Small Business Website Design Blog
Nuggets of info that help you make an informed decision for your website design strategy.
Google LOVES a good blog so we’ll own it: This slog…er…I mean BLOG is mostly about executing effective SEO. Let’s call it like it is. If you’re reading this page, it must be working, eh?
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.
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 [...]
Winning The Domain Lottery: Selling A Valuable Domain
If someone offers to buy your domain name, slow down before you answer. First, make sure the offer is real: a common scam dangles a big offer, then asks you to pay for an "appraisal." Next, decide what selling would cost you. If the domain is your business name or email, selling means rebranding. If you do sell, let real offers set the price and use a licensed escrow service so the money is secured before you hand anything over. Then call your tax pro. And keep expectations realistic: in 2026, most everyday domains aren't the lottery tickets they were in the dot-com days. I sold one in 1999 for $25,000, and I learned most of this the lucky way. The time a $50 domain paid off our car Back in the mid-1990s I had a proper and respectful civil service job in Sonoma County, California, and a Mac Performa with a whopping 4 megs [...]
Why We Don’t Offer Email Accounts
We host websites, but we don't host email, on purpose. The big providers like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 do email better than any small web company can, with better reliability, spam filtering, and tools. We'd rather help you set one up in your own name so you hold the admin keys. Your email shouldn't depend on your web designer. "Wait, you don't do email?"I get it. Plenty of web designers who sell hosting throw in email accounts too. Unlimited accounts! Unlimited storage! Probably a free dessert and a ride home after the show.We decided a long time ago not to do that. Here's why.The big providers simply do it betterEmail looks simple from the outside, but keeping it reliable is a full-time job. Spam filtering, security, uptime, storage, mobile apps, calendars, shared files. Companies like Google and Microsoft have entire teams working on nothing else. A small web company can't match that scope or scale, and [...]
Choosing a Domain Registrar That Won’t Leave You Hanging
Your domain name is basically your digital address. Moreover, picking the wrong registrar to manage it can turn into a real headache down the road. After watching this industry for years, I've seen enough horror stories to know what separates the good registrars from the ones that'll make your life miserable. Why This Still Matters in 2026 Back in the day, you had one choice: Network Solutions. Domains cost $100, and that was it. Now there are approximately 2,800 ICANN-accredited registrars competing for your business, which sounds great until you realize some of them have no business being in business. The domain market has exploded too. Furthermore, we're talking about over 762 million registered domains as of 2025, and that number keeps climbing. With so many options, it's easy to get lured in by rock-bottom prices or flashy marketing. The Real Problems You'll Face Here's what actually happens when registrars go bad, based on verifiable industry data: Transfer troubles [...]
