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Small Biz Geek

Small Biz Geek

Small Business Design, Marketing & Technology Journal

Solving small business design, marketing & tech problems

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Web Development

These web development posts include information on servers, hosting, databases, registrars & coding...

Computer Says No: Does Your Website Work for People with Disabilities? โ™ฟ

Published: December 18, 2020; Updated: September 17, 2024 Filed Under: Design, Internet, Legal, Web Development, WordPress

Photo of a dog wearing large glasses using a computer tablet

The 2020 surge in internet use has led to record levels of online activity. It’s high time for businesses to check that their apps and websites are fully accessible to all.

In the Pandemic, QR Codes are Finally Proving Worthy in the West 😷

Published: August 27, 2020; Updated: September 12, 2023 Filed Under: Design, Marketing, Operations, Web Development

Graphic image of Face mask and QR codes

In western society QR codes have been mostly regarded as an ugly marketing gimmick, but they’re now proving valuable as a logistical solution to the virus problem.

20 Years On and Website Hit Counters are Still a Waste of Pixels 🧮

Published: February 1, 2020; Updated: August 2, 2023 Filed Under: Design, Web Development

website hit counters

Website hit counters clutter up the computer screen and run the risk of looking like an unsophisticated attempt to impress visitors. Counters should be extinct, with the exception being for humour, parody and pastiche.

Waiting on Final Images for a WordPress Website? Use this Handy Thumbnail Placeholder Trick 🪟

Published: June 25, 2019; Updated: July 30, 2023 Filed Under: Design, Web Development, WordPress

A handy WordPress media uploader hack for dummy image placeholders in your website build, with a quick swap when the final versions are ready.

Stop GoDaddy Spamming Branded Footer Links to WordPress Installatron Sites 🪧

Published: May 8, 2019; Updated: September 10, 2023 Filed Under: Web Development, WordPress

Remove GoDaddy footer links from WordPress websites

GoDaddy’s love of advertising on customers’ websites is annoying. Fortunately, the branded GoDaddy backlinks inserted into WordPress sites generated by quick-install apps can be removed.

“Don’t Make Me Think: Revisited” – Steve Krug (Book Review) ๐Ÿ“˜

Published: November 14, 2017; Updated: February 17, 2024 Filed Under: Books, Design, Web Development

Don't Make Me think - Steve Krug

A person of average technical ability must be able to navigate your website easily. This is required reading for anyone wanting to create a better experience for their visitors…

QR Codes Could Get the Chance They Deserve Thanks to iOS 11 ๐Ÿ”—

Published: August 8, 2017; Updated: October 10, 2024 Filed Under: Design, Software, Web Development

QR Codes

QR codes are great in theory. They’re a novel means for accessing information via smartphone, but the adoption rate among consumers is fairly low. That could change…

Google Security Smackdown: Websites Without HTTPS Will Suffer 🔓

Published: May 9, 2017; Updated: September 5, 2023 Filed Under: Software, Web Development

Google Chrome browser security warnings

Following several years of communiquรฉ, Google has pushed the button and decreed all websites must become “secure” and adopt https. If your site visitors use Chrome, pay attention…

Cheap Instant Website Builders: Should We Dump Them? 🫗

Published: February 14, 2017; Updated: September 7, 2023 Filed Under: Design, Software, Web Development

Woman frustrated with laptop

What is so bad about instant online website builders, if the claims are to be believed? Are jealous rival designers defending their turf? This could be a messy breakup…

Rant: Manipulative Website Email Popovers Look Like Backhanded Ransom Notes 🖕

Published: January 10, 2017; Updated: September 10, 2023 Filed Under: Marketing, Web Development

Okay, so we’re all sick of full screen pop up dominators on websites begging for email subscribers. Right? Let’s rant…

Warning: Dubious Web Industry “Regulator” Selling Questionable Business Leads ๐Ÿฅธ

Published: November 15, 2016; Updated: May 19, 2025 Filed Under: Legal, Marketing, Scams, Web Development

Dishonest businessman with fingers crossed behin back

Hold on to your lunch money. There’s a UK internet business lead generator outfit operating under false pretenses and making misleading claims…

Badly Behaved Images? Leverage the Power of Vector Graphics to Eliminate Unruly Design โšก

Published: September 13, 2016; Updated: March 5, 2024 Filed Under: Design, Web Development, WordPress

Scalable Vector Graphics image

The Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format is the frequently overlooked solution to high quality design both in print and online. Once explained to non-designers, it is obvious the advantages afforded by “vector paths” is common sense, essential to workflow and cost effective…

Browser Ad Blockers are Destroying Website Functionality and Killing Content 🛑

Published: August 9, 2016; Updated: September 8, 2023 Filed Under: Internet, Web Development

Browser Ad Blocker

While the blocking of aggressive advertising in web browsers is common, the side effects are that overzealous ad blockers damage core website functionality and mute genuine content…

Google AMP: Shocked Webmasters Learn of Changes to Mobile Site Search Results โšก

Published: June 14, 2016; Updated: March 5, 2024 Filed Under: Design, Web Development

Google Amp

Google Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is the most important design and development change to hit webmasters in the last 5 to 10 years. Life just got complicated…

Vote “Remain” in the EU: Britain is a Steadying Hand on Digital Law Madness

Published: June 8, 2016; Updated: February 18, 2020 Filed Under: Internet, Legal, Web Development

EU digital law gavel and laptop

Vote “Remain”. Britain is a parental chaperone on EU digital policy, is negotiating better terms and has MEPs to represent our interests. We can do more from the inside…

10 Website Trust Signals You Can’t Afford to Ignore ๐Ÿ˜‘

Published: April 12, 2016; Updated: March 5, 2024 Filed Under: Design, Marketing, Web Development

Website Trust Signals

Does your small business website seem honest and trustworthy to customers? Use these psychological triggers to increase conversions and build a good reputation…

Dodge WordPress Website Disasters: Use a Localhost for Development 🏗️

Published: February 9, 2016; Updated: September 8, 2023 Filed Under: Software, Video, Web Development, WordPress

WordPress Disaster

Are you a smart webmaster? Avoid web development hell by testing, building and improving your WordPress site in a localhost offline server…

Overwhelmed by Web Design? Use This 10 Step Project Checklist and Stay in Control

Published: November 10, 2015; Updated: February 18, 2020 Filed Under: Design, Web Development

Website Design & Development Checklist

Are you a web design client or consultant? Do you need to track project progress? This website checklist is a coherent action plan for setting priorities and better managing your time…

Can We Really Trust WordPress Plugins? Back Up Your Site Manually NOW 🤔

Published: September 22, 2015; Updated: September 8, 2023 Filed Under: Web Development, WordPress

WordPress Manual Back Up

Do you back up your WordPress website manually? You might use a plugin but these can fail, especially free ones. Better a little caution than a great regret!

How to Comply with Google’s EU Cookie Ultimatum 🔧

Published: September 1, 2015; Updated: September 8, 2023 Filed Under: Internet, Legal, Video, Web Development

Google Cookie Requirements EU Law

Google have emailed webmasters warning them they must comply with the European Union website visitor cookie user consent policy by 30th September 2015…

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