A 2006 survey conducted by Oklahoma Statue University’s Bureau for Social Research indicates that 66 percent of urban small businesses in the state had a broadband Internet connection, compared to only 50 percent of rural small businesses. Thus, a distinct rural – urban gap exists for small businesses in the state, despite the fact that rural businesses stand to gain the most from using broadband technology.

This is similar to national-level data, where a 2005 survey found that there was an 11 percentage point gap difference in broadband use between urban and rural small businesses (Small Business Administration, 2005).

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Oklahoma State Cooperative Extension offers several courses on e-commerce targeted specifically for rural small businesses, including:

• Introduction to e-commerce
• Planning your web presence (options / costs / stages of development)
• Marketing your site (search engine optimization / newsletters)
• Getting people to buy once they arrive (site analysis / incentives)

These courses range from 1 hour to full-day courses, and include examples of successful small business websites here in Oklahoma. For more information about these courses, contact your local county extension office (a list can be found here) http://countyext2.okstate.edu, or Dr. Brian Whitacre at brian.whitacre@okstate.edu (405) 744-9825.

Additionally, many technology centers throughout the state offer courses on web design. Find out the schedule for your local technology center by visiting their website here. or calling (405) 377-2000.

References:

Small Business Administration. “Broadband Use by Rural Small Businesses.” Report # 269, December 2005. Available here.