Having been around the web for many years, I have seen a lot of changes but most of it is regurgitated and repackaged promotion of the same tools maybe with a few more widgets but there are only so many ways you can do what has already been done.

AOL pioneered chat, keyword promotion through search and many of the same tools we use today but call by a different name.  MySpace was the hottest ticket in town just a few years ago but when I ask my 20+ year old kids what the difference is between MySpace and Facebook... not a heck of a lot they tell me.  So as things come and go, I watch and even participate but knowing that it has all been done before keeps my focus on long term strategies, things that have not faded or been reinvented.

There are a lot of "social" networking tools available on the web as the internet community and its practitioners continue to try to make the consumer experience engaging and informative.  Of those tools, Twitter has emerged as a favorite and for small business owners, invaluable.

While email is still heavily used in business communications, Twitter allows business owners to make announcements to a large audience in one, quick, 140 character post.  For example, a hosting company has to take down one of their servers for maintenance, post a quick note on Twitter and instead of answering hundreds of tech support calls, users can quickly check the hosting companies Twitter page for updates potentially saving the company time and money.  This is just one very specific example of how Twitter can be used in business.  In more general terms, Twitter is preferred or at least included in an arsenal of social tools companies subscribe to for the following reasons:

The title of this article is a phrase that has most definitely been overused but it's not just a sales pitch or tagline anymore.  In today's world our children are learning how to use a computer in kindergarten and our college freshman are required to have a laptop... the days of the yellow pages are gone (at least in the paper form). 

The next generation is online and will continue to use the technology that is literally at their fingertips to complete the most basic functions such as looking up a phone number.  So, where does your business fit into this ever expanding marketplace?  That is entirely up to you and what your goals are for your business however, when it comes to building a website, the direction you choose can have a significant impact.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of those things that seems to puzzle a lot of business owners therefore, explaining the Return On Investment (ROI) of an SEO effort by default, is a problem area for most professionals in the industry.

There are two main factors that affect the bottom line in business; cost savings and sales revenue both of which are dollar figures business owners keep an eye on.  Search engine optimization effects both.  But let's back up a few steps to gain a fundamental understanding of what search optimization is and why it is important to understand before you begin a web development project.