Small Business Beyond Your Website


Even in the Internet era, starting a small business is more complicated than just setting up a Website. In this roundup, we look at tips and ideas for going beyond your Website presence, the digital equivalent of an “open for business” sign, and creating a business to which customers respond.

Online

What to do after your small biz Website is up. Whether your small business is mostly or completely online, or you use the Web to promote your brick and mortar business, getting the right Website up and running is certainly job one. Of course, you can’t just leave it there. Here are some steps to let others know about your new online home. The Work at Home Woman

Examining guest blogging options. One way to promote your new Website is to do some guest blogging on other sites related to yours and, let’s face it, time pressed bloggers at other sites will be grateful for your help. But be careful to choose the right sites to approach when looking for guest blogging options or you might be expending your time for nothing. Basic Blog Tips

Resources

Here’s an offer you can’t refuse. Lessons for every small business owner from the kingpin of all…er…entrepreneurs, the Godfather has some serious small business advice to impart. It may not be the conventional wisdom you’ve heard from other small business leaders, but be sure to listen closely, or you might wind up sleeping with the fishes. Open Forum

Three books for small business owners. Check out these overviews of three small business books you may want to nab for yourself or as a last minute Christmas gift for your favorite entrepreneur. From engagement with customers to management techniques and franchise ownership, there’s a little something for everyone. You’ll find titles here to appeal to a variety of small business interests. Small Business Trends

Tech Tips

Are organic links less valuable than they use to be? It sure seems like it according to this interesting infographic. If you’ve relied on organic links in the past, you may want to be aware of some of the major shifts happening in online marketing. What do you think is the most important consideration in online marketing today? SEO Book

Communications tech for your small business.  Communication is a huge issue for your small business and more communications tools have simply broadened your options. Your communications tools can even boost your sales, thus increasing earnings and improving your bottom line. So what communications do you use in your small business? Small Business Marketing Tools

Management

Family businesses beyond one generation. What makes a family business stand the test of time? Though many small businesses may not survive a single generation, the fact is that some can and do. What qualities do such  businesses possess and how do you sustain a business for your descendants? You’re the Boss

The debate is ongoing. So what would you say? Do banks loan enough to small businesses or not? For the longest time many economic advisers pointed to the failure of the banking industry to get behind small business and start loaning money, saying it was the main reason for sluggish recovery. But how accurate is this assumption? WSJ

Marketing

Marketing blogs through social media. One of the key ways to market your small business blog these days is social media. While SEO including linking strategies remains important, nothing can replace building relationships and getting others to help market your content while you market theirs. Social Drivers

Non-profits need to make a profit too. Whether it’s through donations only or by selling products they offer for fundraising purposes, most non-profits could learn a thing or two from the small business world. According to Martin Zwilling, there’s a feeling going around that non-profits are easier. Think again. Startup Professionals Musings

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  1. I really enjoy your daily article links – they are extremely useful and relevant to the small business owner! Please keep them coming!

  2. people think that once they create a website that they will simply get traffic . It never happens . Without suitable web marketing , a website is fundamentally an online business address

  3. Interesting article ‘Are organic links less valuable than they use to be?’ from SEO Book. Still doesn’t really answer many questions as to how we can fix it!

  4. Doing organic seo gives an edge over the many people who try to use other methods as most search engines gives attention to it….especially now with Google being very strict on the backlinks its worth doing a perfect seo campaign that wont compromise