At SocialTrend Internet Solutions, we love to empower our clients to improve their business thru online marketing. Our goal with this article is to provide ideas for any small business owner to get started or expand their online marketing footprint. We hope to educate, inspire and support you in achieving your business goals thru online marketing. We will discuss best practices for your business website, social media tips, how to incorporate blogging into your web presence and the importance of consistency and search engine optimization (SEO). Let’s get started! First, your business must have its own website. This is so critically important – without your own dedicated domain name customers can’t find you or will deduce you are not a legitimate company. According to the Digital Influence Index, 89% of consumers today use the internet as a research tool before making a purchase. Without a website you are missing out on all those new leads! If you have an outdated or poorly built website, make this upgrade a priority. Having a hard to navigate, messy website can be worse than not having one at all if you portray an un-professional brand when new clients visit your site.  Whether you are