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In this post, Chris explains what's become the standard method for distributing blog content to a growing group of followers. Hopefully, at some point all of this will lead to referrals and somebody will hire you. While the model is sound, the fact is that content marketing continues to evolve and you should always think about the fact that others are doing the very same as what Chris is recommending above. His overview, however, is a good start to getting your blog more noticed Read More

How important is social media---Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.---to your small business? Well, not necessarily as important as some of your core activities like providing services and products as this amusing video reminds u Read More

Scott Fox posts regularly here at BizSugar, but I thought I'd take a moment to highlight this particularly great video he's created for his online business community, great because it states something that should be obvious to everyone in small business, but perhaps isn't. You WILL need to market your product or service and market it well to stand out from the crowd and be successful in your small business. Marketing is not a dirty word. It MUST be part of your business plan. DON'T make the mistake of thinking a great product or service will market itself. Make sure you have a plan for how to get the word out. Read More

If getting people to comment on your blog has been an ongoing problem, you may be interested in this advice specifically aimed at WordPress bloggers from Heather C. Stephens a.k.a. the "clever marketer" about how to give a very clear SEO incentive to those who leave comments on your blog. Heather has even gone so far as to create a badge and recommend that you use it to promote this incentive as a way of encouraging more comments. What is this incentive. Read Heather's post to find out more.. Read More

Online marketer Chris Pirillo gives his tips on startup based on his own experience launching an online business over a decade ago. His number one tip? No one knows your small business the way you do, so make sure, above any advice you might receive from anyone else, that you understand fully what is involved in making your business a success and understand what it will take to accomplish this. Chris's advice does not negate getting advice from others, including successful entrepreneurs, or reading and gaining as much information as possible about the market you are seeking to enter or about the basics of running a small business in general. It's simply that, when it comes to starting your own business, you must view any advice you receive in the light of your own business model to decide what is likely to work for you and what is no Read More

Could Boise, Idaho, be the new hot bed of small business growth in the U.S. Why not your home town no matter how large or small? Search giant Google claimed in an early post of its new small business blog that an estimated $72 million had been generated by business in Idaho using its online advertising tools and sited other recent reports on the growth of small business in Boise as the reason for a recent visit. How are you using the tools of the Internet to leverage your small business in your own home town? We would love to hear your story. Please leave it in the comment section below. Read More

Could a deal reportedly being hammered out between Google and Verizon spell trouble for small businesses marketing content online? One news report (in the New York Times) claims the agreement could allow different tiers of service for content providers. The story claims "Google and Verizon, two leading players in Internet service and content, are nearing an agreement that could allow Verizon to speed some online content to Internet users more quickly if the content’s creators are willing to pay for the privilege." Could this mean having to pay an Internet provider for faster loading of your content, something likely to benefit larger companies with deeper pockets? Google is denying some of what has been reported and both companies claim the move won't affect the level playing field enjoyed by all content providers and users (including small businesses and their customers.) What do you think Read More

Seth Godin may have come up with the ultimate training manual for customers of businesses large and small. It's only one post long and can result in customers who are either the most pleasant to deal with or those who we all dread for whom nothing is ever right. The secret, Seth says, is that the ones you get depend upon you Read More

Listen to the BizSugar interview with Anita Campbell and yours truly at Small Business Trends Radio and check out this post on the importance of businesses being social, something near and dear to our hearts here at BizSugar.com. We'll be switching the link at the top of the blog post to the archived version of the show after the live Web cast. Looking forward to all of your comments Read More

Some small businesses can be founded with one market in mind only to find a totally different market where their products and services are much better accepted. One example is Matt Paxton, whose four-year-old company Clutter Cleaner started with the idea of relocating seniors only to discover a much better market in aiding "extreme clutterers," those who collect so many things it begin interfering with their lives. Read More