Being online is just as paramount to the success of small, local businesses as it is to open the doors each day. Think about the last time you were headed out for a bite to eat and didn’t know where the best falafel shop in town was. Where did you first look for info? That’s right – your phone. Yelp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and beyond, are all social media platforms where both potential and existing customers exist.

Essentially, businesses today must tell their stories. Who you are, what you do, how you do it and why people should care. No longer do the days of leasing a spot in the Yellow Pages and calling it a day, mean securing a viable means to keep an operation surviving. Certain social media channels are more effective for certain businesses (Instagram for retailers, Twitter for publications, etc.), but posting across the web is easier now than ever before and entrepreneurs who make time to leverage the power of reaching the will tell you that it works.

Just take a look at the businesses in your town that are highly rated on Yelp. I guarantee you’ll find them actively posting and engaging on social media. It’s a require ingredient in the recipe of success in 2016 and beyond. As the old adage goes, if you’re not growing, you’re dying.