Understanding the small enterprise advertising and marketing panorama could be a problem, nevertheless it’s necessary to know if you wish to be aggressive and stand out.
What are your rivals doing? How are they investing their advertising and marketing budgets? What are they planning for 2025?
LocaliQ needed to reply all these questions and extra, so we created The Small Business Marketing Trends Report for 2025 with knowledge and insights from over 730 small companies!
If you wish to see the total report, jump on over to LocaliQ or download it here. And maintain studying for 10 key takeaways from the report you might want to know to tell your 2025 planning.
10 largest takeaways from LocaliQ’s 2025 Small Enterprise Advertising Traits Report
We rounded up 10 quick information from the report that can assist you perceive the small enterprise advertising and marketing panorama and begin your 2025 planning.
1. Most SMBs aren’t investing in paid search
In keeping with the report, solely 40% of SMBs are investing in search advertising, which suggests nearly all of small companies should not working adverts on high search engines like google and yahoo like Google and Bing.
Plus, solely 39% of SMBs are investing in SEO. Which means small companies are largely lacking out on the chance to seize high-intent, native searchers.
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2. Lower than half of SMBs are investing in social adverts
We had been shocked to search out that lower than half of small companies are investing in social media ads on platforms like Fb, LinkedIn, and extra.
These platforms are necessary as a result of prospects spend a lot time on social media and are more and more counting on them to find new companies. Actually, TikTok is now the fourth most popular search engine, with one in 10 Gen Zers extra seemingly to make use of it than Google.
By not working adverts on in style social media websites, SMBs are lacking out on methods to interact and convert prospects the place they’re spending (so much!) of time on-line.
3. However SMBs working paid search are glad with outcomes
In relation to how glad small companies are with their advertising and marketing investments, search promoting topped the record because the tactic they’re most glad with.
This is smart to us! It’s fairly simple to measure results for search advertising in comparison with ways like popularity administration or social media advertising and marketing, so this might positively be an element. However we additionally know that search adverts are efficient for small companies at driving website visits and conversions.
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4. SMBs are additionally not benefiting from low-cost on-line presence methods
Again to the marketing channels and ways SMBs are investing in—we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out the shortage of funding in methods like popularity administration, listings, and web site chat.
These methods contribute to a robust internet presence—listings and reputation management might help you seize and attract potential prospects on search engines like google and yahoo and map apps whereas chat might help you seize web site leads and convert them faster.
Many listings, popularity administration, and website chat tools or methods are additionally pretty low-cost, making them a robust match for small companies.
5. Fb is the preferred social platform SMBs are utilizing for advertising and marketing
Fb shouldn’t be solely the preferred social media platform for customers—it was additionally the preferred social platform for SMBs to make use of for advertising and marketing.
Of these companies investing in social media advertising and marketing or social adverts, almost 80% had been doing so on Facebook, adopted by Instagram and LinkedIn.
6. Smaller companies have small budgets (unsurprisingly)
Okay…duh? However understanding the everyday marketing budget in your SMB rivals is admittedly useful. LocaliQ discovered that solely 5% of SMBs had no funds and 38% had month-to-month budgets below $2,500.
And since the report was in a position to break down advertising and marketing budgets by enterprise dimension, we had been in a position to see a transparent correlation between enterprise dimension and funds. Which, once more, isn’t essentially a shock, nevertheless it must be validating to small companies who’re doing a lot with not so much.
This simply reveals the significance of adopting these low-cost strategies we talked about earlier and make the most of creative marketing ideas to get in entrance of potential prospects.
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7. They’re additionally much less prone to have devoted advertising and marketing help
The smaller the enterprise, the much less seemingly they’re to have workers devoted to advertising and marketing. Which does make making an attempt any new or extra advertising and marketing methods a problem—these typically take some sort of time dedication.
However, the report additionally discovered that many SMBs aren’t benefiting from free tools that would simplify a few of these methods for companies strapped for time and sources.
8. Most SMBs are already utilizing AI
Despite the fact that our group has been dabbling in AI, and our AI-related articles are usually in style, we weren’t positive how a lot smaller companies have embraced this new tech. However almost 60% of SMBs are utilizing AI for some a part of their advertising and marketing! Most are utilizing it to avoid wasting time on actions like content material creation, social media management, and extra.
9. The economic system continues to be a problem
After a tricky few years for companies—from the COVID-19 pandemic to record-high inflation and provide chain points—SMBs are nonetheless involved in regards to the economic system. Practically half of companies indicated it will likely be their largest problem in 2025, with 18% noting it will likely be very difficult.
Plus, of these reducing their advertising and marketing budgets in 2025, 56% famous it was as a consequence of economic conditions and uncertainty.
10. Getting new prospects can also be a high problem
Getting new customers continues to be a high problem for small companies, with 45% saying it will likely be one in every of their high challenges for 2025. That is one thing we hear time and time once more—generating leads and getting new prospects is tough, particularly with restricted funds and sources.
Investing in the precise advertising and marketing technique might help drive leads and seize prospects, which may simplify this problem for SMBs.
Create the precise advertising and marketing technique for large ends in 2025
Small companies have huge plans for 2025, and this round-up covers only a few of them. To see all the information and insights we gathered from over 730 SMBs, download the full report. And reach out to schedule a demo in case you need assistance crafting the precise advertising and marketing technique to face out from the competitors.
Right here’s a recap of the highest takeaways from The Small Enterprise Advertising Traits Report for 2025:
- Most SMBs aren’t investing in paid search
- …or social adverts
- However SMBs working paid search are glad with outcomes
- SMBs are additionally not benefiting from low-cost on-line presence methods
- Fb is the preferred social platform SMBs are utilizing for advertising and marketing
- Smaller companies have small budgets (unsurprisingly)
- …and are much less prone to have devoted advertising and marketing help
- Most SMBs are already utilizing AI
- The economic system continues to be a problem
- …And so does getting new prospects
