A new study by Mashable has identified how businesses use social media.
500 owners of SMEs were polled about how their companies engage with customers through the social web. A small study group, yes, but interesting results nonetheless. Three-quarters of all of them have a presence of some sort, more than half are on a business networking site like LinkedIn.
The study also compared expectations of the use of social media with actual results. Of course, monetisation comes under the most scrutiny for SMEs:
Identify and attract new customers
Expectations: 73%
Accomplishments: 61%
Develop a higher awareness of your organization within your target market
Expectations: 56%
Accomplishments: 52%
Stay engaged with current customers
Expectations: 46%
Accomplishments: 46%
Collaborate more effective externally, such as with suppliers, partners, and colleagues
Expectations: 34%
Accomplishments: 35%
Collaborate more effectively internally
Expectations: 26%
Accomplishments: 21%
Other
Expectations: 12%
Accomplishments: 9%