Facebook is down, it’s really big news because the site just won’t load. It happens to startups like Twitter and FourSquare as they grow rapidly, but for a site that has been relatively stable – it shouldn’t happen. It’s the stability that we count on, to connect with consumers, to play farmville, to power our websites?! You got it, Facebook is down, that means Facebook Connect too. Now, all those great integrations that we heralded as amazing and innovative, are useless. For example, take a look at the Levi’s Friend’s Store and RedBull Integration. MORE >>

One of the greatest things about social media is that it brings people together. There are so many people I consider friends, but have never met. We chat online, we work together, and help each other out. It’s all made possible because of the Internet. Some of my most profitable partnerships have happened because of the networking I’ve done online. credit. What is Networking? So what exactly do I mean by networking ? Think about it like going to an awesome party and being the center of attention, shaking hands, making friends. The web is a giant party. The Power of a Strong Network. MORE >>

Have you heard the news? Google just bought Zagat ! It’s an undeniable signal that local marketing is becoming more and more important. So why did Google buy Zagat? Simple, it’s a feature rich platform that includes reviews and group deals. More importantly, though, Zagat has a huge data set of reviews and already has a strong offline presence. It’s clear that the acquisition is smart for Google, but what does it mean for your small business? Table of Contents. Local Marketing is Becoming More Relevant. Reviews are Important: Convince Your Customers. Integrating Offline and Online Marketing. MORE >>

Building a social media hub is easy, but making it an effective marketing tool requires forethought and an outlined strategy. Some tactics are easier to execute over others, but in the end it’s important to build a hub that is not only functional, but also sticky. The following recommendations should help you start thinking about potential integrations and strategies for your branded hub. Supercharged Blog. Don’t let your hub be static. never changing social media hub is a waste of resources. Your hub needs to be continually updated and offer users a reason to come back often. MORE >>

You’ve probably heard of search engine optimization or SEO, but aren’t actually sure what it is or how it can help you. SEO is setting up your website in a way that allows search engines to easily decipher the site. This can include optimizing your website’s title tags, header tags, and inbound links; important signals that search engines use when ranking a site. The goal of SEO is to have your website appear in search results pages for keywords that your consumers are looking for. Table of Contents. Understanding SEO. Maximizing Online Visibility. Capturing Organic Leads. MORE >>