One in three UK businesses still offline as online sales hit record high
As the UK economy continues its shift online, new analysis from York SEO agency Nomada Digital highlights a widening gap between consumer behaviour and business action. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), internet sales now account for 26.3% of all UK retail, up from just 6.5% in 2010 – a fundamental shift in how people buy.
Yet many businesses appear to be missing the opportunity to capitalise on this digital momentum. Google search data shows a 33% year-on-year drop in searches for “website builder”, suggesting fewer UK business owners are taking steps to build or improve their online presence. This could reflect a growing reliance on social media profiles or physical storefronts – or simply a reluctance to invest time and energy into creating a standalone website.
At the same time, the gov.uk UK Business Data Survey 2024 reports that 32% of UK businesses still do not have a website. That figure rises to 35% of sole traders and 26% of micro businesses (0-9 employees) – who risk becoming invisible in an increasingly digital marketplace.
City-by-City Breakdown: Where Are Businesses Searching for Website Solutions?
To explore how different regions are responding, Nomada Digital analysed Google Trends data across the top 20 UK cities by population, comparing growth in searches for the term “website builder”.
Smaller Cities Lead the Shift
Cities like Derby (+200%) and Hull (+150%) are showing the highest year-on-year growth in website builder interest – despite being among the smallest on the top 20 list by population.
Stoke, Cardiff, and Portsmouth also saw gains, suggesting that businesses in smaller cities may be starting to prioritise digital presence as a core part of growth and survival.
Major Hubs Falling Behind
By contrast, many of the UK’s largest cities are reporting a decline in website-building interest:
Liverpool saw the steepest YOY drop at -88%
London, the UK’s largest business hub, declined by -33%
Manchester, long seen as a Northern tech leader, dropped -19%
This could suggest that larger city businesses have already gone digital – or perhaps that some are growing complacent, leaving smaller competitors an opportunity to gain ground online.
A North-South Divide in Digital Urgency?
Interestingly, 5 of the 6 cities with positive growth in website builder searches are located in the North, Scotland or Wales.
This hints at a growing regional shift, where smaller and historically less digitised areas are potentially waking up to the need for an online presence, while Southern and metropolitan centres show stagnation or decline in digital intent.
Could “Search Fatigue” Be to Blame?
This mixed picture across UK cities – with smaller regions gaining momentum while larger hubs stall – may reflect more than just digital disparity. It could also signal a shift in how small businesses are choosing to approach their online presence.
After years of being urged to get online, many sole traders and micro businesses may feel overwhelmed by the reality of building a website themselves. DIY platforms promise simplicity, but often demand time, technical skills, and design confidence – resources many business owners lack.
That may explain why searches for “website builder” have fallen 33% year-on-year, while at the same time, searches for “freelance website builder” have risen 40%. This suggests a growing preference for outsourcing rather than going it alone – not because websites are less important, but because more businesses are seeking hands-on help to get online efficiently.
Comment from Nomada Digital: “It’s striking to see such a sharp rise in online retail alongside a fall in website builder interest,” said Danny Sullivan, founder of Nomada Digital.
“It suggests a disconnect between how people are buying and how some businesses are showing up online. With a third of businesses still without a website, the opportunity is clear – especially for smaller firms looking to stay visible and competitive.”