Google and the SBA partnered to launch an online tool for small businesses. It is designed to help small businesses harness new and existing technologies to grow their businesses. 

Tools for Online Success features tutorials, testimonials, and tips from other small business owners who have utilized specific features on the web to make their business more effective and efficient.

Continued success stories like these are the goal of the Google/SBA partnership. Visit the "Tools for Online Success" website for a full run-down, but here are a few easy tips all small business owners should be using:*

· Establish your online presence. One out of five searches on Google are related to location. Most local online listings such as Google Places are free, and if your business doesn't have a website, there are ready-made site templates and free hosting services that make establishing an online presence easy.
· Use free marketing to reach customers. You can build a fan base with free services like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter that keep your customers in-the-know about new products or specials and aware of promotions. These services are great "word of mouth" platforms - where a customer following you might tell their friends about your business.
· Know your customers. Easy to use web analytics tools can tell you a lot about your customers by analyzing what search term brought them to your website or what they look at while they are there. This information can help you make smart decisions about what you feature and what search terms you should run search ads on.
· Keep an eye on the latest trends. The growing popularity of smartphones means that more and more customers are searching for local information on the go. This makes it all the more important that a business's online presence be accurate and up-to-date. You can link to your menu, give users driving directions, and even post digital coupons.

* courtesy of the SBA.gov website