 |
Commercial Benefits Of The Internet And WWW
Author: Richard D S Hill  | Posted: 28-07-2007 | Comments: 0 | Views: 18 | Rating: (52)  (?) 
We read some reports recently about SMEs and the internet / www - they make fascinating reading.
The internet and world wide web [www] are acknowledged as a highly cost-effective and flexible business tool, but research by Dynamic Markets for internet service provider UK Online found that small companies in the UK are not using the internet for business as much as the general population.
They found that barely a third of UK businesses with one to 10 employees have an internet subscription compared to over half of the UK population as a whole. Of those, over a third uses a consumer rather than a business account. Of those with internet access nearly one in five is using dial-up. Just over one in five have a business email address and fewer than half have a website at all.
"I was surprised by the low level of internet use," said UK Online managing director Chris Stenning. "I was expecting the figure to be nearer 70-80 per cent. It does show that the smallest businesses have not grasped the benefits of the internet."
However, research late last year for Microsoft by Burlington Consultants and by Institute of Directors (IoD) for Dell suggested that for the 85,000 UK medium sized firms with 25 to 1,000 employees, 84 per cent see the internet and www as a vital enabler. Alastair Edwards, senior analyst at research firm Canalys, said that while small firms tend to be more concerned about hardware, mid-sized firms concentrate on software and the internet /www because as they grow they realise that these are the most important to their business and success.
Jim Norton, senior policy advisor on IT IoD, said the key to understanding mid-market firms is that many are in a state of transition. They have demonstrated the ambition and ability to grow from a small start-up into something more substantial, possibly involving diversification into new products, markets or regions. Now they face the challenge of creating or improving internal processes and management structures to support and build on this success where IT and the internet / www were central to this.
However, many medium-sized firms are losing revenue because they do not submit their web sites to search engines and are therefore missing potential visitors and custom, according to new research by web hosting firm Fasthosts.
In a survey of 2,094 small and medium-sized businesses, nearly half said they did not submit their sites to any search engines, according to Fasthosts' SMEs On The Web report. And two-thirds of internet users said they only look at the first two pages of search results. "The principal issue is a lack of knowledge about search engines," said Fasthost's chief executive Andrew Michael. "There is still a misperception among SMEs that elevating your web presence and optimising your web site for search engines is some kind of black art."
Meanwhile, another survey has highlighted the growing importance of the web to medium sized firms' marketing strategies. According to WebTrends' CMO Web-Smart Report, most organisations plan to increase their investment in web marketing. WebTrends questioned 250 executives and more than 50 percent said the web was either at the hub of their organisation's marketing strategy, or would achieve this position in the next year. More than 80 percent said they planned to increase investment in the web over the coming year, but most rated their firms' collective knowledge of the latest web marketing trends and technologies as poor.
So, hoping to make life easier for everyone we designed this simple diagram and provide these simple definitions and list some of the benefits of using the internet and www.
GO TO http://www.e-crm.co.uk/profile/ebusiness.html TO SEE THIS DIAGRAM
The big wide world:
Suspects: people or organizations, known or unknown, who make up the market.
Prospects: suspects that 'tell' the organization they are interested in learning more about their products or services.
Customers: people or organizations that pay for goods or services.
Suppliers: people or organizations that supply a product not manufactured by the company.
Internet: network of computer networks which operates world-wide using a common set of communications protocols.
World wide web [www]: information and resources available through the Internet.
The organization:
Organization: a group of people who work together with a common purpose.
Emarketing: identifying, anticipating and supplying customer's requirements efficiently and effectively using the internet and www.
ECRM: all aspects of interaction an organization has with its customers, whether sales or service related using the internet and www.
Databases: collections of information that have been systematically organized for easy access and analysis.
Intranet: a network within an organization that uses Web technologies for the sharing of information internally.
Extranet: a network that uses Web technologies to link organizations with suppliers, customers and others outside the organization.
Ecommerce website: conducting business online via a website.
Search engine optimization: increasing visitors, prospects & customers for a Web site by improved ranking in the results of search engines.
Email: exchange of electronic messages & computer files between computers connected to the Internet or some other computer network.
Web conferencing / support: enables two or more logged in users to have share screens and even access each others computers.
Email marketing: marketing via email with the results being completely measurable.
Pay per click marketing: advertising where one pays depending on the number of times the published ad is clicked on.
Telemarketing: sales and service using the telephone.
VOIP: using the internet for telephone conversations.
SMS marketing: sending messages of up to 160 characters to mobile phones.
Analytics: programmes that help organizations analyze data to create information for making decisions.
Some of the benefits
Increase sales
Decrease costs
Increase profits
Expands the size of the market from regional to national or national to international
Contact the market
Customization of products
Increases productivity
Improve customer service
Reach out to new and existing audiences
Build relationships and gather information about what interests and motivates them
Drive action by using that knowledge to communicate with them in a personalized and cost-effective manner that drives higher response
Develop loyalty by communicating regularly and rewarding audiences for their involvement
Run business applications from anywhere
Cost reductions in printing and document distribution
Reduction of time spent on looking and searching for information
Empowered and better educated staff and improved internal communications, access and retention of company knowledge
Enabling collaboration to speed up the development and approval processes and reduce the need for meetings
Track who is using what information, and how they are using it
Providing a single user interface between organization and suppliers
Improved business relationships with key suppliers joining up the supply chain with online ordering, order tracking & inventory management
Improving customer service by giving customers direct access to information and enabling them to resolve their own queries
Improving the quality and security of communications with suppliers and distributor
Rate this Article:
Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-articles/commercial-benefits-of-the-internet-and-www-189689.html
About the Author:Richard Hill is a director of E-CRM Solutions and has spent many years in senior direct and interactive marketing roles. E-CRM provides EBusiness, ECommerce and Emarketing and ECRM.
|
Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free! |
|
Related Articles
Why We Should All Stop Using Ie6 and Bury it Deep?
By: Angela Rogers | 23/04/2008 | Presentation
Have you ever wondered why there are vastly increasing number of Web designers and developers who don’t like using Internet Explorer?
Strong Company Internet Presence is Now Affordable
By: Angela Rogers | 27/04/2008 | Branding
Empire Elements has just launched another great website system. After the great success of our e-commerce site, we decided to develop an ultimate optimised site for tradespeople and trading businesses.
Understanding HTML is Still Vital in Website Development
By: Angela Rogers | 23/04/2008 | Information Technology
Hypertext Markup Language or HTML
has always been the basic language in developing a website. Although various automated software platforms have been introduced to simplify website creation, HTML remains of utmost importance in creating web pages.
Copywrite Content for Web Design
By: Angela Rogers | 27/04/2008 | Copywriting
In order to establish a lucrative online business, there is an urgent need to design a website that generates a professional appearance.
Ecommerce: How Payment Gets From Here To There
By: Scott Lindsay | 20/02/2007 | Internet
We've all heard the children's song, 'Dem Bones'.
The foot bone's connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone's connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone's connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone's connected to the back bone,
The back bone's connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone's connected to the head bone,
Etc.
This...
Cultural Differences in Web Site Design
By: Angela Rogers | 23/04/2008 | Graphic Design
Let’s face it, business websites always aim to reach a wider audience in the different parts of the world. Going online is the easiest and one of the most effective ways to go global.
Benefits of Using a Web Design Template
By: Angela Rogers | 27/04/2008 | Graphic Design
The primary motive of any profit orientated company is to minimise the process cost, and at the same time deliver first-rate quality to the customers’ satisfaction.
Ecommerce: Stress Reduction
By: Scott Lindsay | 20/01/2007 | Internet
Certainly it's important to plan and prepare for an online marketplace. It's important to learn what you can about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques, traffic building, ezine publishing, RSS, blogging, PPC and other marketing methods. The point of balance in ecommerce is there doesn't need to be an incredible amount...
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Your Favorite Browser?
By: Zero | 26-09-2007
What is Your Favorite Browser?And Why did you choose excatly this Browser?I have or have tried a few, and like Your openion on what You think is No.1 Browser ...Best Wishes Zero From Denmark
I have written several emails to profiles. I ...
By: Alain D. | 25-09-2007
I have written several emails to profiles. I haven't received any correspondence. Is it possible that my epals email can be blocked?
I have a web site in hebrew and when searching in ...
By: amitre | 25-09-2007
I have a web site in hebrew and when searching in google for this site, the site's description is in GIBRISH. How should I write the meta tag / encoding so google will show the hebrew fonts?
I have a web site in hebrew and when searching in ...
By: amitre | 25-09-2007
I have a web site in hebrew and when searching in google for this site, the site's description is in GIBRISH. How should I write the meta tag / encoding so google will show the hebrew fonts?
I have a web site in hebrew and when searching in ...
By: amitre | 25-09-2007
I have a web site in hebrew and when searching in google for this site, the site's description is in GIBRISH. How should I write the meta tag / encoding so google will show the hebrew fonts?
What high quality URLs host free blogs?
By: seotips | 25-09-2007
What are the top 10 free high quality blogs hosted at another url? I'd like to create 10 blogs, but I want to be sure the home page of the site hosting my blog is of high quality.
Q&A Powered by: 
Latest Internet Articles
Paid Surveys: Basics And Tips
By: James Gunaseelan | 05/09/2008
Online paid surveys are basically market research, and they are being used more and more in the modern day. It's gotten simpler in the previous years for the average person to earn some bucks online. Special skills and a college/university degree are not necessarily required. The only basic things called...
All You Need To Know About Free Stuff After Mail In Rebate
By: James Gunaseelan | 05/09/2008
Everyone wants a free lunch, and surely with the marketing strategies these days it is definitely possible. So what is mail in rebate? A rebate is basically a kind of sales promotion utilized mainly as supplements or incentives to product sales. The most common type of rebate is the mail...
Your Guide On How To Get Free Samples
By: James Gunaseelan | 05/09/2008
These days competition is tough especially among companies that sell consumer products. For nearly all items out in the market, there are numerous kinds of brands that manufacture it. In this case, companies face a lot of competition. On the other hand, consumers are either seeing it as a good...
Make Money With Niche Websites
By: Alison Wood | 05/09/2008
If you want to make money with niche websites then you will find that a powerful piece of software that has just been released will be ideal for you. This software, EZ Niche Builder can help you quickly and easily build and deploy hundreds of sites in any niche. Let's...
Why Article Writing Should be a Major Component of Your Internet Business
By: Westly Lager | 05/09/2008
Learn how articles can play a huge part in your internet business.
Top Home Businesses: How to Pick an Affiliate Marketing Programme
By: Mike Muir | 04/09/2008
We discuss some selection criteria to assist you in selecting an Affiliate Marketing programme
Get Back in Control of Your Life With a Home Based Internet Business
By: David Hurley | 04/09/2008
Many people would like to have more control over their lives. A home based Internet business offers many people the chance to get back in control. Here is some advice to get you on the right track for Internet marketing success.
5 Blogging Tips Every Blogger Should Know
By: Cory Threlfall | 04/09/2008
Blogging is a great way to earn a living and get your views out there on the World Wide Web. No matter whether you are blogging in order to make a living or simply want to express your opinion on a subject near and dear to your heart, there are 5 blogging tips which every blogger should know and follow in order to make your blog a complete success.
More from Richard D S Hill
Your Website and Brand
By: Richard D S Hill | 05/08/2008 | Marketing
How do you ensure your website reflects your brand and its values?
Is it important?
What does brand mean anyway?
Does brand mean different things on the web than on TV say or other media like press?
Large companies spend large amounts establishing and supporting their brands, because it works. Brands bring customer recognition,...
The Laws of ECommerce
By: Richard D S Hill | 24/06/2008 | Internet
ECommerce is about converting visitors to your site into customers.
A bricks and mortar shop has to work hard to get a prospect to make a special visit or passing prospects to enter. Then the visitor has an investment in the visit. They have expended time, energy and money to get...
Effective Sites
By: Richard D S Hill | 28/01/2008 | Internet
An effective site is one that does its job. It has a clear message and purpose that any visitor understands immediately. It also looks professional and welcoming helping visitors to remember your brand and bookmark the site.
An effective site provides the information and interaction required by visitors. It encourages them...
Are You A Hunter Or A Farmer?
By: Richard D S Hill | 24/11/2007 | Internet
You want your customers, potential customers, distributors, professional contacts, staff, distributors, the media, and other third parties who might be advocates for you to know as much about your products and services and your business as they possibly can. And you want them to keep you fresh in their minds.
EMail...
The Feel Of The Web
By: Richard D S Hill | 12/11/2007 | Internet
Have you noticed how the feel of the web is changing?
Perhaps you use LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com - or Jobster - http://www.jobster.com - and very probably you have had a look at Google maps - http://maps.google.com/
If so you cannot but have noticed that these sites and others have a different look...
All About E
By: Richard D S Hill | 20/09/2007 | Computers
Are SMEs missing an opportunity?
Just 18% of SMEs are selling on-line. Less than one percent of those derive all of their sales through the Internet. But 90 per cent of companies with ecommerce operations said their site was profitable and the value of Internet sales rose by 56 per cent...
Successful Branding For SMEs
By: Richard D S Hill | 24/06/2007 | Marketing
Then
Branding (from Teutonic brinnan, to burn), was first a mode of punishment using a hot iron to scar the body so that criminals could be recognized. It became a method of marking ownership of goods or animals with a hot iron.
Branding is still here to differentiate one thing from another...
Effective Email Tips
By: Richard D S Hill | 26/05/2007 | Internet
How do you ensure that you hit the mark, rather than just becoming noise in the recipient's in-box? There more to say about effective Email than we can fit into a newsletter, but the tips below are a good start.
Objectives
Like all business programs, before you start an email campaign, you...
|
|
Internet 
