There is no shortage of benefits when it comes to social media for small business.

There is a common misconception that social media is a tool best used by big businesses and multinational corporations. While it’s true that some of the best and most recognizable case studies happen to be from major brands, there is plenty of use when it comes to social media for small business. And that goes for both full-scale and small-scale programs.

Social marketing is a growing trend in all verticals and in businesses large and small. Each day, new businesses are adopting a social media program and seeing tremendous results. However, adoption is taking longer for some than for others, and understandably so. Social media for business is not fully understood by everyone and not a simple “plug-and play” style of marketing. That is particularly true when it comes to social media for small business. With all that small business owners need to manage and tend to, social media does not always make the cut. That’s a shame, because the benefits when it comes to social media for small business can be just as great, if not greater, than all those major case studies mentioned above.

Essentially, social marketing can level the playing field and place small businesses in a category where they never thought they were competitive. It also opens a new set of markets and potential that would have otherwise been closed off.

This infographic breaks down some of the more popular uses of social media for small business, where these companies are seeing some notable results and a few good lessons to take away if you are planning to incorporate social into your marketing strategy.

Take a look at the infographic and let us know how you or a colleague’s small business is using social media! Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!