New research looking at the ways small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have adapted to e-commerce during the pandemic reveals that below-par websites are costing many dearly.

This research by Yell found that being visible on the internet was essential in attracting both customer enquiries and actual sales for SMEs, with 80% citing social media channels and their business website as the single most important factor for this. A total of 79% of those surveyed for the research said that digital branding and marketing were the key drivers

However, the research also found that many SMEs are falling down when it comes to having a smart, well-branded company website. The survey looked at one million SME websites and discovered that the majority had not updated them since the pandemic began 15 months ago. The impact of this is clear, with the public spending 54% less money every month at websites that seem out of date.

If SMEs are struggling to find the money to keep their websites fresh, a small business accountant in Goole or any other region can help them put together a financial plan that sets aside cash for this.

Of the businesses that Yell spoke to, 26% cited lack of money as the main factor in their failure to keep their websites updated, while 31% said that it was down to not having enough time, and 34% said that they did not have the skills to do it themselves.

A further 51% of SME owners felt that keeping their company website fresh would be expensive.