For the last four months I have worked collecting data for a local online directory. Visiting 5 Metrowest Boston towns and 249 businesses, what was most surprising was that not every business had a website or even any sort of web presence (decent Google Place page, Facebook, or YouTube account). In some cases, internet searches resulted in a company name and phone number at best.
The businesses I visited ranged from hair salons, cafes, and auto repair shops to print houses, law firms and car dealerships. As one would expect, it was the smaller "Mom & Pop" shops that didn't have webpages, many of them chuckling that they didn't have one or need one. Some of the chain businesses, the Dunkin' Donuts, Jiffy Lubes, and Sovereign Banks, were only represented by corporate sites, in which hours and store details were often incomplete or inaccurate.
Still in disbelief that not all businesses see the need for a website or are aware of their online search profile, it was time to tabulate the data. Findings: 32% of the businesses visited did not have websites. Web-less businesses as a percent isn't all that striking. Looking at the hard numbers, that 32% equals 80 businesses out of 249 that do not have websites. 80 businesses! Envision the downtown or retail district of a New England town or small city, then picture that every third business has little to no company information or business data online.
Marketers and web designers, this spells opportunity. Businesses, this translates to lost business.
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Great insight! I agree that this spells opportunity, and at the same time it would be interesting to get some other trends for all the businesses. Are those without websites seeing less traffic; fewer sales; etc? I wonder if it's smaller, word-of-mouth businesses that don't see the value in an online presence.
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