Facebook has finally come up with a real use for its system of "likes." With the implementation of Facebook Nearby, the like system that has taken the Internet by storm will now actually be used to separate and rank the recommendations that Facebook gives to individuals. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Facebook Nearby is that it is a specifically mobile program.

Mistake #1 Not Using Social Media.

Surprisingly, most companies still haven't discovered the strength that social media has within their community. With social media, you can get THOUSANDS of blog hits, likes, comments, and just generally build up a customer base. Social media in general is so big that you can't JUST be on Facebook. People are going to want to follow you on Twitter or Pinterest too. As long as you keep up on the social media accounts you create, you'll be fine.

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." - Leonardo da Vinci

Some of these strategies are basic. Some are advanced. Some are VERY advanced because they are so simple. It is hard for many of us to get back to basics to leverage the power and simplicity of the fundamental social network structure rather than relying on the sophisticated platform solutions that may exist to tie them together, causing automation and speed yes, but perhaps dehumanizing our engagement efforts to highly personalize. There is power in granularity and personalization. With the surge of social media evolution, people have become caught up in the cool widgets and technology for technology's sake mentality, often at the expense of the basic details. "The devil's in the details" as my mentor Kevin O'Connor, founder of DoubleClick, always likes to say.

"How can I use the power of Social Media to my advantage?" It may be worded a hundred different ways, but this is one of the top questions we receive here at Local Market Launch. Now that social media has officially moved beyond "shiny new toy" to essential and quantifiable, it's vital to discover exactly how to leverage its power for your benefit.

Foursquare is an application for smartphone users that enables small businesses to engage with their customers by allowing users to check-in at a venue and leave helpful tips; these check-ins appear on the user's Facebook or Twitter and act as a personal endorsement for the business, while allowing them to share their experiences with their social network.

Launched in May of 2003, LinkedIn operates the largest professional online network, occupying over 200 countries with more than 150 million members around the world. Growing at a rate of two members every second, the network is constantly expanding, hosting over two million company pages and millions of small business pages. Examining LinkedIn's exponential growth among the professional world, you'd be remiss to ignore your small business page. Here are a couple of tips to jumpstart your LinkedIn presence: