SMALL BUSINESSES AND CUSTOMERS GET CLOSER WITH OPTUS MY BIZONLINETM

Optus today announced the launch of Optus My BizOnline™, a suite of online marketing solutions designed to give Australian small and medium businesses (SMBs) a simple and hassle-free way of promoting themselves online and being found by potential customers.

The first product available in the range is Optus My SiteOnline™, a website solution that aims to take the pain out of establishing an online presence. Business owners simply need to supply a few company details and Optus will produce both a business website and a mobile-optimised site, including all copy, images, design, a domain name and hosting.

My SiteOnline is available from today and presents potential customers with a clear and concise online snapshot of a business to increase its visibility and accessibility.

Michael Smith, Managing Director of Marketing, Optus said, “Our research shows 74 per cent of Australian small businesses identify with the value of being online but are still being held back by time and administrative pressuresi. We’ve designed the My BizOnline range to make it much easier, simpler and more time-efficient to elevate your business into the digital world.”

My SiteOnline is available for only $5.95 per month on a 12 month contract, plus website performance fees (minimum total cost over 12 months is $71.40, not including performance fees). Customers will only pay performance fees if their My SiteOnline website generates phone calls to their business, at the rate of $1.50 per business enquiry.

Existing Optus business customers can benefit from a special introductory offer, whereby Optus waives the base monthly fee for the first 12 months, with only website performance fees applicable.

Search Engine Marketing Capabilities

With 95% of Australians using search engines as their first port of call when researching onlineii, Optus will also assist SMBs with a fully-managed Google AdWords™ campaign to help them maximise opportunities through the popular online channel. Through packages to be made available shortly, Optus will create, manage and optimise a search engine marketing campaign on behalf of SMB customers.

“Optus is proud to be one of a few Google Adwords Premier SME Partners in Australia. We’re excited to be working with Google to help our customers succeed online and allow them to concentrate on what they do best; their day to day operations,” said Mr Smith.

Just under half of Australian SMBs have a presence onlineiii and with the majority of Australians accessing the internet every day, local businesses need to increase their digital activities to stay competitive. The Optus My BizOnline range represents a time and cost effective marketing solution that can help increase a business’ customer base.

For more information on the Optus My BizOnline product range, please visitwww.optusbusiness.com.au/mybizonline

Media contact:
Danny Wong
Optus Corporate Affairs
(02) 80827850

i Optus Digital Ready Report, October 2011 – based on survey of 850 small and medium businesses with up to 50 employees
ii Australia/New Zealand Internet Statistics Compendium, December 2011
iii Optus Digital Ready Report, October 2011 – based on survey of 850 small and medium businesses with up to 50 employees