketing executive at Vistaprint. &#8220;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 are actually selling products on their websites. That indicates that websites are also driving brand awareness through search results.&#8221;<br /> The index gauges micro business owner sentiment and provides information on topics that include their overall happiness, customer growth and revenue. Additionally, this survey focused on small businesses and their presence online, including owning a website and leveraging social media.<br /> The study concludes that strengthening online marketing tactics will produce more results than traditional <a title="local marketing for doctors" href="https://www.medicalwebexperts.com/marketing.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">local marketing for doctors</a> such as newspaper ads and highway billboards.<br /> Vistaprint conducts regular surveys with its U.S. micro business customer base, defined as small businesses with between 1-10 employees that primarily work out of their homes and generate less than $100,000 annually in revenues. This online survey was conducted from June 10 to June 17, 2012 with nearly 1,500 total respondents and a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.</p>