Small businesses in the United States are poised to spend record sums on digital marketing this year. According to the latest industry data, businesses owners are feeling good about the new year.
So if you were anxious about the state of small businesses in America, a new poll by the National Small Business Association (NSBA) should put your fears to rest. It shows that over 70% of small business owners are feeling very positive about 2015, after a pretty good year in 2014.
For example, 45% of small business owners reported that gross sales and revenues were up last year, and 60% of those polled said that they expect the same in 2015 (as opposed to 15% who don’t). Those are some pretty good numbers, and show a healthy positivity among small business owners, the backbone of the economy here in the United States.
Even more positive were the results from a poll performed by The Alternative Board in December of last year. They found that 64% of small business owners worldwide saw an increase in business over the last 12 months and, even better, over 80% expected 2015 to continue the trend.
One bit of bad news, however, is that, according to eMarketer’s report summary, cyber-security remains a concern for small businesses around the world. In fact, approximately half of all small business owners said that they were the victims of a cyber-attack in 2014. Statistics indicate that, in 2015, those numbers are unfortunately going to increase as well. Worse is that the cost of a cyber attack, which in 2013 was approximately $8699 per attack, has risen sharply to $20,752, a 140% increase.
Still, as profits continue to increase and security continues to improve, 2015 should be an excellent year for small businesses, both here in the US and abroad.