Social media uptake high among SMEs

Small businesses are embracing social media to source new business and stay in touch with existing customers, research finds.

According to a survey of 862 small and medium enterprises by CRM vendor Really Simple Systems 62 per cent report that they now use social networking in everyday business.

Some 92 per cent of those using it do so to keep in touch with existing customers, whilst 78 per cent are using it to find new customers.
LinkedIn is the most widely-used social media tool by small businesses, with 83 per cent of social networking businesses using the tool.

Facebook (used by 72 per cent of respondents) is the next most popular means of conducting 'social business', followed closely by Twitter (65 per cent).

"John Paterson, CEO of Really Simple Systems says, ' We all know that enterprise companies are rapidly adopting social media as a means of communicating with existing customers and prospects, but it's surprising to see that adoption among small businesses was so advanced."