Posts by Amy Masson
Need to schedule appointments on your website? Here’s the simplest way.
I hate the phone. I don’t like calling people. I’m really an email or text person. But, I do realize that not everything is about me and sometimes I need to accommodate the needs of other people and sometimes, other people like or need to talk on the phone. I get it. I may not…
Read MoreLook at your website how your customers do
Whenever I first talk to a potential client, the main things I want to know are: who is your customer? And how will they use your site? I always ask these questions first, because it’s important that we develop a website that your customers are going to be able to use. Because if your customers…
Read MoreUnderstanding HIPAA Compliance and your website
We’ve done quite a few websites for doctors and dentists over the years. (See Dr. Adams, Dr. DeWitt, or Dr. Smith for a few examples.) One of the questions always gets asked, can my patients fill out their forms online? And the answer is yes. BUT – you have to have HIPAA Compliant forms. Doctors of…
Read MoreALT text is no longer optional
Accessibility. Do you know what that means? When it comes to websites, it means that your website needs to be able to be read by screen readers. Visually impaired people need to use computers too. Right now in the US, it’s not legally required that business websites be ADA complaint. But I predict that one…
Read MoreDo I need a Facebook page?
This is a great question, and I’m always happy to help people navigate this. Social media is a big deal, and a lot of people want to know if they need to be on social media. So let me dive in and give you some answers. But in order to give answers, I need to…
Read MoreYour construction company needs a professional website
I find that contractors and construction company owners often undervalue their online presence. Either they don’t have a website, or if they do, they had their kid, neighbor, or wife make one using a free or cheap website builder. Why? Because they don’t want to pay for it. They don’t see the value in that…
Read MoreWordCamp Boston Recap
It’s no secret that I like to go to WordCamps. If you don’t know what WordCamp is, it’s a conference about WordPress. It covers all kinds of topics, such as design, development, user experience, business, and education. There are different tracks about different topics and you can come and go as you please and find…
Read MoreHiring a pro can save you money and headaches
I had a client contact me the other day. I had helped her set up her website a year ago, but she took on maintaining it herself and had done a great job. But she ran into a problem. There was one thing she needed to make happen, and she just couldn’t figure it out.…
Read MoreTips for great websites for contractors
We have recently been working on a number of websites for contractors. This is not a niche that we expected to fill, but it’s something we’ve become quite good at, and we’ve build a reputation that we know what we’re talking about when it comes to websites for contractors. Here are a few things you…
Read MoreFrequently Asked Questions about E-Commerce
We get a lot of inquiries from people asking about e-commerce. Everyone wants to sell something online, but few people have thought about what’s truly involved. I have some answers to some frequently asked questions about e-commerce. When we set up an e-commerce site, we use WordPress plus WooCommerce, so these answers relate specifically to that platform.…
Read MoreTheme Selection: A Case Study
A couple of years ago we worked with a client to set up his business website. He had a very specific idea of how he wanted it to look. He had some very specific functionality that he needed. In truth, he had a lot of opinions. Some of his ideas were things I recommended against,…
Read MoreSix Things I Wish I Knew Ten Years Ago
We’ve been in business now for 10 years. In terms of Internet businesses, that’s a fairly long time. In that time, we’ve learned a lot. We’ve made mistakes. We’ve worked with some great people. I thought it would be fun to write a list of the advice I’d like to go back in time and…
Read MoreFourth of July WordPress Deals
Apparently, the 4th of July is a great time to get deals on WordPress hosting, themes and plugins, so here’s a quick list of places to check out for some sweet deals. Hosting Two of my favorite web hosts, Siteground and FlyWheel, are offering hosting deals. At FlyWheel*, get 3 months free on an annual hosting…
Read MoreOptimize your business in Google Search and Maps with Google Business
Have you heard about Google Business? If not, you may be missing out on some great advertising opportunities for free. So what is Google Business? Have you ever done a Google search and seen results that are pinned on a map? Or the business info you are looking for on a search is posted to…
Read MoreMaking great 404 pages
What is a 404 page? The web site hosting server will typically generate a “404 Not Found” web page when a user attempts to follow a broken or dead link; hence the 404 error is one of the most recognizable errors users can find on the web The 404 Page Not Found Page is often one…
Read MoreIt’s okay to own your mistakes
I feel like often times, when mistakes are made, people are unwilling to take responsibility for them and try to pass on the buck to the next person. I don’t want to be that person. As an over-achiever and perfectionist, it’s hard for me to admit this, but I do make mistakes. I am not…
Read MoreI’ll always try to help you solve your problem
I always say we don’t just build websites, we build relationships. We take a lot of pride in working with our clients for as long as they need us. Sometimes we just build a website. Sometimes we build a website, and set up hosting, make business cards, and help with email. One of the reasons…
Read MoreStaying focused when you work from home
Sumy Designs is a virtual business. We work from home. I’ve been asked why we don’t have an office, but that seems like an awful waste of money considering about one percent of our clients are here in town and Susan and I live in separate states. Instead, we save a lot of money by working from…
Read MoreYOGOWYPI
When it comes to websites, a good thing to remember is YOGOWYPI. Are you looking at me strange now? Because YOGOWYPI isn’t a word, right? It’s not a word, it’s an acronym. But let me back up and explain. Back when I was a teacher many, many years ago, I was also the co-sponsor of…
Read MoreDo what you do best. Let us do the rest.
One question I get asked a lot by prospective clients is this: “What happens after the website is finished if I need something updated?” It’s a good question. And I have an answer for that. In fact, I have two answers. Answer One: You will be given a login/password and comprehensive video tutorials to teach…
Read MoreDoes your website have a Call-To-Action?
If not, you need one. What is a call-to-action? This is a simple process of telling your user to take action. I always ask people when they contact me about their website, “What do you want people to do when they land on your site?” The Call-To-Action is the thing that tells them what to…
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