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Facebook has published the latest version of its State of Small Business Report,which looks at how COVID-19, and the related mitigation efforts, are impacting SMBs around the world.

The data, which Facebook has been tracking since July last year,incorporates responses from more than 30,000 small business owners across 50 countries, and highlights the key concerns and challenges they face as each seeks to maintain its operations.

The insight is valuable for virtually every organization, as the flow-on effects from SMBs will relate to spending in almost all aspects of the economy, and will influence market spend and focus moving forward.

As noted by Facebook:

"Impacts on SMBs can have wider ramifications for the macroeconomy: on average, SMBs account for 75% of employment in sectors directly affected by lockdown measures across OECD member countries."

That makes this an essential, influential consideration.

You can download the full, Global State of Small Business update here, but in this post, we'll look at some of the key data points and charts.

First off, on overall operating impacts - Facebook says that 24%of the SMBs surveyed reported that they were closed in February 2021, which is up from 16% of business closures in October 2020.

As you can see here, European SMBs were among the hardest hit, which coincides with strict lockdown measures in various EU nations.

As per Facebook:

"Closures also rose in the US, from 14% in October to 22% in February. Only 54% of SMBs were confident in their ability to continue operating for at least 6 months if current circumstances persist, with a higher percentage (68%) among SMBs in the US."

While the vaccine roll-out is now underway, and seemingly,there's now an end in sight for the pandemic, the full economic impacts will be far-reaching. And as underlined by these numbers, the extended effects are still causing flow-on disruption, and financial strain, in many regions.

Of those that are still open, over half of still-operating SMBs reported a decline in sales in January 2021, in comparison to the same period last year. And in response, 30% of SMBs - and 27% of US SMBs - have reduced their staffing levels.

Again, the extended impacts of this will flow through to virtually all businesses, as fewer people with available money to spend means less transactional activity across all sectors. It's difficult to fully outline or predict how that will impact individual sectors, but the pain of COVID-19 will be felt for some time, even after the majority of vaccines have been administered.

Facebook also notes that women and minority-lead businesses have been hit especially hard by the pandemic.

"At the time of the survey in February 2021, 27% of women-led SMBs were closed in the global sample, compared to just 21% of men-led SMBs. In the US, a similar gap was observed, with 25% of women-led SMBs reporting they were closed, compared to 20% for men-led SMBs."

Minority-led SMBs in the US, meanwhile,were 9 percentage points more likely to have been closed, with 27% closed compared to 18% of other SMBs.

The stats underline the need for dedicated measures to assist women and minority lead businesses, which is why Facebook, and other social platforms have launched a range of initiatives on these fronts. The numbers show that we, as a community, need to support these groups specifically, and anything that can be done to promote women-owned and minority-lead businesses is a worthy push.

The report also looks at digital adoption among SMBs as a result of the pandemic, with a significant majority of SMBs reporting that they had changed at least one aspect of the way they operate as a result of the impacts.

"Of these, processes for interacting with customers were the most commonly reported change, at 33% globally and 46% in the US. Over one quarter of SMBs (26%) also reported that they had changed their utilization of online tools."

With the lockdowns forcing most stores to close, at least for some period of time, adoption of digital alternatives has been a must, and this chart shows where SMBs are seeing the most benefit, and focus, for digital adoption, including social media marketing.

There's a heap more insight in the full report, which you can download here. As noted, this is critical insight, given the flow-on impacts of the sector, and how it relates to the broader economy. It pays to understand these shifts, and to see where things are headed among SMBs.

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Facebook Shares New Insights into the Impacts of COVID-19 on SMBs - Social Media Today

Despite seemingly losing some of its shine as the leading social platform of choice, Facebook continues to see the most daily usage, according to the latest findings from Pew Research.

For its 2021 social media usage survey, Pew interviewed 1,502 US about their social media habits, providing an overview of key trends and shifts in social media platform adoption and usage. Which, given the events of the last 12 months, has been impacted significantly, with most platforms seeing a rise in usage - but as noted, Pew's data reveals that the big players remain in charge, even with other apps gaining some ground.

First off, on overall usage, Pew reports that YouTube and Facebook remain the most popular social apps, by a big margin, among US users.

As explained by Pew:

"YouTube and Facebook continue to dominate the online landscape, with 81% and 69%, respectively, reporting ever using these sites. And YouTube and Reddit were the only two platforms measured that saw statistically significant growth since 2019, when the Center last polled on this topic via a phone survey."

That's interesting - while Facebook's usage share hasn't changed since Pew's last update, YouTube has gone up 8%, while Reddit adoption has increased 7% among survey participants. That underlines the rising potential of Reddit, which has gone to significant effort to clean-up its platform and improve its mainstream appeal, with a view to expanding its revenue opportunities.

If you haven't considered Reddit in your planning, it may well be worth a look. It's still not seeing the same level of overall adoption as the other major social apps, but it is rising, and it could be worthy of consideration.

As you can see, Pew's data also shows that 40% of US adults are using Instagram, and around 30% are on Pinterest and LinkedIn, while TikTok is now being used by 21% of the population.

But Pew does also note that Snapchat and TikTok are very popular among younger user groups.

"Even as other platforms do not nearly match the overall reach of YouTube or Facebook, there are certain sites or apps, most notably Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, that have an especially strong following among young adults. In fact, a majority of 18- to 29-year-olds say they use Instagram (71%) or Snapchat (65%), while roughly half say the same for TikTok."

If you're looking to connect with younger audiences, these are the apps you need to be exploring, while Facebookand YouTube have the greatest reach to the older population.

And as noted, while there's been some speculation about Facebook losing ground to other apps, as it becomes less cool and less fresh, Pew's data shows that it still sees the most daily usage, beating IG and Snap.

There are some additional considerations within this - as we've noted previously, further investigation would likely find that while people are checking into Facebook every day, the amount of time they spend in the app, on average, is also likely in decline.

Facebook has become a key connective tool for many - you rely on it to keep you informed of key events in the lives of friends and family, including birthdays, announcements, etc. That means that most people do check into Facebook each morning, but many would also be spending more time consuming content on Instagram or TikTok, where there tends to be more engaging, immersive options to spend your time these days.

That's anecdotal - Facebook's doesn't provide data on time spent in app, while the usage of Facebook Groups would also see a lot of people still spending a lot of time engaging on Facebook instead. But it does seem that while Facebook remains a critical connective tool, more users are spending more time elsewhere. We'll have to wait and see if Facebook reveals any further insight on this.

In terms of further notes, Pew's data also shows that

These are some valuable insights into the latest usage trends, which may help to shape your approach to digital marketing and outreach. The numbers point to exactly where your target market is most likely to be present - so if you're not active on those platforms as yet, it's time to get moving, and update your strategic approach.

You can read Pew Research's full "Social Media Use in 2021" report here.

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New Data Reveals the Latest Social Media Usage Trends, Including the Rise of Reddit, TikTok and Snapchat - Social Media Today

Kristina: We are a year into the pandemic - how are marketers and retailers coping at this point?

Stephanie Cegielski, Spokesperson, ICSC: After a year of the pandemic, we've seen retailers fully embrace and adapt to new trends that have emerged. While the sector still needs support, retailers have been remarkably adaptable and resilient. Two top trends in particular included the growth of click-and-collect services and safety measures. Our recent B2B survey found nearly three-quarters of smaller retailers implemented click-and-collect offerings as a result of the increased demand for safe shopping experiences. Similarly, in 2020, 72% of retailers and CRE owners saw increased operational costs due to implementing safety protocols. Another ICSC survey found 85% of consumers will continue to wear a mask in public and social distance even once they're fully vaccinated - suggesting many of those measures will remain in place even as consumers return to stores. Overall, retailers have seen years of change condensed into a few short months - and while the retail landscape is challenging, many are poised to succeed in the long run.

Matt Ramerman, President, Sinch for Marketing: Surviving this past year has meant focusing on strengthening existing customer relationships at a time when consumers are inundated with brand communications on every channel, from email to SMS to social media and back. This ushered in an extremely accelerated adoption of digital marketing solutions to deliver 24/7, always-on engagement, ensuring seamless customer service without sacrificing the user experience. Customers in 2021 expect connections with their favorite brands to be instantaneous, personalized and easily accessible on their preferred channels. This is a permanent change, and brands must adapt their strategies to provide greater customer personalization than ever before.

Kristina: Where do you see retail going over the next 6-12 months?

Stephanie: Over the next 6 months to a year, we anticipate the retail industry returning to somewhat normal levels of activity, as do nearly 60% of Americans. Following the rise in digital services, it's expected that retailers and CRE owners will continue to invest in these offerings. ICSC's B2B survey found roughly 50% of retailers and CRE owners have invested in technology and digital infrastructure - and as many have found success with click-and-collect and other strategies, we expect these to remain a huge factor moving forward. Additionally, we anticipate a continued rebound in retail sales as vaccinations increase and the pandemic subsides.

Kristina: Matt, what about marketing?

Matt: The biggest shift will be to two-way conversational marketing, the process of activating two-way channels (i.e. SMS, or messaging apps such as Instagram or Facebook Messenger) to support marketing campaigns and programs so customers can respond directly to brands. With a few clicks, customers can open chat sessions with brands to customize offers, shop for the right product and resolve customer service inquiries. It's been a step in the right direction to see brands meeting customers where they are in their SMS inboxes. However, without allowing for a true back and forth between the customer and the brand, marketers aren't getting the most out of customers' most-used mobile channels. It's time for brands to surrender some control in the marketing process by incorporating consumers' specific needs into personalized conversations and allowing them to drive the back-and-forth.

Kristina: What implications do you see, moving forward?

Matt: Despite the evolution of consumer preferences when it comes to how they access products, services and information, brands are still relying on one-way, high-frequency "spray and pray" campaigns to drive conversions. It is critical for brands to change their mindset from one-way push to conversational, as relinquishing some control to customers can in turn create stronger relationships and yearslong loyalty, bringing this new kind of omnichannel engagement and customized, two-way communications to the mainstream.

Stephanie: Moving forward, we anticipate the convergence of digital and physical retail to continue. According to ICSC's B2B survey respondents, there will also be a rise in click-and-collect demand. Over the next 12 months, 62% of retailers expect an increase in the number of online orders to be fulfilled in-store, 61% expect an increase in retail floor space to be used for warehousing, 63% an increase in parking lot space for online order fulfillment, and 61% plan to increase staffing dedicated to accommodating online order fulfillment. We also believe safety measures at retail and CRE locations will continue including social distancing, click-and-collect options, hand sanitizing stations, and more.

Our recent economic survey uncovered 82% of consumers expect businesses to continue health and safety precautions. Therefore, despite mask mandates being lifted in several states and vaccine rollout fully underway, retailers must still prioritize safety to draw consumers back.

Tags: advertising, covid-19 business, covid-19 trends, ecommerce, ICSC, mobile marketing, pandemic marketing, Sinch for Marketing

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Experts: A year after the pandemic, here's how we're coping - Ecommerce - BizReport

Classical liberal, thought leader, guitar-bothering divorce meme Laurence Fox launched his campaign to be London mayor this week, standing for the Reclaim party. Whats he reclaiming? Probably not his deposit. Remarkably, the actor read his big launch speech off some paper, which is surely the equivalent of not being off-book for opening night. You cant help feeling it would have taken the edge off Laurence Oliviers Henry V if hed had to get a couple of prompt cards out before addressing the troops at Agincourt.

Still, I expect we get the Laurences we deserve. I am here to reclaim your freedom, read Fox. Again, learning his lines for Braveheart allowed Mel Gibson to make a similar promise, at the same time as controlling the skittish horse he was riding and still having a fist free to raise in the air at the end. Not being word-perfect sadly closed off that avenue to Laurence Fox. Any British politician raising a fist full of crumpled A4 looks like theyve just appeased Hitler.

It used to seem unutterably lame, the lengths to which David Camerons Conservatives would go to avoid being outflanked by a man of the calibre of Nigel Farage. That now looks like an era of lofty idealism, given that Boris Johnsons Conservatives look like theyre trying to avoid being outflanked by a man of the calibre of Laurence Fox.

But this is where we are. Every time some cabinet minister rushes eagerly to the frontline of the culture wars, they are espousing a politics indistinguishable from that of a preposterous tit having a midlife crisis. Yet still they rush. It is beginning to feel as if the government wants a culture war more than anything.

This weeks race report appears a case in point, with the manner in which its release was seemingly deliberately designed to produce the least conciliatory or even thoughtful headlines on a hugely sensitive issue. This, it turned out, was also the moment Samuel Kasumu Boris Johnsons senior adviser on ethnic minorities confirmed his resignation to colleagues.

Despite Downing Streets attempts to jolly this news up, there is no way to read it other than unfavourably. Kasumu had previously sought to resign over his belief the government was pursuing a politics steeped in division; and confirming he was doing so just as they were playing their big race report in the divisive way they chose is never going to look like the seal of approval.

Needless to say, housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, was straight out of the traps to explain that racism was something that happens on social media, not in Britains institutions. Perhaps he was thinking of equalities minister Kemi Badenoch instituting a Twitter pile-on against a black journalist, which predictably drew the writer in question huge amounts of racist abuse. As Kasumu had written in his earlier resignation letter: I believe the ministerial code was breached. However, more concerning than the act, was the lack of response internally I waited, and waited, for something from the senior leadership team to even point to an expected standard, but it did not materialise. Clearly it never did.

Expected standards have never bothered Robert Jenrick either. The first rule of the governments culture war is that it has to be fought by the ones who look like their earliest relationship with the flag was being given a wedgie with it at school. Jenrick, Oliver Dowden, Gavin Williamson, Milhouse Van Houten this is the pool from which your generals are drawn.

These are chaps intensely relaxed about giving the appearance they care more about statues than women bringing in new laws to make the penalty for defacing the former worse than the average sentence for raping the latter. Reminder: precisely one statue in the country, itself long contentious, has been toppled in the past year. Those accused of felling it are already due to stand trial under existing law. So when the furlough ends in the autumn, and the scale of the UKs road to recovery becomes clear, let the record show that the actual secretary of state for communities chose to spend on such total nonsense. Let the record show that the actual culture secretary turned his thoughts away from a collapsing arts sector to pick some fantastically babyish and irrelevant fight with the National Trust. Dowden even went on the telly to demand that TV drama The Crown carry a disclaimer saying it is fiction. Is the culture secretary honestly saying that it isnt the real Princess Diana up there in my tellybox? Like every other viewer he apparently regards as a complete imbecile, I refuse to believe it.

The trouble with culture wars is that the entry requirements are so low but the stakes are so high. For a government supposedly big on the past, this one fails to understand even recent American history. To simplify, for their benefit: turning everything into an insanely polarised binary ends badly. Whether you play with this box of matches because its cheaper than real policies, or because it energises your base, or for some other reason, it always ends badly. Do you remember the orange man? It ended badly. It remains a mystery quite why Britains politicians should be stoking culture wars mere months after just one of their logical conclusions was laid bare for the world to see. Absolutely no good comes of this stuff, and governments should be bigger and better than it.

If they arent, then perhaps a disclaimer ought to preface every ministers increasingly unhelpful and incendiary forays into the culture wars: The following scenes do not contain public service.

Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnist

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The culture war is a box of matches the UK government can't help playing with - The Guardian

Next in the culture wars: Vaccine passports

As the ranks of the inoculated in the U.S. grow, businesses, schools and politicians are considering vaccine passports digital proof of vaccination against the coronavirus as a path to reviving the economy and postpandemic life.

But the idea is raising knotty moral and legal questions about whether businesses and schools can require them and whether the government can mandate vaccinations or stop organizations from demanding proof.

The answer to these questions is mostly yes, but the issue is fast becoming a political one. Vaccine passports are shaping up to be the next big clash in the American culture wars.

Today, the Republican governor of Texas barred many organizations from requiring proof of vaccination, following a similar move in Florida. Lawmakers in Pennsylvania, Arkansas and elsewhere have begun drafting legislation that would ban or limit vaccine passports. Some Republicans say the passports are Democratic overreach, socialism or an intrusion on personal liberty and private health choices.

Many organizations and businesses, however, see the passports as a way to keep employees, customers and others safe and are pushing forward. A number of universities have already said they will require proof of vaccination from students this fall, and airlines are trying out apps showing the vaccination status of pilots and crews.

Some countries have moved to institute national vaccine passports. In Israel, the Green Pass system has allowed a return to something similar to prepandemic life, as vaccinated individuals are free to go to concerts and restaurants and gather in groups. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced yesterday that Britain would create Covid certificates that would give holders access to public areas like nightclubs and to sporting events.

In the U.S., the Supreme Court has declared, in two separate cases, that government entities can largely require vaccinations for entry, service and travel. Private companies can also largely refuse to employ or do business with anyone they want, although states can probably override that by enacting a law barring discrimination based on vaccination status.

President Biden appears reluctant to wade into the fray, after signing an executive order to assess the feasibility of producing digital vaccination documents. The White House has said that it will not be pushing to pass a federal mandate and would leave vaccine passports up to the private sector, mystifying some local and state heath officials who want the federal government more involved.

In China, which has largely contained the coronavirus outbreak and made big strides in returning to normal life, many people just dont feel the urgency to line up for a vaccine. Others are wary of Chinas history of vaccine-related scandals, a fear that the lack of transparency around Chinese-made Covid-19 vaccines has done little to assuage.

Thats where the ice cream comes in. In Beijing, vaccinated people get buy-one-get-one-free cones. Elsewhere, local governments have published poems and warned parents that if they refuse a shot, their childrens schooling, future employment and housing were all at risk.

They say its voluntary, but if you dont get the vaccine, theyll just keep calling you, said Annie Chen, a university student in Beijing, who relented after she received two vaccine entreaties from a school counselor in about a week.

The all-out blitz appears to be working. Over the past week, China has administered an average of about 4.8 million doses a day, up from about one million a day for much of last month. The authorities hope that 560 million people will be vaccinated by the end of June about 40 percent of Chinas population.

Despite the surge in vaccinations, China still lags far behind dozens of other countries. Though the country has approved five homegrown vaccines, it has administered 10 shots for every 100 residents. Britain has administered 56 for every 100; the United States, 50.

Heres a roundup of restrictions in all 50 states.

U.S. coronavirus cases have increased again after hitting a low late last month, and some of the states driving the upward trend have also been hit hardest by variants.

A new study found that many children who never had Covid-19 symptoms later developed a mysterious inflammatory syndrome.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the risk of infection from contaminated surfaces, while not impossible, was very low, generally less than 1 in 10,000.

In The Atlantic, a writer explored memory, storytelling and how we will define the experience of living through the pandemic for future generations.

Swedens initial approach to the pandemic was unique, largely avoiding virus restrictions and mask requirements. The New Yorker looks at how the country has fared one year on.

Playing without capacity restrictions for their home opener, the Texas Rangers hosted the largest American sports crowd of the pandemic.

Researchers found that fan attendance at N.F.L. games led to episodic spikes in the number of Covid-19 cases in the surrounding community.

As some people start to shake off coronavirus precautions, those who are waiting their turn for a vaccine say the FOMO is real. Its like when every friend is getting engaged before you.

My uncle died from Covid complications in December, so for my family and so many others, we will grieve long after the pandemic is over. There is a sadness in my moms voice that was never there before. He was her younger brother and weve been unable to have a service for him. People are so excited to go out and get back to normal, but for so many of us, there is no normal, we will forever be a statistic. Its been difficult seeing so many people who dont take Covid seriously or wont get the vaccine. That has been something Ive really struggled with. Ive learned during the pandemic the only thing that really matters in life is holding close to your loved ones.

Sunnie Haeger, Denver

Let us know how youre dealing with the pandemic. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter.

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Amelia Nierenberg contributed to todays newsletter.

Email your thoughts to briefing@nytimes.com.

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Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today - The New York Times