Over the years, we’ve noted various surveys that were attempting to discover what percentage of small businesses have websites. As the various surveys use different definitions of small business, it is impossible to pinpoint a precise percentage. However, one thing all of the tracking surveys agree on: A greater percentage of small businesses have websites this year than last year. So, if this recent survey by Clutch, a Washington, DC- based business-to-business research firm, doesn’t agree with other surveys, that’s okay. That’s because all of them point to a near future when it will be unheard of for a small business not to have a home on the web.

Key findings

71% | Percentage of small businesses that have a website
79% | Percentage of small businesses with websites who say it is mobile-friendly (responsive design)
92% | Percentage of small businesses without websites that say they will have a website by the end of 2018

Small businesses with websites (by region)

58% | Midwest
72% | South
73% | Northeast
77% | West

Reasons why businesses don’t have websites

While most small business owners have concluded that a website is a requirement they can’t deny (probably the same curve that led small businesses to all acquire a telephone a century ago), nearly one-third are still site-less. Here are the reasons they give for not having one.

31% | Use a social media business profile instead
25% | Lack of technical skills
23% | Not necessary in their type of business
22% | Lack of resources (time or money) to invest in a website

Resources small businesses use for website creation and management

The slight majority of small businesses with a website have an employee who is responsible for maintaining the website. They may not be fully trained as a developer, however.

51% | An employee
40% | Freelancer or consultant
38% | Do it yourself (DIY) website builder software
31% | Design or development agency
9% | User experience/user interface agency

Small business website priorities | 2017

Top priorities small business owners have for their websites during 2017.

23% | Publish higher quality content
20% | Improve optimization for mobile
19% | Have a more user-friendly design
17% | Improve search engine optimization
12% | Improve security

Source | 2017 Clutch Small Business Survey

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