Streamline.net Reveals That Only 1 in 10 Small Firms Update Their Website Daily

GLOUCESTER, England, September 6, 2010 - Streamline.net, a leading UK provider of web hosting, has revealed two
sets of new research that shows a worrying number of firms could be taking
their foot off the Internet pedal. The company's latest 'Small Business Bytes
Survey' of 2400 UK firms* finds that only 10 per cent of small firms are
updating their websites on a daily basis with 1 in 3 firms admitting that
updates are being done 'infrequently'.

A further study of 400 UK firms** finds that over half of Britain's small
companies are now building and maintaining their website themselves. However,
the data reveals that many time-strapped business owners are limited to using
their evenings to address their web presence. Whilst businesses clearly see
value in the web, the research suggests that many could be losing revenue by
cutting corners with their web presence.

The survey carried out by Streamline.net, which specialises in providing
value web hosting (www.streamline.net/web-hosting/), also found that
many small companies with a website struggle to maintain a compelling web
presence. Despite two thirds of those surveyed having had a business website
for 2 years or more, only 1 in 10 firms succeed in making updates on a daily
basis. 1 in 4 companies admit to updating their websites on a monthly basis.
Over half (54 per cent) admit to making technical tweaks only 'infrequently'.
In general, investment in the web is modest. For example, one third of
companies surveyed use only a single domain name, and three quarters own less
than 6 domains.

It appears that for many firms online marketing is an area that can be
neglected. Alarmingly, nearly half of firms (48 per cent) are not currently
advertising on search engines. 1 in 3 (34 per cent) are unable to quantify
the popularity of their website as they do not look at their visitor numbers.
For many companies, the web is still not performing as strongly as
traditional methods of generating new business. At present, 'word-of-mouth'
is viewed as the most important driver, with the company website ranking
third after printed advertisements in second place.

Claire Lewis, Marketing Manager at Streamline.net (
www.streamline.net/), said: "Important elements like Search Engine
submission and website measurement can transform the return from a website.
There are now easy-to-use and affordable tools for achieving these to suit
all budgets, so every company should check they have these bases covered."

Lewis added: "Business owners have felt the pressure in recent years. It
is perhaps understandable that work on the company website can often get
relegated to evenings. However, every firm should ensure they invest quality
time and energy into presenting the right image and engaging with their
website visitors. Leveraging an up-to-date website package can help, as today
there are features designed to make the process far quicker and more
enjoyable."

As a market leader for value web hosting, Streamline.net can offer small
businesses a high quality professional, reliable service at low cost.
Customer websites are hosted in a state-of-the-art UK data centre, and
customers receive free technical support by phone or email. Streamline.net
offers a comprehensive range of web solutions including email packages
(www.streamline.net/web-hosting/features/personalised-email/) and
tools for online marketing.

Notes to Editors:

* 2479 UK small businesses using a website surveyed via electronic
feedback form

** 410 UK small companies using a website surveyed by OpinionMatters via
electronic feedback form

About Streamline.net

Established in 1999, Streamline.net is a leading value web hosting
provider. Based in the UK and operating 24×7 from dedicated UK data centres,
Streamline.net hosts over 150,000 websites. The company focuses on providing
unrivalled value for web solutions. Streamline.net delivers a high-quality
online service at the lowest possible prices. Streamline.net products include
a free web hosting trial (www.streamline.net/web-hosting/free-trial/),
domain name registrations (www.streamline.net/domain-names/ ) tools
for web design, search engine optimisation, web mail and eCommerce.

    For further information please contact:
    Richard Stevenson
    Fasthosts
    Discovery House
    154 Southgate Street
    Gloucester
    GL1 2EX
    +44(0)1452-561-857
    www.streamline.net

For further information please contact: Richard Stevenson, Fasthosts, Discovery House, 154 Southgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 2EX, +44(0)1452-561-857