What is the CCPA and will it affect my business?The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is a bill intend to enhance privacy rights and consumer protection for residents of California. The bill was passed by the California State Legislature and signed into law by then-governor Jerry Brown on June 28, 2018. Officially called AB-375, the law goes into effect on January 1, 2020.
Essentially the intent is to:
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Is my website ADA compliant?You might think of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, as pertaining to buildings and structures but it is also expanding into the digital world. So your website is now also going to come under the scrutiny of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
 I build a lot of websites for people but I also hear a lot of people who tell me that they can do their own site, thank you very much. Tools like Wix, Weebly, SquareSpace and even WordPress absolutely offer a very simple way to create a very beautiful website that does have a lot of good features and looks terrific. So what’s the problem?
I have personally partnered with SquareSpace to do the vast majority of the websites I do because you can create a great website very quickly that looks great and tells your story effectively and beautifully. In fact I once had a discussion with a restaurant owner about his needing a website and he was so insistent that it was a long difficult process that, by the time lunch was over, I showed him his new site. Lunch was on him.  Hey, Siri, find me a recipe for baked potatoes. Okay, Google, how do I get to Aunt Agamemnon’s house?
Have you done this recently - asked your phone or even a smart speaker in your house for some form of information? With the three major smart assistants vying for a space in your world, you’re more likely than ever to have one in your possession today and may find they’re in more places tomorrow.  Every business still needs a website, period. Yes, you still need a website. But you you can literally build your own website in one afternoon and here are 10 tips to building your own website.
While it used to be a magical space for those who created websites, today anyone can do at least a passable job with a website using some of the tools that are out there. With platforms such as Weebly, Squarespace and Wix there is no excuse why someone can’t have at least a halfway decent website that helps tell the story of your business. Of course there are still a great deal of ways to optimize and polish a website and there are people who have spent a lifetime learning the inside tips about Google and other resources such that their skills are still very much in demand. But considering how many businesses have zero presence on the Internet, anything is better than nothing.  As human beings our journeys around the sun on this big blue marble trigger all sorts of events. For example, many of us try to lose weight come January 1. Others place huge significance on the anniversary of our own arrival aboard this vehicle. In these United States we celebrate those who have passed away in active military service on this day. This can also be a trigger for our businesses.
Every day our customers and prospects are critiquing our advertising and messaging. Some are responding, others aren’t. For those who don’t it could be that what we have isn’t what they want or it could also be our messaging. So I propose that, at least twice a year, we look at what we’re doing to woo our customers and make adjustments. We all know that one guy who wonders why things aren’t going so well but tells us, “well, I’ve been doing it this way for 20 years!” Times change, customers change and, most importantly, competitors change.  One of the worst marketing things I can see a business do is put up some sort of sign that reads, “Like us on Facebook.” Sometimes people even put the URL for their page. This is a big mistake. Why?
We all know who Facebook is - at present they have over a billion and a half users and that kind of pool of people can be a huge temptation for any business owner. I even believe that a Facebook Business Page often is a solid component of a small business’ marketing arsenal. But a Facebook Page is only one component and only a part of a solid online presence. I live in a rural community where having the Internet is not a given for a lot of people. So many local businesses set-up a Facebook Business Page and call that their on-line presence. That should be sufficient for a small business, right? Well, let’s look at this.
 Did you know that the world of web design is much like a vintage Ford Model T? Well, sort of. When any invention first hits the ground you’ll see all sorts of variations on that invention. One of my favorite inventions, of course, is the automobile.
Recently I was speaking with a friend who was mulling over possibilities for a new website for his business. After a number of years of dealing with a site that was quite, er, historic, he was still evaluating various designs in his head. His consternation: he didn’t want something that looked like everything else. But this is not the way to go nowadays.  It used to be, when you sold a business you absolutely included the phone number associated with the business as part of the sale. Having that consistency meant it was easier for thrilled customers to continue to find your business. Simple logic. That’s still true but today there are other assets that are also important such as the businesses’ URL. What’s a URL and what’s it worth?
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Tony BarthelTony Barthel is passionate about great marketing for small businesses Get Free Weekly Marketing TipsCategories
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