A little more than one in three (36%) small US businesses plan to focus the most resources on web-based marketing and advertising this year, according to [pdf] a spring 2011 survey from FedEx Office. Results of the “Fourth Annual Signs of the Times Small Business Survey” indicate this figure is up about 10% from 32% in 2010.
Few to Focus on Printed, Traditional Matls
Another 35% will split their resources evenly between web-based and printed/traditional marketing and advertising this year, up about 13% from 31% in 2010. Only 16% will focus the most resources on printed materials, down 33% from 24% a year earlier, and 13% will focus the most resources on traditional advertising (radio/TV/newspaper), about the same as 14% in 2010.
4 in 10 Supplement Printed Matls w/Web
Four in 10 (42%) small businesses say that web-based marketing and advertising supplements their printed marketing materials, roughly 2.5 times as many that say they rely solely on web-based and social media marketing tools. Another 23% only use printed materials, while 19% say web-based and social media tools have replaced some printed marketing materials.
2 in 10 See Social Media as Critical
Only about two in 10 (22%) small businesses see social media as a critical marketing tool, although 50% have experimented with it. About one in five (19%) do not think social media is important, while 10% are not sure.
Of small businesses who use or have experimented with social media, sharing company news (79%) and searching for customers (72%) are by far the most popular uses. Responding to customer service issues/questions comes in a distant third (54%).
Formstack: Less than Half of Small Biz Have Sites
Less than half (45%) of small businesses have websites, according to data analyzed by online form builder Formstack. However, this figure, recorded by Discover Credit Cards in 2009, still represents roughly 36% growth from 33% in 2007.
Formstack defines a small business as having maximum annual sales of less than $5 million.
About the Data: FedEx Office, in conjunction with the Ketchum Global Research Network, worked with Braun Research to conduct the survey, which polled small business owners who employ five
