• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Recommended Books
  • Tools
  • Journal
  • Hire Me
  • Contact
Small Biz Geek

Small Biz Geek

Small Business Design, Marketing & Technology Journal

Website design services

Nerdy analysis of small business design, marketing and technology

  • The Internet
  • Marketing
  • Graphic Design
  • Web Dev
  • Web Design
  • Social Media
  • Technology
  • Miscellaneous

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?

Published: December 18, 2020; Updated: February 19, 2021 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: November 19, 2021 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: March 4, 2020 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 Temporary Placeholders and Design Around Them

Published: June 25, 2019; Updated: February 11, 2020 Filed Under: Design, Web Development, WordPress

Don’t wait on graphics or photos while your WordPress website is being built. Create your layout using placeholder images and edit these exact same files once you have the final artwork. How often do you begin building a site only to discover the images you need are not ready? Perhaps you’re eager to add photos, […]

GoDaddy Loves Spamming Branded Footer Links to WordPress Installatron Sites

Published: May 8, 2019; Updated: May 20, 2019 Filed Under: Web Development, WordPress

Remove GoDaddy footer links from WordPress websites

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

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

Published: November 14, 2017; Updated: April 15, 2022 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

Published: August 8, 2017; Updated: November 19, 2021 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: May 14, 2019 Filed Under: Software, Web Development

Google Chrome browser security warnings

Following several years of communiqué, 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: April 10, 2019 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: February 22, 2018 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

Published: November 15, 2016; Updated: March 12, 2018 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

Published: September 13, 2016; Updated: February 18, 2020 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: February 1, 2017 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

Published: June 14, 2016; Updated: April 15, 2017 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

Published: April 12, 2016; Updated: March 4, 2020 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: May 2, 2019 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: April 15, 2017 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: April 15, 2017 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…

Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Search Website

Latest Journal Entries

  • Exposed: The Chinese Investment Fraud “Recovery” Scammer Deceiving Victims
  • Computer Says No: Does Your Website Work for People with Disabilities?
  • Chinese Tinder Profiles Are Using Photos of Pretty Girls to Scam “Investors”
  • Small Biz Owners “Trapped” Using Email Addresses Belonging to Internet Service Providers
  • In the Pandemic, QR Codes are Finally Proving Worthy in the West
  • Small Businesses Finally Start Marketing and All It Took Was a Global Pandemic
  • Unable to Meet in Person? Communicate Stress-Free with Online Audio/Video
  • UK Contractors Operating Ltd Companies Should Be Mad as Hell with HMRC and IR35
  • 20 Years On and Website Hit Counters are Still a Waste of Pixels
  • Competitors Can Easily Edit Your Google and Facebook Business Listings
  • Waiting on Final Images for a WordPress Website? Use Temporary Placeholders and Design Around Them
  • GoDaddy Loves Spamming Branded Footer Links to WordPress Installatron Sites

Footer

Primary Navigation

Home
About Darren
Good Books
My Tools
Blog Posts
Hire Me
Contact Me

Secondary Navigation

The Internet
Marketing
Graphic Design
Website Development
Website Design
Social Media
Technology
Miscellaneous

Derby & Nottingham Area

Small Biz Geek
Office 897
37 Westminster Buildings
Theatre Square
Nottingham
NG1 6LG

Telephone

Tel: +44 (0) 115 714 3290
Tel: +44 (0) 7951 897 243

VoIP

Skype: ilkestonwebdesign
WhatsApp: 07519 897 243

Email

[email protected]

Let’s Connect

Twitter
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS

Subscribe to Blog by Email

Subscribe to Blog By Email
Genesis Framework by StudioPress


Copyright © 2022 · Small Biz Geek · Privacy Policy · Commenting Policy · Website Disclaimer · ICO number: ZA305900


Written and designed by Ilkeston Web Design