Internet advertising increases success of SMEs

Small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that make use of online advertising are more likely to have a dynamic company profile, new research suggests.

A Europe-wide OpinionWay study commissioned by the Europages Observatory found that firms which use the internet as part of their development strategy have a higher level of activity and success than those who do not.

The survey, which questioned 3,438 SMEs from four different European countries, found that 69 per cent of German companies use internet advertising compared to only 45 per cent of French companies, resulting in German firms exporting to 10.7 countries on average and French firms exporting to just 7.8 countries.

Researchers concluded that successful companies are the ones who learn how to adopt and exploit the internet as part of their international development strategy.

Paolo Giuri, chief executive of Europages, said: “It’s important to find a balance between a company’s needs and the reality of today’s market. And it is now, more than ever, that SMEs should opt for solutions that are efficient, inexpensive and straightforward.”