Enterprise Nation

With the explosion of social networking websites, like Facebook and LinkedIn, information about ourselves and our home businesses is more available than ever. And it's more important than ever to keep an eye on it and what's said about us. Here's how.

1. Monitor what's said about you and your home business on the web using Google Alerts
2. Use Technorati to track what's said about you, your home business and your blog and a service called co.mments to follow conversations about you in blog comments across the web
3. The best way to control your message and that of your home business is to keep a blog. Try Blogger to get started
4. Use social media websites, like Flickr, YouTube and Facebook to control your message and increase your search engine visibility
5. Make links with others in your field, offer to write a guest post on a complementary blog or website and participate in online communities and forums