SBA site offers Web 2.0 tools

A new social networking Web site designed for small-business owners is now on the Small Business Administration’s Business.gov site, agency officials announced today.

Business.gov Community was launched about a month ago and has nearly 900 registered users, said Nancy Sternberg, the program manager of SBA’s Business Gateway, the agency's organization that runs the site.
 
Registered users on the community site are able to post and respond to questions and dialogues, Sternberg said.

Before the community site, Business.gov only offered aggregated information that visitors could view and save.

“But if the information wasn’t exactly what they were looking for, or they had a nuanced aspect to their question, there was no ability for a dialogue to occur, Sternberg said. “Community fills that void because it has that ability for business owners to post a question and to work together to get that answer.” 

Business Gateway staff members moderate the community site. SBA plans to get representatives from other agencies to participate in the site, Sternberg said.

Business.gov Community combines discussion forums, blogs and an idea exchange. It offers tools for navigating government resources, policies, laws and opportunities that affect small-business owners.