The majority of small businesses (52 percent) believe having a social media presence is important for companies, according to the Small Business Opinion Poll commissioned by EMPLOYERS®, America’s small business insurance specialist®. The national poll also reveals that although there are nearly five million small businesses leveraging social media, that figure only accounts for 16 percent of the 29.7 million small businesses in the United States based on figures from the Small Business Administration.

A quick online search of how small businesses can generate value by integrating social media strategies to help grow their businesses yields page after page of useful tips, insights and advice for those looking to boost their marketing and customer-engagement efforts. Social media experts extol the business development benefits of social media platforms like LinkedIn®, Facebook®, Twitter®, and their own Web sites and blogs. As the Internet, e-mail and mobile communications have become widespread in modern society, EMPLOYERS’ small business poll indicates that a relatively low percentage of small businesses are effectively tapping these opportunities. The total still represents a significant critical mass of small businesses at 4.75 million.

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