What is a Facebook “like” worth to a small business? For Colorado craft brewery New Belgium Brewing its 400,000 Facebook fans are worth $50.7 million annually, accounting for half the brewery’s sales, according to survey results reported in USA Today. Poll results revealed the average Facebook fan of New Belgium spends an average of $260 per year on their products.

The No. 3 craft brewer in the nation garnered more Facebook fans than the No. 1 and No. 2 craft breweries in the country—Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada, respectively—thanks to a social media strategy that focused heavily on local communities. New Belgium spent $235,000 last year on its social media presence, enlisting local salespeople (named “Rangers” after one of New Belgium’s beers) to update local Facebook pages across 28 states and Washington, D.C.

“With these pages that essentially become Ranger blogs, we’re really able to talk about what we’re doing locally,” said Adrian Glasenapp, New Belgium’s director of advertising and social media. “They highlight the fact that we have sales reps who live in these communities and work with local nonprofits [offering sponsorship].”

A thoughtful and targeted social media strategy allowed New Belgium to get a leg up against larger competition. Could your small business use the same advantage?

The U.S. Chamber has partnered with Facebook and the National Federation of Independent Business to offer “Small Business Boost” road shows across the country. Find out more about these events and how you can connect directly with marketing experts from the Facebook team to learn how the effective use of social media can help grow your business.