Lagniappe!

A lagniappe (pronounced lan-yap) is a little gift given by a merchant at the time of a purchase such as a 13th donut when buying a dozen. The word is used in the Carribbean and southern parts of the United States and has been traced back to the Quechua word yapay (‘to increase; to add’). In Andean markets it is still customary to ask for a yapa when making a purchase. The seller usually responds by throwing in a little extra. This ancient custom is still widely practiced today around the world and I felt it was time to bring it into the digital age! For clients who pay on time,  I will try to do something for you as a little freebie or extra service so watch your invoices for a lagniappe!

WordPress.com and WordPress.org

I’ve gotten a few questions about the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com. WordPress is blogging software and it comes in two main flavors. .Org is the place to go to download the free WordPress software to run on your own server. In this flavor you can modify the code (php and modules built using other languages) and install thirdparty plugins, themes, and other goodies.

WordPress.com is where you go to start and run a free online blog. Here you have a bit less customization available but you also avoid the headaches of hosting and maintaining the software on your own server. For beginners, WordPress.com is probably the place to start. Read more at WordPress.com.

Add This rocks

Today I want to mention a terrific new FREE service called Add This. By installing it on your site you provide viewers with a quick & easy way to share your site with their friends and social networks. Additionally Add This offers a control panel which allows you to see what your viewers are using it for. Many sites are using it and the integration with Twitter is particularly awesome. Try it out right now, you’ll see the Share button in the sidebar on the right. Let me know if you’re interested in adding it to your site.

Community over mass customization

The concept of mass customization has always been interesting to me. It’s the idea that we want custom products as long as they are not too different from what everyone else has…or more expensive. In my web work I’m often trying to balance the demand for custom work with the need to keep costs under control.

A recent radio interview caught my ear because the guest has just completed a book about the decline of Starbucks…the epitome of mass customization. Starbucks is a great example because people are able to place unique coffee orders (customization) and receive their item immediately within a cost range no different from their peers (mass marketing). Hanging out in a Starbucks or sipping from a branded cup imbues hipness. It communicates that you have $4 a day to spend on coffee, insist on only the best, and know what you want.

But, the value of that image is declining because coffee and coffee houses meant something very different before Starbucks. People are remembering that for hundreds of years coffee houses have been places where people gather to discuss, debate, assemble and find community. The allure of mass customization is giving way to the simple yearning for simple human contact.

This is great news for the little guy! It’s comforting to see the rise of websites like www.etsy.com, which value genuine customization. We want to know where our food, clothes and baby toys come from. People want to have a relationship with the providers they interact with – and it’s never been easier for individuals, small businesses and non profits to offer that than with the advent of social media.

Personally, I can’t offer my clients a fast turnaround on a huge, blaring website with tons of bells and whistles and I’ve never wanted too. While at times I’ve had more business than I can manage I have not outsourced simply because I love what I do. I make small, hand crafted sites with (hopefully) a lot of character. I work very collaboratively with many of my clients and we can hear each other’s smiles when we speak on the phone. Maybe it’s taken a Starbucks on every corner to realize that what we really want is genuine service and a sense of connection.

We Heart Blue Host

I love Blue Host. They are a website hosting company located in Orem Utah. After working with GoDaddy, Network Solutions, DotEasy, A+Net, Pair Networks and many others, I really have to say that Blue Host offers just the right balance of ease of use and extended functionality. They are also their own Registrar so they are able to offer complete domain name services alongside hosting. While other companies gouge their customers at $35 a year or more for a simple domain name, Blue Host provides a free primary domain name with every hosting account. Plus you can have up to five sites within one account. Additionally they provide 24/7 phone tech support with friendly, helpful staff who are easy to understand. On top of great service they are also a great value with rates as low as $6.95 per month.

My policy is to only recommend and promote businesses I personally use. After 6 years with Blue Host and over 100 sites hosting I still think they’re terrific. If you are looking for a friendly, easy to use, inexpensive hosting company. Check out Blue Host.