Dec 10, 2011 at 9:52am ET by Greg Sterling

Annual US retail spending is roughly $4 trillion according to the US Commerce Department. And while e-commerce is growing very rapidly, it remains less than 5 percent of total retail sales. Historically, most search marketers have focused almost exclusively on e-commerce sales. But a new study finds that the real impact of paid search is offline.

One of the great things about living in Dallas, Texas is its wonderful surrounding communities.  Dallas, Texas is the ninth largest city in the United States and the fourth largest city in Texas, which makes Dallas a great place to live and work.

Did you know that when you buy from a locally owned business you are actually support yourself and your community?

Adweek, the famous company and website that helps keep the advertising world up to date with what's happening  just had a headline;  "Is Groupon's Daily Deals Model in Trouble” and our thought was, Of course it is. Their business model over the long term is unsustainable. And here's why...

If cabin fever is setting in from the extreme heat, you’ll be happy to get out into the cooler temperatures for the Annual Golf Classic on Sept. 23 at Sherrill Park. If you haven’t registered yourself or your team, please join title sponsor Owen’s Foods and don’t delay. This golf outing will sell out.

Here are the top ten reason to by from locally owned business.

Hi again, it’s Dr. Jamie Hurst DeLuna. I’m back to tell you about some of the research I’ve done with parents and kids. I thought I’d tell you about my dissertation, which is the original research paper you write before you get your PhD.

It’s Jamie Hurst DeLuna from Avant Garde Parenting, here to share an idea that will hopefully encourage you and your youngsters to talk with each other! A while ago I was having a conversation with a friend about her car radio breaking. She was complaining about not being able to hear traffic and news and just her poor excuse for a car in general. Then she paused. ‘You know,’ she said, ‘I do talk to my kids a lot more in the car now that our other alternative is silence.’

The demand for affordable housing for people with disabilities is growing. More and more individuals and families are looking for places to live within the general community – private homes, group homes, apartments, and such – rather than in institutional settings or agency operated/ dependent housing units where they have little or no control over the services and supports they receive.

I attended the 2009 Society for Research in Child Development conference in Denver, where over 6500 people gathered to learn about the latest research on children’s development. As I walked around the exhibit hall, a certain poster caught my eye.

Local Proud is all about promoting and supporting locally-owned, independent businesses. It’s about making your hard-earned money go further, fueling the local economy, and helping to preserve the unique character of where you live.