A lot of accessibility requirements are built into how the website is coded. Only a developer (hobbyist or professional) can make those changes. Thankfully, some of the changes that anyone can make have a big impact on the usability of your website. Alt text Alt text is a written description of an image. Screen readers use it to describe pictures to the visually impaired. In some websites, the alt text appears when the image is broken, which allows all users to make sense of the content....
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Customers will leave a site in 3-5 seconds if they don’t find what they’re looking for. (This also includes loading time, so be careful!) You can use tools like BrowserStack to test your site in many different sizes without needing individual devices. Check your analytics to see which sizes your customers use most and then test your pages against those sizes first. What does a customer first see when opening up one of the pages you use in your marketing? Are they able to see your product...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
If each page of your website is supposed to have a single goal... How do you define a goal for your homepage? Many people would consider your homepage the front door of your shop, but that’s not quite accurate. Your customers usually find your product page first. Think about how you market your art. Are you more frequently linking to a specific product or are you linking to the homepage? Most organic traffic will also likely go to your product page (because they were searching for a type of...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to building and maintaining a website. One way I reduce overwhelm is asking myself: What is the goal of this specific page? (And it should be ONE goal per page. Minus a couple exceptions.) For example: The product page’s goal is to get the customer to Add to Cart. Or at least... That’s your goal. Your customer’s goal is different. They’re using your product page to determine if your product is the one they want to buy. To achieve your goal, you...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Last time we discussed using domain forwarding to help build traffic to your new site before even building one. Eventually, you will need to build your independent shop. It can be overwhelming. There’s a lot to learn. It takes time. What if no one uses it? You can avoid much that stress by building out this business asset in 3 steps that you can take at your own pace. Step 1: Like we talked about previously: Buy a domain and forward it to your Etsy shop. Use that domain only in your marketing...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Etsy and other big platforms drive traffic to their sellers. To successfully replace a platform, you need to be able to entice customers to use your website. Thankfully, you don’t have to wait until your new website is completely done to start building your customer base! Follow these 3 steps: Step 1: Buy your domain from a reputable company. I use Porkbun, but there are many solid options. Step 2: Setup URL forwarding so that your domain points to your Etsy shop (or whatever platform you...
3 months ago • 1 min read
I’ve written before about the dangers of relying on only one platform. Social media can drive traffic to your new site, but what happens when the algorithm updates and this one makes it just a little bit harder to reach your audience? Or maybe this is the one where they decide to make you pay to reach them at all? An email list will help you avoid feeling the strain when other platforms fall short. It’s built independently of your shop and social media and can even follow you between...
4 months ago • 1 min read
I’ve gotta be honest: It doesn't feel great posting about anything light right now, considering the state of the world. I’ve gone back and forth on this and ultimately decided on: Say something and help how I can. I’ve donated to several organizations to help Minnesota and I ask that if you can, find one that calls to you and donate as well. I picked the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee and some of the GoFundMe-of-the-Day's, but there is a vetted list on Stand with Minnesota with...
5 months ago • 2 min read
In the earlier days of the internet, you’d have your own website. It was usually less flashy (and involved more Flash). You’d own your site and the way you interacted with your customers. Then social media came along. Facebook, in particular, was really appealing to businesses. Everyone was on there. Like all the time. (It seems surreal to think about it now, but I remember chomping at the bit to get my college email so I could finally sign up. It was still college-only at the time.) And it...
6 months ago • 1 min read