Small and Medium-sized Businesses are using social media as a marketing platform more frequently. New data from Borrell Associates shows just how widely local advertisers are utilizing it, especially TikTok.
Borrell Associates designed a survey for local advertisers to share how they’re using social media, how often they’re using it, and which platforms they’re using the most to get their messages to consumers.
Of those surveyed, 87% said they’re marketing on social media in one way or another. The average local advertiser is using 2.5 separate platforms, while 25% are using four or more platforms.
Between 2024 and 2025, the app that saw the largest increase in usage from small and medium-sized businesses was TikTok. Its usage grew from 13% last year to 20% this year.
“If you think that’s a small number when you consider TikTok, one out of five SMBs are saying ‘Yeah, advertise on TikTok,’ when it was only 13% one year ago,” Borrell Associates Executive Vice President of Local Market Intelligence Corey Elliott said.
Elliott added that all social media platforms saw an increase in usage from local advertisers, except one. The Elon Musk-owned X platform saw 55% of respondents say they were decreasing their use of the platform.
Those surveyed shared their reasoning for why they were and weren’t increasing their spending on platforms.
“73% said ‘I’m increasing my spending on this platform, because I can reach more people,'” said Elliott. “Number two, at 46%, targeting capabilities. So is this what they see inside of YouTube and TikTok, reaching more people and targeting? Reasons you’re decreasing usage? Number one reason that I’m decreasing my usage, 37% said, because I’m reaching fewer peeps. Can you guess what the second biggest reason is? 30% said they can’t reach their target.”
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