Dear Tyler: I had a friend reach out to me with a question. She is building out a website for her new business and has someone who she trusts who is willing to build it out for her. She currently doesn’t have the cash to pay for this project so he is suggesting a pay for performance arrangement where he …
Why a Client Should Learn WordPress Before Site Launch
I am launching a website for a client built on WordPress. She inquires: I assume I can give you a Word doc and you will input it for me, and I’ll take the time to go through your tutorial after launch? I offer to input content on a few pages, but I communicate that what Set Up means is creating …
The Advertising Threshold
A client received an inquiry from an ad network – would they be open to offering banner ads on their website from advertisers with products that may or may not be unrelated to the client’s website? It can be rewarding receiving recognition for having grown a website to a size that can attract advertising, but has the website truly reached …
Notes on Content Strategy
I recently discussed content strategy with an associate of mine who runs a very successful professional services business with nearly twenty employees. Combining the content they already produce (articles for print publications) with a moderated democratization of content creation across their employee base could easily produce a thousand or more posts a year. This creates an amazing foundation for a …
Rocking the WP 3.3 Sonny Update
Just a quick tech note – upgraded to WordPress 3.3 “Sonny” without a hitch. Lots of slick new features, including flyout menus, media handling, co-editing support and Tumblr import. Granted I’ve placed my bet already, but can’t help thinking #wordpress continues to blow away the CMS competition. Video of the release after the jump.
Via Tea: How to Find and Hire the Right Marketing Coach
I responded to Tea Silvestre’s inquiry about hiring a marketing coach last week. Her post entitled How to Find and Hire the Right Marketing Coach, aggregating the replies from a number of marketing professionals, is now up on her site. There’s a bunch of great information in there from half-a-dozen people who know what they are talking about. Check it …
Is a Marketing Coach Actually What You Need?
Tea Silvestre, talented proprietress of The Word Chef, asked some of her friends this question: Do you have any cautionary tales or tips on hiring the right Marketing Coach? While I think she’s putting together the replies into something more substantial than a quick blog post, I thought I’d give her my thoughts here, and share her results with my …
Fresh and Recent Search by Google
On the official Google Blog, there was a post a week or so ago entitled “Giving you fresher, more recent search results.” This post shows how Google continues to improve near-real-time and timely search without cannibalizing or otherwise discounting the value of their vast index of the web and the deep amount of information that represents. Put it another way: …
AirBnB’s Open Letter
I received an email from AirBnB late last night regarding the serious reputation management challenge they are experiencing. My initial reaction? Transparent, apologetic and addresses the core problem. A startup on an IPO path is not an easy path – it can mean long hours, grueling days, just grinding it out. Setting your hair on fire at the same time? …
On AirBnB’s “Moment of Truth”
One of my favorite startups is AirBnB, which enables people to rent out their apartments, homes or a spare bedroom. We’ve found a couple places to stay on our upcoming trip. I’m not the only one who thinks they are great – they have a billion dollar valuation and the backing of some heavy-duty VC’s in Silicon Valley. So what …