We all know by now that big, nationally-recognized brands like Starbucks, Disney, Levis, and many, many others are using social media networking to reach customers.  But what about the smaller fish in the pond?

Are small businesses reaching out via social media, too?

If you believe a recent survey by Webs, they certainly are.  Webs is a Silver Spring, Maryland-based company that started in 2001 as a provider of website design and hosting services.  And with a customer base that has an overwhelmingly small business slant to it, you can be sure that Webs has a vested interest in how small businesses use the Internet and social media marketing.

With that in mind, the company conducted a survey of over 1,100 small business owners.  Here are some of the key findings:

• Nearly 70% (69% to be exact) of surveyed small business owners indicate they are using social media networking in some form.

• Facebook is the preferred platform for those who have adopted social media.  A whopping 89% of businesses named Facebook as a network they’ve used.

• Among those who have yet to adopt social media, 41% say they plan to begin using social media within the next calendar quarter.

• 62% of businesses said they “definitely” see social media as a viable way to communicate with their customers.

• Nearly 78% say they will spend more on social media this year than they did in 2010.

One more impressive fact that Webs uncovered: Facebook is actually being used more often than their own company blogs!  Survey respondents made this comment because they have found Facebook to be easier to use – and more effective than their blogs as well.

So there you have it.  Social media marketing is quite apparently no longer the domain of just the biggest fishes in the pond – even the smaller ones are anxious to get in on the feeding frenzy.

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