SEO and social media for small business

08/03/10 posted by Annie

Social media is now being used by 24% of small businesses in the US, which is double the rate from December 2008. A report from The University of Maryland's Smith School of Business concludes that one in five small business owners are integrating social media into their business processes, and excitingly, almost half of respondents believe their social media initiatives will pay off within 12 months. There's no doubt in its lead building potential with 61% using social media for identifying and attracting new customers. As we mentioned in last week's web development info session, an active online presence is infinitely more important than a tangible shop front these days.

The data is fascinating in light of last year's economic downturn which is still being felt by many. The report also found that 72% of small businesses have found ways to operate more efficiently, (up from 66% last June) so it's clear that an increasing amount of small businesses owners are harnessing social media to give their businesses a free kick - even though the majority have discovered social media engagement takes more time than they thought. Facebook and LinkedIn are the most popular sites, with 75% of small business owners active through company pages, and 69% engaging through status updates. Surprisingly, only 16% of respondents are using Twitter.

It has been noted before that despite Twitter's viral capacity and the social mania within the Gen Y audience, relatively few use Twitter. Paul Soupiset, creative director at Toolbox Studios, says "Twitter is a worthwhile tool to have in your marketing mix, but it is just one channel in a larger communications strategy." So Twitter's potential might only be unleashed if used in conjunction with other social media marketing schemes, like using it to lead new customers back to your business site. Twittering without a solid business strategy won't guarantee very high ROI (return on investment). As Sharkey Media's Online Producer and SEO Specialist Liz says, "if you're going to invest time in social media, it needs to be an integrated solution that goes deeper than someone just updating Twitter with their dinner plans."

And if you're especially business savvy, you'll know that this is nothing new. Even though the internet and social media have created a more level playing field for small businesses in terms of marketing, relatively few have the technical skills to really capitalise on the potential. Remember what happened when Bill Gates tried out blogging all by himself, paying no attention to SEO techniques which many of us would similarly not think of? For optimum placement on the web, a professional online marketing team is the best solution to set you off on the right foot.