Meta Launches New Assistance Tools for LGBTQ+ Owned SMBs

As part of the broader celebration of Pride Month, Meta has today launched a new mini-site, created in partnership with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), which aims to provide support and assistance for LGBTQ+ owned small businesses via a range of tools, case studies, events and more.

The new mini-site is primarily focused on video tips, with a heap of content related to business management, funding and more.

There are also featured case studies, which showcase how various LGBTQ+ businesses have seen success via Meta’s tools.

As noted, the initiative is another element in Meta’s Pride Month push, which also includes a range of stickers and effects on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger to help users take part in the celebration.

The focus on SMB-specific support stems from the latest data, which shows that almost a third of LGBTQ+ small business owners have reported losses of 50% or more during the pandemic. 

Of course, most SMBs have been hit hard in the period, but Meta also notes that LGBTQ+ businesses often face bigger challenges in securing assistance:

“While 80% of businesses impacted by the pandemic expect to make a full recovery this year, it will be harder for the LBGTQ+ community as they face more barriers and points of discrimination when accessing capital, community building and future planning due to intersectionality.”

The emerging economic downturn looks set to exacerbate that pain, and as such, all communities need support, and the dedicated assistance measures for LGBTQ+ companies is another element in that broader push. 

On another front, Meta has also released a new version of its ‘LGBTQ+ Cultural Guide’, which is designed to ‘educate and inspire authentic ways to support the LGBTQ+ community on our platforms and beyond’.

The 29-page guide includes tips on how to support LGBTQ+ communities, and insights into key trends and notes.

There’s a range of ways to show your support during Pride Month, and these tips provide additional guidance, both for businesses and regular users, in diversifying your spend, and helping to amplify the key messages of the event.

You can check out Meta’s new LGBTQ+ mini-site here and download the 2022 Global LGBTQ+ Cultural Guide here.