Report: SMBs aren't linking to social enough

"SMBs worldwide are falling behind consumers in the digital commerce arena," said Neal Polachek, industry expert. "There's a tremendous opportunity for SMB aggregators and resellers to bridge this gap, but it will require strategic commitment and solid execution."

Last week, a report from Motista found that consumers who follow brands are more likely to recommend those brands and, in some cases, to pay more for the 'liked' brand's products. The news from BIA/Kelsey and vSplash is an indicator that for small businesses to reap the rewards of social media, they need to be more connected.

According to the report less than 20% of SMBs link their websites to their Facebook pages and even fewer are linking to Twitter feeds or LinkedIn pages. Previous reports have found that upwards of 60% of SMB websites (US) are missing local or toll-free phone numbers and nearly three-quarters (74.7%) don't include email links on home pages.

"Consumers are growing to expect certain levels of SoLoMo functionality," said Charles Laughlin, senior vice president and program director, BIA/Kelsey. "If SMBs don't catch up with consumers, national players could gain a critical advantage over local independent providers. At 'Search Starts Here' we'll discuss how directory publishers and other SMB aggregators can capitalize on this opportunity."

The full study results will be released April 21-24 at the Search Starts Here conference in Boca Raton, Florida.

Tags: BIA/Kelsey, small business tips, SMB tips, social marketing, social networks