According to a recent poll by Intuit Inc., 71% of small-business owners believe that social media is an effective way to keep customers engaged.  But, more than 90% of the respondents do not have a blog, and over 60% do not use Twitter, Facebook or other networking sites to promote their businesses.  However, the fact that about 40% DO use some form of social media shows a significant increase from the year before, when a survey by American Express OPEN found that only 10% were in the game.  Still another survey by SaleSpider.com shows that 75% of small businesses plan to make social networking a greater priority this year.

So, the use of social media by small-business owners is on the rise.  Which means that if you are a small business owner, your competitors are likely already using social media. Or, they are planning on using it to promote their businesses… sometime this year. 

As the economy strengthens a bit, now is the time to use all of the available means to promote your business.  Make social media a part of your overall marketing plan today.