One-Third of SMBs Report Using Mobile Advertising

Mobile

August 5, 2013 – The latest findings from BIA/Kelsey’s ongoing study of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) advertising efforts indicate SMBs are “increasingly embracing mobile and social platforms for improving operational efficiencies and promotion.”
 
The nationally representative survey of 568 small and medium businesses (1-99 employees), titled Local Commerce Monitor (Wave 17), finds:
 
MOBILE ADVERTISING
 

• Nearly one-third (32%) of the SMBs surveyed report using mobile advertising to promote their businesses, up from 28% in 2012.

SOCIAL MEDIA USE
 

• Nearly three-quarters of SMBs surveyed (72%) are using social media to promote their businesses; 52% have a business Facebook presence and 25% have a Google+ Local page.

SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT
 

• When asked how “engaged” their businesses are with their customers on social media (e.g., responding to online comments, regular blogging or tweeting, regular updating of Facebook pages, offering a loyalty program), 66% stated they are “extremely engaged” or “very engaged.”

 

About: Local Commerce Monitor (LCM) is BIA/Kelsey’s ongoing tracking survey of small and medium-sized businesses conducted online with research partner Ipsos. The survey measures where SMBs are spending their advertising and promotional budgets and how their media usage and spending habits are evolving. For this study, SMB is defined as a business having from 1 to 99 employees. Local Commerce Monitor draws its sample of business respondents from a mix of nationally scoped MSAs, which include first- and second-tier markets. Local Commerce Monitor Wave 17 was conducted in July 2013 via an online survey of 568 SMBs.
 

Source:  BIA/Kelsey, Forty Percent of SMBs Now Accept Payments with Mobile Credit Card Readers, According to BIA/Kelsey, August 5, 2013.