Fiverr Small Business Month Survey: Marketing Seen as Key Growth Driver, Yet 70% of Owners Spend Less Than Five Hours a Week on It

Core Insights - Small businesses face significant marketing challenges, particularly in brand awareness and customer retention, yet 70% spend less than five hours weekly addressing these issues [1][2] - The survey highlights three critical digital marketing priorities: building brand awareness (42%), creating engaging content (40%), and retaining customers (33%) [2] - There is a growing reliance on freelancers and AI tools among small business owners to manage marketing efforts due to limited time and resources [3] Digital Marketing Trends - Nearly half (46%) of small business owners utilize freelance services for their primary business, while 48% use them for side hustles [3] - Freelancers are primarily engaged for visual brand elements (45%) and strategic marketing services (28%), which are essential for establishing a business's marketing presence [3] - Small businesses plan to prioritize digital marketing investments through 2025, with 49% focusing on digital marketing and social media, 39% on branding, and 34% on content creation [8] AI Adoption - A significant majority (77%) of small business owners are currently using generative AI for various business needs, with only 17% not planning to incorporate AI tools within the next year [8]