Vistaprint Urges ‘Spring Cleaning’ For SME Websites

Small businesses stand to lose from neglecting their websites, according to a new report from Vistaprint Digital.

The Small Business Consumer Expectations Report, published Tuesday (April 11), urges small businesses to conduct some “spring cleaning” online and update their own websites. Neglecting to do so, the company warned, could mean lost customers and lost business.

According to Vistaprint data, consumers have high expectations from small business websites. Nearly half of survey respondents (42 percent) said they would likely not visit or purchase something from a small business if its website is unprofessional. Outdated contact information and a lack of information like business address and hours are two key factors that could lead to consumers having a poor impression of a small business, Vistaprint found.

“Based on a recent poll of our customers, we know that lack of time and limited resources are the top challenges for micro-business owners as they look to grow their businesses,” said D. Scott Bowen, vice president and general manager of Vistaprint Digital, in a statement. “This latest consumer data arms these business owners with the insights to strategically prioritize their marketing tactics — specifically as it relates to their core digital presence.”

He added that 68 percent of consumers surveyed said up-to-date information on a company’s website is the most important factor behind leaving a good impression.

Vistaprint highlighted the changes between this report and its 2016 Digital Impact Report. Since that 2016 report, the number of consumers who said they were very unlikely to visit or purchase from a small business if their website is poorly designed has increased.