Website stuff certainly isn’t rocket science, but it is something that takes patience and time to learn. So, what do you need to know to build or edit a website without wasting hours of your time or pulling your hair out? Here’s a short list:
It’s harder than it looks: a few things to consider before building your own website Read More »
If you’ve been in business for awhile, you’ve probably been there…you meet a new contact or prospect, look them up online, and see they have a killer website. The website that has served you well over the past few years may be looking a bit stale by comparison, but is that a good enough reason to invest in a new one? Besides having a case of website envy, there’s lots of reasons why it may be time for a total remodel, and many of those reasons are about what’s “under the hood”. Appearance isn’t the only reason to justify an investment in an overhaul. So, what other clues should you look for?
Five Signs You Need A Website Rebuild Read More »
Thought I’d do something a bit different this week, with all the hullabaloo surrounding the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) privacy standards taking effect on May 25th—and prompting a lot of questions. Like you, I’ve been on the lookout for good information about how the GDPR’s sweeping overhaul of data handling standards can impact businesses here in the USA. As you might expect, companies most directly affected by the new GDPR standards (email marketing and ecommerce companies in particular) are leading the way in providing helpful information for the rest of us. So, here’s a list of some great articles and resources about the new data privacy rules and how they impact online marketers and consumers. Hope you find these links as helpful as I did!
Best of The Web Roundup: GDPR Edition Read More »
If your website’s been online for a few years, you may be thinking that it’s time for an update. Styles, browsers and mobile devices change so frequently, that letting things alone even for just a few years can leave a site looking stale. Fortunately, you can get more mileage our of your existing website by making some quick, budget-friendly changes. Here’s a few ideas to consider…
Quick & Cheap Website Makeover Ideas Read More »
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a European Union (EU) privacy law that will affect businesses around the world when it goes into effect on May 25, 2018. It’s intended to protect the personal data of residents of the EU. If you do business primarily in the USA, this doesn’t directly pertain to you, but if you happen to collect email list subscribers that live in the EU, for example, you are potentially subject to the regulation with regard to how you store and use any collected information.
What is GDPR and do I need to care about it? Read More »
Any business owner who has a website will begin at some point, to consider some website rehab work—or perhaps a complete overhaul. In the ever-changing world of online marketing, website aesthetics change over time and what seemed super-cool 4 years ago now seems a bit dated. That feeling is more than the changing tides of fashion. Over time, devices change, web hosting servers change, technical capabilities change, so if your website has not changed with it… it can begin to show its age. Fortunately, with a bit of forethought and prioritization, you can save big money when planning your next website redesign.
How to minimize WordPress project costs Read More »
This week’s revelations that Facebook had leaked the personal data of nearly 50 million users to a third party data marketing company came as a shock to the press, but it really shouldn’t have been surprising to anyone. While it’s obvious that this shouldn’t have happened, the lurid details of this scandal can obscure some long-running features of the Facebook business model that made this “breach of trust” basically inevitable.
Tough-love takeaways from the Facebook fiasco Read More »
While your business may not need to have an elaborate, printed and mailed policy, it’s a good idea to clarify what data is being collected about your website visitors, and what your practice is with any data you collect. Having a posted policy helps build trust with visitors and demonstrates your concern with visitor and customer data security. Think of a website privacy policy is a much broader version of your email marketing signup “no spam” disclaimer.
Does your website need a privacy policy? Read More »
Whenever I build or update a client’s WordPress site, a question often arises about the blog comment form. Although WordPress is used mostly as a content management system for business websites, its roots are in blogging. All WP sites have a blog built-in – and with that blog comes with the capacity for visitors to post comments to your blog posts.
So, are blog comments necessary? The short answer is no. There are some WP users that are blogging for traffic and visibility and for them, visitor comments can help build community and serve as a SEO and traffic booster. But for most website owners, they’re unnecessary and can create messaging confusion. Here’s my three top reasons to simply disable comments:
Three reasons to disable your blog’s comment form Read More »
Are you currently enjoying a holiday lull and have some extra time to plan some overdue updates to your website? Maybe you’re thinking about ways to improve your online security? Or, maybe you’re like me and just binge-watching Netflix and eating too many cookies. Either way, here’s my top 5 New Year’s resolutions you should consider for 2017…
Top 5 Tech New Year Resolutions for 2017 Read More »
Working online presents a constant barrage of new services and tools that’s challenging to keep up with, let alone understand. While it’s fun to try new services and tools and see how they can solve problems that my clients face, it still can be overwhelming at times. I try to devote a bit of time each day to keeping up with tech blogs, and this helps keep me in the loop. As much as I read blogs and sign up for free trials, I still have a case of FOMO – afraid I’m missing out on the perfect tool…the one awesome service that I hadn’t heard about just yet. Over time, I developed a short list of sites that I go to when I’m scouting out a new service. Next time you’re looking for a new online business resource, start with these sites. They’ll save you tons of time and you’ll be better informed when it’s time to make a decision.
How to Find Great Online Business Apps & Tools Read More »
Just like cars (and everything else), websites age, and if you don’t tend to them, they will begin to show it. The good news is that many WordPress website problems are easily averted with some common-sense, regularly-administered technical maintenance. If your site has been sitting online unchanged for a few years, lookout for the following:
Is Your WordPress Website Showing Its Age? Read More »
