Future of Business Survey
In partnership with the World Bank and OECD, the Future of Business surveys millions of small businesses on Facebook biannually, more frequently than most business surveys. We share country level data from this survey openly, providing policymakers, research institutions, and nonprofits with an up-to-date, global view of online small businesses' challenges and expectations.
Features
Timeliness
Historically, administrative surveys about small businesses take place about once a decade. In 2016, Facebook, the World Bank and the OECD began gathering insights from small business owners on Facebook in about 20 countries. The Future of Business survey now runs in over 90 countries twice a year, offering insights far timelier than those available in administrative surveys.
Global reach
The Future of Business Survey is conducted in over 90 countries in every region of the world, including 33 countries in Europe, 19 countries in Latin America, 15 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3 countries in the Caribbean, 5 countries in Central America, 20 countries in Asia, and all of North America.
Gender insights
The Future of Business also provides a unique window into women-owned small businesses, surfacing sex-disaggregated insights on small business ownership by country, as well as asking questions meant to better understand challenges specific to women, such as whether they have a role model and or access to formal financing.
Who Uses Future of Business Survey
Laver and Wood, a small business in New Zealand that builds cricket bats, uses Facebook to increase awareness of its brand.
International Institutions
The World Bank and the OECD have been partners in the Future of Business since its inception. Both organizations have used the survey to understand trends in small business ownership, including the state of women-owned small business and how women choose which industries to operate in.
Think Tanks and Universities
Domestic think tanks and universities can also use the Future of Business to explore small business trends specific to their nations.
Researchers and Academics
The Future of Business helps researchers and academics analyze the state of small business and corresponding economic outcomes in a given area. Using this survey data, they're able to gain insights on factors important for economic growth, such as small business export activity and how firms view national business regulations.
GIGM.com, a transport company in Nigeria, uses Facebook to recruit drivers. Facebook has helped the company grow from...
Pelli Poola Jada, a woman-owned business in India, uses their Facebook Page and customer photos to improve their...
A small business employee in Italy prepares coffee for his customers.
Case Studies
In the News
Get Involved
Country-level statistics for the Future of Business can be found on the Humanitarian Data Exchange here. If you're interested in becoming a Future of Business research partner and accessing record level data, please email futureofbusiness@fb.com.