SMBs adopting DIY websites and Facebook for marketing

SILVER SPRING, USA: The recent "Webs Small Business Digital Usage Survey" highlights the role of digital in the marketing strategies of small businesses.

The national survey of 2,292 small business owners revealed that 63 percent are actively using digital products to market their businesses. Of those with websites, 59 percent created their websites independently using DIY tools, and 80 percent of website owners are their own webmasters.

The survey also showed that 88 percent of small business owners with social business profiles list Facebook as their top social media channel for marketing purposes, making it by far the most widely adopted social network for connecting and nurturing customer relationships.

"Small business owners are rapidly embracing digital DIY tools to build their online and social media presence," said Scott Bowen, vice president and general manager of Webs. "The adoption rate of social media platforms among small businesses is accelerating as they look to create brand awareness and engagement with their customers quickly and cost effectively."

The small business goes digital

The survey shows that most small businesses have some digital component to their marketing strategy. Whether it's a website or solely a Facebook page, small business owners perceive that an online presence is critical to connecting with customers and marketing effectively. Some of the survey findings that underscore this fact are:

• 63 percent of small business owners use digital products as part or all of their marketing strategy, most combining digital and print.

• 61 percent use, or plan to use, a website, online store, or mobile website.

• 59 percent of those with a website created it with DIY tools.

• 80 percent of website owners are their own webmasters.

• 43 percent of website owners picked a website domain name at or before the time they launched their businesses.

The social small business is now standard

The role of social media is increasing as small business owners look to easily create brand awareness and expand their reach in an effective, but low-cost manner:

• 46 percent of small business owners have, or plan to create, a social profile for their business.

• 88 percent of those with social profiles list Facebook as a top social media channel for marketing their businesses, followed by LinkedIn (39 percent), Twitter (31 percent), Google+ (22 percent), Pinterest (20 percent), and YouTube (17 percent).

• 65 percent of those with Facebook business profiles use or are considering using Facebook advertising.

Customer acquisition is the main motivator for digital investment

Most small business owners understand having an online presence is an important element for attracting new customers:

• 63 percent agree the top motivator for getting a website is to generate new customer leads. Showcasing products and services is second (44 percent) and providing basic company information third (42 percent).

• The top three reasons Facebook users reported for creating a business page were customer acquisition (62 percent), building a network of followers (50 percent), and increasing brand awareness (45 percent).