If you already own, or are looking to start a business, then you know that the rules of small business marketing are changing all the time. Between economic fluctuations, changing market conditions, competitive pressures and technological advancements—tons of things are fighting for your attention every day. But finding the right marketing strategies takes a ‘long game’ mentality.
To understand how other small businesses are navigating the highs and lows of the past year, we've teamed up with VistaPrint to conduct a comprehensive survey and extract helpful insights. Together we surveyed 1,000 small business owners and 1,000 consumers.
Check out some of the most useful marketing statistics below (plus some bonus stats that you’ll only find here) to see what other business owners are up to and how they’re preparing for what’s to come.
To see more helpful marketing statistics, check out the full small business marketing report.
Want to learn more about how to make a website for your small business? Use a website builder like Wix to get started.
Statistics on small business challenges
Some age-old challenges still loom over our heads, even in 2024. Most of our surveyed users (53%) cite standing out in a crowded market as one of their biggest hurdles. Beyond this:
49% of SMBs say that budget is one of their biggest challenges in terms of marketing
47% of small businesses say that implementing the right marketing tactics is a hurdle
35% say keeping on top of trends has proven to be difficult
24% attribute “lack of expertise” as a major obstacle
Regardless of these challenges, many owners report growing more confident in their own knowledge and skills:
79% are confident in their marketing knowledge
63% feel more confident in their marketing knowledge now than 12 months ago
13% plan on investing more in their marketing efforts and training
Behind the scenes, 71% of business owners take care of marketing by themselves, often using tools like VistaPrint and Wix to simplify the work. Platforms like these offer automation, drag-and-drop tools and AI features to aid everything from website design to email marketing.
Key takeaway: One important element of future-proofing your business is investing in yourself. Invest in your own growth, so you and your business can stay ahead of relevant trends and best practices.
Traditional vs. digital marketing statistics
Despite the proliferation of AI-powered and other high-tech solutions, many business owners attest to the value of traditional marketing approaches. While digital strategies (like social media and email campaigns) offer broad reach and precise targeting, traditional methods (like print media and in-person events) help foster local connections and deepen their reach in niche markets.
In 2023:
28% of small businesses invested about 50/50 in both traditional and digital marketing
40% invested more in digital marketing than traditional marketing
32% invested more in traditional marketing than digital marketing
When asked about their top digital marketing channels:
60% reported success with social media ads
60% invested in their websites
50% focused on SEO
46% engaged in email marketing
As it regards traditional marketing:
50% invested in business cards
32% attended trade shows and events
31% spent on print ads
29% printed promotional materials
Key takeaway: While you don’t need to be everywhere at once, it’s wise to avoid pigeonholing yourself into one channel or audience by combining the best of both worlds—and thereby remain more adaptable.
"Right now, my primary focus is developing my newsletter. It’s a direct link to people that are buyers and supporters." - Wix user Daniel Dooreck, founder of Danny’s Mud Shop
Ready to try out some new marketing strategies? Wix has a suite of tools at your disposal like Wix SEO, free web hosting, logo maker or business card maker.
Gen Z marketing statistics
From talking to various consumers, it’s clear that Gen Z covets authenticity and social responsibility, with younger consumers seeking to support local small businesses more than any other age group. The challenge? Local businesses can be hard to find.
For small businesses, there’s a cry for better Gen Z branding and an ever-growing need to engage these younger shoppers in the spaces they inhabit, both online and offline.
When asked about their shopping preferences, our Gen Z respondents said:
46% buy from local small businesses once or twice a week
21% regularly and actively seek out new small businesses in their community
42% struggle to find small businesses in their area
61% balance offline with online shopping
32% discover new local businesses at events
Key takeaways: Gen Z consumers are conscious shoppers, with many valuing the impact of their purchases on their local communities. Make sure your business is visible to them and don’t underestimate the power of local marketing.
Social media marketing statistics
Our youngest shoppers grew up with social media; it's no surprise that they're using it for their shopping, too. That said, there’s a clear gap between how consumers are prioritizing social media versus how businesses are prioritizing it.
66% of Gen Z likes finding new local businesses through social media marketing
68% of Gen Z consumers have purchased products through social media in the last 12 months (compared to 45% of all consumers)
Yet, only 36% of small businesses see social commerce as a priority
Key takeaways: Gen Z are “social” shoppers, often discovering new brands and doing their shopping on social media. Tedious as it may seem, it’s a good marketing idea to diversify your sales channels and focus some of your attention on social commerce.
Try a social media design tool or a QR code generator to reach your audience in the social spaces they inhabit.
Shopping small—local commerce statistics
Being a small business has its advantages. Among them: consumers appear increasingly interested in supporting their local community. In fact, findings in the small business report show a shift towards hyper-personalization via personalized marketing and a renewed focus on shopping small. Surveyed consumers mention price, product quality and the simplicity of shopping face-to-face from a local vendor as core factors.
49% value the convenience and location of local shops
45% say the quality of products is superior
43% say the price for shopping with small businesses is better (or feel they get more value for their money)
41% want to support local businesses
38% wish to have a positive impact on the local economy
So how frequently are consumers actually shopping with small businesses?
40% of customers shop locally one to two times a month
36% shop with local businesses one to two times a week
11% aim to shop locally every day
Key takeaways: Focusing on your local clientele can build stronger relationships and repeat customers. When seeking marketing ideas and opportunities, sometimes less is more. Authenticity and meaningful connections matter.
What lies ahead in 2024?
So, what do small businesses have their sights on already for this year? A vast majority (78%) plan on spending more money on marketing, be it experimenting with new tactics or doing more of what has been working.
All in all, they report their biggest growth opportunities as:
24% expanding their web presence
23% increasing brand awareness
22% launching new products or services
And as it concerns their marketing practices, we found that:
40% plan to invest more in digital marketing
30% plan to invest more in traditional marketing
30% plan to split their investment 50/50
Only time will tell what will happen with the marketing landscape. But as always, these entrepreneurs remain ready to rise to the challenge and keep abreast of any changes.
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[Bonus] AI and marketing automation statistics
AI has become the darling of the tech world and has permeated nearly every industry we can think of. In business, AI has made it possible to automate time-intensive tasks, supercharging the productivity of small teams. From chatbots to predictive analytics, AI is now an invaluable, highly accessible asset.
This has led many small business owners to consider what marketing efforts should be automated. When asked what they’d benefit from most, they answered:
19% AI SEO tool
15% AI website builder
14% email generator
10% generated text
8% AI-generated image creation
8% AI-powered analytics
4% third-party app automation
Key takeaway: Use AI to your advantage. Test drive an AI website builder or other tool-of-choice that could assist you in ways that previously weren’t possible without a big budget or large team.
“AI is teaching us that humans don’t have to do everything…And soon we’ll see the experts—the people that are really good at their jobs, who are very creative or who have the most unique takes—will be able to scale themselves.” - Shachaf Rodberg, Wix marketing trend analyst
[Bonus] Online security marketing statistics
One thing few of us talk about (but really should): cyber threats. Small businesses with poor defense systems tend to be primary targets for these bad actors.
For small business owners, it’s vital to implement strong security measures that protect both you and your customers, who entrust your business with sensitive information every time they make a payment or sign up to your email lists (as examples).
We asked small business owners how important security integration and privacy platforms are for their marketing strategy, specifically protecting customer data and building trust.
53% of small business owners say that online security is a top priority
36% say that online security is somewhat important
8% say that it’s not very important and second to other priorities
3% say they think it’s unnecessary and don’t see the added value
Key takeaway: They say trust is earned in drops and lost in buckets. This is especially true regarding customer privacy; take measures to protect their data and identity at every stage of your relationship with them.
Of course, one misconception is that securing your website and digital assets is difficult. When you have a partner like Wix, you can rest easy knowing that website security is handled for you.