Fixed Contact has launched its newest Small Enterprise Now report, revealing that new small and medium-sized companies (SMBs) are leveraging social media and know-how to drive development and navigate financial challenges. The examine surveyed 1,600 SMBs throughout the US, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada which were in operation for 5 years or much less.
The report finds that social media is the dominant advertising instrument for early-stage entrepreneurs. In response to the examine, 63% of latest SMBs depend on social media as their main advertising channel, and 73% of respondents mentioned that each paid and unpaid social media posts are their greatest income drivers.
Regardless of this focus, many small companies want to diversify their advertising methods. 33% of latest SMBs take into account electronic mail advertising an underutilized instrument, and solely 15% leverage SMS advertising regardless of its sturdy engagement potential.
New SMBs are additionally turning to synthetic intelligence (AI) to streamline operations and improve their advertising efforts. The report discovered that 72% of SMBs plan to make use of AI for advertising in 2025, with AI getting used for duties reminiscent of content material creation (37%), buyer knowledge evaluation (32%), and personalised messaging (31%). Moreover, 41% of extremely assured SMB house owners are already utilizing AI to investigate buyer knowledge.
“It’s tough to be a small enterprise proper now, however what’s clear from our examine is that the spirit, ardour, and resilience of the SMB continues to be fairly sturdy,” mentioned Frank Vella, CEO at Fixed Contact. “The most recent entrepreneurs are digitally savvy, they usually perceive that adaptability isn’t only a survival tactic, it’s a development technique.”
Whereas optimism is excessive, small enterprise house owners acknowledge ongoing challenges. Practically half (45%) of latest SMB house owners really feel very assured of their enterprise development for 2025, whereas 55% categorical considerations as a result of elements like buyer acquisition, rising prices, and shifting client habits. Moreover, 35% imagine financial elements will considerably affect their success within the coming 12 months.
Regardless of these challenges, 95% of entrepreneurs mentioned they might select small enterprise possession once more, with 71% expressing pleasure and 57% feeling proud to be a part of the SMB neighborhood.
Fixed Contact’s findings spotlight the adaptability of latest entrepreneurs as they combine social media and AI-driven know-how into their development methods. As SMBs search to broaden their advertising efforts past social media, AI and automation are set to play a crucial position in serving to companies stay aggressive in an evolving financial panorama.
“By harnessing social media to reinforce buyer relationships and embracing superior applied sciences like AI to take care of stability and work smarter, they’re turning challenges into alternatives and redefining what it means to thrive in any financial panorama,” Vella added.