Top Small Business Tips and Advice Stories from 2014


top small business tips

These are some of the top small business tips and advice stories that caught your attention this year. Enjoy the top titles from 2014 here on Small Business Trends.

Top 10 Social Media Plugins for WordPress

social media plugins for wordpress

Facebook, Twitter, Digg, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn and more — social media channels are one of the most effective methods of spreading the content on your WordPress site. You can share your content on your own social channels, of course. But with the right plugins you can also encourage your visitors and fans to do the same. Here are 10 social media WordPress plugins you’ll definitely want to check out for your site.

The 20 Most Fun Self-Employed Jobs

fun self employed jobs 7

What are the most fun jobs in the world? A site called Ranker at least has compiled a popular consensus. (You might call it a crowdsourced guide to the most popular jobs on the planet.) But what’s also interesting is how many of these jobs can be done by a self-employed person or solopreneur. Here’s the list of the 20 most fun self-employed jobs. Is there one here for you?

Fast Answers About 1099 Forms for Independent Workers

IRS building - 1099 forms

Hey, U.S. small business owners, if you’ve hired independent contractors or service providers this year, you probably need a special tax form called the 1099. The form comes in several different flavors depending on your situation. There’s the 1099-INT form to report interest income from your bank. But as a small business owner, it’s the 1099-MISC you’ll need to worry most about. Here’s a quick look at the 1099 form for independent workers as tax time approaches.

20 Apps You’ll Need for Better Instagram Pics and Videos

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Adding photos and video to your content marketing campaign is another way to capture your audience’s attention. And Instagram has become the go-to tool for creating an image-rich social channel with little investment or advanced skills needed. But the humble smartphone photo may occasionally need some oomph to take your brand message to the next level. Fortunately these experts have some suggestions including 20 apps that will help you bring your A game on Instagram.

How to Maximize Your Facebook Reach — Without Paying for It

Facebook alert

With so many posts and limited space, you can expect the organic reach of your Facebook channel to keep shrinking. That might be good news for Facebook. The company is now selling ads and promoted posts that will help your message get above the noise. But don’t assume that you’ll be forced to pay for your Facebook exposure from here on out. Here  are some tips to help you continue to grow your organic reach on Facebook. And it may cost a lot less than you think.

13 Creative Ways to Use LinkedIn for Lead Generation

linkedin for lead generation

LinkedIn is a platform known for its business-focused social networking features. But can it be used to increase the size of your list of prospects too? 13 members of the Young Entrepreneur Council tell you how they use LinkedIn as a way to generate leads. Prepare to never think of LinkedIn in the same way again.

Wow Your Staff With These 18 Clever Employee Gift Ideas

employee gift ideas

You know how important your employees are to your business. In many cases they are the first line of contact with your customers. And they also are often responsible for helping to maintain the output of your products and services. So when it comes time to reward them above and beyond for all they do — say, with an extra special holiday gift — how do you show you appreciation? Here are 18 clever employee gift ideas you’ll want to remember.

Top 10 Interview Questions to Ask Prospective Employees

top interview questions to ask

Bringing on new employees can be tough. You don’t want to bring in people who will just prove to be a bad fit and have to be let go. But how do you go about separating the good from the bad, especially if their resumes show them to have the necessary credentials? Here are 10 interview questions that will let you determine whether a candidate is right for you.

10 Tips For Organizing Your Small Business This Year

organizing your small business

Organizing your office does not involve just one step. After all, the mess and disorder that has crept in making your business less efficient didn’t happen all at once either. Here are 10 tips for organizing your small business. They include getting rid of, recycling or donating much of your clutter and wiping the slate clean. What a great time to look at a project like this as one year ends and another begins. Out with the old and in with the new!

13 Tools that Will Make Your Most Tedious Business Tasks Disappear

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Sometimes productivity comes down to the time you have in a day. And if that time is being sucked up by tedious tasks — let’s say anything from collecting important data from multiple sources to managing your email — you’re probably getting less done. The solution is to find a better way to manage these time-consuming but important tasks. To get you started, here are 13 tools that will handle your tedious tasks for you. The result is added time for more important aspects of your business.

21 Often-Overlooked Ways to Generate Leads Online

ways to generate leads online

Are you missing out on any additional business your company could already be pursuing? It’s possible. There are so many ways to find customers out there. Here are 21 often-overlooked ways to generate leads online. Start using these and you may get a jump on your competition faster than you think.

Do You Tell Yourself These Common Entrepreneur Lies?

entrepreneur lies

There’s a difference between staying positive and telling yourself lies that might adversely affect your business. Ignoring the truth about a problem will not help a business grow. In fact, it could cause you to succumb to unrealistic expectations. And these may eventually damage your business beyond repair. Here are 7 lies many entrepreneurs tell themselves. Do any of them look familiar?

Hopefully, this roundup of tips and advice stories has helped you decide on ways to improve your own business in 2015. Let us know what tips were most helpful to you.

Advice photo via Shutterstock

3 Comments ▼
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  1. Amazing & inspirational ideas shared to make small businesses flourish even under the cut throat competition. But keeping track of companies finances holds the maximum importance.

  2. Which top story got the most shares during 2014?