Let's be honest -- up until recently, small businesses haven't been treated well by the internet. They lacked the resources to build those beautiful, interactive sites that the big companies showcased. They were left behind by the cost and lengthy development processes.
So the average small business hired a designer who created what amounted to an the expensive, online brochure. And it sat there. Unchanging. A fractured part of a business that everyone knew they must have, but couldn't really get too excited about. Not very satisfying.