Newtek Business Services, Inc., The Small Business Authority, with a portfolio of over 100,000 business accounts, announced today the findings of its SB Authority Market Sentiment Survey, a monthly window into the concerns of independent business owners. Based on a poll of over 1,400 respondents, the key finding from the August survey is 50% of business owners say web traffic from search engines is an important source of new business opportunity. However, when asked if their website is optimized to maximize its search engine traffic, a majority of business owners answered either "no" or "unsure."

The full August 2014 results showed the following:

Barry Sloane, Chairman, President and CEO of The Small Business Authority commented, "The market for independent business owners is one where every dollar counts. An underutilized or underperforming website is simply unacceptable for most business owners today. Costs are rising and sales are hard to come by but technology is one key tool that can save a business in a tough environment. Newtek recommends that independent business owners freshen up and sharpen their websites in order to compete in today's economy. A website is a vital asset that must perform well and more businesses need to respect and understand the power of Internet search, as well as optimize their websites for internet traffic going forward. Our poll did not offer completely surprising results however we continue to encourage businesses to pay more attention to the quality of their website and better understand the value of Internet search."