Got a WordPress question, problem or challenge? OR…are you an expert with knowledge and experience and the willingness to share it?

Let’s discuss WordPress, SEO and other small business challenges we each face and solve them together! Discover new ways of facing them and make long-lasting connections….(Read on)

Brass Ring reimagined the Club’s website, balancing a tight budget with a deep dive into its history, including visits to the La Jolla Historical Society. We designed a vibrant logo and engaging content to reflect the venue’s charm, targeting growth in bookings, membership, and event participation. Training was included to empower staff in site management and service excellence.

The new site spurred a visitor surge and member pride, with a 50% increase in revenue within months of launch. (Read on…)

Brass Ring conducted thorough market research, examining industry standards, top competitors, and expert insights. This enabled us to create content that resonates with visitors and ranks well, driving organic traffic.

We delivered a visually striking website with a bold new logo, backed by persuasive testimonials, Yelp reviews, and strategic calls to action. To enhance the client’s professional image, we designed branded business cards featuring an attention-grabbing “billboard” on the back for networking events.

This web design case study highlights how Brass Ring Web Design transformed a firearms accessories manufacturer’s online presence. The client struggled with difficult-to-manage websites from previous developers.

By switching to WordPress and integrating WooCommerce, we built a dynamic, user-friendly site that showcased the client’s cutting-edge products and boosted sales. The new site also streamlined store management, provided easy access for staff, and included necessary training to ensure ongoing success.

Launching a small business is a monumental task, and having a strong, effective website can make or break your new enterprise.

It’s not enough to simply check the box and say, “I have a website.” Pretty pictures and basic information alone won’t motivate potential clients or venture capitalists to take your small business launch seriously. In fact, this is one reason many small businesses struggle to succeed. (Read on…)

The Step-By-Step Guide To Remove Negative Google Reviews​

Bad Google reviews can severely affect your local search and Google Maps rankings and conversions. Did you know it takes more than 30 positive 5-star reviews to offset one negative review?

This is precisely why removing negative Google reviews is crucial to maintaining a high rating. After all, your local Google rating influences purchase decisions. (Read on…)

Exciting news from Brass Ring! I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve joined the REC Innovation Lab (Regional Entrepreneur Center) as a web design and digital marketing mentor and coach. In this new role, I’ll be working with the student entrepreneurs of this dynamic startup incubator to help them present themselves effectively online…

The REC Innovation Lab is much more than just an incubator. It’s a thriving community that fosters collaboration ..(Read on…)

When you consider adding new content to your website or blog, you’re likely to think about creating long form articles or original posts. This is only natural, and most sites will want to prioritize unique content. However, it can also be a smart move to source and share relevant third-party content with your readers whenever you have the opportunity. (Read on…)

Automattic, the company behind WordPress and Tumblr’s owner, said it is moving the microblogging platform over to WordPress.

Verizon Media sold Tumblr to Automattic in 2019, with Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg describing the microblogging platform as “on-ramp” to his company’s other products.

“I’m excited about that on-ramp as well as to bring a younger demographic and young people into WordPress,” Mullenweg said in 2023. (Read on…)

Here’s how small business owners can effectively implement artificial intelligence into their workflows, with practical tools and strategies for success.

If, like many small business owners, you’re not sure about AI tools or how to implement them, these options offer a smooth path to increased efficiency and business insights. (Read more…)

Email marketing is one of the most effective marketing channels. For every dollar brands spend on email marketing, they average a return on investment of $36. Proper email list management is essential to maximizing your returns from email marketing.

Managing your email list correctly will help you improve the deliverability of your messages, increase engagement, and boost your conversion rate. It’s an absolute must for any brand using email marketing. (Read more…)

Ever since I’ve started walking every morning, I usually get 12k to 15k steps a day. Much better. The boost hasn’t come from my morning walk alone; that habit has also had the unintended benefit of getting me moving more in general. I’ll intermittently take 10-minute walking breaks during the day just because I like how it feels to walk. I also get…(Read more…)

Given the explosion of website accessibility lawsuits in recent years, as a practical matter, the best defense is going to be mooting the claims. That means having processes in place by the Compliance Date to regularly detect and promptly correct WCAG 2.1, Level AA nonconformance and the ability to quickly show that any issue identified in a lawsuit… (Read more…)

The Federal Trade Commission narrowly voted Tuesday to ban nearly all noncompetes, employment agreements that typically prevent workers from joining competing businesses or launching ones of their own…

…noncompetes are vital to companies, by allowing them to better guard trade secrets, and employees, by giving employers greater incentive to invest in workforce training and development. (Read on…)

Businesses across various sectors recognize the value of content marketing in engaging with their audience, building brand awareness and driving sales, leading to more substantial investments in content marketing strategies and tools. This trend reflects the industry’s evolving role as a central component of digital marketing and its substantial contribution to the global marketing economy…(Read on…)

In October 2023, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)–an international organization that recommends and maintains web-related protocols, guidelines, and standards–adopted the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, by elevating them to “Recommended” status. Web developers, individuals with accessibility issues, and U.S. courts all look to the…(Read on…)

Backing up your WordPress site is a simple process. With just a few steps, you can ensure that all of your website’s content and settings are secure and easily restorable in the event of a system failure or other unexpected issues.

Why do I need to back up my WordPress website?
Backing up your website is essential for protecting against data loss in the event of a system failure, malicious attack, or other unexpected issue. With regular backups, you can be sure that all of your content and settings are…(Read on…)

Virtual Offices have long been a convenient and cost-effective way for small business owners and digital nomads with flexible working arrangements to level up their online presence and lend additional credibility to their business. Most coworking spaces and flexible offices offer a convenient Virtual Office membership at affordable monthly prices, but their offerings cover a wide range of benefits and prices. It can be difficult to navigate the sea of…(Read more…)

Brand Archetypes defined: Noted psychologist Carl Jung (pronounced: “yoong”) theorized that humans use symbolism to more easily understand complex concepts.

As a result of his research, Jung stated: “There are forms or images of a collective nature which occur practically all over the earth as constituents of myths and at the same time, as individual products of unconscious.”

In this work, Jung maintained that over the course of all time, for people, certain paths to greater understanding remain..(Read on…)

Whether you’re just starting out with WordPress or consider yourself a seasoned pro, don’t hesitate to join us and contribute to the conversation.

Well…we’ve hit a pretty significant milestone. The WordPress Web Help Meetup Group just hit 1000 members! I want to thank all who’ve joined over the years and especially the core group of members who show up to answer questions and help those further back on the learning curve to get up to speed with this truly cool marketing platform. (Read on…)

Starting in April, senders of unwanted mass emails to Gmail users will begin to see message rejections increasing unless they abide by new Gmail email sender guidelines, Google warns.

New Rules For Sending Mass Email To Gmail Accounts
As an article I published on Forbes on last Tuesday made clear, new rules are coming into place to protect Gmail users from unwanted mass emails. At the time, it was reported that some… (Read on…)

A leading CMS, WordPress, is used on almost 40% of all websites worldwide. All these aspects can be related to its popularity, user-friendly interface, massive offer of customization options, and support they offer to their users…

Why are WordPress Sites Vulnerable
Despite its popularity and myriad uses, WordPress sites are susceptible to several forms of security hazards. Several factors contribute to their susceptibility: The objectives in… (Read on…)

There are 33.2 million small businesses in the USA, which make up about 99.9% of all American businesses. Making yours stand out and grow effectively and fast among so many small businesses can be a real challenge.

Most business owners feel intimidated about investing in their business growth. Due to the tough competition, they feel there’s no point in spending on strategies.

However, there are some great ideas – ON A BUDGET – to make your…(Read on…)

Everyday financial tasks often resemble the repetitive cycle experienced by Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. These routine personal finance tasks can feel like an endless repetition of the same day. From paying rent to rebuilding emergency funds, the monotony can be overwhelming. This article delves into these Groundhog Day financial moments, providing practical insights and strategies to transform the mundane into opportunities for financial growth.
(Read on…)

There isn’t one right way to do marketing. The more I’ve dabbled in marketing, the more I’ve realized it’s a bottomless pit of possibilities. I also noticed the value of affiliate marketing, something 80% of brands use. There’s a reason it’s so popular.

TikTok, Instagram, and similar social media platforms have become gospel for consumers. Whatever they’re selling, we want it. “TikTok made me buy it!” isn’t just a cutesy phrase. It’s the truth. As consumers, we want what we’re reading about in …(Read on…)

Keep your business safe by maintaining a secure Wi-Fi network, using strong passwords and updating software regularly.

Cybersecurity is important for everyone, and businesses are no exception. 61% of small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) were victims of cyberattacks last year and 87% of IT ‘decision makers’ claim they experienced two or more successful attacks in the past year.

Cyberattacks leave not only businesses vulnerable but their employees and consumers as well. Luckily, there are ways to keep your business safe from. cybersecurity threats. (Read on…)

Making a website accessible means building a platform that maximum people can share and find reliable. That’s why WordPress Accessibility is so crucial.

More than 45.8% of websites across the globe will be powered by WordPress in 2023. The figure was 43.2% in 2022. Whether you want to create a simple or complex website for your business, WordPress can create the most trusted, versatile and user-friendly platform for your business goals… (Read on…)

You may not realize it, but most U.S. businesses are small businesses; SBA statistics show that 99 percent of all businesses are independent companies with fewer than 500 employees.

That’s the good news. The bad news? While estimates vary, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data 20 percent of new businesses fail within two years, 45 percent during the first five years, and 65 percent during the first 10 years. (Only 25 percent make it for 15 years or more.) (Read on…)

In this article, you are going to discover over 100 simple ways to increase organic traffic to your website or web property that you can implement today.

We’ve complied this list based on many years of online marketing experience and offer the to you to explore and use. While this list is extensive, many of the items may require more research on your behalf or the assistance of a marketing professional. (Read on…)

Running a small business is by no means an easy task, especially when you are just getting started – you have limited time, resources, and budget, all while trying to get things done in order to create more awareness and grow your brand. Nonetheless, it is crucial to get your company name out there as much as possible to generate a customer pipeline and have steady incoming revenue. So, the question becomes… (Read on…)

People have a hard time attending meetings that are longer than one hour.

Maybe it’s today’s ADD. Or perhaps, it’s just that any meeting that long is a waste of many people’s time.

Either way, there is almost no reason to schedule a meeting for over 60 minutes.

If you do, you’re scheduling more time than is necessary or productive. (Read on…)

New artificial intelligence functions for MAPs can do everything from generating personalized content to optimizing campaigns.

Like much marketing technology, many marketing automation platforms (MAPs) are being enhanced with new AI-powered features.

One reason for this is the need to improve personalization and drive it to all parts of marketing. A recent survey shows 73% of respondents — both consumers and business buyers — expect companies to…(Read on…)

It’s a New Year. Time to make changes? Well…up to you. How about weight loss? Easy, reasonable changes are always more accessible than drastic, major changes that you hate and are hard to sustain. Here’s some easy things you can do to enjoy real change throughout this New Year. (Read on…)

Improving finances is a common resolution for the New Year. In 2023, 53% of Americans who set resolutions wanted to prioritize getting their finances in order. While that figure has dropped to 38% for 2024, it is still the second-most popular resolution after improving fitness.

Unfortunately, most resolutions are abandoned before February rolls around. In fact, studies have found that only 9% of Americans who make resolutions actually complete them. (Read on…)

DreamHost®, a global leader in web hosting and Managed WordPress services, today announced it has been named “Best WordPress Hosting Provider” in the 2023 Monster’s Award, a recognition of top-tier WordPress solutions administered by TemplateMonster. (Read on….)

There are 12 people whose decisions will impact the profits and growth for many small businesses next year. Keep a close eye on them. (Read on…)

Almost half of all workers in the country work for a business with fewer than 500 employees – and that doesn’t even account for the some 27 million small business owners who are their own sole employee.
Unfortunately, because small businesses are the drivers of our economy, they are also a ripe target for cyberattacks. The FBI recently reported that the majority of cybercrime victims are small businesses. (Read on…)

The WordPress showcase is a curated collection of websites built with WordPress. Its purpose is to inspire, and show the breadth of what WordPress can achieve. Currently the showcase features around a hundred sites, including large enterprises like the New York Times and NASA. It aims to challenge misconceptions about WordPress, and highlight the …(Read on…)

In today’s fast-paced online world, how fast your website works can make or break the experience for users. People want things quick, and if your site takes forever to load, you might lose them. That’s where WordPress developers come in. If you’re using WordPress – the go-to system for managing web content – these developers can be your heroes, making sure your site runs super smooth. So, when you’re ready to enhance your website speed and performance, it’s time to consider hiring WordPress developers.
(Read on…)

To uncover the key financial metrics pivotal for small business success, we’ve gathered insights from ten industry leaders, including COOs and a content writer. From the importance of monitoring Net Revenue Retention to focusing on profit margins for success, these executives shed light on the numbers that truly matter.

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In this video, we’ll show you how to choose and install a cookie plugin on WordPress. We’ll discuss all the things you need to consider before installing a cookie plugin and how to respect relevant regulations such as GDPR. I’ll also recommend you a great cookie plugin that you should consider installing. (Watch video…)

Gemini is Google’s latest large language model, which Pichai first teased at the I/O developer conference in June and is now launching to the public. To hear Pichai and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis describe it, it’s a huge leap forward in an AI model that will ultimately affect practically all of Google’s products. “One of the powerful things about this moment,” Pichai says, “is you can work on one underlying technology and… (Read on…)

Key Takeaways:
Using a debt consolidation loan to combine your existing debt can help you streamline your monthly payments and save on interest.

Other debt relief strategies like debt settlement and bankruptcy should only be used as a last resort since they can cause serious harm to your credit profile.

A credit counselor can create a debt management plan for you (DMP) — this plan can help you pay off debt within… (Read on…)

Small businesses often struggle with advertising due to limited budgets. However, there are many completely free ways to promote your business online and increase brand awareness. In this article, we will explore the best free small business advertising ideas for 2023 that can help small businesses grow their customer base without breaking the bank.

(Read on…)

Frustrated with your Website? Fails with D.I.Y. site builders? HERE’S THE ANSWER!
Great for DIY’ers! Not just a website, but a turn-key small business marketing solution.

Here’s The Thing: You Should Spend Your Time On Your Business, Not Struggling To Learn Web Design! (Read on…)

Being a talented public speaker is a skill that is able to help advance a wide range of careers. The first step in this pursuit typically begins with enrolling in public speaking classes to help you master the craft.

Whether you are a published author trying to promote your new book, a marketing specialist presenting an important pitch at work, or anything in-between, being a great public speaker is something that is sure to be incredibly valuable. (Read on…)

Rich in Antioxidants, Vitamin A, Beta-Carotene…and they’re just healthier than white potatoes. These are just some of the reasons you ought to consider more sweet potatoes in your nutritional mix for healthy eating. (Read on…)

FRESNO, Calif. (Nov. 8, 2023) – NFIB filed an amicus brief in the case Ghost Golf Inc. et al. v. Gavin Newsom at the California Court of Appeal, Fifth Appellate District. The case concerns Governor Newsom’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, the government shutdown of businesses ordered during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the separation of powers. (Read on…)

Bad Night?
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You’re dragging after a night of tossing and turning. It’s probably going to be a tough day at work. What can you do to make things a little easier and make sure you sleep better tonight? (Read on…)

You’re hungry and staring into your fridge, but is there anything healthy in there? Stock up on a few key staples to make sure there’s something good waiting for you. (Read on…)