Social media complements other small business marketing efforts

5/17/2011

While social media should not be the end-all marketing platform of small business owners, a greater number of entrepreneurs are leveraging the medium, according to a new Constant Contact survey.

Nearly three-quarters of small businesses (73 percent) are currently utilizing the communication channel as a marketing tool, and 81 percent expect to increase their social media budgets. Of the remaining 27 percent that don't currently use social media, nearly two-thirds expect to begin establishing a social presence before the end of the year.

"The value proposition that social media marketing offers to small business makes it a no brainer for time- and resource-starved small businesses. They simply need coaching and know-how to use those tools in the best way possible," said Gail Goodman, CEO of Constant Contact. "Our assessment of this data is that more education will only improve small businesses' results with social media marketing."

With consumers spending more money, small businesses need to invest more in their marketing if they want to benefit. By tapping commercial loans to hire advertising experts, entrepreneurs may be able to get that edge they need to succeed.