What the heck even is website hosting and maintenance? Every small business knows they need a website, but then they get hit with a bunch of new terms and questions like, who are you using for your hosting service? Who is doing the maintenance on your website? And unless you’re familiar with the website industry, those words may as well be in an entirely new language to you. Some even think or say things like, I don’t need any of that, just a website, please and thank you.  Hate to break it to you, though. If you have a website, you need hosting and maintenance. Why? Let’s break down what they are and why they’re necessary.  Website Hosting Website hosting refers to the process of storing and making a website accessible on the internet. When you create a website, regardless of what it’s for or how big it is, all

Many people confuse GoDaddy domain registration with the GoDaddy Website Builder. Or, they think you have to use both in order to use one. However, you can use GoDaddy as a domain registration and use whatever website builder you want.  Others have no idea GoDaddy has its own website builder. Even if they do, the question stands: is GoDaddy’s builder any good?  GoDaddy Website Builder GoDaddy Website Builder utilizes a drag and drop interface similar to Wix or Squarespace. The intuitive design is accessible to users of all skill levels thanks to its pre-built templates and customization abilities. The customization allows you to customize design elements such as text, images, colors, fonts, and simple layouts. They say this allows all users to create a personalized website that reflects their brand identity.  Strengths Each of their websites are mobile-friendly and responsive which means the site will adapt and read well on

As with any business or marketing solution, there are pros and cons of Wix as your chosen website builder. Proponents of Wix tout the easy drag-and-drop usability while opponents argue that Wix is limited in its capabilities and not as easy as they say it is. While both sides have their points, there is no one right decision for every business owner. It’s important to weigh your needs against the pros and cons and make decisions accordingly. What is Wix Wix is a web development company that allows users to create websites through the use of their unique drag-and-drop platform. Simply find a template, drag and drop your design and functional elements, and voila – you have a website. Their own ads boast that it makes it possible for anyone to create high-quality websites without having to know code. Inside the editor, you’re able to drag and drop features to

Graphic design and branding go hand in hand with any intelligent branding strategy. Many people think of their ‘brand’ as a logo, color scheme, and maybe a couple of set fonts. However, incorporating graphic design effectively into your branding strategy significantly impacts how your company is perceived and remembered.  Why You Need a Graphic Designer to Create Your Branding There are so many considerations into creating a brand that new business owners simply don’t know to think about. Shape psychology, color psychology, font choice, and logo choice all directly impact what people think about your business, all before you ever say a word.  A professional graphic designer brings expertise to these design elements. They can ensure you’re saying the right things about your company with your branding package.  Simply liking something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good fit for your company, image, messaging, or overall brand.  Aspects of Graphic Design

Great website design used to include a fair amount of flashy animations and effects. Why? Because the dawn of the internet was new – business websites were a new idea. It was absolutely mind blowing that someone could somehow turn pixels into a visual effect in the way we had access to from our own homes.  Flashy animations and effects meant big money – if a company could afford a designer who could do that, then it undeniably equaled authority and trust.  However, those days are gone. Adding animations and effects looks more like a middle schooler’s PowerPoint presentation these days than it does a professional business. Why is that? Great Website Design Great website design focuses on functionality and user experience above anything else. When websites lose sight of their user experience, they end up with a website that looks more like Barney Stinson’s video resume than it does

Shape psychology is important for any business to keep in mind while creating their brand because it plays a significant role in how people view your company. The shapes you use will either work for or against your message, ideals, and quality of your products. Color psychology is well understood by many individuals starting business, but shape psychology is an often overlooked sister that goes unutilized. How Shape Psychology Affects Businesses It’s worth noting that shape psychology applies to more than just branding and marketing. It’s just as important in product design and user experience. Shapes affect the following: -Visual Communication – Shapes have the power to convey messages and emotions without the need for words, which adds to or detracts from the meaning of the actual words used. They can communicate concepts and values linked with a business or product. By understanding the psychology behind the shapes used, companies

Learn 10 reasons your bounce rate is high on your website, as well as when a bounce rate is “good” and “bad” by reading on! Addressing these pain points will keep visitors on your website for longer, viewing more pages, and converting to paying customers.  But first, you have to understand this analytic and why it’s important. What is a Bounce Rate? “Bouncing” is visiting your site, but leaving after only viewing one page. Typically people consider a high bounce rate (percentage of viewers leaving after 1 page) bad, but it’s important to note that isn’t always the case. There can be a lot of good, user-friendly reasons your bounce rate is high, depending on the type of website you run. Sometimes people find what they’re looking for on the first page and have no need to look further. For instance, if they’re looking up a tracking number, stock info,

Font licensing is often overlooked when branding a company. When branding your company, you want to ensure you have the rights to use every piece of your brand, including rights to your fonts. This avoids the hassle and possible cost of legal ramifications of using a font illegally. However, loads of people don’t even know font licensing exists, let alone understand how it works. What is Font Licensing? Font licensing is how many type designers pay their bills. It ensures they receive fair compensation for their work/design. Like any designer (or business, really), when they create a product (a font), they need to be compensated when it’s used. Licensing that font means they need to be compensated before people have the rights to use it. Within that, there are different types of licenses that dictate how a font can be used when you purchase that licensing. TL;DR: For all intents

Employee morale is a struggle everywhere right now. Inflation is high. Wages can’t keep up and still allow businesses to stay in business. Everyone feels like they’re running as fast as they can on their hamster wheel, but no one seems to be making forward movement.  Obviously, as a small business owner you want to be a place employees enjoy working. You want to reward them for their efforts and keep them engaged. You want to avoid dreaded turnover. You want to attract quality people who will contribute to your growth. What’s a company to do?  How to Improve Employee Morale In a perfect world we could just give all of our employees a 15% raise, reduce their working hours, and allow them super flexible schedules.  Unfortunately, our world is not perfect and we have bottom lines we need to maintain in order to pay our own bills. It simply

Taking breaks at work is vital to employee well-being (win for them!) as well as employee productivity (win for you!).  As business owners, you likely find yourself in burnout mode quite often. There’s so much to do, every day, every week, every month. Taking a break is time that’s not spent productively, so it’s easy to feel guilty about taking them. Breaks are for weekends or evenings, or for when you’re dead. Breaks at work will just set you further behind, right? Ain’t no one got time for that.  Wrong! Benefit of Employee Breaks at Work Taking a break at work improves focus upon return to work, thus improving productivity. Plus, taking breaks relieves stress, which improves your employee’s mental health and overall wellbeing. Study after study has been done showing that frequent and reliable breaks at work contribute to increased job satisfaction. Employees who are satisfied with their job