Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need SSL?

What is SSL? SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer, and is a security technology for encrypting information between a web server and a browser. You can tell if a site has SSL because it will have https:// before the domain name instead of plain http://. It will also have a green lock icon in the browser’s… Read more »

WordPress.com vs WordPress.org

When I tell prospective clients that I build all sites with WordPress, a fair number of them go to WordPress.com to research, which is smart! Research is good. Except . . . WordPress.com is not what I use. There are two different flavors of WordPress — they are both similar, created by the same people, and the… Read more »

Common WordPress Issues

WordPress is the best – really. It is amazingly flexible, expandable, SEO-friendly, and easy to use. That’s why I use it on almost every single site I build. But any web platform has its quirks, and WordPress is no exception. Plus — stuff happens. If you all of a sudden find that some aspect of your… Read more »

Ask Websy: Force Facebook to see changes to my website!

Dear Websy, I posted a link to my site on Facebook, and saw a typo in the description! I went back and fixed the typo on my web page, but Facebook can’t seem to get over it – it keeps showing the typo! What do I do? This is indeed really annoying, and happens to everyone eventually…. Read more »

SE-NO Part 4: Now what?

In Part 1, I told you why “Being #1 in Google” doesn’t mean anything, and explain why. In Part 2, I told you why you need to focus on attracting people instead of driving traffic. In Part 3, I discuss how having a blog can be great for SEO. Or not. I highly recommend reading… Read more »

SE-NO Part 3: Blogging for SEO

In Part 1, I told you why “Being #1 in Google” doesn’t mean anything, and explain why. In Part 2, I told you why you need to focus on attracting people instead of driving traffic. A large part of what was discussed in the above posts was about having relevant content on your site, and a blog CAN… Read more »

SE-NO Part 2: Being #1 for Customers

In “Part 1: Being #1 in Google“, I explained a little bit about how fruitless it is to try to be “#1 in Google.” Your real goal is being #1 for your customers. (I will use the term “customer” below, but this might actually be clients, patients, readers, or something else depending on your situation.)… Read more »

SE-NO Part 1: Being #1 in Google

Say this with me 3 times: Your customers are more important than Google. Your customers are more important than Google. Your customers are more important than Google. (Replace “customers” with “clients,” “readers,” “patients,” or whatever is most applicable to you.) You now know 80% of what you need to know about SEO. What the heck… Read more »

How to Choose a Web Designer

I frequently hear from prospective clients that they have received several quotes for their project, and the prices have spanned a huge range, from a few hundred dollars, to many thousands of dollars. There is not a universal fee structure for web development, and what any given person charges can depend on a lof of… Read more »

Going Email Only

I’ve been freelancing for over 8 years, and over those years I have been constantly fine-tuning and adjusting the way I run and conduct business in order to: A. Provide my clients with the best possible service. B. Maintain some life balance for myself. C. Be as efficient as possible without sacrificing A or B…. Read more »

Stay Connected to Your Customers: Newsletter Marketing

These days, there is so much competing for our attention, that our business can become “out of sight, out of mind,” in a heart beat. Most experienced small business owners know that if they can just get in front of their customers, past and future, periodically, that can frequently turn into new business. But how… Read more »

How Often Should You Redo Your Web site?

Many, if not most, small businesses look at a web site as a one-time expense; once they have invested in one, they look at that as something checked off of their list forever. The reality is that the web evolves so rapidly that you really should look at a web site as an ongoing expense… Read more »