BIA/Kelsey: Local Businesses Expected to Use Digital Tools to Lure
Shoppers on Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday
New findings from Wave XV of the Local Commerce Monitor study indicate
SMBs are investing more on social media, web presence and performance
management
CHANTILLY, Va. (Nov. 22, 2011) – As the holiday shopping trifecta
of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday fast approaches,
small and medium-sized businesses are flexing their local commerce
muscle with an increasingly sophisticated mix of digital marketing
tools and tactics. In the latest wave of Local Commerce Monitor (LCM
Wave XV), BIA/Kelsey’s ongoing tracking survey of small and medium-sized
businesses conducted with research partner ConStat, SMBs report they
allocated 37 percent of their total ad and promotional budget to digital/online
media in the last 12 months. On average, they intend to increase their
digital/online spending in the next 12 months to 40 percent of their
total ad budget.
“The data indicate SMBs are getting smarter in their use of
digital and online media,” said Steve Marshall, director of research,
BIA/Kelsey. “They’re focused on strengthening and enhancing
their digital presence, engaging customers with social media and empirically
measuring the performance of their online advertising initiatives.”
Preliminary analysis of the study’s findings reveals 53 percent
of SMBs report using some form of social media to advertise their businesses.
In addition, 50 percent of SMBs report they actively analyze the performance
of their advertising, including measuring cost effectiveness. An additional
23 percent report they plan to start doing this analysis.
Of SMBs with an online presence (website, landing page, Facebook page, Google
Places page, etc.):
69 percent report they update their online presence at least once
a month
27 percent pay for regular assistance in updating their online
presence
25 percent report using an Internet service or program to
help monitor or manage customer ratings, reviews or comments about their
businesses
BIA/Kelsey will present highlights from LCM Wave XV at its upcoming conference,
Interactive Local Media West (ILM
West: Closing the Local Loop), which takes
place Dec. 12-14, in San Francisco. Session highlights include:
A Deep Look at the New ‘Super Social’ Verticals
Facebook
Next: Leveraging the Platform for Local
The New Local Social Video/TV
Converting
Calls to Local Sales
The Next Wave of Deals
SuperForum: Social/Local/Mobile
(SoLoMo)
About Local Commerce Monitor
Local Commerce Monitor (LCM) is BIA/Kelsey’s ongoing tracking survey
of small and medium-sized businesses conducted online with research partner
ConStat since 1999. The survey measures where SMBs are spending their advertising
and promotional budgets and how their media usage and spending habits are evolving.
Local Commerce Monitor draws its sample of business respondents from a mix
of nationally scoped MSAs, which include first- and second-tier markets. Local
Commerce Monitor Wave XV was conducted in November 2011 via an online survey
of 300 SMBs. The findings released today are based on preliminary analysis
of the new data. Final analysis may result in slight modification of the reported
findings.
About BIA/Kelsey
BIA/Kelsey advises companies in the local media space through consulting
and valuation services, research, Continuous Advisory Services and
conferences. Since 1983, BIA/Kelsey has been a resource to the media,
mobile advertising, telecommunications, Yellow Pages and electronic
directory markets, as well as to government agencies, law firms and
investment companies looking to understand trends and revenue drivers.
BIA/Kelsey’s annual conferences draw executives from across industries
seeking expert guidance on how companies are finding innovative ways
to grow. Additional information is available at http://www.biakelsey.com,
on the company’s Local
Media Watch blog, Twitter (http://twitter.com/BIAKelsey)
and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/biakelsey).
BIA/Kelsey publicly available information (including, but not limited to, press releases, blog posts, company Web site content, presentations, and excerpts from advisories and reports) may be cited, provided BIA/Kelsey is properly identified as the source (Source: BIA/Kelsey). If you are uncertain about a particular use, please contact us for approval. Provide the full citation and context for your request via e-mail to Eileen Pacheco at eileen@tango-group.com
Company Information
BIA Advisory Services (BAS) is doing business as (d/b/a) BIA/Kelsey. BAS is owned by BIA Financial Network. For more information on this parent company and for a list of affiliated companies, please click now.
