Digital has never before been so accessible. More platform and vendor options are available and marketers are getting increasingly empowered with knowledge and guidance on how to make the most of their investments. The democratization of digital has broken down barriers for small businesses. And because sophisticated SMB marketers know digital is not only where their customers are but where their competition is, they are embracing it like never before.

Most companies are SMBs. In fact, 99% of companies in the US have fewer than 200 employees. Small businesses play a critical role in our economy. More than half of job creation is created by small businesses. When digital tools are more accessible and inexpensive for SMBs democratization serves as a larger mission of improving the world’s access to economic opportunity.

As small businesses aim to grow they are increasingly investing in digital. LinkedIn has conducted extensive research to discover the characteristics that might transform a SMB’s growth trajectory. LinkedIn’s research has had a deep influence on how it is reshaping its advertising platform to be more attractive to SMBs, specifically pivoting towards an empowered customer business model.