Taken from the ONS (2010), I thought it was worth outlining the importance of having an internet presence and the sheer numbers now having access to the ‘world wide web’…
18.3 million households in the UK (70 per cent) had Internet access in 2009. This is an increase of just under 2 million households (11 per cent) over the last year and 4 million households (28 per cent) since 2006.
The region with the highest level of access was London, with 80 per cent. The region with the lowest access level was Scotland, with 62 per cent.
Sixty-three per cent of all UK households had a broadband connection in 2009, up from 56 per cent in 2008. Of those households with Internet access, 90 per cent had a broadband connection in 2009, an increase from 69 per cent in 2006.
In 2009, 37.4 million adults (76 per cent of the UK adult population) accessed the Internet in the three months prior to interview. The number of adults who had never accessed the Internet fell to 10.2 million (21 per cent) in 2009.
Sixty four per cent of all adults who were recent Internet users (having accessed the Internet in the three months prior to interview) had ever purchased goods or services over the Internet in 2009. Of these, 83 per cent (26 million) had purchased within the last three months.
BMC – We hear about the importance of the internet everyday on our personal and business lives, but I think these sorts of figures really drive home the point. When adapting these figures to marketing, it is evident that, not only is it essential to have a website, but it must also be user friendly and able to be found by potential customers. Do not shy away from online marketing!
