Facebook announces sponsorship of Small Business Week

Social media giant Facebook is reaching out to small business owners with an announcement that it will be hosting "boot camp-style events" after the conclusion of Small Business Week, which runs from May 12-16. The goal is to bring together small business owners and entrepreneurs to learn how Facebook can be used for their marketing efforts. 

The events are scheduled from June to August, as to not interfere with any of the Small Business Administration's pre-planned seminars and information sessions during the week. Facebook hopes that these events will help them break into the lucrative small business advertising market and boost sales of ad space on their site. Greg Sterling, an analyst with the mobile technology research service Internet2Go, told ABC News that large digital companies like Facebook and Google have had a difficult time convincing small businesses to invest in advertising.

"Many of them are struggling just to provide regular content updates or to understand how to use social media, let alone become masters of social media advertising," Sterling said. Facebook has begun targeting these business owners who are pressed for time and resources by improving their ad buying process, making it easier for business owners unfamiliar with the technology to use. 

Facebook claims it is used by 25 million small business users worldwide. Workshops are planned in New York on June 3, Miami on June 19, Chicago on July 10, Austin, Texas, on July 24, and Menlo Park, California, on August 5.

Businesses that are struggling to increase their marketing or advertising budgets can save overhead by taking advantage of On Point's virtual office and virtual assistant services. Also, be sure to check out On Point's own Facebook page to learn more about networking events in the Tampa area and to read about the latest achievements of On Point's clients.