1. Online presence boosts the bottom line
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Online has grown up. It has shed its adolescent stage and is now being taken more seriously. It is changing how we communicate, how products and services are being marketed and sold and how companies and government bodies operate. There is a growing realisation that a strong online presence is an imperative for every business that cares about the bottom line. 
In Ireland, hard facts about online activity, if they exist at all, are often buried in official reports or scattered across several websites. The result is that it is difficult to assess online adoption in Ireland, as well as other critical trends that impact on a company’s online strategy and its decision-making process.
This new publication, State of the Net, aims to fill that gap. It is a barometer of online activity and will be published quarterly, both in print and on the Web. It aims to plot key trends and analyse their significance, from the perspective of Irish decision-makers.
- Here is a snapshot of the main Irish online trends:
- Use of mobile phones has tipped over the 100% penetration level
- Less than half of Irish households have an Internet connection, but there is significant
- year-on-year growth
- Online advertising and promotion is seriously under-reported
- Travel and accommodation are the top purchases for Irish consumers online
- eGovernment adoption in Ireland is still relatively low
- Irish broadband adoption is in the bottom quarter across 30 OECD countries
The last point is the most significant. We would argue that connectivity is the single biggest impediment to greater online use and a source of concern in terms of Ireland’s competitiveness. The government is promising action on broadband rollout. Whether it happens, and whether it impacts on our scoring in the international league tables, will be monitored in State of the Net over coming issues.
State of the Net uses only official or authoritative sources. Inevitably, we’ve found gaps. We’re keen at AMAS to get feedback on this publication, as well as suggestions for other trends to include in future issues. Please email us on feedback [at] amas [dot] ie
Aileen O’Toole as Managing Director of AMAS acts as a strategic adviser to private and public sector organisations on their online channels. A former senior media executive, she was a co-founder of The Sunday Business Post and part of the team which developed one of Ireland’s most successful media brands.
Back to the contents of State of the Net issue 1
