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The car buying season is heating up right along with the weather across the United States.

And it’s not just car buying. It’s car and truck accessorizing. And it’s off-road vehicle season and marine vehicle season, too.

Attached to these vehicles are tens of thousands of small business owners. They’re service shops, parts stores, and dealerships, among the many. So, new survey results this week from BrandTotal should interest them.

They found the social media sites where the big auto brands found the best engagement with an audience. So, if your customer base is that audience, you need to see the results of this survey before you post another social media update.

For the rest of the headlines this week for small businesses, check out our news roundup below:

Economy

New Data Suggests Small Businesses Are Winners in USMCA Deal

When President Trump got America out of NAFTA and into the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) many small businesses expected to benefit from the windfall of the new deal. And according to the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), the agreement will have a positive and overarching impact on the economy.

Marketing Tips

85% of Small Business Owners Say Social Media Videos Bring Good ROI, Are You Among Them?

Before digital and smartphone cameras, capturing something on video was not as easy. Today, all you have to do is point and shoot. And this has increased the use of video by small businesses as part of their marketing strategy. A new survey by Yum Yum Videos reveals small business owners are satisfied with the ROI of their video marketing.

58% of Small Businesses Spend 5 Hours or Less on Marketing

How much time do you spend on marketing for your small business? A new survey carried out by OutboundEngine reveals 58% spend five hours or less on marketing. And stress is a major contributing factor for how much time small business owners spend.

Small Business Operations

What is Kapow.com and How Can it Help You Leverage Events for Your Business?

Today’s businesses have more options than ever when it comes to connecting with employees or team members online. But face-to-face interactions are still the most impactful. In fact, a study by Harvard Business Review found that requests made in person are 34 times more successful than those made over email.

Make Appointment Scheduling Easy, 36% of Clients Avoid Businesses that Don’t

Data shows a clear rise in customer expectation. And digital technology seems to be driving this increase. A study carried out by Keap points out this very fact. More than a third or 36% of clients refuse to deal with service providers who don’t simplify their appointment scheduling. Remember this applies just to appointment scheduling.

Social Media

Best Social Media Channels for Car Dealerships and Other Small Auto Businesses

The impact of social media in marketing has changed the way brands interact with their audience. The automotive industry, which spends hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising every year, now counts social media as one of its marketing channels. According to BrandTotal’s report, titled, “Ad Strategy Snapshot: How Auto Brands Use Paid Social,” Facebook is the clear leader.

Thinking about Promoting your Business with YouTube Advertising? Read This.

There are many marketing channels available for small businesses, should YouTube be one of them? If you’ve never advertised on YouTube, a new infographic by One Productions makes a persuasive case why you should look into it. YouTube Advertising for Beginners The infographic starts with some very important data points on why you should advertise on YouTube.

Startup

10 Up-and-Coming Instagram Accounts Small Businesses Need to Follow

With all the places to find entrepreneurial inspiration these days, it’s easy to miss some of the best advice. That’s why it’s important to make sure your social feeds are on point when you’ve got a precious few minutes of spare time.

Chick-Fil-A Considers Vegan Options, Should Your Small Restaurant Do the Same?

Fast food chain Chick-fil-A is considering adding a meatless option to its menus to entice vegetarians and vegans to eat at its restaurants, according to reports. Chick-fil-A Vegan Options On the Way? The famous chicken chain is in the “early stages of understanding” a new meatless addition to its menus, according to confirmation from a company representative, CNBC reported Monday.

Secrets of Succeeding as a Woman in Silicon Valley – and in Business in General – Revealed

Want to succeed as a woman in Silicon Valley? You’ll find it the toughest business environment in the world. On the Small Business Radio Show this week, Julian Guthrie dives into stories of women in Silicon Valley. These stories show women successfully navigating interactions with their predominately male colleagues. Guthrie spent twenty years at the San Francisco Chronicle.

Technology Trends

Cyber Attacks Increase by 59%, Is Your Small Business Safe?

The level of the digital security landscape awareness by small businesses is much better than it used to be. This increased awareness has also led cybercriminals to adapt, including launching stealthier methods of attack. The SiteLock 2019 Website Security Report says these criminals now focus on quieter attacks.

43% of Cyber Attacks Still Target Small Business while Ransomware Stays On the Rise

When did you last read about a small business being hacked in the news? Once this happened rarely. But according to the Verizon 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), 43% of cyber-attacks target small businesses. And cyber attacks on small businesses represent the largest share of all the attacks in the report. The disparity highlights a lack of resources and knowledge.

Attention  Small Business Owners: New Warning Issued on Office Emails with Voicemail Messages

The criminals who launch phishing attacks are relentless in their pursuit to disguise their message. The latest such effort uses a notice for a new voice mail message to get you to click on it. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) just sent a scam alert warning businesses to not click on these phony office emails notifications for new voice mail messages.

This article, “In the News: Survey Shows the Most Effective Social Media for Your Auto Business” was first published on Small Business Trends