Freelancer with 18+ years in web development and digital marketing. I share stories on websites, marketing, SEO, and AI, plus honest lessons from life in the trenches as a solopreneur.
Just A Minute: Why Are You Not Already Subscribed to This?
"Just A Minute!"Short updates from me you'll actually appreciateHi Reader, Recently, one of my hosting clients forwarded me a scary email she wasn't sure about. "I just got a legal notice saying my website is infringing on copyright. Is this legit?" I checked it out and told her it was junk (a scam, not a real threat). I also shared a link to a blog post I had written about it. She thanked me for my help, then asked a question that made me feel kind of stupid. "Wow, why am I not already subscribed to this?" That really got me thinking. In almost 18 years of business (I can't believe it's been that long), I've gotten a lot of the same questions from people over and over again. I don't mind answering them—it's part of my job. But I realized it would be more helpful if I just shared those answers once, for everyone. That's what this is. “Just A Minute!” is a new series of short updates for things like this: real questions, issues, and tricky situations that come up on a regular basis. The stuff I’ve been saying quietly for years, now written down and shared out loud. Here are just a few questions I’ve gotten recently from several clients:
Sometimes, these updates will be a short, written email. Sometimes, a quick video. Maybe even a few links or tools I think you should know about. They'll go out automatically, so you don’t need to do anything. If you’re not interested, just click the unsubscribe link at the bottom. (It won't hurt my feelings: we can still be friends.) I hope this will help you avoid scams and save you time, money, and stress. Thanks! P.S. Got a question you’d like me to answer in a future email? Just hit reply. Yes, it’s really me, and yes, I read every response. Ron Stauffer Lieder Digital |
Ron Stauffer
Freelancer with 18+ years in web development and digital marketing. I share stories on websites, marketing, SEO, and AI, plus honest lessons from life in the trenches as a solopreneur.
Just A Minute! Hi Reader, A few weeks ago, my wife told me about a documentary that came out on Netflix called "Poop Cruise." My eyeballs popped open. "It's called WHAT?" I asked, certain I'd misheard her. "'Poop Cruise.' It's about a cruise ship years ago where the power failed and raw sewage leaked all over the ship." Ahh, yes, I thought. I remember hearing something about that. Gross. But that happened like a decade ago, right? Strange. Oh well. I wanted to remember to look it up later...
Just A Minute! Hi Reader, Whenever I build a website, I use all kinds of tools for marketing (analytics, heatmaps, click tracking), but sometimes, I add in one simple question on contact forms as well: "How did you hear about us?" The answers people give are mostly predictable: Google, Facebook, or the always-unhelpful “Online” (facepalm). But every once in a while, something surprising pops up. This week, I saw one that made me think: "Just a minute!" A user wrote: "Perplexity." Of course, I...
Just A Minute! Don't Delete This Incredibly Boring Email Hi Reader, Often, people I know (not just clients, but also friends, family, even my parents) forward me an email from GoDaddy or another domain registrar with a subject like: "Update your domain contact information" and ask: "Is this email important? Do I need to do anything?" I don't know why registrars do this: it's confusing and annoying. Okay, so I actually know why they do it... It's laid out clearly in the body of the email...