"What website mistakes do small businesses make?" This was one of the many questions asked at the Small Business Tech Panel at the Warehaüs, a coworking space in Holland, Michigan in March 2014. Here's an expanded version of the answer I gave. The items (in no particular order) are as follows: Not optimized for sales Business websites exist to […]
When I talk to small business clients about creating or redesigning their websites, I usually encourage them to include a blog. Many reply with, "We don't see why we need one," or, "We don't have anything to write about," or, "We don't have time for that." I then proceed to describe the many benefits of […]
Manage Your Day-To-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind by Jocelyn K. Glei My rating: 3 of 5 stars This book tells creatives (designers, writers, artists, etc.) how to better manage their time to give priority to creativity. It's current and practical while still presenting timeless principles. It covers several […]
I led a WordPress for Small Business Websites Q&A panel at WordCamp Grand Rapids 2013. We discussed goals, strategy, content, analytics, speed and performance, social media, SEO, and generally making sites effective. Below is a video of the panel discussion, followed by paraphrased versions of the questions asked by the audience. I'm so thankful for […]
These are my favorite audio podcasts covering web design and related topics such as web development, usability, and freelancing. Maybe some day I'll write a review for each one, but for now, I just pasted the description from each podcast's site or iTunes page. I've listed them roughly in the order I like them. For […]
WordPress All-in-One For Dummies by Lisa Sabin-Wilson, Cory Miller, Kevin Palmer, Andrea Rennick, Michael Torbert My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is the broadest, most comprehensive WordPress book I’ve read so far. It covers more than WordPress for Dummies, because it deals with everything from administration to design to development. I skimmed the first […]
Poorly written subject lines are one of my pet peeves. These subject line tips apply to messages sent by email, Facebook, LinkedIn, or other messaging systems with subject lines. Always write a subject line. Don’t leave it blank! Don’t use the subject line to start a conversation, with lines such as "hi" or "what’s up?". […]
Facebook just added an option to secure your connection with HTTPS! This is great news for any security-conscious Facebook users. Normally, when you use Facebook, anyone on the same network can sniff the network traffic and see what you're doing. Firesheep made this even easier than it already was. It used to be that you […]
If you listen carefully, you’ll hear one of the sounds I hate most in this world... that’s the sound of wasted time. How many hours a week do you spend cleaning the house, working out, driving, or doing other things that put your brain on idle? Put those otherwise wasted hours to good use by […]
Website Owner's Manual by Paul Boag My rating: 3 of 5 stars This book instructs website owners in using their website(s) to engage customers and build their brand. I’ve read several technical web design books lately, but wanted to read this one to see things from the site owner’s perspective, in preparation for working with […]
Today I went to the Business Technology Trends Tech Lunch at Herrick District Library, put on by the Holland Chamber of Commerce. Jason Kehrer, Chief Problem Solver at The Image Group, presented 7 emerging technology trends to an audience of local business owners and professionals. Throughout the presentation, we discussed how these technologies are affecting […]
xkcd, one of my favorite geeky web comics, posted their second proportionate map of online communities: Online Communities 2. It represents the relative amount of social activity of various sites and programs as the size of fictional countries on a map. I wasn't surprised that Facebook is so huge, but I had no idea that […]
