Marketing on the internet is due to grow hugely in the future but many people do not understand how it works.

That's the assessment of Web 4 Marketing, whose owner Stephen Orr said that the internet is a "first port of call … for many people and many products".

"There's been a huge increase in the use of the web, particularly in the advent of broadband. Nowadays most people searching for a new product or service will search on the web. It is certainly a port of call, first for many people and many products, but the decision process can be very complex," he said.

He added that SMEs would have to think about online marketing if they were not to miss out in the future.

"The internet has now become so dominant as a part of the process of people searching for all products and services that companies that don't do the right job on it are going to lose out," he said.

With the growth of internet marketing it is essential that firms have adequate IT support services in place.

According to government statistics, businesses with 1,000 or more employers accounted for £48 of every £100 sold on line in 2005. This is down from £59 in 2003, indicating that more and more SMEs are turning to the internet.

According to recent survey by Connect, the two biggest IT headaches for businesses were 'everyday hassles with IT' (37 per cent) and 'security concerns' (32 per cent)