Ethan Yarbrough is head of a technology-development company, but he no longer carries business cards. He says giving people his Twitter address should be enough.

“There’s an expectation these days that you’ll be accessible on social-networking sites,” he said.

Yarbrough’s confidence in Twitter connectivity is proof that the internet is growing as a business tool. But social-networking sites aren’t the only new-media device that companies are using these days.

Kevin Hansen is a Bellevue-based physical therapist who plans to create a web site that will serve as a hub for maternity information and as a marketing agent for the new one-piece support garment that he’s designed for pregnant women.

The premise of Hansen’s plan is to use help rather than persistent messaging to attract customers. It’s a concept that many web-savvy marketing experts are starting to preach.

“You have to farm for customers now rather than hunt them down,” said new-media consultant Steve Broback. “Help people, and the side effect will be a significant growth in business.”

Providing knowledge – whether it’s through blogs, information aggregation, or any other form of new media – can pay dividends.

The formula worked for Andru Edwards, who brings in a minimum five-figure salary each month with his web site GearLive.com. It’s one of the most popular technology-news sites around.

“Good, well-written content is about the best advertising a person can do,” Edwards said.

Businesses that ignore new media could find themselves on the other end of the spectrum, according to marketing experts.

Kenji Onozawa still uses those time-honored business cards. But the self-described social-media enthusiast says he wouldn’t think of printing one without his Twitter address.

“It has to be there, just like your phone number or e-mail,” he said. “If it’s not, it’s like you don’t exist to people.”

For a business, that’s about the worst thing that could happen.