Common Marketing Pain Points for Small Business Owners

Small business owners often find modern marketing overwhelming. They juggle limited time, budget, and expertise while trying to promote their business, leading to many common pain points. In fact, a recent survey found 73% of small-business marketers lack full confidence in their efforts (Marketing Shy: Small Business Owners Often Lack Time For This Task 04/23/2024). Below we break down key areas – from websites to social media – and highlight the typical complications, obstacles, and misconceptions small businesses face in each.

1. Website Development and SEO

(20+ Essential Small Business Website Statistics [2023]: How Many Businesses Have A Website - Zippia) Reasons why many small businesses don’t have websites (survey data: top reasons include thinking a site is not relevant, cost concerns, using social media instead, and lack of technical knowledge).

Having a strong website and search engine presence is critical today, but small businesses struggle here more than most. A significant number still have no official website at all – at least 27% of small businesses don’t have a website (20+ Essential Small Business Website Statistics [2023]: How Many Businesses Have A Website - Zippia). The top reasons given are cost, reliance on social media, or simply feeling a website isn’t relevant to their business (20+ Essential Small Business Website Statistics [2023]: How Many Businesses Have A Website - Zippia). Even those with websites often have issues with site quality and visibility. Common pain points include:

• Lack of a Professional Website: Many owners either forego a website or DIY a basic one. This is often due to cost or technical barriers – some worry a website is too expensive to justify, and 15% feel they lack the tech know-how to create or maintain one (20+ Essential Small Business Website Statistics [2023]: How Many Businesses Have A Website - Zippia). The result is that a chunk of small businesses rely solely on social media or offline presence, which “limits lead generation, diminishes branding, and lacks credibility” compared to having a dedicated site (20+ Essential Small Business Website Statistics [2023]: How Many Businesses Have A Website - Zippia).
  
  
  
• Resource Constraints for Web Development: Building and updating a quality website requires time and money that small firms can rarely spare. The average small-business website can cost $1,000–$10,000 to set up (20+ Essential Small Business Website Statistics [2023]: How Many Businesses Have A Website - Zippia), and keeping it updated (mobile-friendly, secure, with fresh content) is an ongoing effort. With owners wearing multiple hats, website improvements often get postponed indefinitely. As one analysis put it, small companies usually have just one or two people “doing EVERYTHING,” so tasks like website optimization tend to be rushed or neglected (10 Reasons SEO Is Harder for Small Businesses). A small business owner might intend to blog or update pages regularly, but other pressing duties take priority and the site stagnates.
  
  
  
• SEO Knowledge Gaps and Misconceptions: Implementing search engine optimization is a major hurdle. Small business owners commonly misunderstand SEO or underestimate its scope. Some think of SEO as a one-time task (e.g. “we did SEO when we built the site”) rather than a continuous process of content creation, technical tweaks, and link-building. Others may focus on the wrong tactics or cheap “quick win” tricks. A lack of SEO expertise means critical basics (keyword research, on-page optimization, local SEO setup, site speed, etc.) are done poorly or not at all (13 Mistakes Small Business Owners Make When Using SEO) (Top 7 Small Business SEO Mistakes To Avoid - Seobility Blog). For instance, owners might not realize that neglecting things like meta tags, mobile responsiveness, or Google My Business can hurt their search rankings (13 Mistakes Small Business Owners Make When Using SEO). This knowledge gap leads to frustration when the website isn’t attracting traffic, and they’re not sure why.
  
  
  
• Fierce Online Competition: Even when a small business does invest in SEO, results come slowly, partly because they’re battling established competitors. On Google search results, big brands and long-standing websites tend to dominate. From a small business perspective, trying to rank feels like “a single soldier fighting a whole army” of larger competitors (Top 7 SEO Pain Points That Small Businesses Experience - SEOreseller). These companies have bigger budgets, stronger domains, and dedicated marketing teams, making it hard for a local business to break through. Google’s algorithms also tend to favor recognized brands and older sites (10 Reasons SEO Is Harder for Small Businesses) (10 Reasons SEO Is Harder for Small Businesses). This competitive imbalance means small businesses often get discouraged – they may not see SEO gains for months (if at all) and can lose confidence or give up on it prematurely.
  
  
  
• Technical and Ongoing SEO Challenges: Proper SEO requires technical upkeep and content updates that overwhelm many small teams. Search algorithms change frequently, and what worked last year might not work now. Keeping up with SEO trends (HTTPS, schema markup, core web vitals, etc.) is difficult when you don’t “live and breathe” search marketing. Unlike a big company with an in-house SEO specialist monitoring Google’s latest updates, a small-business owner is likely too busy running day-to-day operations (10 Reasons SEO Is Harder for Small Businesses). As a result, they may not discover critical issues (like a broken mobile site or missing meta descriptions) that hurt their Google rankings. “Real SEO takes a lot of time,” as one report emphasized, but time is a luxury most small businesses don’t have (10 Reasons SEO Is Harder for Small Businesses). This often leads to under-optimized websites and missed opportunities for traffic.
  
  
  

2. Digital Advertising (Google, Facebook/Instagram Ads)

Online advertising is another area filled with pitfalls for small businesses. Pay-per-click (PPC) platforms like Google Ads and Facebook offer huge reach, but they are complex to use effectively. Small businesses commonly face these pain points in digital advertising:

• Costly Learning Curve: There’s little margin for error with PPC – mistakes mean wasted dollars. Unfortunately, inexperience leads to many inefficient campaigns. One common scenario is a business owner sets up ads but doesn’t actively manage them. As one marketer observed, “for business owners, the most common issue is that they ignore the ads… then realize they are losing money” (Owner Run Ads vs Ad Marketing Pro: What are common mistakes that you see business owners making in their ad accounts? : r/PPC). Owners may not know how to refine targeting or adjust bids, so they let a campaign run on autopilot, burning through budget on clicks that don’t convert. By the time they notice, much of the ad spend has been wasted. This often prompts them to panic and shut off campaigns early – sometimes “right when they finally have the actionable data they need” to improve results (Owner Run Ads vs Ad Marketing Pro: What are common mistakes that you see business owners making in their ad accounts? : r/PPC). In short, without expertise, it’s easy to dump money into ads and see little return.
  
  
  
• Platform Complexity and Constant Changes: Google and Facebook’s ad platforms are powerful but notoriously complicated. From selecting keywords, match types, and negative keywords in Google Ads to choosing objectives, audiences, and creatives on Facebook – it’s a lot for a novice to navigate. Small businesses often struggle with ad targeting mistakes. For example, using overly broad keywords (e.g. targeting the word “plumbing” nationwide when you’re a local plumber) or failing to add negative keywords can blow through a small budget fast on irrelevant clicks (Owner Run Ads vs Ad Marketing Pro: What are common mistakes that you see business owners making in their ad accounts? : r/PPC). These platforms also change frequently (new features, policy updates, algorithm shifts), which can blindside users who aren’t constantly reading the latest PPC news. Many owners feel the rules of the game keep changing on them.
  
  
  
• Low ROI and Burnout: Without proper optimization, paid ads might not yield profit for a small business, leading to skepticism about their value. In fact, 62% of small businesses feel like their paid Facebook ads are failing to achieve desired results (62% of Small Businesses Fail with Facebook Ads. Here’s How to Fix That). It’s demoralizing to spend on ads and get few sales or leads in return. Part of the problem is not tracking performance correctly – some don’t set up conversion tracking or analytics, so they don’t know what their return on ad spend is. But even those who do can find the ROI too low, especially if the ad budget is very limited. Small businesses might only afford a few hundred dollars a month on ads, which, if spent inefficiently, doesn’t generate much business. This leads to a common misconception or myth: “Google Ads (or Facebook Ads) just don’t work for us.” In reality the ads could work if properly managed, but many owners never get past an initially negative experience. Without clear success, they often abandon or severely cut back on digital advertising, missing out on a channel that competitors might be using to great effect.
  
  
  
• Advertising Budget Constraints: By definition, small businesses operate on small budgets. Competing in online ads against larger advertisers can feel like an uphill battle. Bigger companies can outbid them on popular keywords and saturate audiences with ads. Small firms must pick their battles and target more niche terms or local areas – yet owners may not know those strategies. There’s pressure to “make every dollar count,” and fear of wasting money may actually prevent experimenting with ads at all. This is a pain point in itself: a very cautious approach (due to budget fear) means the business never fully explores online advertising’s potential. On the flip side, those who do jump in might blow their budget quickly on broad campaigns. Striking the right balance is difficult without guidance.
  
  
  
• Ad Creative and Content Burden: Effective digital ads require compelling copy, imagery or videos, and continuous testing of different creatives. Small business owners often lack the marketing creatives or time to craft high-converting ads. They might throw together one or two generic ads (e.g. “Call us for [service]!”) and then wonder why customers aren’t responding. Larger companies can deploy professional copywriters or designers for ad campaigns; the typical small biz owner has to DIY it. Creating effective ad content – and updating ads regularly to avoid “ad fatigue” – is yet another task on their already full plate.
  
  
  

3. Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)

Conversion Rate Optimization – improving the percentage of website visitors who become leads or customers – is a modern marketing practice that many small businesses struggle to implement (or ignore entirely). Key pain points in this area include:

• Overlooking CRO as “Optional”: A big obstacle is mindset. Small businesses often see CRO as a nice-to-have, not a necessity. If they have limited bandwidth, they focus on driving traffic (via SEO or ads) and assume the website is “good enough” as is. There’s a misconception that some quick tweak will magically boost conversions, or that optimization is something only big companies need. Many “still believe that some quick fixes can do the magic” and thus underestimate the power of systematic CRO (Why Are Businesses Not Satisfied With Their Conversion Rates, And What Can They Do About It? | VWO). In reality, improving conversion rates is a process requiring analysis, hypothesis, and testing – but small firms seldom dedicate time or resources to this. This means they live with mediocre conversion rates that hamper their marketing ROI, essentially leaving money on the table from the traffic they do get.
  
  
  
• Lack of Expertise and Data: Optimizing conversions can be technical and data-intensive, involving A/B testing, user experience design, copywriting, and analytics. These skills are not typically in a small business owner’s toolkit. For example, running an A/B test on a landing page requires knowing how to set up the test, having sufficient traffic for statistically significant results, and interpreting the data – all quite challenging without experience in marketing analytics. Lack of technical knowledge is cited as a top barrier to CRO success (Why Are Businesses Not Satisfied With Their Conversion Rates, And What Can They Do About It? | VWO). Many small businesses simply don’t know what to change on their website to improve conversions (Is the call-to-action clear? Is the form too long? Are users dropping off at checkout?). Without a specialist or training, they are often guessing. It doesn’t help that, for some, website traffic is relatively low to begin with, making it hard to gather meaningful test results – an issue that can discourage them from attempting CRO at all.
  
  
  
• No Defined Process or Ownership: Because small teams are stretched thin, CRO tasks often fall through the cracks. In larger organizations, you might have a growth marketer or analyst responsible for optimization. In small businesses, there is usually no one explicitly in charge of CRO – in one survey, 41% of businesses said nobody was accountable for optimization efforts (Why Are Businesses Not Satisfied With Their Conversion Rates, And What Can They Do About It? | VWO). It’s easy to see why: the owner might assume the web designer handled conversion considerations, or they just never get around to it amid other duties. With no process (no routine of analyzing funnels or testing changes), improvements don’t happen. One month the site might try a new banner or a different promo, but then it’s left static for a year with no review of whether that helped. This ad-hoc approach means any conversion gains are accidental at best.
  
  
  
• Difficulty Interpreting Results: Even when small businesses make changes to their website or marketing funnel, they often aren’t sure how to measure success. For instance, a business might add a chatbot or change a headline to see if it brings more leads – but if they aren’t tracking conversions properly (e.g. set up goals in Google Analytics or use a CRM to track leads to sales), they may not know if it worked. This ties back to the broader challenge of measuring marketing performance: 33% of small businesses say determining what’s working is a major challenge (Marketing Shy: Small Business Owners Often Lack Time For This Task 04/23/2024). Without clear data, conversion optimization becomes shooting in the dark. Business owners can end up making decisions based on hunches or anecdotal feedback, which sometimes leads them to revert changes or implement the wrong fixes. This trial-and-error without guidance can be frustrating and yield little improvement.
  
  
  
• Limited Time for Long-Term CRO: True CRO is an ongoing, long-term effort – something that conflicts with the “quick win” mentality and urgent day-to-day needs in a small business. Conducting user research, running experiments, and iterating takes patience. Small businesses that do try CRO may give up if they don’t see an immediate bump in sales. There is also a tendency to focus on vanity metrics (like increasing website traffic) instead of conversion metrics, since bringing in traffic feels more tangible. Shifting focus to conversion quality requires time and strategic thinking that owners struggle to carve out. As a result, many small firms never fully realize better conversion rates; they might double their advertising hoping to double sales, instead of improving the website’s conversion rate which could drastically boost revenue from the same traffic.
  
  
  

4. CRM Setup and Utilization

Using a CRM (Customer Relationship Management system) to manage leads and customer data is a modern best practice – but it’s a pain point for small businesses from implementation to daily use. Common issues include:

• Low Adoption and Fragmented Processes: A lot of small businesses simply don’t use a CRM at all, relying on spreadsheets, email inboxes, or even notebooks to track customer info. “CRM adoption by small businesses definitely lags that of larger companies,” notes SMB experts (3 Biggest Problems Implementing a CRM System, and What to Do About Them | U.S. Small Business Administration). The consequence is disorganization: without a proper system, “sales leads fall through the cracks… opportunities disappear” because there’s no single view of the customer (3 Biggest Problems Implementing a CRM System, and What to Do About Them | U.S. Small Business Administration). For example, a customer might call once and express interest, but without logging it somewhere reliable, the business forgets to follow up. Many owners recognize this problem only after missing out on sales, yet they still hesitate to adopt a CRM due to other hurdles.
  
  
  
• Overwhelmed by Options and Setup: Choosing and setting up a CRM can be daunting. There are dozens of CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, etc.), each with different features and pricing. “It’s hard to figure out what different CRM systems do,” one SBA article notes – some are better for sales tracking, others for marketing, others for customer service (3 Biggest Problems Implementing a CRM System, and What to Do About Them | U.S. Small Business Administration). Evaluating them takes time that small biz owners don’t feel they have. The implementation process itself (importing data, customizing fields, integrating with email/web forms) can be technically complex. Many start the process and hit a wall configuring the software to their needs. Without an IT department or CRM specialist, even seemingly small hurdles (like setting up email syncing or automation workflows) can stall the project. As a result, it’s common for small businesses to sign up for a CRM and then not fully launch it.
  
  
  
• Cost and Complexity Fears: There’s a strong perception that CRM systems are too costly and too complex for a small business (3 Biggest Problems Implementing a CRM System, and What to Do About Them | U.S. Small Business Administration). Some cloud CRM plans are indeed expensive, especially those geared toward larger teams – and owners worry about paying for features they won’t use. They also fear that a sophisticated system will be overkill: “loaded with bells and whistles that can make it overly complex to implement in a small company” (3 Biggest Problems Implementing a CRM System, and What to Do About Them | U.S. Small Business Administration). This mindset sometimes leads businesses to stick with their simple but inefficient methods (like manual spreadsheets) because it feels safer. Unfortunately, by avoiding the CRM investment, they continue to suffer from lost leads and poor customer follow-up, the very issues CRM is meant to solve.
  
  
  
• Lack of Training and Team Buy-In: Getting a team to actually use the CRM regularly is another challenge. If the business has even a few employees, the owner might face resistance in adopting the new tool – people are used to their way of doing things. Insufficient training is a major hurdle; users might not know how to properly log interactions or pull the reports they need (Overcoming Common Challenges in CRM Adoption and Usage). Without clear processes, staff might input data inconsistently or not at all. Many companies end up using only a fraction of the CRM’s capabilities, essentially functioning as an expensive contact list. This leads to disappointment (“the CRM didn’t solve our problems”), when the root cause was low utilization. Poor user adoption is so common that an estimated 50–70% of CRM implementations fail to meet expectations (The Real Cost of Poor CRM Adoption - Lift-Enablement). For small businesses, after spending time/money on a CRM, seeing it not fully embraced can be frustrating.
  
  
  
• Giving Up During Implementation: A final pain point is that some small businesses abandon the CRM initiative before it’s fully in place. Setting up any new software and migrating data can be tedious. If not planned well, it can drag on and sap morale. It’s noted that many businesses get frustrated and “give up too early in the implementation process,” not budgeting enough time/resources for it (3 Biggest Problems Implementing a CRM System, and What to Do About Them | U.S. Small Business Administration). For instance, if a busy season hits or a key employee leaves during the rollout, the CRM project might be put on indefinite hold. This stop-start implementation means the company never realizes the benefits, after which the owner may conclude “this CRM was a waste” – a classic case of underestimating the effort needed to get over the initial hump.
  
  
  

5. Video Content Creation and Editing (Podcasting, YouTube, etc.)

Leveraging video – whether for YouTube, social media, or a podcast – is a highly effective modern marketing tactic. Yet, small businesses often hit a wall trying to produce video or audio content. Their main pain points include:

• High Production Barriers (Budget & Equipment): Creating professional-looking videos or podcasts isn’t cheap. You need decent equipment (camera, microphone, lighting), editing software, and ideally some production know-how. Limited budget is a major challenge – small businesses often can’t afford to hire videographers or buy top-tier gear (Guide for Small Businesses to Overcome Video Marketing Challenges - MarTech Cube). Unlike larger companies that have in-house video teams or can pay agencies, a small business might try to do it entirely in-house with a smartphone. While technology has made DIY video easier, achieving high quality still requires investment. Owners worry that without high production value, the content will reflect poorly on the brand, so some never start at all. Others start and then realize how time-consuming and costly even a short video can be.
  
  
  
• Lack of Expertise in Content Creation: Simply put, most small businesses are not media producers. “One of the biggest challenges… is the lack of expertise in creating high-quality video content,” as one report on small biz video marketing notes (Guide for Small Businesses to Overcome Video Marketing Challenges - MarTech Cube). Crafting an engaging video involves scripting, filming, and editing – skills that take practice. Small teams usually don’t have a dedicated video editor or on-camera talent. The business owner or an employee has to learn on the fly, which can lead to subpar results and a lot of stress. Being on camera or microphone can itself be a hurdle; not everyone is comfortable performing or speaking, and it may take many retakes to get usable footage. The steep learning curve here means some businesses churn out one or two rough videos, then get discouraged by the effort required to keep going.
  
  
  
• Time-Intensive Process: Even with low-budget methods, producing video or podcast content regularly eats up a lot of time – planning topics, recording, editing, and publishing. Small business owners already work long hours managing operations, so finding an extra 5-10 hours a week for content creation is extremely challenging. Limited manpower is a key issue: it’s hard to delegate video tasks when there’s no marketing department – it might just be the owner doing it on weekends. As a result, consistency suffers. They might publish a couple of videos, then fall off schedule because client work or emergencies take precedence. This stop-start consistency makes it hard to build an audience online. As one source pointed out, with “limited resources in terms of time, manpower, and technology, it can be a real struggle to create and distribute compelling video content on a regular basis.” (Guide for Small Businesses to Overcome Video Marketing Challenges - MarTech Cube) In other words, the scalability of a video strategy is tough for a small outfit – you can’t churn out weekly polished videos when you’re also the one running the business.
  
  
  
• Content Strategy and Ideas: Deciding what content to create is another pain point. Small businesses may not have a clear video content strategy; they might be unsure what topics their audience cares about or what format to use (educational how-tos, product demos, vlogs, interviews, etc.). Without a content plan, there’s a tendency to either produce overly salesy content (which doesn’t perform well) or to run out of ideas after a few episodes. Unlike big companies that conduct audience research or have creative teams brainstorm, a small business owner might be guessing at what viewers/listeners want. This can lead to a misconception that “we tried video, but it didn’t work,” when perhaps the content didn’t resonate. Developing a content strategy requires insight into the audience and creative thinking – bandwidth-constrained owners struggle to find time for this kind of planning.
  
  
  
• Editing and Technical Challenges: Even after footage is recorded, editing is a meticulous task that can be a headache for beginners. Learning to use editing software (like Adobe Premiere, Final Cut, or even simpler apps) isn’t trivial. Ensuring good audio quality, adding subtitles or graphics, and exporting in the right format are detailed chores that can become roadblocks. If the first few videos turn out rough (bad audio, awkward cuts), the business owner may feel the effort isn’t worth it. There’s also the issue of measuring video performance: “Measuring the ROI of video marketing efforts can be a daunting task, especially for businesses with limited resources and expertise in analytics,” as one guide notes (Guide for Small Businesses to Overcome Video Marketing Challenges - MarTech Cube). A video might get views or likes, but connecting that to actual sales or leads is often unclear. This makes it harder for a small business to justify continuing a video series, since they can’t easily tell if it’s helping the bottom line.
  
  
  

6. Social Media Management and Content Strategy

Nearly all small businesses recognize the importance of social media, yet executing it is fraught with challenges for them. In fact, 93% of small businesses report struggling with common social media marketing challenges (7 challenges of marketing a small business on social media). Here are the most frequent pain points in social media management:

• Insufficient Time and Personnel: Keeping up with social media is a daily commitment that small businesses find hard to maintain. Most don’t have a dedicated social media manager – 81% of small businesses have no marketing staff at all, meaning the owner or an employee is doing social posts on the side (7 challenges of marketing a small business on social media). This leads to inconsistent posting schedules and long gaps of inactivity when things get busy. It’s a massive limitation: with dozens of other tasks to handle, social media often falls to the bottom of the to-do list. One article noted that as a small business, no one expects you to match an entire social media team’s output – you might only be able to manage one or two platforms – and that’s okay (7 challenges of marketing a small business on social media). The reality is that limited hands on deck make it nearly impossible to execute an optimal social strategy (which ideally involves posting multiple times a week, engaging with comments, monitoring analytics, etc.). Many owners feel guilty for “neglecting” social media, but they simply don’t have enough hours in the day.
  
  
  
• Choosing the Right Platforms (and How Many): Another struggle is deciding where to focus. With Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube and more, small businesses are often unsure which platforms their target customers actually use. They may try to maintain a presence on too many of them and stretch themselves thin, or they may pick one platform but worry they chose wrong. The complexity of each platform’s culture and algorithm is also intimidating – what works on Instagram might not work on LinkedIn, for example. Small business owners frequently ask which social media is “worth it” for them, and without clear guidance, they can waste time on the wrong channels. FOMO (fear of missing out) sometimes pushes them onto a new trendy platform without a strategy, adding more workload. Conversely, some might avoid newer platforms due to unfamiliarity, potentially missing an opportunity to connect with a younger audience. This decision paralysis and trial-and-error in platform selection is a notable pain point, especially at the start of social media efforts.
  
  
  
• Content Creation and Consistency: Social media marketing demands a constant flow of content – posts, images, videos, stories, etc. Generating enough content ideas and executing them regularly is one of the hardest parts for small teams. “Coming up with ideas and creating enough content” is a known challenge; most platforms reward frequent posting (often daily or several times a week) (7 challenges of marketing a small business on social media). For a small business, that content cadence is tough to sustain. They might start strong for a month, then run out of ideas or energy. Quality can suffer too – under pressure to post often, content might become repetitive or low-value (“Happy Friday! We’re here to serve you!” every week). Without a clear content strategy, posts may not engage followers, leading to stagnant growth. About 19% of small businesses specifically struggle to increase engagement or grow followers on social media (93% of Small Businesses Struggle With Common Social Media ...). It’s frustrating to put time into posts that get few likes or comments. This can create a vicious cycle: lack of engagement discourages the owner from posting as much, which further hampers growth. It doesn’t help that creating visual content (images/videos) requires some design skill or tools, adding another hurdle for those not savvy in graphic design or photography.
  
  
  
• Understanding What Works (Analytics): Many small business owners are essentially marketing amateurs learning by trial. Running social media can feel like working in the dark with no feedback. “Sometimes, being an untrained small business owner turned social media marketer can feel like the blind leading the blind… how do you know what’s working and what’s not?” (7 challenges of marketing a small business on social media). This sentiment is very common – without diving into analytics, they don’t know which posts or strategies are effective. Some may not even be aware that each platform offers analytics tools for business accounts. So, they might judge success simply by eyeballing likes or follower counts, which can be misleading. Misconceptions arise, like equating follower count with actual business results, or not realizing that a smaller engaged audience is more valuable than a large indifferent one. The lack of clear KPIs or goals means many are just “posting and hoping.” This makes it hard to refine their approach. They might pour effort into a certain type of content that isn’t actually resonating, or they might abandon a platform without realizing a particular campaign did, in fact, bring in a few valuable leads. In short, the analytical side of social media – tracking clicks, conversions from social, engagement rates, etc. – is underutilized, leaving owners uncertain about ROI.
  
  
  
• Managing Engagement and Customer Expectations: Another pain point is handling the interactive nature of social media. Unlike static marketing channels, social requires monitoring and responding to comments, messages, and reviews. Small businesses can get overwhelmed by this, especially if they start getting inquiries on multiple platforms. Customers might expect quick replies on Facebook or Instagram; if the business doesn’t respond for days because nobody was checking messages, it harms their reputation. On the flip side, dealing with negative comments or public criticism on social media is stressful for a small business owner who may take it very personally. Many aren’t prepared with a policy or strategy for customer service on social channels. This “always on” expectation of social media can thus become a burden. Some owners even avoid engaging much out of fear of saying the wrong thing, effectively undercutting the “social” aspect of social media.
  
  
  
• Keeping Up with Trends and Algorithm Changes: Social media is an area that evolves rapidly – new content formats (Reels, Stories), trending topics, and algorithm shifts that alter who sees your posts. For a small business that’s not deeply immersed in the social media industry, it’s hard to keep up. What worked last year (e.g. getting decent organic reach on Facebook) may no longer work after an algorithm change that throttles unpaid posts. Adapting content strategy (like suddenly needing to create short-form videos because that’s what Instagram pushes) can feel like a moving target. Larger brands often have social media specialists who study these trends and adapt quickly. A small business finds out only when they notice their reach or engagement plummeting, and by then they may already be behind the curve. This leads to frustration like, “We were doing okay on Instagram, but now nothing we post gets seen and we don’t know why.” Keeping up with these changes requires continuous learning, which circles back to the time and expertise issues mentioned before.
  
  
  

Sources:

1. Ray Schultz, MediaPost – Constant Contact & Ascend2 “Current State of SMB Marketing” study (Apr 2024) (Marketing Shy: Small Business Owners Often Lack Time For This Task 04/23/2024) (Marketing Shy: Small Business Owners Often Lack Time For This Task 04/23/2024)
   
   
   
2. Zippia Small Business Website Statistics (2023) (20+ Essential Small Business Website Statistics [2023]: How Many Businesses Have A Website - Zippia) (20+ Essential Small Business Website Statistics [2023]: How Many Businesses Have A Website - Zippia)
   
   
   
3. SEOreseller blog – Small business SEO pain points (David Kauzlaric, 2022) (Top 7 SEO Pain Points That Small Businesses Experience - SEOreseller) (Top 7 SEO Pain Points That Small Businesses Experience - SEOreseller)
   
   
   
4. Elisa Gabbert, WordStream – “10 Reasons SEO Is Harder for Small Businesses” (2021) (10 Reasons SEO Is Harder for Small Businesses)
   
   
   
5. Reddit r/PPC thread – comment by u/snoozer39 on common owner mistakes in Google Ads (Owner Run Ads vs Ad Marketing Pro: What are common mistakes that you see business owners making in their ad accounts? : r/PPC)
   
   
   
6. Neil Patel blog – “62% of Small Businesses Fail with Facebook Ads” (2020) (62% of Small Businesses Fail with Facebook Ads. Here’s How to Fix That)
   
   
   
7. VWO (Ruchika Sharma) – “Key challenges to implementing CRO” (July 2024) (Why Are Businesses Not Satisfied With Their Conversion Rates, And What Can They Do About It? | VWO) (Why Are Businesses Not Satisfied With Their Conversion Rates, And What Can They Do About It? | VWO)
   
   
   
8. SBA Blog (Anita Campbell) – “3 Biggest Problems Implementing a CRM System” (2016) (3 Biggest Problems Implementing a CRM System, and What to Do About Them | U.S. Small Business Administration) (3 Biggest Problems Implementing a CRM System, and What to Do About Them | U.S. Small Business Administration) (3 Biggest Problems Implementing a CRM System, and What to Do About Them | U.S. Small Business Administration)
   
   
   
9. MarTechCube – “Video Marketing Challenges for Small Businesses” (Apr 2023) (Guide for Small Businesses to Overcome Video Marketing Challenges - MarTech Cube) (Guide for Small Businesses to Overcome Video Marketing Challenges - MarTech Cube) (Guide for Small Businesses to Overcome Video Marketing Challenges - MarTech Cube) (Guide for Small Businesses to Overcome Video Marketing Challenges - MarTech Cube)
   
   
   
10. Promo.com – “7 Social Media Challenges for Small Businesses” (D. Rogozinsky, Sep 2022) (7 challenges of marketing a small business on social media) (7 challenges of marketing a small business on social media) (7 challenges of marketing a small business on social media)