According to recent research, 40% of online search queries are for local businesses, organizations, attractions, and events. (SearchEngineLand.com)
I’m a little surprised it is that high, but I won’t argue with that stat.
What I find a little weird is that StatisticBrain.com reports that out of 14 million small businesses surveyed in May 2012, 75.2 percent did not have a Web site. I’ve got three problems with this statistic. First, “14 million small businesses were surveyed.” Really? That numbers seems terribly high given what I know about how busy small business owners are. Also, you don’t need a sampling anywhere near that large to be statistically accurate. Secondly, 75.2% sounds crazy high.
My third problem is that even if the actual number is, “50% of small businesses do not have a Web site,” I can’t come up with too many reasons why that would be.
Today, putting up a Web site is super-easy and low cost. In many cases one can now do it for free and have free hosting for a year. After that it might cost you $5-$10 per month, but that is cheap marketing. Why wouldn’t you do it?
I don’t have time. Then ask someone to do it for you!
I don’t want to fuss with it. Then have someone else fuss with it!
I get all my business from referrals. The Web is now a referral-multiplier, so if you do good work, your Web site and related online content can become a loudspeaker of referrals that prospective customers are actually seeking.
The point is, if you are a small business and yet, you don’t have a Web site, you aren’t alone. But not having a Web site is like only being open one day a week. It limits what you can accomplish.