ALMOST 200 businesses have benefited from The Press' free advert campaign to promote how they have adapted to get through the lockdown.

Many of the city's small and independent traders have turned to online sales and direct deliveries to help them survive and thrive, with research showing a 70 per cent rise in e-commerce usage among consumers.

The research by Econsultancy & Marketing Week’s COVID-19 Business Impacts Survey, March 2020, also revealed that 91 per cent of consumers had increased their use of online services.

To help small and medium-sized operators stay ahead of the game, The Press is launching a new initiative, Local Commerce, which will build e-commerce sites for businesses to promote their services and sales online.

As part of this, digital marketing experts within Newsquest, which publishes The Press and publications across the UK, will carry out a full consultation to explore the business's target market, its existing marketing and its aims. The business will go on to receive a full package of support once the site is live.

"We will build a fully-functioning e-commerce site that allows the business to transact and sell products directly from that site," said Jane Hanson, advertising director at The Press. "We will then give them a high-impact advertising campaign that lasts four months. This is a rare opportunity for a very cost-effective e-commerce site that will really help local businesses get through the situation."

For more details about the e-commerce offer, contact Karen Wreglesworth at The Press on 01904 567243 or email karen.wreglesworth@localiq.co.uk. To claim a free advert, email nicola.haigh@localiq.co.uk