After listening to a few webinars from Robert Plank and Paul Counts, I’m realizing that finding a niche is truly the first step to building an online business.   Developing my reputation as an expert in a specific area isn’t difficult.  Since my niche is where I’ll reside for awhile, I want it to be something that I’m passionate about.  No point in becoming an expert or developing a niche in an area I don’t thorough enjoy.  Folks can TELL. Folks can sense if you don’t love what you do.

Over the past few months, I’ve been sensing it is time to take my business in a fresh direction.  After 10 years selling, developing and designing websites, social media is taking marketing on the web to a different place. While I’ve always recognized SEO (search engine optimization) as an important component of website design and development, it wasn’t the only key to the success of a quality website.  The online environment has changed again.  Five years ago creating SEO for your website was often more time consuming that it was worth (for a small to medium-sized business).  Today, it is much easier for a business to learn and to succeed at improving their search engine rankings.  And today it is critical to be part of the discussion in a multitude of social media locations.