Internet
Ignore the web at your peril

Almost every business has a website nowadays - but not all are optimising their internet presence

There are few businesses nowadays that do not have a website. The survey reflects this: 95pc of Norfolk tourism businesses have an online presence. But more important is the question of whether businesses are getting the most out of the internet.


When it comes to the internet, we have to ask whether we are sticking our heads in the sand and may be missing out on opportunities.


The majority (52pc) of the businesses surveyed were unable to take bookings online. And while there are signs that more than a quarter of businesses are really making their websites work for them, a number seem to have little appetite in drawing more people in through the web.

The survey shows that 18pc take more than 75pc of their trade from the web, and 9pc take up to 75pc. But one in 10 people had no idea how much business their website brought in, and for nearly a quarter (24pc) it only provides 10pc of their business.

“When it comes to the internet, you have to ask whether some businesses are sticking their heads in the sand and may be missing out on opportunities to attract and win customers,” says Chris Scargill, of Larking Gowen. “It is encouraging that 27pc are taking 50pc or more of their business from the internet, which emphasises the power of the web if used appropriately.”

So how is this likely to change? The past year’s trends suggest that internet activity is moving in an encouraging direction. Only 1pc say that web bookings have decreased in the past 12 months, while 55pc say that they have increased (26pc stayed the same).

However, the remainder again suggest a slight lack of monitoring their websites’ value, as 18pc do not know whether web-led bookings have increased or fallen.

It also appears that the majority of businesses do not keep an eye on their online reputation: 54pc say that they do not regularly check travel review websites such as Trip Advisor. And when it comes to dealing with negative online reviews, 13pc said they would simply ignore such a review, 3pc said they would try to have it removed from the website, but the rest, 84pc, were more positive and said that they would reply immediately on the same website with an explanation or apology.

Matthew Ware is head of news at Tribe PR in Norwich. The company is responsible for the World Class Norfolk campaign, which celebrates the county’s many strengths and aims to reconfigure people’s ideas of what is “Normal for Norfolk”.

He explained how the campaign acts as an example for other businesses working in the tourism sector. “Tourism is a key plank of the Norfolk economy and the campaign encouraged people to upload images of the county’s world class coastline and attractions. “The campaign used social media monitoring software to target influential bloggers and Tweeters, successfully changing perceptions among national journalists and politicians, among others.

“With more and more people turning to the internet to order goods and book holidays, plus scouring social media for recommendations among their peers, it is now more important than ever to use all of these channels to promote businesses and engage with potential customers.”

“The Potters’ website saw an extensive redevelopment in January 2009,” says marketing manager Richard Lennox. “Our ongoing aim is to improve the website experience for people visiting www.pottersholidays.com with regards to how easy information can be accessed, and how people visiting the site consume that information.

“With this in mind we have introduced new elements to the site such as on-site searching and filter systems on our Break Planner, to allow much faster access to information.

“We have also introduced video to the site, to better demonstrate the various areas of the resort, and hopefully give visitors a more interactive idea of what awaits them on their holiday at Potters.

“Other additions to the website include the ability to calculate the cost of a holiday at Potters Leisure Resort using the interactive Break Quotation calculator. Visitors can make an informed decision on the type of break, chosen accommodation and any celebratory items they would like to add to their holiday, before sending the quotation to the reservations team.

“Because of the diverse range of breaks and accommodation types that Potters offer, we have made the decision not to take full bookings online and to instead contact every guest by telephone. We feel that because of the diverse nature of breaks and the variance of accommodation that is on offer at Potters, we can help guests to make the very best choice for their holiday, and meet their requirements any way we can.

“We recognise that Potters Resort offers a unique social environment, where guests have met many new friends and regularly return to meet them again on holiday. We have tried to recreate this feeling of community online with the addition of our Facebook and Twitter groups, allowing past guests to share their comments, talk to one another and even suggest future activities that they would love to see on their holiday.”