Almost $5000 now the typical social spend for an SME

Nathan Smith's reception and event venue, Duart Homestead, is located in the small Victorian country town of Maffra.

When he started posting renovation photos online the response brought home the reach and opportunity presented by social media.

"We are doing up the old stables as a bed and breakfast and I am taking photos of the progress and they are getting 5000 hits which is the entire population of Maffra," he says. "People are so engaged in following what is happening."

Savvy use of social media has helped Smith grow his business which now employs 15 people and turns over more than $500,000 a year.

"People like to read a story, they don't like to be sold to," Smith says. "If you can take them on a journey I find you get a lot better feedback."

Record social media use

Duart Homestead's enthusiastic adoption of social media is reflected around the country with the proportion of Australian businesses with a social media presence reaching record levels according to the 2018 Yellow Social Media Report released on Tuesday.

The annual survey of 1000 small and medium businesses, which was previously the Sensis Social Media Report, found 51 per cent of small businesses and 58 per cent of medium businesses have a social media profile. Read more

Cara Waters - Brisbane Times - 26 June 2018