When you want to figure out where to go for lunch, or who to call locally to fix your plumbing, where do you turn? Exactly. Search engines. Having a strong presence online means better rankings in search engines. Having a website is more important than ever for small businesses. A website can serve as a digital storefront, a platform to showcase products and services, and a way to communicate with customers. There is SEO value, certainly, and a website can also help with branding, and cultivating an identity. Having a well-designed website for your small business can set you apart and make a great first impression on potential customers. Additionally, a website can be a valuable tool for marketing and advertising. By optimizing a website for search engines and using social media to drive traffic, smal... [Read Full Article]

Government and Economy Obama Ready for Bold Stimulus Action President-elect Barack Obama will have an opportunity that few presidents have had: Financial support from Congress to push forward with his campaign promises, especially to use some of the bailout funds to combat home foreclosures and to spur lending to individuals and businesses. Retailers Overhaul Their Business as Consumers Draw Back For years, retailers could afford to be sloppy about running their businesses because customers kept buying. No more. Stung by the worry that shoppers - who cut spending by the most dramatic amount in at least 39 years this the holiday season - may not start spending again for a long time, stores a... [Read Full Article]

Government and Economy It's Official: Barack Obama Elected 44th PresidentPresidential electors have formally elected Barack Obama the nation's 44th president. Electors gathering in state capitols across the country have pushed Obama above the 270 electoral votes needed to win, according to a tally by The Associated Press. US Deficit Would Top $1 trillion with New MethodThe federal deficit for 2008 would top $1 trillion if the government had to use the same accounting methods as private companies. And that doesn't even account for the huge costs of the Wall Street bailout, which didn't really start until the new budget year began on Oct. 1. [Read Full Article]

Politics and Government Bush Promotes Action Plan For Global Crisis President George W. Bush, fighting to get ahead of the growing global financial crisis, hopes to win more converts for an action plan designed to demonstrate that governments have the will and the means to halt the turmoil. Unions Sure Card Check Bill Will Pass The government-affairs director of the AFL-CIO said he is certain that organized labor's top priority—a law that would make it much easier for unions to organize businesses both large and small—will pass Congress and be signed by President Barack Obama. [Read Full Article]