It’s no secret that having a strong online presence is essential for a brand in today’s high-tech world, but just how critical is it when it comes to small businesses in Australia? To find out, TNS recently conducted a survey commissioned by Google looking at how Australians seek out small businesses - with some interesting findings coming out when it comes to the beauty industry.
The survey found that 69 per cent of Australians researching small businesses in the beauty space were looking for a price or quote, while 49 per cent were looking for information about availability. It was also found that 27 per cent of people went online to make a booking, and 75 per cent of people searched more than once during their research.
It seems having good SEO is also crucial when it comes to success in the digital world, with 73 per cent using online search as the gateway to a small business’ website, in comparison to 26 per cent who typed the business name directly into the browser. Of the 70 per cent of Australians going online when looking for a small business, 62 per cent have used online search.
Once a consumer has found a small business’ site - the odds are in their favour - with almost 30 per cent of people who look for a small business online going on to make a purchase. With price and availability the most common types of information people go seeking online, 61 per cent of Australians admit that the influence their online search had on their final purchase is strong.
