That is totally understandable. Whether you are a SMB (small / medium business) owner, a marketing practitioner or an internet marketing expert there is barely enough time in any day to do just what is needed without adding to your work. We get that.

Would there be value, though, in spending about 10 minutes a day that may save you time and create more business from your online efforts? Sure there is and this is how you do it. You pay some attention to the Internet marketing industry news that can help you identify an emerging trend or confirm your suspicions about a dying current practice. There is nothing worse for any business person than wasting time on something that could have been avoided with a little industry due diligence.

Here are five great reasons to make the time to follow the online / inbound marketing industry news.

1. Stay ahead of your competition – Sure this makes everyone’s lists of benefits but in this case it’s even more important. The Internet marketing industry already has evidence that the SMB lags behind larger business in online capabilities in general. Since you are likely ahead of the curve already by being places like here you can further distance yourself from the pack. A little information is a powerful thing.
2. Prevent wasted resources – In this current economy, it is important to ensure that your efforts are laser beam focused on areas that are forward facing and will not end in an abrupt halt. For instance, if you are spending money on paid search at Yahoo do you know when that search engine will become powered by Bing and what the changes in process, capability and cost might mean to you? Better to be informed than caught off guard.
3. Become a thought leader – It’s important to understand tools and tactics in Internet marketing and social media that create business. What may be just as important is to become a thought leader in your market niche as it relates to the entire scope of how the Internet fits in the overall scheme of marketing efforts including offline. By separating yourself from other marketers in your niche, you shine a positive light on your business and company that is attractive to prospective customers.
4. Network with other professionals – People who know a lot about Internet marketing are important people to know. One of the best ways to get yourself involved in the industry in a more significant way is to follow the industry pundits and comment on their blogs, etc. Hey, you do that anyway for other reasons just add this to the list. You never know what might happen.
5. Drive strategy on information – While a lot of people don’t like to admit it, Internet marketing is often driven by ‘gut feel’ and a herd mentality. The more you can rise above that and apply some serious forward thinking to your Internet marketing efforts, the more dynamic and effective your efforts will be.

There are obviously many more reasons to pay attention to online / inbound marketing industry news . Whatever your reason, it is just as important to stay on top of what may be on the horizon in the industry as a whole as it is taking care of the day to day needs of your inbound marketing efforts . Make sure you keep your head up so you don’t waste time and resources.

Check back as we help you weed through another mountain of information. We’ll give you the best places to get this information and also highlight the stories that will be important to you. Oh and we may even throw in an opinion or two to keep it interesting.

Inbound Lead Generation Kit

Learn how to generate more inbound leads using SEO, blogging, and social media. Download the free kit for tips and tricks to drive more leads and business to your site.