CorpComms Magazine

One quarter of small business owners are in two minds about social media, and believe that it requires a huge commitment to keep up with its demands, according to a recent survey by social media marketing firm iContact.

Just over half of those polled were enamoured by Twitter, while the rest claimed to hate the site. The biggest haters were from firms with 25 or fewer employees. Businesses that generate more than $100 million (£620 million) in annual revenue are more likely to be fans of the microblogging site.

More than three quarters of respondents said they liked Facebook. But there was a stark contrast in the not-for-profit and education sectors where over 80 per cent of respondents said they disliked Facebook.

Almost the same amount of respondents liked Google+ as disliked it, but it is relatively new compared to the well-established social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

More than three out of five were fans of professional social networking site LinkedIn, especially businesses with 50 or fewer employees.

Ryan Allis, chief executive of iContact, said: 'Small business owners are a great barometer for these social products and platforms, because when something helps them hire, sell, or otherwise proves valuable, they're passionate proponents. But when they are strapped for money and time, they're quick to say if something is not worth the investment of either.'

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