The global pandemic has changed the needs of small businesses, with many more leveraging freelance support following the pandemic, according to new research.
The Small Business Needs Index from Fiverr is based on billions of small business searches for freelancer support, which reveals three of the top areas for growth to be:
• Translation: UK SMBs are outsourcing for more translation support (300% increase in searches for freelance support ) suggesting UK businesses are looking to mitigate the impact of global talent leaving jobs in the UK as a result of the limitations of Brexit
• Streetwear Design: Proof of astronomical growth in Streetwear Design companies during the pandemic, searches for freelance support for Streetwear design such as ‘Clothing Manufacturer’ and ‘SEO Shopify’ are up by 142%.
• Cryptocurrency: UK SMBs are investing in Cryptocurrency (99% increase in searches for freelance support around ‘Crypto’ and ‘Bitcoin’)
Fiverr’s Small Business Needs Index analyses data from billions of searches on the platform to discover largest increases for business services around the globe.
In the UK, the top 10 most increased searches for Small Businesses include:
1. Translation, 301%
2. Dropshipping Video Ad, 289%
3. Shopify Expert, 193%
4. Mobile App Building, 192%
5. Twitch emotes, 186%
6. Ebay Account, 172%
7. Ghost Producer, 166%
8. Roblox Scripting, 161%
9. Streetwear Design, 142%
10. Business Plan Writer, 133%
Peggy de Lange, VP of International Expansion at Fiverr said: “Small businesses have shown great resilience in a year rocked by the pandemic and Brexit, and this data is representative of that. Whilst a rise in freelance translation requests could be indicative of foreign talent leaving the UK, there are new trends that demonstrate the agility of UK small businesses during times of adversity. One such area is fashion. The shift from in-person retail experiences to boutique online small businesses has been advantageous to small independent fashion brands who are under less pressure to be sold by retailers. Many people have used lockdowns as an opportunity to turn a passion into a business or side hustle and this is clear from the rapid influx of requests around streetwear design and cryptocurrency services.”