Effects of social media usage on the speed of international growth of an international new venture

The introduction of social media tools in entrepreneurial ventures has had a strong impact on their ability to access international networks, increase their competitiveness in foreign markets and improve their performance. Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, studies capturing the impact of social media usage on the internationalization process of International New Ventures (INVs) are lacking. We empirically analyze how social media usage influences the speed of the international growth of INVs in different phases of growth. Our results reveal that during the company’s introductory phase, social media has a primary role in heightening the speed of internationalization. However, in more mature phases, the need for direct sales personnel and personal relationships increases. This ensures the company’s insider position in international large account networks and guarantees a sustainable speed of international growth. Managerial implications are discussed as well as avenues for future research.