It's hard to believe Facebook has been around since 2004. Twitter began in 2006. LinkedIn launched way back in 2003! The whole social media and marketing conundrum is driving local businesses bonkers. Which ones should I have? What do I do with it?

Social media is a powerful marketing tool. It further extends everything you do into the public eye. For local businesses, it reaches far more consumers than your sign out front. There are one billion Facebook users. That's one seventh of the world's population.

According to Harrison Painter, director of business development for BLASTmedia, most companies view social media as either a waste of time or the solution to their marketing problem. If it is going to be a solution and worth your time, education and commitment is the key. Here's something for you to look at as a handy point of reference. CMO.com, along with SEO firm 97th Floor, have created a chart showing which social networks are best for various marketing goals.

http://mashable.com/2011/03/11/social-media-marketing-chart/