Retailers are hurting! People are not spending as much regardless quite appealing discounts, but online business is still doing well according to Forrester report for 2009. What fuels it? Can you believe it's good marketing: in the form of rich media ads or experiences, well-targeted email marketing, paid search and enabling mobile shopping opportunities? At the same time, it's not quite as odd as it seems - without marketing and advertising your online business might lose its…

With small businesses around the country curtailing expenses along with everyone else, innovative and inexpensive marketing tactics are at a premium. In this age of technology, taking advantage of new emerging trends is a necessity to grasp the attention of the younger, more tech savvy, demographics. A few years back the trend was the blogoshpere and now it has moved to social media. Both trends are time intensive and not a budget drain, but unless utilized correctly you…

Many businesses have, by now, ventured into the world of social media in one form or another. But have those efforts paid off; I can most assuredly say that in most cases, it has likely hurt their credibility.

Below are 6 Tips that will make sure your efforts grow your business and don't undermine your strategic goals.

1) Choose the right network: There is no value in being the first to market on a social networking site. So you haven't missed the boat. Ask your…