A year – like no other – in review

2020 is certainly one for the history books. It’s been a challenging time for us all. We have seen established businesses struggle against the pressures of the global pandemic. Not all will make it through. For others, there have been opportunities to be seized. At eBusiness UK, we faced challenges, but have been fortunate in our ability to adapt. We, along with many of our customers, have emerged stronger and more resilient than ever. Let’s recap this incredible, one-of-a-kind year.

A positive start

The year started well enough for eBusiness UK. In January, our outstanding digital marketing abilities were recognised by B2B research firm Clutch, which ranked us as a five-star SEO agency based on positive customer feedback. So far, so good.

Big ambitions

By February, the global coronavirus pandemic was big news, although few could foresee the impact it would have. By March, the scale of the coming pandemic was becoming evident, and by the end of the month, the government had mandated social-distancing and closed businesses.

eBusiness UK launched a lifeline to organisations: offering delayed payments on new web projects, including upgrading websites and building ecommerce shops. We knew the internet was going to be a saviour to many through the lockdown, and we wanted to help as many businesses get online but without putting pressure on their cashflow. As the lockdown continues in various forms, our offer remains in place.

Many businesses saw the opportunity to shake things up. We built three websites for the RocCare group of companies, including a new channel which helped customers access PPE and other health and safety-related equipment at a time when it was in short supply.

We also helped Preston-based NSkin to grow from a one-location beauty salon to a national (and, potentially, international) business. While there were limited chances to deliver in-person appointments, entrepreneur Naseem Patel used the additional free time to launch her ecommerce operation, selling products to a customer base throughout the UK and beyond.

Adapting, surviving and thriving

As the lockdown continued and even the experts were unable to predict an end to the pandemic, organisations were forced to innovate. We helped a string of businesses to make more of their online presence. Despite the challenges, some were able to sell online for the first time, another trebled online sales.

As the pandemic rolled on, showing only temporary signs of slowing, shoppers became used to buying online. Online retailer Amazon recorded its best-ever revenues, and owner Jeff Bezos became the richest man in the world. Meanwhile high street retailers struggled, and major names were forced to close. Those that had failed to adapt to ecommerce may have done so forever. We will know more once the pandemic subsides, but 2020 looks likely to be the year that changed the way we shop forever.

Success for eBusiness UK and for our customers

As more and more of everyday life transitioned online, demand grew for eBusiness UK’s products and services. We began supporting a supplier of PPE to boost its digital marketing, we helped a pair of groundscare machinery businesses to double online traffic, and an online gaming supplies company to increase traffic by more than 500%.

Through our existing customers and by winning more than a dozen new contracts, we were able to record our best-ever summer, and we were delighted to add Yakub Kheratkar to our team. He brings a wealth of business development experience and will be able to help grow our own business further while also sharing the benefit of his experience and expertise with our customers hoping to realise their own ambitions.

Looking ahead

In December, the world’s first ever Covid-19 vaccination was administered to 90-year-old Margaret Keenan, and for the first time there was light at the end of the tunnel. We all hope that the vaccine will bring about the end of the pandemic, but there is no doubt that life has changed.

Ecommerce has found a whole new audience and as enthusiastic as the public will be to venture outdoors again, the ease and convenience of online shopping will mean it retains its popularity. We are continuing to help our customers benefit from this cultural shift, and we can help you too, starting with our free digital marketing audit.

Now, as the year draws to a close, we hope that you and your loved ones remain safe, that your businesses are able to flourish, and that we can work together to make 2021 a memorable year for more positive reasons.

And let’s hope Brexit works itself out.