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Mark Hayward has some interesting ideas about social marketing for small business owners, over at Pro-Blogger.

1. Location is dead. We have now fully entered into the Interaction Economy.

2. It does not pay to engage in 'pissing contests' on business review sites or in forums.

3. When used properly, a small video camera like a Flip and a standard digital camera (or just an iPhone), can be like having your own marketing department.

4. Instead of trying to be everywhere in the social media space, determine what online activities work best for your business and focus your attention there.

5. Search Engine Optimization(SEO) is important but it needs to be combined with a well distributed plan for Search Engine Visibility (SEV).

However, compare what Mark thinks about geography to the Wharton School of Business,  which argues:

While the Internet holds immense promise for reaching retail customers far beyond traditional trading areas, new Wharton research indicates that old world dynamics, such as neighbors sharing word-of-mouth recommendations, can still have powerful effects on Internet sales.

In two recent papers, researchers found that geography continues to have an impact on efforts to market through the Internet in ways that could help online merchants target new customers. 

Specifically, the papers examine the effect of economic geography on Internet retailers trying to reach potential buyers of specialty products who live in an area where their purchasing decisions make them a minority.

Who do you think is right?

Does geography still matter or are we in the interaction era?