Small business owners and savvy marketers know that in order for your promotions and sales efforts to be most effective, you should know as much as possible about your potential customer; what their habits are both online and off, their income, commute habits, communication preferences, etc. 

This all helps paint a picture of their needs, and helps you determine at what point your products or services could be of use to them. This type of personalized data on your customer is incredibly valuable, and one of the reasons why big data is such a rapidly growing market. ​

Yet for most small businesses, finding the right customer at the right time using snippets of demographic and other consumer behavior data can be time consuming and hit-or-miss. Even the best, most thoroughly researched marketing campaigns only convert a small percentage of their target audience. 

A number of our small business clients come to us because they need a better web presence or want to begin marketing their business online. We hate to do it, but sometimes we have to pump the brakes, take a step back and discuss their branding. For most small businesses, "branding" may consist of their logo and perhaps a small set of preferred colors, and maybe, if we're lucky, some defined fonts and images. 

But the importance of your small business' logo cannot be overstated. The logo is often the first interaction and subsequent reaction a new prospect experiences when discovering your business. So the important question is: does it send the message you want to communicate about your company?

Here are five important social media marketing tips and tricks every small business should know to maximize their time and effort online:

This is it. The summer is almost over. August is upon us so let's kick your email marketing in gear before it's time to start planning your Holiday Season marketing strategy. Crazy, we know! But the good news is August is a great time to leverage the beautiful outdoor weather, summer vacations, and back-to-school activities in your email marketing content. If you're looking for ideas for how to end the summer season on a high note, these email marketing tips from Constant Contact should help make your business a hot spot in August.

In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law, and since then businesses, both large and small, have been required to make their physical business environment accessible to the differently abled. 

The ADA is a broad civil rights law that seeks to shut down discrimination, whether intentional or not, of those that need physical or cognitive accommodations to have equal access to state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, labor unions, and businesses. ​

ADA requirements apply to any agency, organization, or business with 15 or more employees. According to the law, these entities must make “reasonable accommodations” for employees that are disabled. But there is more you need to know to avoid running afoul of the law and ADA compliance when it comes to your small business website.

As a small business owner, deciding where to spend our marketing budget can be a challenge. On the one hand you may want to be everywhere and not miss an opportunity to woo potential customers. On the other hand, you need to be strategic about your digital marketing spend to ensure you squeeze the most marketing juice out of your campaigns. 

​So how do you discover where your potential customers are hanging out online and how do you engage them there? Luckily we've found some great data to share...

Have you ever gone into a brick-and-mortar store and been frustrated by the experience? Maybe the aisles were too narrow or the line at the checkstand was too long. Or perhaps the music was too loud or the staff just unhelpful. As shoppers, we understand that these negative customer experiences impact sales. But as small businesses are we looking at our web presence in the same light? If not, we should and here's why. 

Last year's statistics on blogging are pretty compelling. Blog posts continue to be among the top performing web pages for both business-to-business (B2B) companies and those businesses that target consumers (B2C).  

Don't take our word for it. Review the blogging statistics infographic from Gate 39 Media, a financial services marketing and technology agency . It's worth a look. And be sure to review the additional resources and tips below the infographic on how to get your small business blog started.