Top 10 most popular topics for small business owners in 2021

[ChrisGoodfellow]

As part of our end of year round-up, we've looked at the top ten most popular topics on UKBF. What do you think? Is there anything that should have made the list that didn't?

https://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/...opics-for-small-business-owners-in-2021.1062/

We've also written a round-up of the best advice. Obviously, it's very subjective, so let me know what we've missed. Good to see some regulars like @Mark T Jones , @The Byre and @fisicx featured!

https://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/...best-advice-from-ukbf-community-members.1063/

 

[WaveJumper]

Surprised shipping rates or Insolvency questions did not feature higher

 

[UrbanRetail]

These have obviously been cherry picked, where is "I've got a business idea and need suppliers. Thanks"

 

[japancool]

We talked about airline travel more than insolvency?

We must be doing well!

 

[Ozzy]

These have obviously been cherry picked, where is "I've got a business idea and need suppliers. Thanks"

Those were right alongside the I’ve got a business idea you’d be stupid not to give me money.

 

[ChrisGoodfellow]

It's based on thread views and a small amount of editorialisation!

This is the insolvency thread with a huge amount of views. Happy to add it to the list, if everyone's keen?

Closing a limited company in debt with no funds or assets

So, I'm the sole director of a ltd company. The company has been running serviced accommodation but with covid it's done. The company took the 20k government bail out loan last year but with zero business since then I've ended up here. This will be the only debt. I've been looking at...

www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk

 

[japancool]

Those were right alongside the I’ve got a business idea you’d be stupid not to give me money.

What kind of business can I make so I can earn a billion and buy Man Utd?

 

[fisicx]

It's based on thread views and a small amount of editorialisation!

Is that a good measure? Surely the number of posts in a thread should be part of the equation. Or the number of people getting involved.

The covid threads were huge. Maybe they have gone but they were very popular.

 

[Ozzy]

Surely the number of posts in a thread should be part of the equation.

Not really because some threads with lots of posts can have no relevance to business information, guidance and support and do not reflect the type of message sent out in the name of UKBF that we'd want to publish to the external media as a reflection on what the UKBF brand stands for. That is why editorialisation is also an important factor.

 

[WaveJumper]

I can see the difficulty as many go way off topic ...... I should add not always in a bad way

 

[fisicx]

Not really because some threads with lots of posts can have no relevance to business information, guidance and support and do not reflect the type of message sent out in the name of UKBF that we'd want to publish to the external media as a reflection on what the UKBF brand stands for. That is why editorialisation is also an important factor.

OK. So how is this one relevant to business:

The joys of getting older

It's going to be a lovely, sunny weekend. I'll go to the greengrocers and make a nice salad for dinner

www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk

Number 10 in your list

Not overly fussed about this, but I agree with the others that Insolvency it probably a more important topic to UK businesses than needing a vaccine passport to go on holiday (#2 in the list).

 

[Ozzy]

Number 10 in your list

It's the notional "and now for something lighter" topic you get at the end of every news broadcast; where they broadcast some puppies who made it across a road by themselves to find daddy dog or such.

 

[japancool]

Honestly, I can believe we talked a lot about Covid, Brexit and inflation (at least, The Byre talked a lot about that one).

But are the subjects of a business name or cold calling really the top threads across the whole year? OK, the business names come up a lot every year and usually get the same answer, but cold calling? Questions about bank accounts, fund raising, insurance and motivation come up a lot too.

There are subjects that are more relevant to a pandemic year, I reckon that got more traction, even though they might not be as sexy (i.e. that the media and Government are interested in).

Obviously, you know the market better than I do @Ozzy but I hope UKBF is looking to represent the real concerns of small business owners, rather than what the Government tells us we should be concerned about.

 

[Ozzy]

OK, the business names come up a lot every year and usually get the same answer, but cold calling? Questions about bank accounts, fund raising, insurance and motivation come up a lot too.

Very valid point, they do!

I find it interesting what the actually most popular threads are if we use Google Search as the metric on it's own. The three most viewed threads over the past 6 months, according to Google, are;

Anybody know hot to identify zero and O on Vehicle plate

Not sure if I post in the right sub-forum, but I did not find an proper place to post this. When I drive I quite often ask a question, how can we identify number 1 and 'I' on the registration plate, same with Zero and 'O'. Can anybody explain a bit this please.

www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk

Understanding the implications of large deposits in business accounts: A guide for business owners

hi there so I really could do with some advice Basiclly over the last year I've withdrawn a bit of money from my bank and haven't bothered re depositing the cash. Now i have around £5000 I need to put back into the bank but I recall HSBC asking me how much I earn a week last month to update my...

www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk

Are you getting this Spam mail?

Being bombarded with emails inviting us to put our names up for the London and South East Business Prestige Awards. Probably no connection but this is the only business forum I visit...

www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk

 

[fisicx]

It's the notional "and now for something lighter" topic you get at the end of every news broadcast; where they broadcast some puppies who made it across a road by themselves to find daddy dog or such.

I get that. But it’s not really a top 10 list if you are going to do that.

It makes the list look far less professional. Less serious business advice and more blokes arguing on the internet.

 

[Ozzy]

It makes the list look far less professional. Less serious business advice and more blokes arguing on the internet.

Interesting you see it that way. It never made me have that opinion of Sky News or my local BBC news station when they finished on a lighter note, what do others think?

 

[japancool]

Very valid point, they do!

I find it interesting what the actually most popular threads are if we use Google Search as the metric on it's own. The three most viewed threads over the past 6 months, according to Google, are;

Anybody know hot to identify zero and O on Vehicle plate

Not sure if I post in the right sub-forum, but I did not find an proper place to post this. When I drive I quite often ask a question, how can we identify number 1 and 'I' on the registration plate, same with Zero and 'O'. Can anybody explain a bit this please.

www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk

Understanding the implications of large deposits in business accounts: A guide for business owners

hi there so I really could do with some advice Basiclly over the last year I've withdrawn a bit of money from my bank and haven't bothered re depositing the cash. Now i have around £5000 I need to put back into the bank but I recall HSBC asking me how much I earn a week last month to update my...

www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk

Are you getting this Spam mail?

Being bombarded with emails inviting us to put our names up for the London and South East Business Prestige Awards. Probably no connection but this is the only business forum I visit...

www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk

That one about "unexplained cash" says a lot about what people are looking for.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

We talked about airline travel more than insolvency?

We must be doing well!

Yes TF I traveled more than I went bust