Only 24% of small businesses have a social media strategy

But there is hope, according to a survey compiled by Small Business Trends. Though nearly half of small businesses don’t use social media at all, many small-business owners either have plans to start within the next year (22 percent) or currently use social media in an ad hoc fashion (29 percent).

The barriers to entry on social media are fairly low, so why don’t more businesses use it, and doing so with some degree of strategy? Social media experts and small-business consultants weighed in.

The roadblocks

Suzi Sherman, owner of Delphic Growth Academy, says she sees three major obstacles that keep small-business owners from going all-in on social media. Marketing is hard as it is, she says. When you don’t know what to say to the audience you’ll find, it’s hard to get started. Plus, technology is daunting and fast-moving.

Then there’s the big one: the cost, in terms of both money and time.