Category: Web

Websites: Where Do You Get One?

October 7, 2026 | Web, , , , , , , , ,

You need a website. But where do you even start? Do you try to do it yourself? Do you hire a professional? Which one? There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to getting a website created. The good news is there are tons of options out there these days. The bad news is it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which one is best for you.

Here is a quick guide to set you on the right track.

Start by asking yourself 3 important questions:

What do I want my website to do?

We don’t just mean what a website does for visitors, but also how you as the business owner interact with the website on the back end. The answer will tell you a lot. For example, if you only want to provide static information to the public and don’t need visitors to perform any actions, your website build will look a lot different than if you need to incorporate interactive elements or more complex functionality.  The more complex your website, the higher the cost. Depending on your needs, you may be looking at anything from paid add-ons or plugins to complex APIs or custom-developed code.

What is my budget?

Sometimes, we allow ourselves to dream much bigger than our bank accounts. We imagine all the bells and whistles until we see the cost estimate, and then we get a lot less picky. A good rule of thumb when budgeting for your website build is to start with the absolute necessary functions. What can you not live without? That’s your starting point. Everything else is gravy.

How much am I willing or able to do myself?

All other things being equal, we all have two resources to spend: time and money. The question is, which one is preferable? If you have the time, knowledge, skills, and willingness, you can build a simple site yourself. It will be much cheaper than hiring a professional, but everything from coding to compliance and maintenance will be up to you. If you can’t do those things, or you need something that’s beyond your expertise, then you’ll want to hire a professional web builder.

I want to build a site myself. Which platform do I choose?

This is where you’ll have to do a bit of research and evaluation. There are a lot of options out there, and all of them come with a set of pros and cons. Only you can decide what works best for you. A few things to consider:

  • DIY template web builder services are easy to set up but will severely limit your options as far as design and functionality. They may be a good option for static websites or small e-Shops, because platforms specifically built for eCommerce (like Square) have a lot of the accounting and processing aspects already built in for you. Your website won’t be unique, but it will do what it’s supposed to.
  • Self-hosted websites carry an additional hosting cost but allow for more flexibility. This can be good or bad, depending on your skill level and experience. WordPress is an industry champion because it’s easy to use and adaptable. There are a lot of plugins and add-ons available, many of them free, but some come with serious security risks, or might stop getting updates in the future. This would be a good option for those who want more control over the design of their website or need to incorporate a blog or other regularly updated content. However, it requires at least basic knowledge of HTML and CSS.
  • AI is also an option (but not recommended). We include this here only because it exists. Nerd Crossing does not endorse using AI to build websites for a very practical reason: If you don’t understand how something is built, you can’t fix it if something goes wrong. AI can spit out a webpage based on a prompt. But the created page is not easily editable, requiring you to prompt again every time you want to make a minor change, and each additional prompt can complicate or break the code in unforeseen ways. The code may also come with security vulnerabilities that can put your website, your account, and your (or your visitors’) personal information at risk.

Sounds like I’m better off hiring a professional… How do I know which one is right for me?

This again comes down to research. You have a lot of options, and you need to evaluate what is most important to you. Do you care what platform your website is built on? Does it matter whether your web builder is in your area or overseas? Is cost a major factor? When choosing a vendor, always follow these common-sense steps:

  1. Look up multiple options to evaluate, including small businesses, individuals, and large corporations
  2. Check the services offered, and whether they include hosting and on-going support and maintenance
  3. Confirm whether they provide template sites or custom builds and narrow down the results based on which you prefer
  4. Look at samples of their work to see if they align with your needs
  5. If possible, get references and talk to them (this may be important in industries and spaces with very specific technical or regulatory requirements, such as Special Districts)
  6. Interview each vendor to see if they’re a good fit
  7. Get a formal proposal or price estimate from each candidate
  8. Do a side-by-side comparison

Generally speaking, you hire an individual for small projects with little-to-no support needed, and a large corporation when you need something standard and reliable but not custom. Small businesses lie somewhere in between. Because they aren’t held to corporate rules, they can offer a lot of flexibility and customization, and because they have a solid client base in a variety of industries, they have the knowledge and ability to work with you to customize your website to your needs and provide more in-depth, personalized support.

Individual (Fiverr or similar) Small Business Large Corporation
Simple text-only website X X May be cost-prohibitive to screen out lower ROI clients
Custom design X X Usually locked to a set of templates with little to no customization
Hosting May only provide assistance to set up self-hosting for yourself X No self-hosting option
Special functionality May be cost-prohibitive X May be limited
Unique industry regulations May not have necessary expertise X X
On-going support May be unreliable or only on a project-basis upon request X May be limited, automated, or slow to respond
PRICE RANGE Low Medium High

I have a website but it sucks. What do I do?

Well, that depends. In some cases, the solution is simply to correct the most pressing issues and move on to more important things. This is usually a workable plan for simple, information-based websites.

In other cases, because of ADA compliance issues or other problems, it’s easier to start from scratch and build a new website from the ground up. For larger businesses that rely on their websites more heavily, a “bad” website can create cybersecurity vulnerabilities so starting over is usually the safer solution.

 

You sound like you know what you’re doing. Can you build me a new website?

You bet we can! Nerd Crossing has been in the business of building websites for over 15 years. Our clients include small businesses, medical practices, special districts, government organizations, non-profits, and more. We offer custom-designed websites tailored to your brand and budget. If you’d like to chat more, give us a shout to schedule a free consultation.

Contact the Nerds

SEO vs. AIO

September 9, 2026 | Marketing, Web, , , ,

You built your website, you put in all the metadata and keywords to boost your SEO, and you hoped for the best. Metadata stuffing might have worked ten years ago, but it’s not enough to put your website at the top of search results today.

Today, there’s a new acronym floating around the web building world: AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization). What does it mean? It means optimizing your website for AI search engines and chats.  What’s the difference between SEO and AIO? Let’s take a look…

 

SEO

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, means improving your website to increase visibility and discoverability via organic searches (i.e. not through paid advertising).

Search engines use powerful algorithms to rank websites based on how well they match the user’s search criteria. For example, if someone searches for the best ice cream shop in Oakland, CA, the search engine will return establishment locations within the set geographical area, as well as a list of websites that fall into that category.

In the past, algorithms relied predominantly on metadata (supplemental information about the website that doesn’t necessarily display on the website). In recent years, the mechanism has shifted to favor content instead. And not just any content, fresh content. Regularly updated websites show higher in search results than those that haven’t been touched in 2+ years.

This makes your website content as important as how it looks. A great looking website will definitely help you land that potential client. But not if that potential client never finds it in the first place.

 

AIO

AIO takes this concept to a different level. Not only is AI scanning the Internet for website content, it’s looking for an established reputation, too. You could have the best-looking website with the most relevant, up to date content, but if that’s all there is, it won’t be enough.

Your organization has to have an established presence in other places to build a reputation, and that presence needs to be consistent, and positive. In addition to a website, an active presence on social media makes a huge difference. So does a business listing on Google Business and Yelp. If you’re mentioned on the website of your local Chamber of Commerce, even better. And best of all is if your organization is mentioned by other websites, industry articles, and blogs.

 

How to optimize your website to increase your online reputation

Start with content. Make a page dedicated to what your organization does, where, and how. Be as specific as possible. This is especially important if you’re trying to attract business locally. List the counties, cities, or districts to outline your service area. If possible, add reviews or case studies that outline what services were provided and the general location (preserve your clients’ privacy by removing or generalizing any identifiable information, unless you have express permission from your clients to share it publicly).

Create a portfolio that showcases your services, and don’t be modest! AI favors the bold. Using strong language like, “Best local […]”, “Award-winning […]”, and “Most recommended […]” can make a difference. If you’ve won awards, list them. If your leadership is involved with industry-level think groups, shout them out. If you have impact statistics, display them boldly. Just make sure you’re not bending the truth.

Regular updates are key. You should review your website at least once a month and refresh the content as needed. If possible, add a blog and publish posts throughout the year. Blog posts are date and time-stamped and instantly boost your discoverability. Keep in mind that your content should be relevant, timely, and specific to your business or industry.

Lastly create those external connections by adding the following:

  • Links to your social media profiles
  • Live feed(s) of your social media posts
  • Links to your Google/Yelp pages, or other websites that directly reference your organization
  • (Re)Posts or mentions of articles that directly reference your organization

And remember it starts with your website but doesn’t end there. Your reputation as a business extends beyond the internet to every interaction you have with a lead, a client, or a member of your local community. It’s as much about what you say about yourself as it is about what others say about you.

 

When to call the experts

If you don’t have a website, or you have one but haven’t touched it in a couple of years, it may be time for a refresh. To make sure you’re checking all the boxes for accessibility, mobile responsiveness, SEO, and AIO, give Nerd Crossing a shout and request a free consultation. We can take a look at what you have now and let you know what needs to be updated, and what really needs to be fixed.

Schedule a free consultation

Your ADA Compliance Checklist

August 12, 2026 | Web, , , , , , ,

Whether you’re running a business, providing information for your community as a non-profit, or offering services and resources as a government organization, your website has to meet basic ADA compliance standards.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets rules to ensure that your website is accessible to people with impaired vision. Because the government considers commercial websites “places of public accommodation,” an inaccessible site excludes users with disabilities in the same way an inaccessible physical storefront would. Failing to meet ADA compliance requirements may lead to lawsuits and penalties.

Here is a short list of the most common ADA compliance issues your website may have:

 

Headings

When creating or updating your website, you might be tempted to add headings to your pages because of the style. However, headings must follow strict rules of sequence and nesting.

Your page title is always H1, and it should be the only line of text with that heading tag.

The next heading below that must always be H2. If that section of text has smaller sections with subheadings, those must always be H3. The numbers get larger as you add sections within sections within sections. Then, the heading of the next big section is once again H2.

This is to ensure that when someone uses a screen reader, they can easily follow the page hierarchy and access the information in the order it was intended.

 

Fonts and Colors

Style is great. Adding color and fancy fonts to your website can definitely make a statement. But your text still needs to be readable by everyone, including people with impaired vision and colorblindness.

Your text must meet two requirements for ADA compliance: size and contrast. While size is self-explanatory, contrast can get tricky, especially when you’re using colorful backgrounds. For solid color backgrounds, use Adobe’s Color Contrast Checker tool to make sure your text remains compliant. If you’re using a photo or graphic as your background, it should be low contrast. For extra readability, try adding a white or black overlay (depending on the color of your foreground text).

 

Image Alt Text

Alt or Alternative Text is a brief description of the image that is entered into the metadata for the image. Screen readers do not have the ability to read images, so the Alt Text provides a clue as to what the visitor should be seeing.

Alt text is required on all images, except in cases where the image is purely decorative, such as an abstract background, or a staff member headshot whose name is included with their photo.

 

Graphics with Embedded Text

Sometimes you make a graphic or a flyer and it looks so good you want to display it on your site. Putting it up as a picture saves you a lot of time retyping and styling the content, so why not, right?

Wrong. As mentioned above, screen readers cannot “read” the information embedded in an image. For ADA compliance, large sections of text and important information must be typed on the webpage in order to be accessible and readable. If you want to showcase your flyer, include it as a thumbnail for decoration.

 

Scanned PDF Documents

When sharing PDF documents through your website, ADA rules still apply. Your PDF must be readable using a screen reader. Scanned documents do not meet these requirements, unless you use an OCR scanner. Regular office scanners convert the printed page into an image.

In order to make a PDF document ADA-compliant, save the original source document as a PDF directly. If you have multiple documents that need to be merged, use a tool like Adobe Acrobat Pro to do so.

Warning: AI chatbots can sometimes extract text from images, but they are not always reliable and should not be used to make PDF documents ADA-compliant. This is especially true for government organizations, non-profits, and businesses that face higher public scrutiny.

 

When is it time to call in the pros?

Proactive compliance is always better than the alternative. Your website should start with accessibility and mobile responsiveness as the primary requirements. If it didn’t, or if it’s been a while since your website was updated, it may be time to reassess and reevaluate.

Call the Nerds to schedule a free consultation. We can perform an ADA assessment, and let you know what needs fixing, what could use some work, and how your website can be improved.

Schedule a Consultation

User Journeys: How Visitors Engage (or NOT) with Your Website

July 8, 2026 | Web, , , , , , ,

People don’t land on websites by accident. They get there because they are searching for something specific. In that sense, it’s more of a guided journey. Hence the term “user journey.” A User Journey maps out how a visitor moves through your website to find what they’re looking for, whether it’s a piece of content, a sign-up form, or a Donate button.

Ideally, your visitors can find their destination and accomplish their goal in 2-3 clicks or under 2 minutes. Any more than that, and they may get lost, frustrated, or give up completely.  So, you may say to yourself, “Why not just put everything on the home page, then?” That may be doable if you only have 2 or 3 potential user journeys, but for more complicated systems where different types of users need to find different information or perform different actions, you need a lot more planning and proper design.

Ask the important questions

  1. Who are my users?
  2. What are their goals when visiting my website?
  3. What are my goals for visitors coming to my website?
  4. What do visitors see when they first get to my website?
  5. Will they trust what they see?
  6. How will they know where to go and what to do?

A lot of times, these are not easy to answer. There may not be a right answer, or there may be multiple competing priorities that you want to juggle at the same time. This is why there is a whole professional field of Web Design (which falls under the larger umbrella of  User Experience Design) that trains people on how to create websites that don’t just look pretty but also accomplish a business goal.

Breaking it down

The Beginning
Generally speaking, your website has about 3-5 seconds to make the right impression on a visitor before they make a decision about whether or not to stay longer. In those handful of seconds, you have to prove your legitimacy, expertise, and accessibility all in one glance. If your website looks unprofessional, messy, or overwhelming, your visitors might choose to go elsewhere. First impressions can make or break a user journey.

The Middle
Naturally, you want to be able to communicate your expertise and years of experience. You want to showcase your past projects, glowing client reviews, and a gallery of awards. All of that is important. But most of it is a side quest to what your visitors really need. In order to understand what’s most important to your audience, you need to put yourself in their shoes. Better yet, ask a friend or family member. An outside perspective might reveal certain roadblocks or unnecessary detours you didn’t notice that may be costing you valuable business.

The End
The user journey ends when your visitors accomplish what they came to your website to do (find information, submit a contact form, etc.). Their experience along the way may become a deciding factor in what they do when they finally reach the end. It will also set their expectations for you and your business, and their decision on whether or not they choose to engage with you, or recommend you to others.

A Note on AI Search and Summary

As we’ve discussed in our previous post, AI tools don’t create something out of nothing. In order for AI searches and summaries to inform users about your business, your business has to exist online, which means having and actively maintaining a website. It’s all about content and reputation:

Content that is informative, reliable, and relevant to your business and industry will carry a lot of weight. The days of metadata tags are over. Now, search engines and AI tools scan the actual words on your website, so make sure you’re using the right ones.

Reputation extends beyond your website to everywhere on the web, and the more connections you have the better. From social media to Yelp or Google reviews and business listings in your local chamber of commerce directory, every little bit helps. 

So what’s the best measure of a website’s success?

Better question: What’s the best measure of your website’s success? Is it how long a visitor sticks around, or how many leads you get per month? Are you reaching those markers on a regular basis with your current website?

In business, the highest form of compliment and the best measure of credibility is repeat customers and organic referrals. At Nerd Crossing, we can proudly say that over 70% of our business comes directly from client referrals. We have worked with a broad range of businesses, non-profits, and government organizations for over 15 years, and we continue to serve our clients with the same dedication, professionalism, and care today.

If you need another pair of eyes on your website, give us a shout. We can schedule a free consultation and let you know what your user journeys look like, as well as recommend improvements to smooth out the wrinkles.

Contact Us Today

When Google goes AI

June 10, 2026 | IT, Marketing, Web, , , ,

Google search is going AI. This function is available now as an option in your browser. Instead of using a search window where you type a keyword, phrase, or question, you can now switch to an interface similar to ChatGPT or Google Gemini. And instead of returning a list of websites, the AI search will scan those websites and retrieve the content right there in the chat screen.

Naturally, this has massive implications for businesses, organizations, and content creators. How do you engage with your audience if they’re not even getting to your website? How do you advertise? What does this mean for your future growth and success?

Let’s address the elephant in the room

Google has become the foremost search engine because of its ability to index the largest number of websites and provide the most accurate query matching. However, their reputation has slipped a great deal since the implementation of Google Ads that push down relevant results, flawed algorithms that create echo chambers, and the introduction of AI summaries, which aren’t always accurate or factual.

We have also seen a steady decline in media and tech literacy when it comes to research and source vetting: people will often focus on the top (most convenient) result, which leads to confirmation bias and further skews the algorithm, creating a positive feedback loop. The more affirmation you find for your assumptions, the more Google reinforces them with similar results.

We now have the perfect environment for the introduction of Google’s AI search. People don’t have time to scan through multiple sources, so why bother them with too much information? Now, when you need something, the AI will do the brain work for you, scan all those websites, and (hopefully) bring you the answer that best fits what you’re looking for. Goodbye, discernment and independent thought.

 

What this means for your business/organization

Now, you may ask yourself, “Do I even need a website at all, then?” If Google won’t let people see it, why even bother?

Well, first, because Google is not the only search engine in existence. Other options are still out there and some even differentiate themselves by excluding AI from their product completely. For now, at least, these non-AI options still warrant having a proper website with robust SEO.

Second, the bulk of Google’s revenue currently comes from paid advertising. While AI search is and will likely remain an option, it is unlikely to fully replace the OG search bar, at least until Google figures out how to profitably incorporate ads into the chat screen.

Third, Google’s AI does not create something out of nothing. While it may not send users to your website, it will still search content on your website to feed to users. However, it will only show the most relevant content, so strategic positioning and a solid online reputation will become imperative going forward.

 

What you need to know

How you position yourself in your market or local community will make a tremendous difference. It is no longer enough to just have an online presence in the form of a static website. You will need to establish a firm identity that carries across multiple channels with the same branding and messaging. That includes your website, social media, industry or association profiles, customer reviews, and an active, continuous pipeline of new, fresh content relevant to your organization and industry.

SEO has been focused on content rather than tags and metadata for a while, but it will now be the most important thing that puts you above your competition. Can you show that you’re an expert in your industry? Do you have a good reputation online? Are you listed accurately in local business directories? Is your contact information up to date?

All of the above will play a factor in whether your audience finds you.

 

Now, for a bit of good news

The good news is that optimizing your online presence for the rise of AI will also improve your ranking on non-AI search engines. Knowing the issue is half the battle. Knowing someone who can help you fix it will get you that much closer to the finish line.

The Nerd Crossing team has decades of combined experience when it comes to web building, web design, and SEO optimization. We’re Nerds by name and by reputation, and we stay up to date on all new technological advancements so that we can help our clients better in our ever-changing online landscape.

If you’re concerned about your online presence and want the opinion of an expert, click below to schedule a free consultation. Our goal is not to sell you the most expensive, shiny new tech. We’re here to listen, understand your concerns, and work with you to create a custom solution for addressing them.

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When Web Builders Update: Getting Nerdy With It

May 13, 2026 | Marketing, Web, , , , , , , , , , ,

Technology is advancing and evolving every day. With the advent of AI, we’re seeing new tools emerge faster than ever. That also includes web builder platforms.  Sometimes, you build out your site with fancy add-ons, and then the builder updates, and you just hope your add-ons are still supported.

For example, the WordPress plugin Elementor, which we use for our Nerd Crossing website and some of our clients’ websites just launched version 4.0. Being the Nerds that we are, we checked it out. If your website isn’t currently hosted on WordPress, this post isn’t for you. If you are hosted on WordPress, and/or are interested in Elementor, keep reading!

Here’s what you need to know:

What’s New

Disclaimer: Elementor is a robust and versatile web builder and page builder that essentially allows you to create a fully custom website from scratch. While it has a lot of amazing functionality, it also has a learning curve and may not be right for everyone. With that said, Nerds love being nerdy, and this baby is right up our alley!

4.0, AKA “Atomic” is currently an optional version you can activate or deactivate in your Dashboard. The builder UI is still pretty much the same, but there are some new widgets and a new way to create styles, variables, and classes right in the page builder. This is a great feature which can streamline and simplify the styling of your entire website (as long as you know what you’re doing).

Pros

The new Atomic widgets are essentially blank building blocks which you can customize as much or as little as you like. How you customize them has also been streamlined, with settings grouped together in a more logical way that is uniform for each widget. No more clicking around to different tabs.

You can also now save elements as reusable components and make parts of them editable, which essentially means you can make your own custom widgets right there in the page editor. This is currently only available on the Pro version of Elementor, but creates a lot of potential flexibility for web designers.

Probably the best and most important part of this update is that it remains backwards compatible with older widgets and add-on plugins. Whatever you already built out on your website will still be functional and editable in this new version the same way as before. You can keep the widgets you already have on your site and continue to add them to pages going forward. 

Cons

As with all new technology releases, Elementor 4.0 has a few bugs that need to be worked out and some limitations we’re hoping will be addressed with future updates. There are only a few Atomic widgets currently available (with more to come). This may be offset for most users with the ability to create custom components, but you cannot create those with legacy widgets.

As this is a new update, some older add-on plugins that allow you to use Elementor templates, or combine or nest widgets don’t always recognize the new Atomic styling convention, which may cause issues. Until the plugins update for compatibility, you can avoid problems by substituting legacy widgets for Atomic ones.

The biggest limitation is the new Atomic Paragraph widget. Arguably the most essential piece of a webpage, it adds text one Atomic paragraph widget at a time. The Nerds rate it a 3/10. Less, if you’re working with large blocks of text, like a blog post. For this, we recommend using the legacy Text Editor widget, which still retains full functionality with more options for customizing your text in one instance.

While the Elementor web builder update made global styling easier in some ways, its most powerful functions may still be too complex for the average user, especially if you’re new to Elementor, or web design in general. Some knowledge of CSS is definitely required and recommended, even with more and more tutorials popping up on YouTube every day.

Conclusion

The new Elementor plugin does make creating style sheets easier as a user interface with variable controls that allows you to click through and preview changes to styling in real time, rather than typing out whole sequences of code and hoping you don’t miss an end bracket.  With that said, you are, in fact, creating modular code to style your website using this tool.

So who’s this for? Well, we probably wouldn’t recommend it as a starting point for beginners building their first website, but if you have a little experience under your belt and you like to kick the tires on new tech, this is a good one to try out. Also, if you’re handing off  a custom website to a client for future content edits, they might appreciate the WYSIWYG Elementor editor over the native WordPress Block editor, too. 

Need Some Help?

All of these new bells and whistles can be a lot to learn and absorb. But don’t worry, your friendly neighborhood Nerds are here to help you out! Does your website need an update, or an ADA compliance check? We can help! Give us a shout and we’ll get you sorted out.

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Level Up Your Website with Multimedia Content (with Caveats)

April 8, 2026 | Web, , , , , ,

Landing on a website full of text is the digital equivalent of reading a textbook for fun. If you want to engage your visitors to click around and absorb what you’re offering, give them something worth looking at.

Multimedia Content Boosts Engagement

A picture speaks a thousand words, they say. In today’s world of 3-second attention spans, the “elevator pitch” may be best delivered with a crisp photo. Multimedia content isn’t just about making your website pretty. These types of visual elements can communicate your message in a split second, long before a visitor reads a single sentence. Not only that, the richer experience will keep them on your site longer, which also increases the odds of them eventually reaching out. That’s incredibly powerful.

Infographics are another great tool to get your message across. Whether it’s illustrating a tricky process, or the impact you have on your local community, visitors will understand a clean visual faster and remember it longer. Visual content is also the backbone of social media. When your website content is rich with shareable visuals, your reach extends well beyond your homepage.

 

Now, The Caveat

Okay, so you’re sold on adding visuals. Great! But take a second to think about where your visuals will come from and how you will use them. This is where a lot of well-meaning business owners accidentally get into trouble: copyright infringement and privacy violations.

Copyright law applies to everything you find online. Every photo, video, illustration, and piece of music belongs to someone. Using it without permission can result in takedown notices, legal disputes, and massive fees, and “I found it on Google” is not a legal defense.

Likewise, using photos and videos of real people, including clients, friends, family, community members, or even event attendees without their permission is a violation of their privacy, and may pose a safety risk, especially when it involves minors. It also should go without saying that you should never upload anyone’s photo or video into generative AI.

 

How to Use Multimedia Safely

Use content you own
The safest thing to do is use photos you took yourself, or paid a professional to take for you. In both of these cases, you are the proper legal owner of the content. However, if those photos include other people, always make sure you get permission from them. A simple written release or permission form goes a long way.

Obtain properly licensed stock images and videos
Buy and download properly licensed content from reputable platforms. Search for royalty-free resources, which provide you with multimedia for free, or a nominal one-time fee that does not require you to pay usage royalties over time. Pexels, Adobe Stock, and Deposit Photos are all excellent places to start. Just make sure to always double-check the license terms before you purchase and publish.

A Special Note on AI

AI-generated content is a hotly debated topic currently being litigated on several fronts. While it is not illegal to use for now, it also cannot be copyrighted, meaning you can never own any multimedia you create with AI engines, or prevent others from using it however they choose. Just as importantly, public sentiment has been decidedly negative toward AI-generated content. Whenever possible, we recommend avoiding the use of this type of media for your website and marketing.

 

Level-Up Your Website

Multimedia content is one of the best investments you can make in your website experience. It grabs attention, tells your story, and keeps visitors engaged. If you want to spruce up your existing website, or build one from scratch to present your organization to the world at large, we’re here for you. Give us a call, or drop us a line, and let’s chat about how we can help your website make a real statement online.

Schedule a free consultation

Domain Names: How Not to Lose Them

March 11, 2026 | IT, Marketing, Web, , , , ,

Picture this: You get an email notification about your domain name expiring. You mark it as Read and move on with your day. Two months later, your friend asks you what happened to your website—it’s not working anymore.

Turns out, you never acted on that notification. Your website domain name registration expired, and someone else bought it. You just lost your website, your branded email, and access to all accounts that you set up with it.

Now what?

You don’t own a domain. You rent it.

When you purchase a custom URL, you don’t own it indefinitely. You rent it for a set period of time. If you want to keep it, it’s up to you to renew it when the term expires. If you forget, you could find yourself in a world of trouble. Expired domains go to auction and can be bought by anyone. And once they have your branded URL, they could hijack your brand to spoof your business, or even hold the domain name for ransom, forcing you to pay whatever they ask to get it back.

This is not a scare tactic or an urban legend. It’s a real-world issue that happens every day, and affects thousands of people and small businesses, costing not just money, but SEO power and brand reputation, too.

How to protect yourself

Luckily, this is 100% preventable. To protect your business website and related services, follow the steps below:

Register your domain with a reliable registrar
Always make sure you’re dealing with a reputable service provider like GoDaddy or our personal go-to,Namecheap, to register your domain. Set up your account, and make sure your information is kept up to date.

Register for multiple years
If you have an option, always register for as long as you can. This not only reduces maintenance work, but may also save you some money, as longer term registrations offer a per-year discount.

Activate autorenewal
The best way to make sure your website URL doesn’t expire is to make it renew automatically. You will still receive a notification of renewal each time but, as long as your payment information is up to date in your account, there is no further action required. Speaking of which…

Keep your payment information up to date
It goes without saying that renewals must be purchased. If your payment information expires or changes and the charge can’t go through, you may still lose your website URL. Make it a habit to go through all of your accounts and update your payment information whenever you change your default payment method or get a new credit card.

Read your registrar’s communications
Your service provider will send you periodic updates via email. Keep an eye out for these, and always read through them to make sure you don’t miss anything. Regularly opening these emails will also help prevent important notices being sent to Spam.

Need to spruce up your website?

Your website is your online business card and portfolio. It’s the first thing users see when they look you up. Does your website communicate the right message to potential customers? If you need help updating your online image, we’ve got you! Contact us today for a free consultation.

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How to Best Utilize Social Media

February 11, 2026 | Marketing, Small Business, Web, , , , ,

 

Social media icons on phone

Over the last few years, social media has grown and expanded into an intimidating beast. From Facebook to YouTube to LinkedIn—it’s easy to get overwhelmed trying to stay on top of it all.

Here’s a tip: you don’t have to. If you’re struggling to juggle all the platforms at once to maintain brand awareness and advertise your business, here is how you can streamline your social media presence and increase your impact on your audience.

Step 1: Prioritize

Every platform has its purpose, and not all of them will fit your needs. Your first step is to identify what you want to accomplish, choose the right platform(s) to fit your needs and focus on just that. Social media is all about engagement. In terms of public image, it’s less harmful to have no page at all, than to have a “dead” page you don’t maintain.

Which platform is right for you?

  • LinkedIn: Spotlight business growth, recruit, and generate B2B leads
  • Facebook and X (Twitter): Grow brand awareness and connect with clients
  • YouTube and TikTok: Share video content relevant to your business
  • Instagram: Showcase your work with before and after comparisons, and progress images or timelapse videos

Step 2: Streamline

Maintaining multiple platforms at once can be time-consuming. Luckily, there are several tools that help you bring your social media into one dashboard where you can monitor all of your profiles and schedule posts with ease. Shop around, compare different tools and pricing, and pick the one that fits your needs. Here are a few options you can check out:

  • HubSpot: A robust platform that puts all of your marketing efforts under one roof with one all-encompassing Client Relationship Management (CRM) system.
  • EClincher: Similar to Hootsuite, this platform takes your social media management to the next level with AI tools and tons of integrations.
  • Zoho Social: For an affordable, scalable solution without all the pricey bells and whistles, Zoho Social is the way to go. Everything you need, in a simple, user-friendly interface.

Step 3: Engage

If you’re using social media like a stage with a spotlight, you’re doing it wrong. Social media is all about engagement. The content you post should be tailored to elicit a reaction, whether it’s likes, comments, or reposts. The more people interact with your content, the better your results will be.

And it doesn’t stop there. When people do interact, you should respond accordingly. If someone comments, Like or reply to acknowledge them. When they share or repost, offer a Like as well. You should also occasionally go outside your bubble and interact with other pages as well. This helps boost your visibility and engagement.

A few tips to make your posts more engaging:

  • Ask questions: This prompts visitors to respond to your post
  • Share and repost: Current events, community news, and relevant content from other businesses or industry professionals helps to solidify your credibility.
  • Include Media: Add images or videos to make your posts colorful and attract attention.
  • Add tags: Tags also help with discoverability. Don’t go overboard. Focus on the ones most relevant to the audience you want to attract. Think about what they would be searching for and include it as a hashtag. Aim for 5 or so for best results.
  • Be genuine and true to your brand: Set the tone you want your brand to convey (playful, professional, informative, friendly, supportive, etc.) and stick to it across your social media.
  • Include a call to action: Don’t forget, your goal on social media is to generate more business. It doesn’t have to be on every post, but at least 50-60% of them should include some kind of call to action that reminds your audience you’re open for business. Direct them to your website or a dedicated landing page where they can read more about your products or services and contact you directly.

Every business should have a website to help generate business. If you don’t have one, or you’d like to improve what you have, we can help!

Schedule a Free Consultation

Warning: Pace Yourself!

Social media can be an incredible time suck. Once you get into it, it’s difficult to come back out. This can have a negative impact on your productivity and time management. To avoid getting pulled into the black hole of doomscrolling, schedule a dedicated time slot for social media in your day, and stick to it. 15-30 minutes a day should be more than enough to log in, respond to comments, post something new, and log out. Remember: unless you’re an influencer or professional content creator, social media should be a supplement to your business, not its sole focus.

The Importance of Regular Content Updates for SEO

March 11, 2022 | Web, ,

What is THE #1 deciding factor whether you attract a large number of readers to your website? Besides spending tons of money on ads, the primary factor is search engine optimization (SEO). According to 2022 metrics, there are 3.9 billion searches being conducted every day, and 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine. By focusing on SEO, websites can attract more organic users without having to spend a copious amount of money.

What is SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and it essentially evaluates how far up you come on the Google results when someone searches for specific keywords. The higher you rank, the earlier you come in the results, and the higher visibility you get. For businesses, this translates to online clients being attracted merely by adding the right keywords to your website.

One key piece of managing your SEO strategy is ensuring that you provide regular content updates for your readers and search engines. So why is this so important?

Why updates are so important?

Staying relevant

Think of SEO updates like Facebook or Instagram updates. Those familiar with Instagram know that at one-point certain hashtags made posts go viral, while right now reels are THE thing to do in order to gain a broader audience. The same happens with SEO. SEO is constantly changing, which impacts the algorithm and what content creators, or businesses must do to stay relevant.

The more relevant you are, the more people you will reach. And the more people you reach, the more likely you are to be able to help more people with your product and/or services.

It shows Google you’re still active

The reality is that there are many websites out there that don’t get updated regularly. This indicates to Google that you’re either not in business anymore, or you’re simply not very dedicated. Google rewards websites that keep their content up to date. By changing the content to be more SEO friendly, Google gets alerted that your content has been changed and your business is still running.

This again pushes you up on the search engine results and you are therefore more likely to be found by people searching for your content.

It’s important for clients

Your clients want to be able to trust you. They can only do that if you demonstrate yourself to be an expert in your field. If your website is outdated then it no longer is seen as a reliable source. Not only does this reflect poorly with readers, but search engines like Google will also take note. Regularly releasing content as well as updating older content is a great way to stay relevant and show readers that you’re on top of things. Search engines also take regular updates as a positive sign so they are more likely to rank your website higher up search results.

How can you make sure your content is up to date with new SEO?

Knowing when to update your content is a challenge on its own, and if you haven’t been in the field for a long time, you won’t know what to do.

Your most viewed content

If you run a blog and that blog has certain posts that do better than others, it’s crucial to keep those up to date. If you have to filter and be selective about which posts to update, and which ones to leave for later, these are the ones you’ll want to start with. When people view your posts, you’ll want to make sure that the content is still relevant and also assure that more new readers come to your site to view that post.

Get rid of content that’s irrelevant

Some content may simply not be applicable to you or your business anymore. If you used to be a commercial and residential roofing company, but you’ve since gotten rid of the residential component, get rid of any old blog posts that reference residential roofing. This distracts, as well as attracts the wrong kind of clientele.

Also consider getting rid of content that you don’t love, and that others seem to not love as well. Maybe you have a post that really practically nobody reads.

Combine any similar content

It’s likely that if you’re serving a specific audience, you’re regularly writing content about similar topics. You most likely have several posts around the same exact topic, perhaps just with a different spin. For example, if you are a skincare brand, you’ve probably written a few posts about the importance of cleansing your skin. It’s best to simply combine the two or so posts together.

SEO will hold it against you if you have too many posts referencing similar content, and the last thing you want is it to ding you for something you simply have been diligent in writing about.

Update ALL content

Your website doesn’t just consist of a blog section full of posts. It also consists of different pages including an About page, the home page, etc. All these pages must be updated regularly in order to rank higher on search engines. If you’re finding the thought overwhelming, simply work on one of your static (aka doesn’t have constant updates with new content like a blog page) pages first, and then work on one section at a time. Soon enough, you’ll have your entire website updated!

How we can help you

SEO is complex, the rules are constantly changing, and regularly updating content is just one facet of the process. As a business owner, your main priority is to get new clients in, and SEO is a great way to do that. However, between client meetings, calls, and admin work, it’s unlikely that you also have the time to stay up to date on the new algorithm rules that SEO operates by. That’s why it can be so incredibly helpful to outsource this kind of work.

At Nerd Crossing, we can help you with web, digital, and social media marketing. This includes incorporating SEO into your content and updating it regularly, as the SEO world changes and adapts. We want to save you time and energy doing what we do best so you can do your best. You will never have to worry about your website not being seen again and can focus on what you do best in your business – helping others!