Artificial intelligence may be making headlines, but for small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S., social media still commands a prime spot in the marketing toolkit. A recent Verizon and Morning Consult survey shows its influence hasn’t waned—even as operational demands and content expectations rise.
Facebook Maintains Lead in Digital Outreach
Facebook continues to dominate the digital marketing space for small and medium-sized businesses, according to a survey of 600 SMB decision-makers. “Facebook is the most popular platform, with 82% of respondents using the social media network to promote products and connect with customers,” the study found.
Instagram holds second place at 71%, followed by YouTube at 69%, while TikTok is gaining ground at 58%.
Content Creation Investment Rises Amid Execution Challenges
Small and midsize businesses are ramping up their social media efforts, but staying ahead remains difficult. The survey shows that “more than 60% of SMB decision makers either began creating content or increased their investment in content creation over the last year.”
About 71% of content creation now rely on dedicated in-house teams to manage content output. However the execution is proving complex, with more than half (54%) reporting difficulties managing content demands across platforms and the same number admitting they “struggle to keep the content fresh and keep up with social media trends.”
AI Adoption Accelerates to Meet Operational Demand
Many SMBs are turning to automation since they are faced with increasing content and operational demands, “71% of respondents said they are using or would consider using AI for their social media and marketing,” while “64% said they would use it for their written communications.”
The interest doesn’t stop at content—“69% of SMBs are open to using AI for inventory management,” with “68%” exploring it for both data management and customer service. The same number 68% are looking to AI for product or service recommendations.
The online environment has shifted from optional presence to constant performance. Small businesses are under pressure to deliver consistent engagement across platforms. “Social media remains a critical component of small- and medium-sized business strategy,” the survey notes.