Looking for a seasonal or holiday job? Find one on social media

Small business owners turn to social media to find seasonal workers, a new report shows

LOS ANGELES – Small businesses are looking to social media to find and hire seasonal workers, according to a new report released today.

Among these businesses, Gen Z and millennial small business owners are the most likely to do so, according to the Amex Small Business Trendex: Holiday Edition. This new report outlines major trends among US small businesses heading into the holiday season.

The report also shows that two in three small businesses surveyed say the holidays are important to their financial health.

This is especially true for the retail sector, which has the highest percentage of respondents citing the season’s importance (89%) compared to all small businesses (66%).

When asked for their top business goal this holiday season, 50 percent of surveyed respondents cited acquiring new customers as a primary goal. This surpassed the goal to “increase sales,” which was the second highest response with 44 percent.

Those surveyed within the retail industry reported “increase sales” as their number one response at 71 percent.

Holiday outlook

The new data shows how the holidays are critical for the small business sector’s financial health. It reveals how these companies are staying resourceful to bolster their businesses.

“The final months of the year are especially critical to ensure small businesses meet their revenue goals for the full-year,” said Anna Marrs, Amex Group president, Global Commercial Services and Credit & Fraud Risk.

“From embracing AI and social media to hire and attract new customers, to using these tools to boost growth, small businesses are finding ways to set themselves up for success.”

Gen Z and millennial small business owners

Small businesses are being resourceful and looking to social media to find seasonal workers. They also turn to social media to reach new customers of specific generations.

Among these businesses, Gen Z and millennial small business owners are the most likely to use social media as their top strategy for hiring seasonal workers (42%).

Small businesses are also turning to social media for marketing as well. More than 3 in 4 survey respondents are planning holiday-season marketing efforts. On top of their list are Facebook (82%), Instagram (63%) and YouTube (48%).

Seeing the greatest potential for growth, 58 percent of all surveyed plan to use social media to reach new millennial customers. Forty percent say they plan to use it to reach new Gen Z customers.

 Leveraging AI for the holidays

Younger small business owners are leveraging different tools to accomplish holiday goals, such as using artificial intelligence (AI).

Twenty-five percent – or 1 in 4 survey respondents – across generations plan to use AI this holiday season. Thirty-nine percent see the benefit in using it.  Fifty percent of Gen Z and 36 percent of millennial survey respondents plan to use AI this season.

“We have already started using AI in our social media and communications efforts,” said Amex customer Jeanniey Walden. She is a small business owner and the host and producer of the TV show LiftOff with Jeanniey Walden.

“AI is a cost-effective way to help build business and manage customer experiences,” Walden said. AI is making it easier for owners to prioritize their time where they should – on the customer, she added.

Forty-one percent of surveyed small business owners are generally prioritizing AI for their business. This is a 7 percent change from American Express small business July data survey with large small businesses (increasing +23%) and Gen Z/millennial-owned businesses (increasing +11%) leading the charge.

How the survey was conducted

The survey of more than 550 US small businesses was conducted from Sept. 27 to Oct. 5, 2023. The survey results were released today, Dec. 4, 2023.

The survey includes responses from 255 businesses with less than or equal to 10 employees; 202 businesses with 11-100 employees and 102 businesses with 101-500 employees.

Respondents included a combined 275 Gen Z and millennials (margin of error +/-7 percentage points).