Small Business Advice Blog

“Social media is fast becoming an essential part part the marketing mix for brands. Companies are increasingly using social tools to monitor conversations about their products, competitors, and industry, and engaging with their customers to build strong relationships. According Forrester Research’s most recent Interactive Marketing Forecast, social media marketing will grow at an annual rate of 34% -– faster than any other form of online marketing and double the average growth rate of 17% for all online mediums.”

Check out this new post from Pam Dyer @ Pamorama:

“On the Internet, it’s been said, nobody knows you’re a dog. And if you happen to be a dog groomer? You’re lucky if anyone even knows you exist. Fewer than half of all U.S. small businesses have websites or advertise on the Net, Nielsen Online reports, even though most consumers search online for local shops and services before picking up the phone or leaving the house.

Now, dog groomers, car detailers, and other neighborhood businesses have a host of new options for raising their profile online. Hundreds of new services have cropped up, aiming for a piece of the $17.5 billion that consultancy BIA/Kelsey says U.S. small businesses will spend on Net ads this year. By 2014, BIA estimates, that figure will grow to $36.7 billion, a quarter of all local advertising. “There’s an increasing sense of urgency around having an effective online marketing strategy,” says Court Cunningham, CEO of online ad agency Yodle, which caters to small businesses.”

Read More: Local Business Search

Here is an interesting posting based on findings from the “2010 Social Media Marketing Industry Report.”

Read More:

• Social Media Benefits

• Social Media Marketing Industry Report