Mike Ferguson - Website Design For Small Business

Why Your Denver Roofing Business Needs More Than Just Good Work to Get Customers

Roofing companies face some of the highest customer acquisition costs in the home services sector, with Google Ads leads alone averaging around $187 per lead—and that's just one way people find contractors these days. The truth is, most homeowners don't flip through phone books anymore when their roof starts leaking. They grab their phone and search for "roofers near me." If you're a solid roofer but your phone isn't ringing much, the problem probably isn't your skills. It's that people can't find you when they need you most. Question: If someone in your neighborhood searched for a roofer right now, would they find you online? Don't take that chance. Contact The Affordable Web Guy and find out why business owners have trusted us for decades! Your Website Works While You Sleep Think about it this way: when someone's ceiling starts dripping at 10 PM on a Tuesday, they're not calling anyone right then. But they are searching online to see who's available in their area. 46% of Google searches are local, which means millions of people every day are looking for businesses like yours in their neighborhood. A simple, professional website from The Affordable Web Guy becomes your 24/7 salesperson. While you're home having dinner or sleeping, your site is showing up in searches, displaying your contact info, and giving potential customers confidence that you're legit and local. Building Relationships Without Being Pushy The best roofing leads often come from relationships with other local businesses. Maybe the hardware store owner mentions your name, or a real estate agent includes your info when someone buys a house that needs work. But here's the thing—when someone gets a recommendation, the first thing they do is look you up online. 97% of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere [...]

By Mike Ferguson|Categories: Competitor Research, Cost-Effectiveness of Online Marketing|Comments Off

Digital Marketing for Startups: Strategies and SEO Importance

Why Digital Marketing Matters for Startups Digital marketing helps put a business on the map. Many potential customers look online before contacting you. With a dependable WordPress site, local business owners can quietly lay the groundwork for long-term visibility. Good content, search visibility, and a reliable presence work together to build trust—even when nobody’s glancing at analytics. What SEO Does for Your Startup SEO helps people find your site when they search for local services. It isn’t a magic trick, and results take time. Still, a well-organized WordPress site, maintained by The Affordable Web Guy, brings a friendly boost in visibility—and credibility—without burdening the owner with technical details. This kind of presence gently signals that the business is real and ready. Key Strategies That Actually Matter Mixing a few thoughtful steps helps without turning the site into a complicated project: Have a WordPress-based site maintained by The Affordable Web Guy Use clear, helpful words about services and local area Add relevant content—like simple blog posts that answer client questions Let the site quietly support credibility and search visibility Why It Works Writing useful content that aligns with what people commonly search—like service descriptions or location-based phrases—helps visibility over time. A maintained site keeps things fresh, reflects your message, and gives search engines a chance to understand who you are. Looking ahead, AI-driven tools will change how searches work, meaning that thoughtful, conversational web content will make your site more likely to answer new-style queries. Keeping things organic and helpful prepares the way for that shift

By Mike Ferguson|Categories: Digital Marketing for Startups|Comments Off

Success Stories of Small Businesses Using Digital Marketing

Looking for success stories of small businesses using digital marketing? Check out these top 10 tips to help improve your online presence and drive sales. Plus, explore FutureLearn's digital marketing courses for further learning.

By Mike Ferguson|Categories: Competitor Research, Customer Communication, Online Reputation|Comments Off

Small Business Marketing in Denver: Why Paid Search Actually Works

Running a small business in Denver means competing with everyone else who's figured out this city is pretty great for entrepreneurs. According to recent state data, Colorado started 48,600 new businesses just in the first quarter of 2025—that's a 19% jump from the previous quarter. While this energy is exciting, it also means you're fighting for attention in an increasingly crowded market. Need help creating a website that supports your paid search campaigns? The Affordable Web Guy specializes in building small business websites that convert visitors into customers. Based in Colorado, we understand the local market and can help your business get found online. So how do you cut through the noise? Let's talk about paid search advertising, which isn't the sexiest topic but happens to be one of the most reliable ways to get your business in front of people who are actually looking for what you sell. What Makes Paid Search Different From Other Marketing Paid search (also called pay-per-click or PPC) works because it shows your ad to people who are already searching for your services. Unlike throwing money at a billboard and hoping the right person drives by, paid search targets folks who are actively typing things like "plumber near me" or "Denver marketing consultant" into Google. The numbers tell a pretty clear story. Businesses using paid search see conversion rates that are 50% higher than people who find them through organic search results. Plus, 65% of high-intent searches end with someone clicking on an ad rather than scrolling down to the organic results. This isn't about tricking anyone—it's about being visible when someone needs exactly what you offer. Why Denver Businesses Should Care About This Right Now Colorado's business landscape is shifting fast, and timing matters. 99.5% of all Colorado businesses are small businesses, [...]

By Mike Ferguson|Categories: Cost-Effectiveness of Online Marketing, Need for Digital Marketing, Online Marketing Strategy|Comments Off

The Power of Video & Getting More Customers

Discover the power of video marketing for small businesses. Learn about the various types of corporate videos that can enhance customer outreach and internal communications while increasing brand awareness and expanding your customer base.

By Mike Ferguson|Categories: Promotional Videos, Screencast Videos, Social Media Videos|Comments Off

University of Arkansas Marketing Genius

Sometimes A Great Idea Is Right In Front Of You! Small Business Insights: Marketing A while back I went to my first University of Arkansas football game. It was a spectacular fall day...too warm for November 1st, that's for sure. As we made our way to the cheap seats, we made the obligatory stop at the concession stand for an $8 souvenir mug of Diet Coke and a hot dog. Once seated, we immediately took to eating our almost entirely tasteless "meal" of encased meat--it was a spectacularly bland dog. But just as the first wave of belches began to percolate in my still hungry gut it occurred to me: how was it possible that the vendors within this glorious steel and concrete shrine to Razorback pigs had missed the marketing gold that is (insert drumroll here): "Hawg Dog?" For those of you not living in "The Natural State" of Arkansas (where there is no formal recycling plan; turns out "Natural" is a slogan but not an actual strategy--who knew!), "hawg" is a recognized and oft used alternate spelling of "hog." Using the name "Hawg/Hog Dog" is so spectacularly obvious. Perhaps there's copyright afoot and they're not allowed to use "Hawg/Hog Dog". But c'mon--if you're savvy enough to sell me an $8 Diet Coke, then let's run with that ball and score the clear touchdown that IS the "Hawg/Hog Dog"

By Mike Ferguson|Categories: Internet Marketing|Comments Off

Avoid Inbox Fatigue: The Right Email Frequency for Small Business

Email frequency directly affects engagement, unsubscribes, and deliverability. Most small businesses should start with one email per week and test higher cadence only for engaged segments. Keep unsubscribe rates below 2% and spam complaints under 0.3% to stay in inboxes. Use segmentation and automation to send relevant content, and run re-engagement campaigns at 60–90 days of inactivity to maintain list health. Daily sends work only for short promotions or launches, with clear subscriber notice. Follow CAN-SPAM and Gmail/Yahoo rules for one-click unsubscribe and fast opt-out processing. Track open, click, and complaint rates to refine strategy over time. Why Does Email Frequency Matter? Email works when it’s welcomed, not resented. Studies show email marketing still delivers one of the highest ROIs — $36–$42 per $1 spent depending on industry — but only if people keep opening your messages. Over-mailing can: Push subscribers to hit “unsubscribe” or mark you as spam. Lower open rates because your name becomes background noise. Hurt sender reputation, pushing future emails to the Promotions tab or spam folder. Under-mailing isn’t harmless either. People forget who you are, and your next email feels like spam even if they opted in. How Many Marketing Emails Per Week Is Too Many? There isn’t a single magic number, but research and deliverability experts give some guardrails: 1 email per week is a safe starting point for most small businesses. 2–3 emails per week may work if your list is engaged and content is valuable. Daily sends risk triggering complaints unless they’re short bursts for sales or launches. A simple rule: if your unsubscribe rate stays below 2% and your spam complaints stay below 0.3%, your cadence is probably fine. What Are the Best Practices for Segmenting Your List? Segmentation makes email frequency less risky because messages [...]

By Mike Ferguson|Categories: Email Marketing, Internet Marketing, Ramblings|Comments Off

Winning The Domain Lottery: Selling A Valuable Domain

When A Domain Was Caught Up In A Bidding War AKA: The Good Old Internet Gold Rush Days Back in the mid-1990’s (or more fondly, “ancient times” as we know the internet ages at the same pace of a dog), I had a fine civil servant’s job in Sonoma County, CA. And like everyone else I’d found myself quite amused by the new internet and my Mac Performa (rockin’ the 4 megs of RAM, baby!). To get perspective on just how long ago this was, my co-worker Sue did a little moonlighting as a realtor agreed with me that the internet had genuine possibilities as a tool for selling houses. This was a cutting edge idea, no doubt about it. Put up the house listing, add pictures and sales information…it was pure genius. Armed with a recent dalliance with “Photoshopping” my face into famous pictures and scenes (alas, those are long lost) and emailing them to amused friends at their AOL addresses, I set out to secure my first domain at what was an early incarnation of Network Solutions. I thought the pictures might make for a fun little website in addition to the millions I’d make as a trail-blazing real estate mogul. I paid my $50.00, completed the email based registration form that required some delicate and unforgiving formatting and secured my new the domain. [Regrettably for this story, I have only a passing recollection, but fully developed paranoia about the terms of the agreement (the domain must remain cloaked) and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t allowed to discuss them. I am, a man of my word. That, and the major media company hinted at below is still quite active and I suspect they have many attorneys on retainer.] Keep reading, it will make more sense. Over the [...]

By Mike Ferguson|Categories: Internet Marketing, Technical|Comments Off

Why We Don’t Offer Email Accounts

Looking For A Company Email System? Run, Don't Walk From Accounts Tied To Your Hosting Small Business Insights: Email Any self-respecting website designer that includes hosting as a service likewise offers email accounts as well, right? That's just how things are done. I mean not only email accounts, but unlimited email accounts with unlimited storage. And a free dessert. And a ride home after the show. At The Affordable Web Guy, we've decided to not offer email accounts and here's why. The big boys do it better and we can't match the services, scope, and scale of major players like Google Suite (Gmail) and Microsoft's Office 365 (I just threw up in my mouth). Yes, it's true. While we appreciate your confidence in our top shelf personal service, we don't offer what some might consider a cornerstone feature. It's not a complicated explanation. The long-story-short answer is: We could offer free accounts but we've found them regularly unreliable and stripped of core features. Who needs that? Then we'd also have to manage and administer your accounts during inevitable downtimes. Also, we don't want to be anywhere near your email accounts (we'll leave that to the NSA). And for $6 a month, we think Google Suite is a pretty good deal even without the calendars, storage, and online collaboration tools that come with it. We're happy to help you set up a Google Suite account (as needed). And let's be honest--you'd rather be holding your own "keys" to your own Super Administrator email account than rely on a third party. Those login credentials will look better on you than they do on us. Slimming, in fact.

By Mike Ferguson|Categories: Technical, Web Design Services|Comments Off

Perception Is Reality: We Can’t Be Bothered By Facts!

Making The Most Of What You HaveSmall Business Insights: MarketingPerception is reality...don’t let anyone sell you on anything else. So why not alter perception to your advantage? I pulled into my local gym the other day, noticing an ever-increasing phenomenon...a powerful indicator of human awareness, or more accurately---the lack of it.Walking through the parking lot, I neared the front entrance, noticing two women verbally going-at-it, because one had squeezed a massive vehicle into a slot way too tight, banging the other's paint job… and they weren’t alone. The nearest four rows of parking were packed, most of which were Soccer mom SUV’s stuffed into “Compact Cars Only” spaces.Furthermore, this gym is attached to a massive city park, where there are---no joking---a thousand parking spots in the area. It’s become such an issue the gym’s management has had to allocate resources toward solutions.Now, these are people who're about to physically kill themselves for upwards of an hour on any number of cardio busting, pulmonary exploding, aerobic activities...and yet, they open themselves to insurance claims, because they won’t walk, literally, an additional ten steps? These are the same people with Fitbits and other pedometers… measuring how many steps they take each day, proudly posting their achievements for the adoration of humanity worldwide.Opportunity CallsPerceptions can be favorably altered by simply adding a banner ad and follow-up campaign to the gym’s popular website showing: “Your Workout Begins Here”---pointing to the wide-open, spacious parking slots around the perimeter.Solutions are always around and the right touches to a website can make the difference---it’s what we do.

By Mike Ferguson|Categories: Web Design Services|Comments Off