While a majority of small businesses prefer to DIY their digital advertising (58%), this doesn’t mean that these DIY SMBs don’t use agencies for other advertising purposes. A typical SMB uses multiple channels (6-12) on average for advertising and marketing. 14% of SMBs who preferred a DIY model for digital advertising reported working with an agency and nearly 18% were planning to do so in the next 12 months.  And 51% of DIY SMBs reported that they have paid for 3rd party assistance in updating their online properties.

BIA/Kelsey looks at the survey sample in two distinct groups: Core SMBs (those with an average annual advertising budget under $25K, average 9 employees) and Plus Spenders (those with an average annual budget over $25K and average 19 employees). When looking at smaller, budget-conscious Core SMBs they greatly prefer DIY digital advertising models, while the higher spending Plus Spenders were split between  DIY or DIWM/DIFM models.

Overall  in our Local Commerce Monitor™ (LCM) survey of small- and medium-sized businesses  58% of the SMBs surveyed prefer a Do-It-Myself (DIY) model for digital advertising, while only 19% prefer an assisted model.

If you’re interested in Do-It-Myself SMBs, Do-It-With/For-Me SMBs, and the differences in their advertising and marketing trends, keep your eyes pealed for upcoming reports on these subjects from BIA/Kelsey. Contact us to get a complimentary Executive Summary of each report as soon as they are available.