Streamline Reports Small Firms Floored By Basic Web Errors
Released
on: October 27, 2009, 5:37 am
Author: Fasthosts Internet
Industry: Internet
& Online
Streamline.net
web hosting research finds the majority of consumers using SME
websites in the past year experienced usability faults.
The
Streamline.net study
of 1700 consumers found that 83% faced faults including unfinished
web pages, broken URLs and an out-dated design. A further survey
of 450 UK firms revealed that whilst half consider their website
to look 'professional', 1 in 3 owners admit that they are guilty
of 'neglecting' their sites. There is also a worrying discrepancy
between where consumers wish to find web addresses, and where
companies are displaying them. For example, 48% of firms still
do not make any efforts to optimise their URL on search engines.
Whilst 1 in 5 consumers took a web address from the side of a
small company's vehicle, only 10% of small firms currently display
theirs in this way.
The
data from Streamline.net showed that many SMEs are alienating
web users through simple web errors. 76% of consumers have now
used the website of a small business. Whilst 47% of consumers
consider their experiences of such sites to be overall 'good',
a further 1 in 4 Britons conclude such websites to be 'barely
usable'. In the past year, 83% of online consumers found faults
on more than one occasion. Web errors reported included unfinished
web pages (54%), broken URLs (52%), outdated email addresses (50%),
and missing contact details (31%).
Top
design gripe with SME websites is an outdated website design,
faced by one third of users in the past year. 1 in 5 online consumers
have encountered superfluous descriptions of products and services.
20% have been confused by the use of generic corporate images
that bear no relation to specific company's.
The
findings are in contrast to another survey of 450 small firms
where 76% felt confident that the language on their website could
in no way be perceived negatively, and 84% saw the images on their
website as fit for purpose.
Steve
Holford, Marketing Director at Streamline.net, said, "As
with many areas of business, if the basics of a website are not
sound, customers will be deterred from purchasing".
Almost
half of companies (48%) made no attempt at optimise their position
on search engines, when 77% of consumers call upon these. Many
enterprises are prioritising the display of their URL in places
unpopular with online consumers. 43% of companies publish their
web address on industry websites whilst only 15% of consumers
use this source. Remarkably, only 9% display their web address
on signage or windows of their premises, when 1 in 5 Britons have
made use of a domain
name taken from here in the past year.
Holford
added, "Every opportunity to capture online custom must be
seized upon, which means promoting a web address in every possible
environment - online and off-line".
Streamline.net
provides a comprehensive range of domain registrations. Users
can even try
free web hosting for 3 months with Streamline.net.
About
Streamline.net
Established in 1999, Streamline.net is a leading value web
hosting provider. Based in the UK and operating 24x7 from
dedicated UK data centres, Streamline.net hosts over 150,000 websites.
The company focuses on providing unrivalled value for web solutions.
Streamline.net products include tools for
web design, search engine optimisation, web mail and eCommerce.
PR contact:
Lauren Whitson
US Public Relations
Fasthosts Internet
701 Lee Road
Suite 300
Chesterbrook
PA 19087
T: (610) 560-1530
F: (610) 560-1511
www.streamline.net
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