SEO Marketing-Sandi Parker-SparkerThinkBIG Blog Spot: Social Media Has Scorching Impact On Small Biz

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Social Media Has Scorching Impact On Small Biz - Forbes.com

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Fifty-four percent of small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are using social media to promote their businesses, double the number using these sites in December 2009, with 35% posting daily updates to sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, a new study found.

And although only 17% of SMBs surveyed used incentives to attract online followers, friends and fans, 60% credit social media with positively impacting their businesses, according to the poll by Daryl Willcox Publishing. In addition, 46% said their company's brand awareness has increased and 36% have attracted new business as a result of their social media efforts, the British study of 269 SMBs found.

"The number of companies participating in social media on a daily basis shows the growing importance of this marketing channel," said Daryl Willcox, founder of Daryl Willcox Publishing. "The fact that 60% have reported a positive impact on their businesses shows [SMBs] are becoming increasingly receptive to the benefits."

In its December 2009 study 27% of SMBs surveyed were using social media, the firm said.

LinkedIn is the most popular site, with 73% of small businesses using the professional network, according to the poll. Facebook was the second most-used site, visited by 64% of small businesses, followed by Twitter, used by 63% of respondents, the report said.