Small businesses are rapidly increasing their use of social media adoption, with the percentage of SMEs based in the US using social media jumping from 12 to 24 percent in the past 12 months.
The research from Small Business Success Index found that nearly one out of five small business owners are actively using social media in their business. Small businesses are increasingly investing in social media applications including blogs, Facebook and LinkedIn profiles.
- 75% surveyed have a company page on a social networking site
- 61% use social media for identifying and attracting new customers
- 57% have built a network through a site like LinkedIn
- 45% expect social media to be profitable in the next twelve months
The biggest expectation small business owners have from social media is expanding external marketing and engagement including identifying and attracting new customers, building brand awareness and staying engaged with customers.
On the flipside, 50% of small business social media users say it takes more time than expected. While social media adoption has doubled in the last year, there are still some roadblocks to small businesses fully exploiting its potential. A main concern is the amount of time involved.
Another 17% express that social media gives people a chance to criticize their business on the Internet. However, only 6% feel that social media use has hurt the image of the business more than helped it.
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