When last did you open a phonebook, walk your fingers through the yellowpages or flick through your contacts cards?  You probably can’t remember and that’s because most of us just use Google.  And what’s more, fewer people are even using their desktop computers to do it… whether it’s on your laptop, iPad, tablet or mobile phone, it’s just easier to Google-it.

The fact that desktops are becoming less frequently used is a sign that people are spending more time on the internet whilst on the go.  Catching a tube-ride, waiting for a meeting to start, standing in a line to buy coffee or, if you’re really honest, on the loo, people are browsing their favourite social networks with busy thumbs and focus stares on small screens that are a portal to a larger world that we can never fully contemplate.

The internet is so accessible that your kids probably have a better web-presence than you…  if you’re business professional, then this is not necessarily a good thing.  In fact, it’s definitely not! Your clients, staff, colleagues, service-providers and suppliers might be trying to look you up right now!  What will Google have to say about you?

In an annual study done by Godfrey Phillips, the vice president of research at American City Business Journals, which is the parent company of the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, had this to say:

“Almost three-quarters of the respondents said the Internet is one of their most valuable business tools. ” This is from the surveys and interviews he did with more than 2,000 executives and owners of businesses with less than 500 employees that he did between November and January.

“More than two-thirds say they turn to the Internet first when they have an important business question. A little more than half consider themselves to be expert users of the Internet,” he said in an interview before speaking at a small business insights breakfast hosted by the Business Journal at the Hilton San Jose.  Other interesting findings on small business use of technology include:

— About half of small business owners said they spend more than eight hours a day connected to their business through their computer, smartphone or iPad.

— In the last 3 years, desktop computer use has fallen from 83% to 79% and laptop use plunged from 71% to 60%.

—They are adapting to new ways of using technology more, with text messaging growing from 42 percent to 52 percent, smartphone use growing from 28 percent to 37 percent. Nearly a third said they used apps on smartphones and iPads last year and nearly 1 in 10 said they owned one of Apple’s iPads.

— More than two-thirds (70 percent) said they use social networks, with LinkedIn used most for business (61 percent), followed by Plaxo (60 percent), Twitter (42 percent), Foursquare (26 percent), MySpace (19 percent), Groupon (15 percent) and Facebook (11 percent).

So that leaves you with the question: “How am I managing my online business reputation?”