More than half of small businesses do not think much about marketing through social media sites, a new report has revealed.
An insurance agency recently polled over 300 UK small businesses and found that 12% considered social media marketing as a necessity for their business. Of this, only a measly 4% said that they could not operate without the boost of social media.
This could come as a big surprise since many people will admit that sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn are an integral part of their lives.
On the other hand, about 64% of business owners polled said they either do not see the need to use social networking sites for their business or it was something they had no opinion about.
The research found that those who were actively using social media as a marketing tool were commonly using Facebook, followed by LinkedIn.
According to Nicole Perrin, senior editor at eMarketer,
“We typically don’t see that they see this as the be-all, end-all,” she says, noting that small businesses often lack the resources to execute a social media marketing plan.
“They’re still very focused on traditional word of mouth and very used to traditional marketing.”
It was discovered that of the 300 polled, 150 small businesses continue to heavily rely on word-of-mouth in order to market their business and its products or services.
Social network websites have been identified as a key factor for growing a business, gaining customers and creating awareness, small businesses should really step up and join the revolution.
What do you think about social media marketing? Do you have an opinion or do you agree it’s unnecessary? Let us know what you think.
Similar Posts:
- The Small Business Guide to Social Media Marketing
- For small businesses, Facebook leads the pack
- Small Business News: Small Biz Facebook Tips
- How to Promote Word of Mouth Marketing
- Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn? Finding the Right Fit for Your Small Business
