About Mike Ferguson

Mike Ferguson is co-owner of The Affordable Web Guy, which he founded in 2008 and has run from the Denver metro since 2014. An Army veteran, he spent 10 years with the Los Angeles County and Sonoma County Sheriff's Offices, taught himself HTML in the mid-1990s, and has worked on websites full time since 1999. He handles WordPress development and hosting for small businesses across the Denver metro.

Website Designer Helping Small Businesses Stand Out Online

We’re a website designer and SEO team that helps small businesses grow online. We don’t make it fancy. We make it work. Whether you're in Denver, Boulder, Westminster, or somewhere in between — our websites get you found. Website Hosting That’s Fast and Easy Nobody likes a slow website. If it takes more than a few seconds to load, people leave. We keep your website fast and safe with simple hosting plans. You don’t have to do anything — we set it up, manage updates, and keep everything backed up. If anything breaks, we fix it. Fast. Hosting with us means your site stays online, stays fast, and doesn’t leave you guessing. Website Maintenance That Doesn’t Fall Through the Cracks Think of your website like a car. You wouldn’t drive it for years without changing the oil, right? We take care of updates, plugins, security checks, and everything else your website needs to stay running smooth. No weird error messages. No broken contact forms. No panicked calls when your homepage disappears. We’ve worked with businesses from Capitol Hill to Golden that had broken sites and didn’t even know it. Our maintenance plans catch that stuff before it becomes a problem. Complete Website Services (Without the Jargon) A lot of agencies throw big words around. We don’t. We build websites that bring customers to you. That’s it. We handle the design, the words, the SEO, the photos — whatever you need. One point of contact. One monthly plan. No surprises. Whether you're starting from scratch or fixing something old, our complete website service takes care of everything. Just tell us what your business does, and we’ll handle the rest. Custom Web Design That Feels Like You Every business is different. A chiropractor in Lakewood doesn’t need the same site as a landscaping [...]

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Why Online Marketing Matters for Small Businesses

Your Business Needs to Be Found Online Small business owners face a simple reality: customers search online before they buy. Whether someone needs a plumber, wants fresh coffee, or looks for accounting help, they start with their phone or computer. When your business doesn't appear in those searches, potential customers can't find you. This shift happened gradually, then suddenly became the norm. Now, having a strong online presence isn't optional anymore—it's how businesses survive and grow. The good news? Getting found online doesn't require a marketing degree or massive budget. What Online Marketing Actually Does Think of online marketing as your business working around the clock. While you sleep, your website attracts visitors. Meanwhile, your social media posts reach people scrolling through their feeds. Also, your Google My Business profile shows up when locals search for services like yours. This constant visibility creates opportunities traditional advertising can't match. Instead of hoping the right person sees your newspaper ad, you can target people actively searching for what you offer. Plus, online marketing gives you data about what works and what doesn't. Small Budgets Can Still Make Big Impact Many business owners assume online marketing costs too much. However, some of the most effective strategies require more time than money. For instance, writing helpful blog posts costs nothing but can bring in customers for months. Social media marketing works similarly. Creating posts, responding to comments, and sharing behind-the-scenes content builds relationships without breaking the bank. Even paid advertising can be affordable when you target the right audience with the right message. Building Trust Through Digital Connections Modern customers want to know who they're buying from. Online marketing lets you show your personality and expertise. When you share helpful tips on Facebook or answer questions in Google reviews, people start trusting your [...]

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Ranking: The Very Best Ways To Boost Website Position Traffic

When people search for products or services online, they typically click on the first few results they see. Therefore, where your business shows up on Google matters significantly. If your business is buried on page two or three, then most customers will never find you. Your Google Position Affects Your Business First, consider Google like a busy street. Businesses at the front get the most foot traffic, while those hidden in the back rarely get noticed. Similarly, your Google ranking works the same way. As a result, higher rankings mean more people see your business, visit your website, and become customers. Furthermore, Google looks at more than 200 different signals to decide which websites deserve the top spots. However, you can control many of these factors to help your business climb higher. What Makes Google Notice Your Business Initially, Google wants to show people the best, most helpful results. Consequently, your website needs to prove it deserves a top spot by having useful content that answers what people are searching for. Therefore, write clear, honest information about your products and services. Additionally, website speed matters. People expect pages to load quickly, especially on their phones. If your site takes too long to load, then visitors will leave and Google will notice. Moreover, when other businesses link to your website, it tells Google that you're trustworthy. When a respected company or organization mentions your business online, it's essentially like getting a recommendation. Simple Steps to Improve Your Rankings First, make sure your website clearly explains what you do and who you serve. Next, use the same words your customers use when talking about your business. For example, if you sell pizza, don't call it "artisanal flatbread" unless that's what people actually search for. Additionally, keep your content fresh by regularly [...]

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SEO: Compelling Solutions For A Critical Issue!

Running a small business feels like juggling flaming torches while riding a unicycle sometimes. Between fierce competition and limited resources, business owners face obstacles that would make anyone's head spin. The good news? Today's challenges have today's solutions, and many of them start with having the right online presence. The Competition Problem Gets Real Large corporations throw massive budgets at marketing campaigns while small businesses count every penny. Local shops compete against national chains that can afford prime locations and flashy advertisements. Meanwhile, online giants dominate search results with their deep pockets and endless resources. This David versus Goliath scenario plays out daily in every industry. Small businesses need smart strategies rather than big budgets to level the playing field. A professional website becomes that slingshot that helps smaller operations compete effectively against larger competitors. Marketing Budget Blues Small business owners know the struggle of stretching marketing dollars. Traditional advertising costs pile up quickly, and results often feel uncertain. Radio spots, print ads, and billboard space drain budgets without guaranteeing customers will walk through the door. Digital marketing offers better bang for the buck, but only when done right. A well-designed website serves as the foundation for all online marketing efforts. Social media posts, email campaigns, and local search optimization all work better when they drive traffic to a professional website that converts visitors into customers. The Jack-and-Jill-of-All-Trades Dilemma Small business owners wear every hat in the company. Monday morning finds them handling customer service calls. Tuesday afternoon has them balancing books. Wednesday brings inventory management duties. Thursday means playing HR manager, and Friday? Time to become the marketing department. This constant role-switching creates burnout and prevents owners from focusing on growing their business. A smart website can automate many of these tasks. Contact forms handle initial customer inquiries. [...]

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The Power Of Video For Your Small Business

Does video marketing really work for small businesses? If you're running a small business and haven't started using video yet, you're probably wondering if it's worth the effort. Here's the short answer: yes, absolutely. But don't just take my word for it—the data tells a pretty convincing story. Need help building a website that showcases your video content effectively? Contact The Affordable Web Guy for a free consultation about creating a professional site that converts visitors into customers. According to Wyzowl's 2025 Video Marketing Statistics, 93% of marketers say video marketing has given them a good return on investment. That's the highest number they've recorded since they started tracking this data over a decade ago. Even better, 99% of video marketers say video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service. For small businesses specifically, video isn't some luxury that only big companies with huge budgets can afford anymore. It's become one of the most accessible and effective ways to connect with customers, explain what you do, and actually get people to take action. What kind of results can small businesses expect from video? The numbers are hard to ignore. Shopify's research shows that 82% of internet users worldwide watch videos online every month, and 78% of people prefer learning about a product or service by watching a short video rather than reading text. When it comes to actual business results, video delivers: 96% of video marketers say it helps increase brand awareness 88% say video has helped them generate leads 82% report increased web traffic from using video Websites that include video have conversion rates around 4.8%, compared to just 2.9% for sites without video What does this mean in practical terms? If you're trying to get people to understand what you sell, trust your business, [...]

Essential Website Statistics for Small Businesses

Running a small business means making smart choices with limited resources. However, when it comes to your online presence, the numbers don't lie – having a professional website isn't just nice to have anymore. Moreover, these statistics show exactly why your business needs to take its web presence seriously. Ready to get started? Contact us about website design with a no-pressure web design consultation. The Reality Check: Where Small Businesses Stand Online According to recent research, only 73% of small businesses currently have websites. Meanwhile, Clutch's 2025 study reveals that 83% of small businesses now have a website, up from 64% in 2018. Furthermore, this gap represents missed opportunities every single day. Notably, business owners are finally recognizing what the data has been telling us all along. Additionally, consumers increasingly expect to find businesses online before making contact or visiting in person. The Affordable Web Guy helps small businesses bridge this gap with WordPress-based solutions that put your business where customers expect to find you. Mobile Traffic Dominates Website Design Decisions First impressions happen fast online, especially on mobile devices. Statistics show that mobile devices now account for approximately 59-63% of global website traffic, according to multiple data sources including Statista and Chrome User Experience reports. Professional web design services understand these mobile requirements. The Affordable Web Guy creates responsive WordPress sites that look great and function smoothly across all devices. Website Speed Can't Be Ignored Website loading speed directly impacts business opportunities. Research shows that the average web page load time is 2.5 seconds on desktop and 8.6 seconds on mobile. Furthermore, according to website performance data, pages on mobile devices take approximately 71% longer to load than desktop versions. Additionally, Google considers 2 seconds or less optimal for page load times, particularly for [...]

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