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Unconventional Website Advice
A web developer gives no-nonsense advice about building your small business website.
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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…
toddplex
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:
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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.
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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.”…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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…
toddplex
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.
toddplex
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.
toddplex
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…
toddplex
Aug 30, 2015
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