We Asked; You Answered: Get the Results of our Small Business Survey

Not too long ago, we sent out a survey to hundreds of Animoto customers, asking how you’re using video on major social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Want to find out what we learned from you and your fellow small businesses? Check out some of the highlights from our new “Small Business Video Marketing Report.”

Why brands are marketing on social

According our customers, media offers an unparalleled way to reach out to new audiences and engage them in ways that keep them coming back for more. Take a why small businesses like yours, are so focused on social and social video.

• 85% of small business brands surveyed reported that social media has gotten them a new client or customer
• 66% reported that video received more engagement (likes, shares, comments) than any other form of content

Where small businesses are using video

Among social media platforms, Facebook is still a small-business favorite when it comes to video. Here’s what small businesses had to say when asked whether they plan to make more videos on a platform than they had previously:

• Facebook: 91% plan to create more videos in the next 6 months than they did in the previous 6 months.
• Instagram: 74% plan to create more videos in the same time frame
• YouTube: 60% plan to create more videos in the same time frame

The latest stats on video ads for small business

When it comes to video ads, our survey found that small business brands are starting explore Instagram as an ad platform and continue to do spend on Facebook.

Of the two, Facebook is still the leading video advertising platform for small business brands, with 63% of respondents having paid to advertise a video on Facebook. But Instagram is starting to catch up, since 29% of our survey respondents have already started to put spend against Instagram marketing videos.

Facebook continues to dominate on social

Our survey found that Facebook is still the biggest player in terms of where small businesses want to spend their time—and their money—on social. Check out a few of our findings:

• 50 percent of respondents said Facebook is their most important social media channel
• 91 percent said that they plan on creating a greater number of videos for Facebook in the next six months than they have in the last six months
• 63 percent have paid to advertise their video on Facebook
• 43 percent of them primarily use the Boost button
• 57 percent of them primarily use Facebook Ads Manager

Instagram’s growing importance to small businesses

One of our most interesting discoveries was the number of new ways small businesses are promoting their businesses on Instagram. Our survey discovered a growing number of businesses that believe Instagram has a major impact on their bottom line. Take a look at a few of the stats we uncovered:

• 73 percent said Instagram is important to their business
• 74 percent said they plan on creating more videos for Instagram in the next 6 months than they have in the last 6 months
• 29 percent have paid to advertise a video on Instagram
• 57 percent have posted on Instagram Stories in the last 30 days

Want to see social video marketing in action? Join our Facebook group, the Social Video Marketing Community, and connect with other small businesses using video to stand out on social media.