web

seems to be a good reference site for the small web-based business. definitely worth spending some time reading the information. try not to judge whether or not the article is worth reading because the title sounds appealing or it fits the type of information for which you are looking. there are often bits of information embedded here and there that might solve that issue you have been dealing with or spark a whole new line of thinking. You never know and it never hurts to read as much as possible about web building and use.

"Small businesses can have more fun with their sites, more so than large corporations."

"A small-business site needs to include something that reflects the creativity and personality of its owner."

"People want character; it has meaning."

 "How folksy you get depends on your industry."

Be concise

Make it a priority on your home page to provide at least general information about your products and/or services, with links to specifics on a Products page.

Contact information, including a phone number and physical location.  "A phone number, a street address, and even pictures go a long way toward building credibility."

An ability to give feedback

By personalizing a sale with a special offer, incentive, or coupon, small businesses can gain an edge on their bigger counterparts, Porter says. "This can be as simple as a hand-written thank-you note, free gift wrap services, or a special offer for repeat business.

decent article

relevant for me at this time:

"Small businesses should focus on getting 20 high-quality links—all relevant to your business," says Elisabeth Osmeloski, a former SearchEngineWatch.com editor who is now marketing director at travel site Zonder.com.

Noncompeting sites in your niche.  

Content-rich sites in your industry are a good bet unless they’re direct competitors. Seek out sites that complement yours—a travel agent, for example, should hook up with bed & breakfast and currency exchange sites, among others. Contact owners of the most appealing sites and offer to write an article, Seda says. Include a byline and link to your bio; the spiders will notice.

Social networking sites in your industry. 

Unless you’re targeting a particular demographic, you can waste a lot of time pursuing links from such sites as YouTube and Facebook, says Osmeloski. A better bet is a social networking site within your industry (such as Gusto.com in the travel industry), she says. "Social networking sites are growing in each industry." If you find the right one, contribute to its knowledge base with a thoughtful article or commentary, and include a link to your site.

Quality blogs in your niche.   

The rap on blogs is that many will not survive a six-month anniversary. Many others, however, have devoted followings. Look for ones with worthwhile content and discussions; for small businesses, locally focused newspaper and other blogs may be your best bet, Osmeloski says. Blog engines such as Icerocket and Technorati may help your search. Post a helpful comment (not a sales pitch), and oftentimes you’ll be given a link back to your site.

Visitors to social media sites jumped a staggering 774 percent between 2006 and 2007, according to a 2007 comScore study. And the Pew Internet Study reports that some 50 million Americans are reading blogs. What’s more, adult interaction in social media is significantly on the rise.

things to do:

investigate sites

create and monitor content

track traffic and referrals

refine efforts to improve results