The recession taught consumers to be cautious and frugal with their money. Fortunately for businesses, the economy is turning around and consumers are beginning to open their pocket books. According to new data from the National Retail Federation, Americans are becoming more generous with their spending habits, even with small luxury items.

Consumers are embracing mobile at a rapid pace, but unfortunately, businesses are not adopting it at quite the same rate. A study from eCommerce Know-How found that 58 percent of companies are not utilizing mobile marketing or mobile commerce. Is this number surprising to you?

There are typically two groups of people. One that likes change and the other group that doesn’t. For instance, some people love moving furniture, while others are content with leaving it in the same place forever. This tendency is true in both business and personal realms, and it even applies to websites.

Despite the prolonged recession implications on the advertising industry, there are still ways businesses can be effective in advertising. In fact, there are actually some greater opportunities for small businesses than there were when times were better.

Are you struggling to keep up with the latest social media trends? It’s a difficult task since new services, sites, and applications are popping up almost daily. However, it is important.

According to IDC, more than 450 million people worldwide used the mobile Web in 2009. That number is expected to increase even more by 2013. That said, it seems safe to say that mobile is quickly becoming the most popular means that people use to access the Internet. Is your website ready to leverage these mobile opportunities?