Small Business Social Media

Social media for small businesses sage Social media continues to grow but if you're running a small business, it can be hard to know where to start. From separating your personal and professional profiles to knowing what to share, there's a lot to consider. Which social media sites do SMES use most for business? Facebook 4% Twitter 14% 19% Plus 13% have their Linkedin own blog Why do they use social media? 25% of small 27% to increase brand awareness businesses spend 6-10 hours per week on social media to boost sales 11% to improve their customer service 81% of small businesses see the value of using social media as a business tool. 14% don't separate personal from professional on social media 57%. of small businesses use social media to support their marketing efforts Where is your audience? Twitter I Linkedin I Facebook 41% 59% 50% 50% 43% 57% Twitter Linkedin Facebook 0-24 yrs 25-34 yrs 35-44 yrs 45+ yrs Sources: Research by specialist business insurer Hiscox, conducted by Optimum Research among UK SMES in May 2011 I http://4.mshcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Social-Media-Demographics-972.jpg| http://www.guardian.co.uk/small-business- network/poll/2012/jun/20/social-media-uses-small-business-poll i http://wwwverticalrespanse.com/blog/how-much-time-and-money- do-small-businesses-spend-on-social-media-infographic sage.co.uk