How 3 Companies Built Twitter Strategies
Twitter has proved an effective tool, but ill-considered tweets or hacked Twitter accounts have caused plenty of embarrassment. With this in mind, Southwest Airlines, Whole Foods and Best Buy have built different strategies.

Spending Wisely on Technology
For people used to working in an office stocked with various tech tools and gadgets, starting up a solo enterprise may mean having to face a painful reality. From computers and high-speed Internet to off-the-shelf software and customized programs, technology is often a pricey prerequisite for getting a new business up and running.

Getting Customers to 'Check In' With Foursquare
Small-business owners try the latest free marketing tools: location-based social networks such as Foursquare, Brightkite, Gowalla, Loopt, Whrrl and review heavyweight Yelp.

The Race to Nab Web Addresses
Entrepreneurs see an opportunity in the opening up of a new realm of Web addresses in which just about any word can serve as a domain name.

Click 'Like' if This Strategy Makes Sense
Social networking can be a powerful tool for small businesses looking to grow. But for some companies, it's more than that: Social networking is the basis for their business.

It's 10 a.m. Here's How to Find Your Workers.
A slew of new services offer to help small companies keep track of their workers, essentially by tapping some of the same tools that social-networking sites use.

Apps Created for Small Business
New services have cropped up to help even the smallest and most local of businesses make iPhone apps, pitching the programs as the next must-have marketing tool.

Passwords 101: Protecting Your Data
A tiny firm's data can be just as sensitive as that of a large company – and a breach of security just as damaging. Here's how to instill the best password practices.

Firms Get Hand With Twitter, Facebook
Some small-business owners, overwhelmed by the time commitment required of marketing their products and services via social media, are hiring consultants to lend a hand.

Social-Media Con Game
Companies find new ways to battle fraudsters who create fake corporate profiles.