Small business stuck in neutral on social media: 67% holding back investing in social because they don’t know where to begin

Despite increasing personal use of social media, a study just released by Social Strategy1 and OfficeArrow indicates small businesses continue to struggle with how to use social media for building their business. What’s more, most don’t plan on investing online until they understand the practices and payoffs.

Here are some of the specific study findings:

• Nearly three quarters (73%) of small business owners said they access social networks on smartphones or other mobile devices, yet 67% are holding back investing in social media because they don’t know where to begin.
• What’s holding them back is a sense of overload, in particular fear of the resources required to meet the expectations of social media users.
• Specifically, 51% fear sharing sensitive information; 50% say there’s too much social media to manage; and 44% fear “information overload.”

The study engaged 343 small business executives, predominantly from companies with fewer than 10 employees, via email and website surveys.

“Small businesses need a playbook to proceed in social media,” said Steve Ennen, President and Chief Intelligence Officer for Social Strategy1. “Entrepreneurs are the heart and soul of the American economy. Preparing them to capitalize on the business opportunities social media can create should be a top priority.”

The solution, says Ennen, is to treat social media as a platform for listening, not talking. Among the 41% of small businesses taking any social media action, the focus is solidly on promoting to increase brand awareness. However, 60% say they do want to use social media as an information source; they just don’t know how.

Ennen says small businesses need to take three initial steps:

1. Find your customers online. There’s a world beyond Facebook and Twitter online, where people bare their feelings instantaneously. Identify the places where customers are commenting, linking and sharing content.

2. Set up to listen. Establish feeds to extract relevant insights continually. Everything tells you something about what really matters to the people a business intends to serve.

3. Emphasize customer service. It’s possible do more for less through online customer service. Catalog what people like, trust, dislike, and distrust, about your company, competitors and category. Pinpoint the key dissatisfactions and consider ways to automate tasks for customers. Then, using that data, communicate with them in meaningful ways.

“The most important resource is a specialist in monitoring social media,” said Ennen. “Small businesses need to focus resources on customer action and monitoring professionals combine the technology and analysis to show what actions are profitable.”

RMC Comments

Using social media as a platform for listening is one of the most basic tenets of social engagement. However, Ennen says small businesses should not use social media for talking. While I realize the emphasis and value on listening, not talking is counter-productive and counter-intuitive to what is supposed to be a “social” environment where conversation, rapport and dialog are not only expected but required to some extent. Consumers and customers don’t want to simply follow or friend a logo. They want the opportunity to participate in a discussion with you and expect to have the ability to connect in person with the proprietor of a store or the human beings operating a business.

What do you think? Feel free to share your comments below.