January 25, 2008 – (HOSTSEARCH.COM) – A survey conducted by 1&1 Internet Inc. suggests that US businesses spend only a limited amount of time considering appropriate web addresses, it was reported yesterday. The survey took in 1074 American businesses and suggests 40 % of SMBs spend the “same amount of time choosing their coffee maker” while “1 in 3 companies believe their revenue would increase with a better web address”.

The survey went on to suggest 42% of companies invest under 1 hour of thought in deciding on a domain name, while the average business spends less than 12 hours choosing a domain name. Only 40% took a second opinion on a name while 57% did not consider .biz or .net domains as options. Most companies thought that their domain name had a “lasting effect” on their businesses, while 37% thought revenues would increase with a better web address. 28% of businesses had “concerns” about their web address effectiveness.

“The selection of a business’ web address is a crucial decision, businesses should consider all available options before purchasing their primary domain name,” explained 1&1 Internet Inc.’s Chairman of the Board, Andreas Gauger. “As the number of registered domains increases, it’s often the case that the best available domains belong to less obvious suffixes, and it is always advisable to seek external opinion on what a domain could suggest about your business.”

The survey concluded that most US small businesses “recognize the benefits of having a website” but few optimized their website’s performance. Around 7% of those surveyed admitted to not being able to remember their own domain name.

“Although purchasing a web address should be one of the first steps in launching a business, it is often bought in haste,” added Gauger. “Every American business must recognize the lasting impact that a domain name can have on sales and image, and business owners shouldn’t delay making necessary changes.”

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