Website tips & insights
Website ownership tips, SEO advice and thoughts on A.I. in website design from Leighton Smith, posted since 2014.
Looking for the videos? See the Website Ownership Tips series.
PHP2Shell Is Patched: Our Websites Are Safe
Two critical PHP flaws, nicknamed PHP2Shell, were fixed on October 21, 2026. Here’s what happened and what it means for your website.
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Does Your Small Business Website Need a Privacy Policy? (Yes!)
Contact forms, Google Analytics, Instagram feeds and ad pixels all touch visitor data. Here’s why every small business website needs a Privacy Policy, Terms of Service and Cookie Policy, and an easy way to get them.
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Thoughts on the Use of A.I. in Website Design
How AI helps website designers, how to rank well in ChatGPT and other AI bots, what a drop in traffic means, and whether AI is replacing your website or your designer.
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Where Should I Register My Domain Name?
Most domain registrars offer the same basics. Here’s what to expect, the red flags to avoid, the two registrars I recommend, and how to transfer a domain.
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Why Am I Getting Spam Through My Contact Form?
Automated bots, email harvesting and the occasional targeted attack all send spam through website forms. Here’s how CAPTCHA tools like Cloudflare Turnstile cut it down.
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Why Is My Contact Form Not Working?
When form submissions land in spam or never arrive, the culprit is usually email deliverability. Here’s what’s going on and how a deliverability service fixes it.
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Do I Need to Start Using Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)?
AI is taking the world by storm. Here’s how it fits into owning a website, plus a ChatGPT prompt to try for your first blog post draft.
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Is Your Facebook Account Hacked?
Received a Messenger message saying your Facebook Business Page is being deactivated? It’s likely phishing. Here’s an example and Facebook’s own advice.
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Is Your Website Scanned for Security Vulnerabilities?
Popular software attracts attacks. Here’s what our regular security scans check, from vulnerability databases and malware to nine web trust blacklists.
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Check Your Website’s Contact Form
Your contact form is one of the easiest ways for customers to reach you. Here’s how we keep forms delivering, why some messages land in spam, and two habits that help.
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How Does Blogging Help Your Business?
For several clients, an old blog post is now their #1 source of website traffic. Here’s how blogging produces leads, and what to do if you’re not a writer.
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Website Ownership Tip #8: Maintenance
Your website is built. Now what? Like a car, it needs fuel (hosting) and regular maintenance to keep running safely. Here’s why.
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Have You Confirmed Your 2022 Holiday Hours?
Green “Holiday hours” or orange “Hours might differ”? Here’s what Google shows customers, and how to confirm your holiday hours in a few clicks.
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Have You Upgraded to Google Analytics 4?
Google replaced Universal Analytics with Google Analytics 4. What GA4 does differently, why the move was mandatory, and how we help clients upgrade.
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Website Ownership Tip #7: Speed & Performance
Visitors expect websites to load almost instantly. Here are the top 5 factors in load time, from hosting to plugins, and how to fix each one.
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Is It Time for a Website Refresh?
Kept up with your content but haven’t touched the design in years? A Website Refresh modernizes the look without starting over.
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Website Ownership Tip #6: Video Hosting
Videos make content come alive, but they’re one of the biggest causes of slow pages. Here’s how to serve them properly.
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Website Ownership Tip #5: Image Optimization
A single smartphone photo can be 2–4 MB, way too big for a web page. Four quick steps to optimize every image before you upload it.
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Website Ownership Tip #4: Hosting Server
If you care about how fast your website loads, your hosting server matters more than any other performance trick. Time your homepage, then read this.
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Website Ownership Tip #3: Email Deliverability
Are your contact, reservation or order form emails actually reaching you? Here’s a 3-step checklist to improve email deliverability.
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Website Ownership Tip #2: SSL Security
Ever seen a “Not Secure” warning on a website? It kills trust. An SSL certificate fixes it, costs little or nothing, and helps your rankings.
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Website Ownership Tip #1: Focus on Solutions
“Sell benefits, not facts.” Visitors care about their problems more than your company. Here’s how to write website copy that converts.
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Best Practices to Ensure Email Deliverability
Are your contact form and order emails reaching the inbox? What email deliverability means and how DNS records and delivery services improve it.
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Can I See How My Web Page Used to Look?
Need an old version of your website for a redesign, a legal question or lost content? The free Wayback Machine shows how any web page used to look.
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Does Your Website Need Translation?
If your customers speak more than one language, your website should too. How WordPress translation works and how we set it up.
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Positivity through the Pandemic
The pandemic was stressful and uncertain. Here are 16 silver linings and positive-mindset ideas, mostly photographed by Leighton.
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7 Free Tips to Fight Spam and Phishing
Spammers love a stressful situation. Seven free habits that help you spot phishing emails and keep your accounts safe.
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6 Ways to Market Your Business During a Pandemic
Small businesses had to rethink their marketing during COVID-19. Six actions that keep customers informed and loyal through any crisis.
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Do You Have a Coronavirus Statement?
Many businesses posted a COVID-19 notice explaining how they were responding. What to include, how long it should be and where to post it.
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Is Your Contact Form Attracting Spam?
Bombarded by spam through your website’s contact form? Invisible anti-spam tools like reCAPTCHA stop the bots without a checkbox.
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Have You Confirmed Your Special Holiday Hours?
Holidays bring a “hours might differ” warning on Google listings. Confirm your special hours so customers know exactly when you’re open.
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We Love Start-Ups! 5 Steps to Launch a Business
Anyone with a vision can start a business, but a successful one takes more than a license. Five essentials for your start-up.
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Is Your Website Producing Leads?
The purpose of a website is to get new business. If yours isn’t attracting customers, here’s where traffic comes from and how ads can help.
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Time for a Website Redesign?
Had the same website for years? Here’s how to tell whether you need a redesign, plus a few examples of our work.
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Google Chrome Labels Websites Without SSL “Not Secure”
Since July 2018, Chrome warns visitors when a website has no SSL certificate. What the “Not Secure” label means and how to fix it.
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SSL Certificates and Google Chrome’s “Not Secure” Form Warning
Chrome started warning visitors who type into forms on non-HTTPS pages. Why that costs you leads and how an SSL certificate fixes it.
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What’s In Your Monthly Website Analytics Report?
Every month, our clients get a website analytics report. Here’s what each number means in Google Analytics 4 and what to do with it.
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Does Your Website Need an SSL Certificate?
SSL certificates used to be just for online stores. Here’s what they do, why they build trust and rankings, and why every website should have one.
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Why Not Build a Website Yourself? 3 Compelling Reasons
Website builders, and now AI builders, are easy and affordable. So why hire a professional web designer? Three compelling reasons.
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How to Handle Negative Online Reviews
Sooner or later every business gets a bad review. When you can get it removed, how to respond, and how to keep your rating high.
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16 Reasons Why You Need a Website Maintenance Plan
Websites aren’t “set it and forget it” anymore. Here are 16 things a website maintenance plan takes care of, from domains and backups to security updates and analytics.
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5 Things to Do Before Hiring a Website Designer
Hiring a website designer is a vital step for your business. Why you need a website, and five things to prepare before you call.
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Check Your Facebook Business Page Messages
Customers message your Facebook Page, not your personal profile. Where to find those messages and why you should answer quickly.
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Major Small Business Milestone: 100 Portfolio Projects
In 2016 we published our 100th website design project to the portfolio. Today we’ve designed 300+ websites, and still love it.
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Is Your Business Well-Reviewed on Google?
Google reviews give your business credibility and a boost in search rankings. Why they matter and how to collect more of them.
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How Secure Is Your Website? Small Business Website Security
Websites get hacked every day, but most hacks are simple and preventable. Here’s how we lock down our clients’ websites.
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The Importance of Regular Website Backups
Servers crash and hackers get in. A complete, off-site backup means your website can be restored quickly. Here’s how we handle it.
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What Makes a Professional Business Email Address?
An email from yourcompany@gmail.com looks like spam. Why your business email should use your own domain name.
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Web Design Pro Is Now Pioneer Media
Same Knoxville web design company, new name. In 2014, Web Design Pro became Pioneer Media.
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Is Your Website Mobile-Friendly?
Most people now browse on their phones, and Google judges your site by its mobile version. Here’s why mobile-friendly design matters.
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How Popular Is Your Website? Reading Your Traffic Reports
The answer is a few clicks away. What your website traffic reports show: visitors, locations, devices, traffic sources and top pages.
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Spam Contact Form Submissions: What They Are and What to Do
Getting odd messages through your contact form? They’re automated spam. What they are, what not to do, and how we block them.
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Have a website question?
Tell us about your website. Leighton responds to most messages within 24–48 hours.
- Call(865) 308-2887
- Emailcontact@pioneer.media
- Based inLouisville, Tennessee, serving Knoxville and East Tennessee