Social media for the second year has topped as the most popular digital channel used by small businesses. 78% of small businesses say they use at least one social media channel according to BIA/Kelsey’s Local Commerce Monitor™, Wave 20 (Q3/2016).

SMBs’ use of social media is strongly driven by Facebook. At a utilization level of 58.9% among SMBs that use social media, more SMBs use a Facebook page than any other type of media. Facebook ads were a distant second, with a 32.7% utilization rate.

For some SMBs, particularly smaller ones, social media is the backbone of their digital presence. Accordingly, service providers to SMBs need to appreciate the criticality of this role. One of the most important things a service provider can do is to understand the specific challenges presented by different social media platforms and offer products and services to address them.

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BIA/Kelsey’s LCM, Wave 20 reports can be purchased a la carte in the BIA/Kelsey eStore. Our LCM reports look at where particular SMBs (broken out by size, vertical, etc.) spend the most, as well as the top channels for marketing and advertising. Additionally, our reports provide analysis on the best product and service offers for highly coveted groups of SMBs.