Small businesses are facing immense challenges during the COVID-19 crisis, and supporting them is critical to the well-being of entrepreneurs, communities and the economy. As many businesses remain closed, social media serves as an online “Main Street.” The shift to doing business online is more urgent than ever.

People are eager to support their favorite local restaurants, shops, and other small businesses that make their community special. That’s why Facebook is announcing new ways for people to support and discover small businesses.

 Highlights include:

Businesses Nearby - To help people find essential products and services quickly, Facebook has created a way to easily connect people with local businesses. Through Businesses Nearby, people can learn what’s happening with their neighborhood shops, message them, or order food and buy goods from them through third-party apps. 

Business Resource Hub - Businesses can now access COVID-19-related information, business tools and best practices in the Facebook and Instagram apps. This real-time, in-app information helps businesses more quickly take steps to move their business forward. These complement Facebook’s existing Business Resource Hub and can be found in the shortcuts on the Facebook app and through businesses’ profiles on Instagram.

Stickers - Show your support with the  “Support Small Business” sticker on Instagram Stories to encourage communities to shop local. Other accounts will be able to see who’s been using the sticker to support small businesses through a shared Instagram story, raising overall awareness about the importance of supporting SMBs.  

Hashtags - Add the new #SupportSmallBusiness hashtag on Facebook posts to increase visibility and support small businesses through these, particularly challenging times.                              

One great example is a Georgia small business called Baby Love, owned by Lauren Hise, which offers a range of eco-friendly products for parents and children. Hise also created “Georgia Pregnancy Support,” a group on Facebook that offers information, encouragement, and support for women during pregnancy. https://www.facebook.com/groups/gapregnancysupport/about

Facebook has also recently rolled out new capabilities across its platforms to help make it easier to support small businesses including the launch of gift cards, online food orders, and fundraisers all on Instagram.