HotTopics: Small and Medium Business Information Markets: A Wilderness Adventure

The seductive lure of large numbers, the ability for new technology and search engines to reach those numbers, and the need to grow revenue are heating up interest in small and medium businesses (SMBs) among publishers and information providers. Reaching those organizations, or reaching the users in them, requires new skills and sharp execution. This HotTopics examines the SMB market and its opportunities and risks for publishers and information providers. It draws on 2,800 Web-based interviews with knowledge workers in the corporate market in 2004 and 2005, secondary research, and our analysts' ongoing coverage of the industry. It provides data on the size of the SMB market, market readiness, user expectations, information habits and preferences, delivery platforms, information sharing and copyright attitudes, and spending levels. It also provides advice for dealing with the different IT environments that exist in SMB organizations. For publishers and information providers, the HotTopics includes a list of essential actions to remember when targeting the SMB market.