MVC is a design pattern that separates an application into 3 separate parts. Programmers do this to decouple the various parts of the application, which - Allows multiple developers to work on each section in parallel without affecting each other. Provides a standard paradigm to follow, eliminating the need to...
Smarthome Data Transfer Protocol: HTTP or MQTT?
In the process of designing my Arduino based smart home project, I had the difficult decision about what protocol to use. While an HTTP based system was incredibly easy for me to set up, MQTT is very appealing.The system I have right now is operational and working. With HTTP, all...
Small Business Scams: Power Company (National Grid), Money Order/Green Dot Scam
In this scam, you get a call from someone claiming they’re from the power company. They tell you they haven’t received your bill for a few months, and a lineman is on his way to shut off your power.To keep your power on, they ask you to go to Rite-Aid...
Small Business Scams: Web Design Template Scam
A template is a pre-built design for a website and is an excellent way for you to build a web presence on a tight budget. While templates lack the finesse of a custom design, they work well for most small businesses. You can download it on your website, and almost...
Small Business Scams: Domain Registration Theft
Your domain name is the address of your website. (For example - tbeachboard.com) It’s your online calling card, and more often than not, the exact name of your business. Since they hold so much value, scammers will hijack domain names, and resell them to their owners for a hefty price....
Small Business Scams: Google Business Listing
It can be nerve-racking when you finally launch a new website. You've put in the work to publish the site, and when you go live, you want traffic A.S.A.P. Scammers know how badly you want customers, and they claim they'll rank your site high in the search listings. While there are...
Simple Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) Calculator
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is an estimate of the total profit a customer will generate over their entire relationship with your company. It gauges the long-term health of your companies relationships with your customers.There are many different ways to calculate CLV, and those calculations can range from simplistic to incredibly...
SEO vs. PPC Marketing for Small Business
In this article, I’ll be giving a short introduction to SEO and PPC marketing to help you decide which advertising you should be using.In general, PPC marketing is useful when you want to see immediate results, while SEO is part of your long-term strategy.Note: Google Adwords has changed their name...
AdWords Express: The DIY Solution for Small Business SEM
While Google AdWords is a great way to get traffic to your website, it can be tough to set up and manage appropriately. If it is managed properly, it’s possible to see a good ROI. Unfortunately, I’ve seen plenty of businesses fail when trying to do it themselves. That is...
D.I.Y vs. Professional PPC Management
Concerning PPC management, small business owners typically go with the Do It Yourself (D.I.Y) option.Most articles will tell you that you should never manage your PPC account, tell you all the drawbacks of self-managed accounts, and push for their managed solution.While it's clear that an account managed by a pro...