Do It! Marketing: 77 Instant-Action Ideas to Boost Sales, Maximize Profits, and Crush Your Competition by David Newman My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is an actionable, motivating guide to small business marketing. It instantly became one of my favorite marketing books. I agree with Newman’s approach; it fits the way I like to […]
"Doesn't social media replace the need for a business website?" 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. The short answer is no. Here's an expanded version of the answer I gave. These are the advantages of a business website over social […]
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 […]
Many clients ask where they can find images for their websites. Others don't ask, and simply send images they found on Google Images. My experience is that many people aren't familiar with copyright laws. You aren't free to use every image you find on the Web. You may only use images to which you own […]
My clients often ask me how they can improve their SEO (search engine optimization) to rank higher. If their budget allows for it, I partner with an SEO expert, because a successful SEO or SEM (search engine marketing) campaign requires specialized expertise. If such a campaign isn't in their budget, as is often the case […]
I've recently been writing about my favorite podcasts about the business of web design. Here are my favorite business podcasts that aren't about web design, but do have great business content. I’ve listed these from most to least favorite. If you like these, you should read my other posts about podcasts. I’m always looking for […]
The Elements of Content Strategy by Erin Kissane My rating: 3 of 5 stars This short book is a good overview of content strategy. It presents the concepts and includes many references for deeper reading. I’m a web designer who creates websites for small businesses, and those sites are too small to warrant a sophisticated […]
The Wealthy Freelancer: 12 Secrets to a Great Income and an Enviable Lifestyle by Steve Slaunwhite My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is definitely the best book on freelancing I’ve read so far! Many freelancers assume that they must choose between a high income and the freedom of freelancing, so they settle for an […]
The Referral Engine: Teaching Your Business to Market Itself by John Jantsch My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is one of the best marketing books I’ve read! Jantsch, clearly a master marketer, shows how to guide prospects to you. How? Educate, and you won’t need to sell. He tells how to build a referral […]
Google’s search results are generally quite good by default, but customizing the results can make them even better. Google provides several options for doing this, which appear along the left side of the search results page. These work best if you’re signed into a Google account. Type of content The top group of options filters […]
Learn how to create a group in Google Workspace, to use as an email distribution list.
It’s time to improve your Google search techniques! The simplest tip is to start by using as few words as possible, because each word focuses the search further and thus limits the results. Then, add more words to narrow your results. You can also use the following search operators: Search single word exactly as is […]
