Did you miss any of my blog posts from around the Net this week? No worries, just read on below.

Do you really know how your employees feel about working for you? If you want to keep them, you’d better. Get the scoop in my post on Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends.

We all know consumers are going mobile–when shopping, that is. But what are they buying and on what devices? Find out in my post on Network Solutions‘ GrowSmartBusiness blog.

Do you use content marketing to attract customers? (Or are you not even sure what “content marketing” is?) Learn how well different types of content work in my post on AT&T‘s SmallBusiness InSite.

Maybe you use Facebook ads. How well do they work for you? Find out what other business owners think in this Huffington Post Small Business post.

What’s up with Generation Y entrepreneurs (and intrapreneurs)? Get the scoop in my post on American Express OPEN Forum.

And, in the words of Nike ads, if you’re thinking about starting a business, stop thinking and “just do it.” Read my post at SCORE‘s Success Blog for inspiration.

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Have you missed any of my posts around the Net this week? Here’s what I’m talking about:

Mobile shopping is hot–but what happens if your site isn’t up to speed? Learn what consumers are–and aren’t–willing to put up with when shopping on smartphones in my post on Network Solutions’ GrowSmartBusiness blog.

Speaking of mobile, the trend of “checking in” at locations could be poised to gather steam. Read more in my post on American Express OPEN Forum.

And speaking of shopping, it’s no secret men and women behave differently when shopping in retail stores–but did you know they shop differently online, too? Find out how your ecommerce site can cater to men or women in my post on AT&T‘s SmallBusinessInSite.

Read my picks for four other tech trends you need to get in on at SCORE Success blog.

Is your work force more of the same old, same old? Diversifying your team could be the key to greater financial success, new research reports. Get the skinny in my post on Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends.

Does your business still market with direct mail? If you think that method is outmoded today, think again–and read my Huffington Post Small Business post to learn the industries where direct mail is actually a more effective marketing tool than online methods.

Looking for alternatives to hard-to-get bank loans? There are plenty of options–read my Q&A on the SBDC-LA website to get the scoop.

Did you miss any of my posts from around the Net this week? Here’s what I’m writing about.

Keep your business one step ahead of the pack by learning the 6 trends you’ve got to know about for 2012. You can read them over on American Express OPEN Forum.

Did your business “give back” over the holidays? Keep the feeling going all year round–check out my post on Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends to learn how.

Now that the frenzied holiday shopping season is over, how did it all shake out? Get the final tally of how much consumers spent, where, and what it means to your business on AT&T‘s SmallBusinessInSite.

Speaking of retail, smart marketers are using social media to stay in the game in 2012 and beyond. Learn more on Huffington Post Small Business.

Will consumer spending pick up in 2012? Get a handle on projections for the New Year in my post over on the Network Solutions‘ GrowSmartBusiness blog.

If your business gave bonuses in 2011, you’re part of a dying breed. Find out why bonuses are dwindling in my post on Huffington Post Small Business.

In 2012, it’s all about the money–you want to make more of it, right? To see what might be holding you back, check out my post on the SCORE Success Blog.

No matter what the New Year brings, I know your business can handle it. Get my tips for surviving in this rollercoaster economy over on the SBDC-LA website.

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Have you missed any of my blog posts from around the Web this week? No worries, just check them out below.

You know about some of the risks to your business from employees using social media (getting malware on your network, having an employee accidentally reveal company secrets) but there’s a new one you may not know about. Get the scoop in my post on the Network Solutions GrowSmartBusiness blog.

Does your business need skilled tech workers to function? More and more of us do in today’s online economy–but those workers are not getting any easier to find. Learn more in my post on Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends.

QR codes: are they the next big thing, or already passe? There are arguments on both sides–read them in my blog posts on AT&T‘s SmallBusinessInSite.

2012 is almost here. What did you learn this year? I share the three biggest things I learned that helped my business in my post on American Express OPEN Forum.

The holiday shopping season has pretty much drawn to a close, but one lesson from it is that tablet shopping (they call it T-commerce) is going to be sizzling hot this year. Find out why you should care in my post on the Huffington Post Small Business.

Want to make 2012 a better year for your business than 2011 was? Learn how making one small change can take your business to new heights in my post on SCORE‘s Success blog.

Thank you to all of our readers. We appreciate your spending time with us in 2011 and we hope to keep bringing you the news and information you can use in 2012. Here’s to a great year!

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Did you miss any of my posts around the Net this week? Here’s what’s on my mind as we head into year-end.

Find out the real reason people aren’t buying from your website in my post on Huffington Post Small Business.

Also on Huffington Post, get my top trends to watch for 2012.

Getting financing these days isn’t easy – but for some entrepreneurs it’s easier than for others. Find out more in my post on Network Solutions‘ GrowSmartBusiness blog.

Young adults are a hot market today–but finding out who really influences their purchases may surprise you (I know it did me!). Get the scoop in my post on AT&T‘s SmallBusinessInSite.

This holiday season, moms took to tablet shopping in a big way. Learn why mobile commerce isn’t going to die out after January 1 in my post on American Express OPEN Forum.

Who’s your business nemesis? Maybe you could learn a thing or two from them. Discover how in my post on American Express OPEN Forum.

Will you be hiring in 2012? Find out what other small business owners are planning in my post on Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends.

The end of the year is a good time to get organized for next, so with that in mind, check out 5 of my “favorite things” for small businesses in my column on AllBusiness.com. And as you look back on 2011, take a moment to look ahead and plan for a better 2012–my SCORE Success blog post shows you how.

One plan for 2012 should be getting a grip on your business finances. Learn how a P&L statement can help in my Q&A on the LA-SBDC website.

Finally–this time of year is a time for celebration, so don’t forget to celebrate your customers (and build your business in the process). Read my post on the SBA‘s Industry Word blog to learn how.

Happy Holidays!

It is not an easy job to find the perfect analytic tools for your website. Website analytics help you identify the ads, campaigns, keywords, and referrals that contribute the most to your bottom line. Here’s more from Mark Drake, cofounder of WebsiteService4All and imSMB,

If you are not testing and tracking all your online advertising then every change you make, and every piece of advertising you pay for could be costing you money. When you run an advertising campaign, you run it with the intention of making money; but how do you know if it is really working? This is where website analytics comes in.

Web analytics is the collection, measurement, analysis and reporting of internet data for the principle reason of understanding and optimizing your advertising. Currently there are quite a few resources around the web to track your website, and it seems like it might be a complex task to find one that works and is understandable.

Imagine if you could accurately track every link on your website.

• How many visitors each campaign has brought in
• Ad tracking
• Sales today
• Unique clicks today
• Total unique clicks
• Referring page stats
• How many affiliates; subscribers each page generate
• Total sales that campaign created
• Cost per click analysis
• Cost per sale analysis
• Export reports for easy viewing/charting in other programs

Google Analytics: (Recommended) Google Analytics is a free service offered by Google that generates detailed statistics about the visitors to a website. Google Analytics makes it easy to improve your results online. Google Analytics is free to all advertisers, publishers and site owners.

Urchin: Urching is one of the most comprehensive, information rich, easy to use, real-time Web tracking, and analysis application, but it’s expensive.

Webtrends: Webtrends is a powerful, easy-to-use tracking tool measure the effectiveness of your Website performance, from pay-per-click; online marketing to search engine optimization. Real-time; presentation ready. This software is so easy to use, you do not need any experience what so ever.

Web analytics have life cycles; they involve the interaction of the prospective clients with various components of the website before making a purchase. As the potential client becomes familiar with the website, he/she will spend more time and browse through multiple pages with each returning visit. Your ultimate goal is to make your website saleable enough to have them convert to a customer, and ideally on the first visit.

Analytics are the first step in understanding what is going on with your marketing, how you’re getting people to the website, what’s working and what’s not, and where your visitors place most of their interest.  Understanding this information allows you to identify strong and weak points in your marketing campaigns to save, and make you, money.

Mark Drake has over 15 years experience in Web Services and technology. Mark was the Co-Founder behind the launch of several internet service providers that range from a Web Design Company to Hosting and Online Advertising. He and his partner Steve Woodcock co-founded and operate WebsiteService4All (a website design firm) and imSMB (a hosting and online advertising service).

If you missed any of my blog posts from around the Net this week, here’s a quick roundup below.

Get a jump on 2012 with my list of 10 key food trends to watch in the New Year, over at Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends.

As you may have noticed, tablet computers are red-hot. Find out how much tablet use is going to grow and what it means to your business at the Network Solutions GrowSmartBusiness blog.

Mobile is big news these days too, but what you may not know is that minority mobile users are an especially hot market. Learn how to target minority customers on the go in my post on AT&T‘s SmallBusinessInSite.

Two things I’m passionate about: entrepreneurship education and young entrepreneurs. Read about some of the most inspiring young business owners I’ve met recently in my column on AllBusiness.com.

Everyone wants to know who’s going to create jobs. Will it be entrepreneurs? Find out in my post on American Express OPEN Forum.

Your youngest employees may seem happy, but are they really? Get the scoop over on Huffington Post Small Business. Also learn while your email inbox might be costing you big time. And if you’re not yet using daily deal sites, discover how you could be missing out–because 2011 holiday retail spending on these sites is projected to hit the jackpot.

Have you got a support system? I sure hope so, but if not, find out how to build one in my post on the SCORE Success Blog.

It’s not too late to make some year-end tax moves that will save you money. Get the details in my Q&A with an SBDC expert on the LA-SBDC website.

Last year Cyber Monday was the first billion-dollar day in e-tail. This Cyber Monday is predicted to break the billion-dollar barrier again. Guest blogger Taylor Holiday of Lucid Fusion, a media marketing company, shares his tips on how to make sure your deal is top of mind with consumers this holiday season.

1. Offer Your Best: Give ‘em the best deal you’ve got. Consumers are smart. They’re going to hunt for the best value and most aggressive discounts. This is not the time to play small. Competition is fierce and you want your deal to be so attractive, that people can’t help but talk about it. Be creative. Be outrageous. Be generous. Make an offer a savvy consumer wouldn’t refuse.
2. Reward Your Fans: Give something back to those who dig your product. Especially those who “like” your company on Facebook or are otherwise following you. At some point, they were inspired enough to choose to stay connected–isn’t that a wildly attractive quality in a customer? Of course it is. Reward their loyalty and use the opportunity to exceed their expectations. Not only will it strengthen your connection, but they’re highly likely to tell their friends or followers. By rewarding them, they’ll reward you.
3. Recruit New Fans: Take a cue from Groupon and seize the opportunity to invite in new customers with an irresistible offer. Yes, it will boost your sales for a day, but more importantly you’ll have an opportunity to build your fan base, followers, and email subscribers. Make the offer exclusive to people who agree to stay in touch by offering incentives to those who “like” you, “follow” you, or subscribe to your newsletter. You’re planting the seeds for future sales and new fans of your brand.
4. Advertise Your Deal: Take advantage of the advertising opportunities social networks offer–they can be highly targeted. Facebook ads in particular allow you to reach people who are likely to stay connected long after Monday’s over. Promoted tweets and YouTube videos are also great ways to help your deal stand out amongst the rest. Don’t keep your deal a secret–get it out there.
5. Make it Remarkable: Far too many brands just translate existing offers they sent through email, put in print or show on TV, to social media. That’s a mistake. People are on social networks for fun, for a break and to discover or share something remarkable. Meaning, they can’t help but remark about it. Look to make your offer engaging, amusing, or unexpectedly interesting. Make a game out of it or create a funny video. Regardless of your approach, your deal will have the greatest reach if you give people a reason to share it. So give ‘em a great reason!

Taylor Holiday is the Director of Strategy, LF Social for Lucid Fusion, a forward-thinking digital agency. Prior to Lucid Fusion Taylor played professional baseball in the New York Yankees organization before overseeing Digital Marketing for Power Balance.

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Have you missed any of my blog posts around the Net this week? Here’s some of what’s on my mind.

The economy’s up–then down–then up again. What can a small business owner do? Get my tips for riding out the roller-coaster over at Cox‘s Small Business Navigation site.

Are you wondering whether you should upgrade your technology–or whether you can get by with what you’ve got? Read my post over on American Express OPEN Forum, and you’ll know what you need to do.

Getting ready to start a business? Then you’ll want to know the number-one reason why startups fail — and how you can avoid being a statistic. Check it out in my post on the SCORE Success Blog.

One thing that can hamper your business’s chances of success is failing to monitor your cash flow. Learn why cash flow is so crucial and how to stay on top of it in my Q&A article for the Los Angeles Regional SBDC Network.

Are you wondering what your customers expect you to do when they “Like” your business on Facebook? Find out what consumers hope to gain from Facebook and how you can keep them happy in my post on Network Solutions’ GrowSmartBusiness blog.

Or maybe you’re starting a business as a freelancer. Good for you, because freelancing just may be the future of work in this country. Read more in my article on MSN Business on Main.

Speaking of Facebook, if you’re still on the fence about using social media, some new data I share in my post on AT&T’s SmallBusinessInSite should convince you it’s time to make a move.

Get the scoop on 3 key small business trends you should be watching in my post on the Huffington Post Small Business.

Flex time is being used in some surprising new ways. Find out more in my post on Anita Campbell’s Small Business Trends.

If you are feeling burned out on social media, you’re not the only one. As an avid fan of social media as a marketing tool, I know the sheer volume of social media options and the time commitment needed to make it work can seem like the last straw breaking a busy entrepreneur’s back.

To help you get sane again, here are five ways to get back your original passion for your blog, Facebook, Twitter and other social media content.

1. Set goals. You might have had goals when you started with social media efforts, but maybe you plunged in without a plan. If so, now’s the time to set specific goals for each social media tool to accomplish for your business. Whether you want to get traffic to your website, get known as a thought leader or get new leads, quantify what you’re hoping to do and figure out which channel will best accomplish that.
2. Create a strategy. Plan what type of content you will focus on within each social media channel. For example, if you want to be known as a thought leader, then a blog is an ideal channel, and you’ll want to regularly blog about controversial or hot topics in your field.
3. Delegate some work. I’m not suggesting you pass your Twitter feed over to an intern. However, you can and should involve other staffers, having them post to your business’s Facebook page, write blog posts and generate content, whether it’s photos, videos or surveys.
4. Track your results. Take advantage of the analytics tools that social media sites provide, or try the growing number of third-party tools. You need to know what content gets the best response, what frequency and timing works best, and what social media channels are the most beneficial. Otherwise, you’re just throwing something in the air and hoping it hits.
5. Use tools. Social media management tools like Cotweet, Hootsuite and Tweetdeck save time and make your life easier. Ask colleagues what tools they rely on if you’re not sure what to pick.

There’s a lot more you can do—and we want to talk about it at SXSW 2012. Check out the panel discussion we’re proposing at http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/ideas/view/11382 and vote for us via the “thumbs up” at top if you want to hear more about this topic!