What role does Social Media play in Small to Medium Enterprises and Business Startups?

<p dir="ltr">This dissertation is published in the Krystie Maddox Lue Award Journal for Best Media Dissertation, which celebrates and showcases exceptional final-year dissertations produced by students reading for one of the degrees in media studies at Edge Hill University.</p><p dir="ltr">This study explores how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and business startups utilise social media, the associated risks, how these risks are prioritised, the individuals behind SMEs and startups, and their impact on the community. The literature review found that many of these areas are under-researched, indicating a need to fill these gaps. The study employed a multi-method quantitative approach using a single questionnaire with closed-ended questions and open-ended questions to enhance the understanding of SMEs and startups. The questionnaire was distributed to 100 SME and startup owners, managers, and marketing professionals across the Northwest of England, and 33 responses were obtained, with the majority being small SMEs that had been in operation for 1 to 3 years. The key findings revealed that privacy concerns were the main social media risk faced by SMEs and startups, and to mitigate these, they need to strengthen the use of GDPR, OSA, ASA, and a framework to guide their work, such as Diffusion of Innovation Theory, to help them adapt to new technologies. The key findings also revealed that SMEs and startups positively impact the community as they are involved in numerous ways, and all of this is mainly driven by passion.</p>