Social media has been playing an increasingly important role in small business success, and quite often is a key component of a startup’s launch. Review sites such as Yelp and Foursquare, and premium sites such as Groupon and Living Social, have played critical roles in driving foot traffic to new Main Street stores. Recognizing the vital role social media plays in growing and powering a small business, the U.S. Small Business Administration is offering a series of workshops for entrepreneurs to teach them how to use social media, and what social media tools are available to them.

The SBA is teaming with a consortium of digital communications startups called the W20 Group to deliver a series of five webinars, each on a different aspect of social media utilization. The webinars will touch specifically on the use of Facebook, Twitter, mobile marketing, blogging, and YouTube to advance the small business’s message, and reach and attract more customers. According to the SBA, the value of social media tools to small business cannot be overstated. Thus, the agency wants to encourage technology novices to engage customers through the various platforms. It also aims to remove the mystery — and among older entrepreneurs, the fear — attached to social media sites.

“[Social media] provides the opportunity to build deeper relationships with customers, to increase sales and to reach new markets in a cost-efficient manner. The webinars will help small businesses to develop a comprehensive social media plan that is engaging, effective and that has maximum return on investment,” SBA officials said in a press release.

Partnering with the SBA to produce the webinar series is the W20 Group, which, according to its website, is a network of independent, complimentary firms in marketing, communications, development and research fields. The W20 website states that consortium, which boasts a global reach, focuses on “integrated business solutions to drive change … for the world’s leading brands.”

Following this weeks introductory webinar, the SBA said topics will include:

Blogging 101
Creating Content for Facebook, YouTube and Twitter
Identifying and Connecting with your Influencers
Getting started with Mobile and Location-based Marketing

SBA and W20 Group Launch Social Media Webinar Series for Small Businesses. 4/18/13.