Remember when you needed thousands of dollars and a technology degree to build even a small quality website? Well those days are gone forever! Now you can create a professional looking website for less than $20 a month (or free!) with hosting included.

Don't believe me?

Then check out our list of the 22 best free and affordable website builders. We've ranked them based on editorial review, monthly US visitors (estimated by Compete), and Google page rank (a key factor in determining ranking in search results… the higher the number the better).

Keep in mind that most of the free services limit your website to five pages… and may require that you show someone else's ads. But no worries as you can always upgrade to a monthly fee that fits almost any budget (even ours!)… especially if you need more storage or other "bells and whistles" (e-commerce anyone?)

You'll be seriously amazed at the great looking website templates you can choose from plus how easy they are to customize. And did I mention… no technical degree required!

So start building your website… and see how easy it can be!

(Still wondering: does your business need a website? Read on…)

Organic. Sustainable. Recycled. It seems we're all looking for ways to add a little "green" to our lives! Whether it's researching alternative energy, finding the local recycling facility, or looking for a place to swap healthy recipes… there are tons of websites dedicated to providing news, tips, resources, and communities to help us do our part for Mother Earth.

In honor of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, we've assembled a list of the 40 best websites for advertising to green consumers. Fingers crossed that the planet and all of us are around for the 80th Anniversary!

These selections were ranked based our editorial review, monthly US visitors (estimated by Compete), and Google page rank (a key factor in determining ranking in search results… the higher the better). 

So many choices so little time? Here's another great option – advertising networks like Natural Path Media and SustainLane Green Ad Network specialize in advertising across sites with an environmental focus.

Keep in mind that for many people, "going green" is a way of life, not a single act or purchase. Invest the time to craft the right message for this progressive audience… and you'll be taking your "sustainable" sales growth all the way to the bank (in your hybrid car of course)!

Want to nominate an environmental site not on our list? Share it in the comments!

Even with all the hype (reality?) around social media, email marketing is still the go-to marketing method for businesses small, large, and in-between. Why? Because email marketing is affordable, measurable, and generates immediate results… music to every marketer's ears!

But who provides the best email marketing software to help small and medium sized businesses? Meaning its extra-affordable and easy to use… yet still provides all the tools a small business needs to communicate with its customers and build its database of prospects.

Here's our list of the 27 best email marketing software companies for small business. We've ranked them based on our editorial review, monthly US visitors (estimated by Compete), and Google page rank (a key factor in determining ranking in search results… the higher the number the better). Plus we've also tried out a bunch of them!

* The specific terms of each "free offer" vary… make sure and read the fine print.  = )

Since everyone's needs are different, you should evaluate a few email marketing companies to see which one you like the best. And why not… since almost all of them are free to try out. With regards to pricing, expect to pay $10 to $150 per month depending on how many contacts you have and how often you email them.

Just remember that using proper email etiquette (no spamming!) is important to long term success with email marketing.

And send us an email to let us know who you went with…