One way in which the company explains its online growth is its creation of a network of mini sites that are designed for each member of its network of over 100 UK franchisees, thus allowing internet users to search for Ovenu in their area. Ovenu has revealed that 98 per cent of the mini sites are in the top three area listings on Google.

"The figures are fantastic and proof positive that there has never been a better time to join the Ovenu network," says Rik Hellewell, Managing Director of Ovenu. "We are experiencing a tremendous surge of enquires from the whole of the UK thanks to our marketing expertise. This, in conjunction with our work with internet specialists, is leading to one of the most exciting growth periods to date.

"This data shows that four times more people are searching for Ovenu specifically compared to just oven cleaning, which proves the effectiveness of our marketing strategy. It has very much been a long-term project for Ovenu to build awareness of its brand and quality of service and it is very much now starting to pay off.

"We have been patient and kept a watching brief on the exponential popularity of the internet and made use of traditional forms of marketing to exploit this growing information resource.

"The investment we have put into building our brand is benefiting our franchise network and should be attractive for people looking to move into self-employment through the franchise route. Having the support of a proactive franchisor can be a major deciding factor in the success of a franchisees operation."