Social media is quickly becoming the biggest marketing platform for small business. Still, even though most social media sites are free to use and easy to operate, businesses are still hesitant to jump on the social media bandwagon – this includes the tanning industry. “According to a recent report from Hiscox USA, 14 percent of small business owners said they didn’t know enough about social media marketing to launch a campaign,” says RICG.com, a full service marketing firm.

While 14 percent may seem like a small number, it’s large enough to draw some attention. Many small businesses have little to no social media presence, relying on word of mouth or more traditional methods. This can be dangerous as the younger generation gets the majority of their information from the Internet, not from traditional sources. Think about salons in your area: How many of them do you think have a Facebook page or Twitter account? Now think about your salon: If I Googled it, what would I find about you?

If you’re feeling anxious about either of these questions, Facebook has developed a new tool just for small businesses to help them navigate the murky social networking waters. Facebook for Business gives small business owners the tools to help them launch successful social media campaigns, develop strategies and analyze the results. This new program is perfect for first time social media users, or for those who have accounts but don’t know where to go from here.

To read the entire RICG.com article, click here.