SMBs are putting social and mobile tools to work, according to new data released by BIA/Kelsey. The survey, conducted among 568 SMBs during July, found that 72% are using social media to promote their businesses, with 66% reporting “extremely” or “very” high levels of engagement with their customers. Roughly half of those surveyed have a Facebook page for their business, while 1 in 4 have a Google+ Local page.
SMBs are also gravitating towards mobile advertising, though at a fairly slow pace, per the survey results. This year, 32% are using some type of mobile advertising to promote their businesses, a 14% rise from 28% last year. (Those figures align closely with ones from Borrell Associates, which in January indicated that 29% of SMBs were buying mobile ads.)
Mobile is making inroads into the SMB in ways other than ads, though. 40% of respondents to the BIA/Kelsey survey said they now accept payments at the point of sale using a mobile credit card reader attached to a smartphone or tablet. Another 16% expect to add this capability in the next year.
