A survey conducted by Visual Objects found that 88% of small businesses plan to invest more in social media channels. The channels they plan to invest in varies based on the business owners’ generation or age. Older entrepreneurs prefer Facebook while younger business owners prefer Instagram and YouTube.
Facebook remains the most popular with 63% of respondents planning to invest more on the platform. It is followed by YouTube with 37%, Instagram with 28%, Twitter with 23%, LinkedIn with 18% and Pinterest with 10%. Overall, small businesses are increasing their investments on the channels preferred by their audience.
In terms of usage, Facebook is also the most popular with 89% of small businesses users. This is followed by Instagram and YouTube with 48%, Twitter with 41%, LinkedIn with 33% and Pinterest with 21%.
The study also found that 25% of business owners plan to use social media influencers for their social media marketing. According to the study, influencers have the potential to replace online marketing agencies, particularly for small businesses with limited budget. Kelsey McKeon, author of the study, explained that social media allows small business to grow their audience and brand. It requires very minimal time and financial investment. It is also trackable and customizable. But there are challenges in using social media platforms that business owners need to address to achieve their goals. These include building brand awareness, growing followers and increasing web traffic. It is advised for business with small staff to post consistently on just two platforms rather than posting on many platforms occasionally.
