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Unconventional Website Advice

A web developer gives no-nonsense advice about building your small business website.

10 simple ways to become a better web client and user

10 simple ways to become a better web client and user

I just wrote a short guide to building the website and web presence for your small business. It’s called Unconventional Website Advice and…
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Todd A
Sep 3, 2015
Why I wrote Unconventional Website Advice

Why I wrote Unconventional Website Advice

There are two primary reasons why I wrote Unconventional Website Advice:
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
There is a difference between running lean and cutting corners

There is a difference between running lean and cutting corners

Throughout Unconventional Website Advice, I talk about avoiding overhead and expenses. I want to get my website clients out of the…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Success isn’t science

Success isn’t science

A lot of web agencies and consultants want to tell you that to BE successful on the web you HAVE to do things in a certain way.
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Have a purpose for your website

Have a purpose for your website

Most clients who want a website just think, “I need a website. Like other websites.” A website to them is a home page (probably with a…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Avoid the web agency until you need one

Avoid the web agency until you need one

You have to have a purpose for your web agency too. What is it you’re trying to do with your business on the web? If your only purpose for…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Working with the professionals

Working with the professionals

Here is some totally conventional advice, yet it’s advice that most clients don’t hear because too many agencies want to let the client…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Your website isn’t that important

Your website isn’t that important

So often, developers, designers, and agencies find themselves on the receiving end of a client freak-out over a minor mistake on a website…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Your business doesn’t need WordPress

Your business doesn’t need WordPress

If you’ve shopped web services at all, you’ve probably come across WordPress. It is the most popular software to power websites. While…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
When your business needs Squarespace

When your business needs Squarespace

Squarespace is the most complete, low-cost, all-in-one CMS plus hosting solution. That means, you sign up, choose a design, select a domain…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Maybe you just need a Single Page, Flat HTML Website

Maybe you just need a Single Page, Flat HTML Website

Chances are you’re going to ask your developer or agency to change the text on your website anyway, why not make it the fastest, best SEO…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
You DEFINITELY, ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY DO NOT NEED to host your own ecommerce store.

You DEFINITELY, ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY DO NOT NEED to host your own ecommerce store.

I’ve watched many clients take on too much overhead (financial and technical) to run an ecommerce store when they can’t afford it. So not…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Small businesses: You probably don’t need a blog

Small businesses: You probably don’t need a blog

Here’s how I see the problem: Everyone tells you about the importance of blogging. Web agencies, marketers, social media mavens, your…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
If you have a blog on your site, turn off the comments

If you have a blog on your site, turn off the comments

At the advent of “Web 2.0,” all web professionals were encouraging businesses, “Blog! Comment with your users!” This encouragement persists…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Small businesses: Forget Facebook

Small businesses: Forget Facebook

While it’s great to offload comments to social media and it’s great to engage your users on social media, I think Facebook is a tremendous…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Small Businesses: Put Instagram and Pinterest on the backburner

Small Businesses: Put Instagram and Pinterest on the backburner

I love Instagram and I think Pinterest is great for some users. But like Facebook, neither does a great job of funneling users from their…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Social is oversold

Social is oversold

This is another general rule based on what I see clients going through: there is too much unfocused energy directed towards “social media.”…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Don’t be afraid to launch

Don’t be afraid to launch

For sixteen years, I’ve watched clients be terrified to launch their new website. They continually change content and come back with new…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
The longer you wait to launch, the more will go wrong

The longer you wait to launch, the more will go wrong

Here’s another huge reason why you should launch with your minimum viable website: the longer you wait to launch, the more that will go…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Grow when it hurts not to

Grow when it hurts not to

Today, we have enough third-party solutions that you shouldn’t approach your website as the be-all, end-all to your business. It doesn’t…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Hire an expert in-house web manager

Hire an expert in-house web manager

The moment when you know you’re ready to grow is when you can afford to hire someone full-time to manage your site. Agencies are great but…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Your website isn’t finished, ever.

Your website isn’t finished, ever.

This shouldn’t be unconventional advice but almost no client understands it so it obviously isn’t getting said enough or said well: your…
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
Blueprints to build your website and presence by yourself

Blueprints to build your website and presence by yourself

This is obviously the most unconventional thing I can say: build your website yourself.
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
The Unconventional Website Advice guide to Creating and Broadcasting Web Content

The Unconventional Website Advice guide to Creating and Broadcasting Web Content

Now that you’ve got a blueprint for getting a website and social media accounts, here is the “third heat”: strategy.
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Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
The more we all know

The more we all know

I’ve written several versions of these Unconventional Website Advices over the years. Some I’ve sent to clients. Some I’ve written as basic…
Go to the profile of Todd A
Todd A
Aug 30, 2015
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