More businesses are taking advantage of the internet, with many finding the move online creates more revenue, a new survey has found, reports the Herald Sun.
Research by accounting software provider MYOB has found that the number of Australian businesses now online has increased to 39 per cent, up from 35 per cent last November, with a further 22 per cent planning to create a website in the next 12 months.
Almost a third of the 1000 respondents surveyed reported an increase in revenue compared with just 22 per cent without a website.
“Today consumers look online first when making buying decisions,” MYOB CEO Tim Reed said, releasing the survey findings today.
“If your business can’t be found via a search engine, it’s as if you don’t exist.”
Western Australian businesses are leading the way online at 43 per cent, closely followed by NSW and Victoria at 41 and 40 per cent respectively.
Still, not all businesses are making full use of the internet and some are convinced that the internet is not the way forward.
The survey found that 57 per cent of business still do not promote or sell products and services online.
Almost half without a website said they have no intention of creating one in the future, and 26 per cent don’t believe a website would benefit their business at all.
“While only 26 per cent of business owners believe their competitors are ahead of them when it comes to the online economy, I’m concerned for Australia’s future international competitiveness if business owners don’t do more to embrace the online economy,” Reed said.
“It’s important Aussie business owners take action now to make sure they don’t lose market share to global competitors.”
He said one of the biggest challenges for businesses getting online appears to be having the right skills and knowledge to take the necessary steps to move.
One in three businesses believe they are behind the times in using the internet for business, 35 per cent believe they don’t use the internet well enough for marketing purposes, and 31 per cent believe they don’t use online search engines well enough to market their business.