news in Brentwood-Darlington, Southeast (SE) Portland...

To call the myriad offerings on the Internet extensive may be a slight understatement. And while it’s tempting to generalize the growth of the Internet as exponential, the reality is the Internet’s growth is actually sigmoidal (apparently), or S-shaped. In this choice-filled online world, small business owners know best that the vast number of options available, in everything, online are overwhelming. more...

Visual content is on the rise in social media and popular as ever in other mediums. According to Portland SEO consultant Michael Cottam, last night's presenter at the October Search Engine Marketing Association of Portland (SEMpdx) event, original images even keep Google's Panda happy. In a nutshell: Image is everything. But before you shell out a lot of dough on a camera setup for your business, consider more...

By writing quality consumer reviews, you have the opportunity to contribute to the success of locally owned businesses, not just by influencing others' buying decisions but also by providing critical feedback to business owners. Your input will enable businesses to provide better services or products, which will in turn help them stay open and thrive. The reviews that you write also help local businesses gain more...

Author Amy Cortese coined the term locavesting in her book Locavesting: The Revolution in Local Investing and How to Profit from It. Just as locavores focus on foods grown close to home, a locavestor aims to only invest in businesses within 50 miles of his or her doorstep. The emergence of locally focused investing is potentially good news for small businesses that are struggling for the capital needed to grow their more...

The use of visual media online is rising. Photos are the stars of social sites like Pinterest and Instagram, and experts recommend adding photos to your website or blog to attract more eyeballs and improve SEO. But if you’re not a photographer, how do you get the photos you need? Here are some common mistakes made by small business owners: Using a photo found via Google Images or other search engines. more...

A blog is like the Leatherman of marketing tools for small business owners. It’s an efficient and affordable tool that can help you perform a variety of essential tasks. It may not be able to open that flat top beer can, but a blog—hosted on your business’ website—can help you with everything from establishing your company’s credibility to improving your search engine optimization. more...

In 2011, the City of Portland spent $12.1 million to clear clogged sewer lines and remove fats, oil and grease from wastewater during treatment. For the last 20 years, according to the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES), that check has been picked up by 72 of Portland’s largest industrial businesses, like Costco, Kraft Foods, Portland French Bakery, and Widmer Brothers Brewing. But this year, the city is more...

Ever since community-supported agriculture (CSA) was introduced in the United States in the 1980s, it has provided an integral alternative method of food distribution that connects growers directly to consumers. CSA subscribers may not think too much about the machinations of running and managing a CSA: A seasonal payment is made, a weekly share is collected, and that's about it. What might surprise subscribers more...

Getting customers through your doors in today’s marketplace is really tough. The business landscape is competitive, the economy is uncertain, and people are really picky about where they spend their money. If trying to figure out how to make your small business stand out online is stressing you out, you’re not alone. One of the most effective ways to build trust, rank in local search, and generate the more...

“Roughly 30 percent of all searches have a local intent,” says John McPhee, the vice president of Formic Media, a Portland firm that specializes in search and social media for small businesses. “This equates to roughly 18-20 billion searches per month,” he continues. “With reviews being served within the search results, it’s imperative that business owners get in the review more...