Small and mid-sized businesses in Maryland are thriving by using digital channels to market and grow themselves, according to a report released today by Facebook and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This report builds from three national and state-level surveys conducted last year which show that 60% of small and medium sized businesses in the U.S.— especially minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses – perceive Facebook as an essential channel for growth, trade and hiring.

In Maryland, the report finds the following:

• 65% of small and mid-sized businesses in Maryland surveyed agree that Facebook is an essential tool for their business
• 38% of small and mid-sized businesses surveyed in Maryland say that Facebook has helped them hire additional employees to work at their business
• 65% of small and mid-sized businesses surveyed in Maryland believe that Facebook allows me to find customers in other cities, states or countries
• 81% of small and mid-sized businesses surveyed in Maryland believe an individual’s digital and social media skills are important when hiring, more than those who think where an individual went to school is important

The full report can be found here: https://www.uschamber.com/report/examining-the-impact-technology-small-business

“Small businesses are the engine of our economy and, at Facebook, we see real opportunity in the Chamber report to build on the investments we have made, for years, in small businesses and better serve them as a community,” said Aneesh Raman, Manager of Facebook Global Economic Impact Programs.“That’s why we are launching new programs that will help more small businesses in more U.S. cities get the training they need to grow their business online and help more underemployed and unemployed workers get the digital skills they need to be competitive in today’s economy.”

One example of a local business benefiting from increased usage of digital tools is a Baltimore-based company, Oyin Handmade. When its ownercreated the personal care line specializing in natural, moisture-intensive products in 2001, she grew solely by word of mouth and developing a strong following among internet-savvy customers. By 2013, the brand had landed national distribution deals with large retailers like Target, Sally's, and Rite Aid; and Facebook has been there to help them grow their business.

Oyin Handmade now utilizes Facebook’s Local Awareness ads to drive foot traffic to its store, as well as website conversion ads to send people to the website. Oyin Handmade also recently started using FB Live to connect with customers to help contribute to its growth and success.

You ceconomy.fb.com.