Three-quarters of small businesses in the west now have their own website

Almost three-quarters of Connacht’s SMEs believe their website contributes to their offline sales, according to new figures released by the company that manages and maintains Ireland’s country domain, .ie.

In all, 77% of Connacht SMEs have a website, according to the IE Domain Registry report.

The majority of SMEs use online banking, order supplies and make payments online, so they are not technophobes, yet few offer the same level of digital service to their own customers.

IE Domain has now called for a national Digital Activation Campaign in the latest edition of its SME Digital Health Index, an annual survey of 1,000 Irish SMEs that measures attitudes to and use of digital assets like websites, e-commerce and social media.

The survey found that SMEs in Connacht recognise the value of being online, with 77% of Connacht SMEs have a website; 5% above the national average.

And 73% of Connacht SMEs believe that their website contributes to their offline or face-to-face sales – although less than one in three SMEs in the west allow consumers to purchase their products, make appointments, or book a service or reservation online.

The report also revealed that Connacht SMEs generate 27 jobs a year on average through their website, worth €954 each.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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