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N ew data from the Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute indicates that small business owners still rely on software and their company's website to find customers despite the emergence of social media as a marketing tool.
A survey of small businesses employing two to 99 people revealed that the majority of respondents use software "to make business run more efficiently" and use "websites to tell prospective customers about their business".
However, the results do not diminish the importance of social media. The data showed that social media use is three times higher among female entrepreneurs when compared with their male counterparts. Small businesses with 10 or more employees, meanwhile, rely on social media much more.
"Social media is emerging as an important tool, and there is every reason to expect it will blossom as more small business owners begin experimenting with it. But, for the majority of small business owners today, the priority remains firmly focused on (software and websites)," said Mark Wolf, director of the institute.
The study also gauged how different technologies are used among various age groups. Employers 28-years-old and younger were most inclined to use social media tools. Those between the ages of 29 and 68 found equal value in using software and websites.
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