MBIE Research Highlights Digital Boost’s Impact on New Zealand Small Businesses
Summary
MBIE’s July 28 evaluation update highlights the benefits reported by New Zealand small businesses using the Digital Boost platform. The research links regular digital engagement with improved resilience, reduced administrative time and stronger revenue outcomes. For trade businesses, the findings support a joined-up approach connecting online marketing with quoting, customer management and operational efficiency.
Our Analysis
• We see consistent digital use—not one-off campaigns—as the stronger predictor of practical business value.
• Trade operators should connect marketing platforms with quoting, scheduling and customer follow-up.
• The revenue findings justify measuring digital activity against enquiries, conversion and time saved.
• Advisers can use this research to frame digital investment around resilience, not visibility alone.
Full Story
New Zealand small businesses that regularly used the Government’s Digital Boost platform reported stronger commercial and operational outcomes, according to evaluation research updated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment on July 28, 2026.
The research examined the programme’s impact on businesses that registered between April 2022 and January 2023. Digital Boost was established to help small-business owners strengthen their digital capability, including the use of online tools, websites, digital marketing and more efficient business systems. Although the programme ended in 2024, MBIE’s latest publication provides a fresh assessment of the value generated by the initiative.
The evaluation found that 84 percent of participating businesses would highly or possibly recommend Digital Boost to another business owner. Among the reported benefits, 26 percent of businesses said the programme improved their resilience, while 23 percent said it reduced the time spent on existing business tasks. Seventeen percent reported increased revenue.
The findings also point to a stronger relationship between regular engagement and commercial results. Earlier Digital Boost research cited by MBIE found that 23 percent of all participating businesses reported improved revenue, with that figure rising to 39 percent among businesses using the platform weekly. Eighty percent of Digital Boost businesses also had a website, underlining the continuing importance of a credible online presence for smaller operators.
For trade businesses, the results are relevant because digital capability increasingly influences how customers discover, assess and contact local providers. A website, accurate online information and efficient digital administration can support lead generation while reducing the time owners spend on routine work. These capabilities are particularly important for contractors and service firms balancing customer enquiries, quoting, scheduling and delivery with limited administrative resources.
The evaluation does not claim that digital tools alone caused every reported improvement. However, it reinforces the commercial case for structured digital adoption rather than occasional or isolated investment. For trade businesses, the practical lesson is to connect marketing activity with wider business processes, measure whether online activity produces enquiries or sales, and prioritise tools that save time as well as attract customers.
MBIE’s updated research gives New Zealand business advisers and trade operators a useful benchmark as they consider future digital investments. It suggests that consistent use, rather than simply owning digital tools, is more likely to translate into resilience, efficiency and growth.