Voice assistants can be mistakenly turned on in a number of ways, a new report suggests, with 49% of people accidentally summoning a voice assistant such as Siri and Alexa by pressing the wrong button.

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 8, 2020 — Sixty-four percent (64%) of voice search users have accidentally accessed their voice assistant in the last month, according to The Manifest, a small business news and how to website.

Nearly half of these false positives (49%) were triggered by users pressing the wrong button on their smart speaker or mobile device, resulting in embarrassing and awkward social situations.

For example, Minnesota State University senior Joshua Liljenquist faced embarrassment after Siri accidentally turned on during a class. …

People on all sides of the political spectrum see fake news on social media as an issue, and nearly all social media users (97%) are confident they can recognize fake news on these platforms, a new survey finds. Experts disagree, though, especially as technology creates increasingly sophisticated deceptive content.

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 5, 2019 — People are aware of fake news on social media and are confident in their ability to spot it, according to a new survey from The Manifest, a business news and how-to website.

The 2020 U.S. presidential election is approaching, bringing more attention to the saturation of fake news on social media platforms. …

Consumers’ interactions with brands on social media influence their buying decisions — 67% of consumers have made a purchase after seeing an advertisement on social media. However, a new survey finds that not all platforms hold the same weight in people’s buying decisions.

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 7, 2019 — People turn to Facebook more than any other social media platform to inform their buying decisions, suggests a new survey from The Manifest, a business news and how-to website. This trend occurs even though anti-Facebook sentiment, such as the #DeleteFacebook movement, continues to gain momentum.

Consumers are more likely to make a purchase from a brand they follow on Facebook (52%), than on Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and Reddit combined (48%). …

Only 36% of Generation Zers (ages 13–17) use Facebook at least once a week, compared to 87% of millennials, 90% of Generation Xers, and 96% of baby boomers, according to a survey of social media users in the U.S. While Facebook’s user base trends older, other platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat have younger user bases.

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 2, 2019 — Facebook is generally considered the pinnacle of social media success boasting the most active users, but its reign as the “king” of social media may come to an end as younger generations favor more visually-driven platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat, suggests a new survey from The Manifest, a business news and how-to website. …

Most small businesses use online platforms such as social media and email to communicate with customers. Yet, 1 in 20 small businesses (5%) use exclusively offline channels to relay messages to customers, and 23% use a combination of online and offline communication channels, suggesting offline communication methods aren’t obsolete.

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 6, 2019 — While many industries focus on popular online platforms such as social media and email to communicate with customers, more traditional channels can still be effective for small businesses looking to stand out, suggests a new survey from The Manifest, a business news and how-to website.

Twenty-three percent (23%) of small businesses use direct mail with at least one other online channel, and one in 20 small businesses (5%) use direct mail only. …

New findings suggest that not enough small businesses advocate for their brand in ways that allow them to build their online reputation. Small businesses that want to exercise greater control over their online reputation must first claim control over their brand’s online narrative by encouraging customers to leave positive reviews and sharing positive content about their brand on social media.

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 2, 2019 — Although 53% of small businesses actively manage online reviews by publicly responding to them, less than half of small businesses proactively promote their own brand online, according to a new survey from The Manifest, a business news and how-to website. …

Only 36% of small businesses had an SEO strategy going into 2019, and nearly two-thirds were most likely to prioritize social media marketing, which does not have a proven direct impact on search rankings.

WASHINGTON, April 10, 2019 – Seventy-eight percent (78%) of small businesses with an SEO strategy claim they are confident in their understanding of SEO best practices, according to a new survey from The Manifest, a business news and how-to site.

Despite this confidence, 63% of small businesses prioritize social media marketing over key SEO activities such as local search and on-site optimization. …

Most small businesses (63%) will increase their investment in social media, indicating small businesses view social media marketing as a high return digital marketing channel that expands their brand and secures customers, a new survey finds.

WASHINGTON, DC, March 21, 2019 — It’s nearly unanimous among small businesses: Invest more in digital media, with an emphasis on social media to boost brand awareness and generate customer leads. That is the finding from a new survey from The Manifest, a business news and how-to website.

Ninety-five percent (95%) of small businesses are committed to spending more on digital marketing in 2019.

Nearly two-thirds of small businesses (63%) will increase spending on social media, and 54% will invest more in their business’s website.

SEO, however, appears to be less of a priority for small businesses: Only one third (35%) will invest more in that channel. …