In order to be competitive, small businesses have to maximize their resources while minimizing the costs of those resources. Information resources, whether for marketing, employee recruitment or for current and future industry trends, are among the most important. Small businesses are turning to online resources.

Free is good but how do you know if what you are getting is accurate? Some of the top online resources for small businesses are offered by the Federal and state governments. The information is free and it is the same data relied upon by Fortune 500 companies for their needs.

The Census Bureau is the place to go to find out demographic information. Who has money? Where do they live? What do they spend it on?

This site allows you to drill down and explore the data for a city or a zip code. While the Federal government takes a census every decade, the data is updated by surveys during the intervening years.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is another Federal government site with a great deal of information to offer. It offers a great deal of data on employment and unemployment, payroll and benefits data, a variety of pricing indexes and lots of other topics of interest to the small businessman.

Much of the BLS information can be broken down by region and some by metro area. The data goes back to World War II in some cases, allowing a very comprehensive historical look at topics.

The Department of Commerce includes many agencies that are top online resources for a small business. Along with the Census Bureau, there is the Patent Office, and offices dedicated to economic development and minority business development.

The number one online resource for small businesses is the Small Business Administration. While the SBA is known best for the loan program it operates with the banking industry, it offers far more at its site. There is business advice on starting a business, on funding it and keeping it sound in a down economy. The SBA has information on government contracts and programs.

The site offers online training and information on seminars and conferences throughout the country. The SBA is also part of the Federal government's disaster planning and preparation activities, and small businesses can find resources at the site on those topics.

Many states and localities also offer a great deal of information at economic development and business related sited that they maintain. State tax sites describe the tax requirements for small businesses. The site of the Secretary of State usually will provide information and resources about incorporation in that state. The state and local online resources may be among the most useful because it is those governments who offer grants and assistance to new businesses and businesses that are relocating.

All of the sites maintained by the various levels of government are free to use. They are the top online resources for small businesses.

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