Wales is one of top ten most popular European geographic domains, yet over a third of Welsh small businesses losing out because they aren’t onlin.e

The domain names - .cymru / .wales - are now officially among the top ten most popular European geographic domains for online business, alongside those for London, Berlin and Paris1. However, over one third (34 per cent) of small businesses in Wales have yet to set up a website and so risk missing out on thousands in revenue as a result.

Getting online with a professional website and .Wales domain name can boost visibility and trade potential for individuals and businesses alike. New research across 500 small business owners / decision makers, from a range of industry sectors across Wales found that:

CONSTRUCTION: almost half (48 per cent) of SMEs are yet to set up a website, and so could be missing out on an average of 16 business leads per annum worth as much as £40,950, compared to those already online3

TOURISM: almost one fifth (19 per cent) of SMEs are yet to set up a website, and so could be missing out on an average 16 business leads per annum compared to those already online.

RETAIL: over one third (35 per cent) of SMEs are yet to set up a website, and so could be missing out on an average 18 business leads per annum compared to those already online.

FINANCIAL: over a fifth (21 per cent) of SMEs are yet to set up a website, and so could be missing out on an average 14 business leads per annum worth as much as £25,150, compared to those already online.

FOOD and CATERING: a third (33 per cent) of SMEs are yet to set up a website, and so could be missing out on an average 11 business leads per annum compared to those already online.

Advice that is further echoed by an early adopter of the Wales domain, Evans Pharmacy, one of Wales’ largest home-grown pharmacy chains with 12 pharmacies spanning across all of South Wales, including Tenby.

IT Manager for Evans Pharmacy, Cameron Nazemi explains:

“We’ve seen a huge growth in technology in pharmacy and we want to make sure that Wales is not only keeping up with these advancements but taking a lead. Having an online presence is critical to that and using a .wales domain name was the perfect choice for us.

“Our business is Welsh and proud and the domain helps us show how proud we are of our Welsh identity and where we were established. Our customers love that our web address is so patriotic and it’s made us more popular than our competitors locally; they want to support the local company with ‘Wales’ in its web address. We’re always growing and the .wales domain is now a great part of it.”

At the other end of the business scale, another organisation benefiting from a Wales domain is The Football Association of Wales (FAW). Last year was a big year for the organisation as the Wales national football team made its mark on the international football stage for the first time in since 1958.

To coincide with the teams’ success, the FAW relaunched online as www.FAW.cymru as Head of Public Affairs, Ian Gwyn Hughes explains: “We re-launched our website using .cymru to coincide with the 2016 European Championships. And as we now move forward towards the World Cup, people can see that we’re not just a small part of England. We have our own identity. I think using the .cymru domain extends the appeal of Wales and ‘Welshness’ and shows that we are a modern vibrant country. As an Association, we would recommend it to anyone.”

Russell Haworth, CEO of Nominet, which runs the .cymru / .wales domains, said:

“There are many benefits of being online such as increased brand awareness and securing new business. Word of mouth and recommendations are great but increasingly potential clients want to ‘try before they buy’ and in many circumstances this means having a look at your website as part of their decision-making process. For those businesses who want to underline their Welsh connection or heritage, having a .cymru or .wales domain name is the perfect way to demonstrate their Welsh credentials to the world.”

Businesses interested in adopting a .cymru / .wales website domain and email address can do so at www.thename.wales/offer for an introductory offer of £2.49 a month (valid for 12 months).