Small business owners in Canada are becoming increasingly tech savvy, finds a BMO Bank of Montreal report, and their social media use is surging.
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The report reveals:
- 57% of small business owners use social media – up from 40% in 2012
- 46% use social media to promote their company’s brand, while 38% it to sell their products and services
- 38% use social media to crowd source ideas or suggestions, up 15 points from 2012
- 35% leverage social media to track what is being said about their company, an increase of 17 points from 2012
- 26% track sentiment about their competitors
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Social Media Scouting
One-quarter of businesses are using social media to search and source new talent, up 11 percentage points from last year, the survey finds. This increase is reflected in the spikes seen in the types of social platforms businesses are using.
The report shows:
- LinkedIn enjoyed an 87% increase in engagement from Canada’s small businesses, with 28% of businesses currently using it – up from 15 per cent in 2012
- Facebook also saw a significant jump, with 43% of small businesses using the tool – up from 27% last year
- Nearly one-in-five businesses (17%) are now using Twitter – up from 10% in 2012
Regional Findings
Canadian Small Businesses | Overall | Atlantic | Quebec | Ontario | Alberta | B.C. |
Total Use Social Media | 57% | 65% | 56% | 59% | 66% | 56% |
43% | 47% | 32% | 48% | 40% | 43% | |
23% | 19% | 13% | 29% | 24% | 23% | |
11% | 15% | 8% | 13% | 10% | 11% |