Social Networking in Detroit

Crain’s Detroit Business reveals today (subscription required) findings from a survey conducted by the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM) showing that there is, so far, very moderate buy-in by Detroit’s small business community with respect to Web 2.0 social networking tools, such as Facebook, LinkedIn and countless others.

But no single category had an overwhelmingly strong showing. Only 13 percent of respondents answered that they often access forums and discussion groups, the most in any category, while 37 percent of respondents reported less-frequent use.

Only 6 percent reported often accessing social networking sites, with 20 percent saying they sometimes use such sites.

Small business’s reticence does not surprise me, as one who believes that these tools, in their nascence, have not yet revealed their ultimate B2B potential. Business will harness their power, for sure, but I think it’s premature to start defining “killer apps” or winners and losers just yet.

Meanwhile, the social networking site, Detroit Make It Here, launches today as a social networking voice for Detroit’s creative community.