Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are driving France back to growth – and they are relying on social media to help them do it. A third of SMBs credit social with driving an increase in their customer numbers. They trust it to help them move forward. So in order for SMBs to thrive they need to get their social media strategy right. We’ve just finished an in-depth survey of SMB decision-makers in France that can help you do just that.

1. How SMBs in France are
embracing social media

2. Who did we survey?
168 Decision-Makers
in Small and Medium
Businesses (SMBs) in France
How are SMBs defined?
Businesses with:
• Less than 500 employees
• Less than €5M annual
revenue
This report explores how Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs)
in Europe make use of social media.

3. SMBs in France are growing
…and are using Social Media

4. 63%
59%
have an increased number of
customers
have increased overall
revenue
have increased overall
profitability50%
4
SMBs in France are experiencing widespread year-on-year growth

5. HYPER-GROWTH
Significant increase in overall
revenue compared to last year
5
15% of SMBs report that they are currently
in a hyper-growth phase
14%
46%
38%
GROWTH
Increase in overall revenue
compared to last year
NON-GROWTH
No change or decrease in overall
revenue compared to last year

6. 6
Almost all SMBs surveyed use Social Media for their business…
91% of SMBs
are Current
Users of
Social Media
6% are Future
Users

7. 7
90%
60% 58%
43%
39%
36%
15%
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook YouTube Google+ Viadeo Instagram
and LinkedIn is the #1 Social Media site used by the companies
of the individual SMB professionals surveyed

8. SMBs see Social Media as a key way
to meet their business challenges

9. 9
SMBs reported social media and lead generation as key
drivers for revenue and customer growth
32%
12%
20%
6%
25%
24%
Contributed to growth in
customer numbers
Contributed to growth in
overall revenue
Social media and social ads
Other online ads
Lead Generation

10. 10
SMB’s have increased their spend in both social media and lead
generation and plan a further increase in the next year
50%
38%
50%
27%
Increased spend this year Plan to increase spend next
year
Social Media
Lead generation
3 in 4
of all SMBs that
increased social
media spend this
year, planned to
increase spend
again next year

11. 11
Top challenges currently faced by SMBs relate to generating
business, boosting profit margins and hiring
24%
25%
28%
35%
66%
Keeping up with technology
Increasing profit margins
Finding and hiring good employees
Marketing and advertising effectively
Attracting new / retaining current customers

12. 12
Social media is helping SMBs overcome
some of their key challenges
“Social media is important
for retaining/getting new
customers”
“Social media is important for
marketing my company”
81%
68%
Social media helps my
company source and hire
new employees
54%

13. SMBs are looking for financial
information on LinkedIn

14. 14
have used LinkedIn for
financial purposes
40%45%
are already using Social
Media for at least one
financial purpose

15. 15
SMBs can be reached at each stage of their decision
making journey on LinkedIn
3%
3%
4%
7%
8%
13%
14%
15%
19%
23%
Purchased an insurance product
Purchased an investment product
Opened a new financial account
Asked a financial professional for additional info about a
financial product / policy / account type
Discussed a financial product / policy or account type
with a family member, friend or colleague
Conducted additional research on a financial product
Contacted a financial representative
Learned about a financial company was not aware of
Learned of a financial product was not aware of
Shared info about financial trends/products/companies
Awareness
Consideration
Purchase

16. SMBs will be most engaged by do-it-yourself content, as well as
innovation news and peer or expert reviews
16
Top 6 Impactful Types of Financial Services Content
1
Best practices,
How-To-guides, checklists
2
New innovation and
technology developments
6
Market and economic
commentary
5
Peer ratings, reviews or
testimonials
4
Expert ratings, reviews
or testimonials
3
Customer stories and
case studies

17. 17
Customer service and reputation feature highly as factors to
consider when choosing a financial services company
Top 3
Consideration Factors
3. Brand & Reputation42%
2. Customer Service54%
1. Charges and Rates56%

18. Transparency and clarity as well as direct experience with a
provider, are key to increasing the confidence of SMBs
5%
67%
28%
Confidence in the Financial Service
industry in the past 12 months
Increased confidence
Stayed the same
Decreased confidence
6%
7%
23%
34%
45%
51%
62%
Visibility of employees
Press coverage
Conversations with friends / family / colleagues
Responding quickly to enquiries
Personal experience dealing with a provider
Clear explanations of products and services
Transparency of price and terms / conditions
Factors that would increase confidence in the Financial Service industry

19. Key findings Implications for marketers
Almost all SMBs in France use
social media
An active presence on LinkedIn is
crucial for successful marketing and
customer acquisition
SMBs can be reached on LinkedIn at
each stage of their financial decision
making journey
Tap into vast pools of potential
customers by providing them an avenue
to share information about your brand
and products
Clear content related to financial products
and services and better customer
service are things SMBs look for in
financial service brands
Use LinkedIn to disseminate
information about financial products
and services, customer service and to
build confidence
1
2
3

20. Key findings Implications for marketers
Almost all SMBs in France use
social media
An active presence on LinkedIn is
crucial for successful marketing and
customer acquisition
Tap into vast pools of potential
customers by providing them an avenue
to share information about your brand
and products
Use LinkedIn to disseminate
information about financial products
and services, customer service, and to
build confidence
Contact us at https://lnkd.in/contact_us.