Evidence continues to mount that despite our slowing economy the web continues to be a key driver of both survival and success.
Research by Internet firm, Easynet Connect, has revealed that nearly half of small firms believe the Internet will be the most important tool to help them survive the recession.

The study showed that many small businesses are using the Internet to cut costs. Almost three quarters of respondents said they will use the web to boost their business profile, while 58% said they will use the Internet to break into new domestic and overseas markets. These findings have been supported by the statistic that over 6,000 small firms are joining micro-blogging website, Twitter, every day with the vast majority doing so to cut marketing costs and help further promote their business.

In other news, online sales were up by 13% in February when compared to the same month in 2008, according to the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index. It seems that more and more consumers are using the web to help their money go further.

The Conservative party yesterday implemented an audacious online ambush of Alistair Darling’s budget, with the aim of buying up Google keywords and directing internet users to its “live rebuttal” of the chancellor’s speech.

The Tories plan was to buy up budget-related Google keywords as the chancellor mentions them in his speech from 12.30pm, in an online advertising campaign the opposition dubbed a “live rebuttal” of the government’s economic plan for the coming year.

Their strategy was so that when web users entered budget-related keywords into Google’s search engine, they were instead directed towards online ads for the Conservatives. These ads in turn linked them to the Conservative party website and their response to Darling’s budget.

“We understand that it’s important for us to serve up our views in different formats, and Google is one of the first places people go to when trying to find information on a given subject,” - says the shadow culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt.

“Gordon Brown’s budgets are notorious for not revealing what is in the small print, so we will be using Google pay-per-click to help people see the real impact of the budget on their family finances. This is a perfect example of how political parties should be using the internet – to present their arguments to the public and help inform the debate.“

Article source: The Guardian Online, 22/04/2009.

HeadRed have shaken hands with local haulers, Woodfields, to redevelop their e-commerce driven website.

Woodfields have over 70 years experience in the haulage industry, supplying their customers with landscaping products, topsoil and waste recycling services. Their website acts as the online face for the company and needs to provide Woodfields with a quick and easy portal for selling their products.

Our redevelopment will focus on the customer’s experience and ensuring their path around the site and their route to purchase is as streamlined as possible.

February saw the launch of the new website for Britannia Wardrobes, a subsidiary of the highly acclaimed Spaceslide.

The new site has built on the successes of its parent with a clean, crisp design supporting clear calls-to-action for potential customers. Unlike Spaceslide, there is no e-commerce functionality built in, but interested purchasers can request a free quotation by using the web forms located on the site.

Spaceslide are already one of HeadRed’s biggest clients with online sales belying our shrinking economy. We’re sure that the new site for Britannia will follow suit and become equally successful.

The credit crunch might be holding back our high street spending, but it’s still not enough to prevent what experts predict will be another period of year-on-year growth for online retailing.

In forecasts released this past month the industry heavyweights are predicting e-commerce to be the one bright spot for retailers this Christmas IMRG and Capgemini forecast that UK shoppers will spend £13.16bn online in the last quarter of 2008 – a 15% rise when compared to the same period for 2007.

Verdict Research are predicting even larger growth. They feel Christmas online sales in the UK will hit £7bn, which equates to a 39.9% rise from 2007.
It will be interesting to see just how well these predictions match up to the actual figures when they’re released.

If confirmed to be accurate it shows us that, despite all the financial doom and gloom about at the moment, we’re still finding time and money to spend online.

(Source: E-Consultancy, 17/11/2008, full article here)