Cox Launches Social Destination for Small Businesses

ATLANTA, May 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Business today announced the launch of an online social destination for businesses. The website, BLUE Powered by Cox Business, contains exclusive content from global social media, marketing and business leaders and is free to all businesses. BLUE Powered by Cox Business is part of Cox's strategy to engage in conversations with business owners and help them leverage technology to achieve their goals.

The site serves as a preferred destination for small businesses seeking more effective ways to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs and potential partners. Small businesses often have limited training budgets; BLUE Powered by Cox Business provides opportunities to self-educate and engage with experts and peers on the most current trends. Resources include educational video clips and articles from business, technology and industry experts, as well as interactive chat sessions with respected strategists.

"Business owners are just as active in online environments as consumers, but their activity is centered on garnering information to maximize business performance," said Ken Kraft, vice president, Cox Business marketing.

BLUE Powered by Cox Business (www.coxblue.com) will feature original content from approximately 30 contributors including business experts from various industries, technologists, social media and marketing innovators and influential writers. Cox executives will also share key insights from their areas of expertise with site visitors.

The online content will revolve around relevant business themes, beginning with Lead Generation. Current features include information and instruction on:
- Recruiting with inbound marketing
- Using Adwords and social media for lead gen
- Email marketing segmentation
- Building a killer sales team
- Steps to successful webinars

"The level of information and expertise present in one easy-to-navigate site is comparable to a world-class conference, where the content is regularly refreshed, visitors can interact directly with experts and the information is free," continued Kraft. "When businesses succeed as a result of these tools, it benefits the entire ecosystem."

BLUE Powered by Cox Business was soft-launched at the end of March and marked the company's first formal social initiative designed specifically for businesses. Beginning this week, business can also interact with Cox via dedicated Google+, LinkedIn and Twitter destinations.

Each week, more than four million people interact with broader Cox Communications content on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, You Tube and locations designed for residential customers and technology and entertainment enthusiasts.

Cox Business provides voice, data and video services for more than 275,000 small and regional businesses, including healthcare providers, K-12 and higher education, financial institutions and federal, state and local government organizations. The organization also serves most of the top tier wireless and wireline telecommunications carriers in the U.S. through its wholesale division. According to Vertical Systems Group, Cox Business is one of the largest providers of business Ethernet services in the U.S. based on customer ports and has been consistently recognized for its leadership among small/midsize business data service providers. Cox is currently the seventh largest voice service provider in the U.S. and supports more than 950,000 business phone lines. For more information about Cox Business, Click Here or call 1-800-396-1609.

About Cox Communications:

Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company, providing advanced digital video, Internet and telephone services over its own nationwide IP network. The third-largest U.S. cable TV company, Cox serves approximately 6 million residences and businesses. Cox Business is a facilities-based provider of voice, video and data solutions for commercial customers, and Cox Media is a full-service provider of national and local cable spot and new media advertising.

Cox is known for its pioneering efforts in cable telephone and commercial services, industry-leading customer care and its outstanding workplaces. For seven years, Cox has been recognized as the top operator for women by Women in Cable Telecommunications; Cox has ranked among DiversityInc's Top 50 Companies for Diversity seven times, including the last six years. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at www.cox.com and www.coxmedia.com.

SOURCE Cox Communications