Sloppy website names

Small and medium-sized firms rush into choosing an address for their website, according to a survey of owners.

More than 40% of businesses spend less than an hour making a decision, the same amount of time as they spend choosing their coffee maker. And two-thirds of business owners do not bother to get a second opinion before making their selection.

The survey of 615 business owners by Fasthosts, a web-hosting company, found that 5% of owners admitted to having forgotten their own website address.

Mark Jeffries, Fasthosts’ technology officer, said: “Every UK business must recognise the lasting impact a web address can have on sales and image.”

— More than 60% of all business start-ups in the UK are now begun at home, according to Enterprise Nation, the home-business website.

The report, which was compiled from statistics provided by the Department of Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and labour-force statistics, found that home-based businesses account for 28% of employment and have a combined turnover of more than £364 billion. The highest growth is from mothers, young people and the overfifties.

Emma Jones, the founder of Enterprise Nation, said: “This report clearly shows the impact home businesses are having on the economy, environment and society.”

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