Small Business Trends

For small businesses, technology is becoming more important than ever. But the number of tools available to the small business entrepreneur have also increased. From public policy decisions to strategy and skill, how well small businesses are able to use these tools determines their success both individually and in besting the competition. Here is the small business news wrap up for April 16, 2010 from Small Business Trends.

Tech

Israel bans iPad? With Israeli entrepreneurs clamoring to create new apps for the device, the government won’t allow the device and is confiscating those already in the country. Yahoo! News

The most toys. Robert Scoble discusses mastering the gadgets of the new media to get your message out. The Rise To The Top

A new weapon in the search ranking war. Patrick Gavin and do-it-yourself optimization from DIYSEO. smallbiztechnology.com

Online

Is your Web presence annoying people? Just like a brick and mortar location, your Website is part of your brand so try to see it through the eyes of users. Visible Logic

Small business meets “avatar.” Are you marketing your brand in the virtual economy? WSJ

Keep your content management system in perfect balance. Avoid these mistakes that will disrupt your Website’s “chi.” Ikon Marketing Group

Operations

How does a small business work with wholesale suppliers? First, set your business up correctly within legal parameters, an expert recommends. Business.gov

Small businesses share how to secure a government contract. Advice: Start small and be persistent. Open Forum Innovation

What challenges do you face as your business grows? A new study shows distinct transformations in a small business as the number of employees increases. Small Business Trends

Marketing

How is marketing without a Website like getting a cheap tattoo? Both can lead to less than impressive results down the road, says one entrepreneur. Young Entrepreneur Blog

What can small businesses learn from Subway’s Famous Fan Twitter promotion? Do you have someone influential to talk up your brand? The Franchise King

PPC pitfalls. Pay per click campaigns can be extremely effective when marketing your business, but watch out for potential problems that may damage their effectiveness. Playng In Traffic

Marketing lessons from rapper Lil’ Wayne. How content and distribution for your message can be an unbeatable combination. Catalyst Marketers

Workplace Culture

Keep your small business out of trouble with a high quality work environment. It’s true that providing a great workplace has awesome fringe benefits beyond happy workers. Winning Workplaces

Five big distractions in a home based business. And a simple plan for staying focused while working from home. PSPrint