A recent research report which was aimed at determining the state of small business website and online advertising spending points out…

America’s 14.6 million small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) were responsible for more than $6.7 billion in locally generated, locally targeted interactive advertising in 2008 – more than half of the US total, according to a recently released report from Borrell Associates, which predicts these numbers will grow significantly as activities continue to shift online.

Here is the kicker, many Marketers don’t understand about small businesses though. The report also indicated more than two-thirds of them were allocating their online advertising expenditures on advancing their own websites rather than online ads per say.

Being a web professional for many years now I say this is a smart business move on the part of small businesses. Your web presence is one of the most valuable assets you have in business today no matter what size your business is.

The concern here is…you really need to understand what are the most advantageous strategies you should be using for your business presence online and the why and how to be in control of this most precious business asset and investment. Gone are the days of leaving your website in the hands of your “web people”.

I see time and time again web clients who do not understand the value of their web presence, how to strategically position themselves online, how to guide web professionals to build web media that works for your objective and the importance of being in control of your web destiny.

It is for that reason I will begin to write a series on why today’s businesses (entrepreneurs, SMB’s, freelancers, mid & large, B2C, B2B, etc.)  must take a fresh look at one of the most powerful tools they have at their disposal…their website and web presence. Stay turned!

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