Hello and welcome back to The Digital Brew Podcast! In this episode, we dive into why getting too fancy with your website's user experience can actually hurt your business more than help it.

We're talking about websites that break away from what users expect - unusual navigation placement, strange scrolling behaviour, creative image and video usage that leaves visitors thinking "that looks cool, but how do I actually use this thing?"

Two main culprits here that drive us absolutely mental:

• Forced smooth scroll - when your page swooshes down instead of moving normally
• Snapping sections - where one scroll wheel movement jumps you to an entirely different section, often before you've finished reading

We're not anti-animation, but not every element needs an entrance animation! Use them sparingly and tastefully, and always respect users' reduced motion preferences for accessibility.

Unless you're showcasing a massive portfolio with tens of megabytes of content, there's no excuse for a loading screen on a business website. If your site loads that slowly, fix the performance issues instead of slapping a preloader on top.

Just don't. No autoplay video, no autoplay audio, and definitely no background music (especially if users can't pause it). It's not the MySpace days anymore!

All these issues share one problem - they take control away from users. When people feel uncomfortable or confused on your website, they're more likely to leave.

Keep it simple and within standard expectations. Menu and logo at the top, easy-to-scan headings, plenty of breathing space, and straightforward navigation. You don't have to make it ugly - just make it normal and user-friendly.

Remember: function first, creativity second. Always ask yourself if your fancy ideas will negatively impact what you're trying to achieve with your website.

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Welcome back to another episode! Today we're exploring domains and web hosting - because choosing the right provider can be a confusing and frustrating experience.

Pricing Traps to Avoid: Those tempting $1-3 first-year deals? They're designed to hook you in. Always check renewal pricing first! We share a sneaky way to take advantage of cheap first-year prices indefinitely.

DNS Hosting: We explain what DNS hosting actually is (those A records and MX records) and why we recommend keeping your domain and DNS separate. It makes switching providers much easier down the track.

ID Protection: Essential for stopping spammers from accessing your contact details through WHOIS lookups. Worth getting if it's available for your domain type.

1. Venture IP - Our Aussie favourite with solid support and no dodgy upsells
2. Cloudflare - They charge exactly what ICANN charges (zero profit!) hoping you'll use their premium services later
3. Namecheap - Decent experience with competitive pricing
4. Pork Bun - Silly name, solid service with good ongoing rates

Shared Hosting: We're honest - we don't really recommend this anymore. Your site shares resources with hundreds of others, which can cause performance issues.

Cloud Hosting: The sweet spot between shared hosting and managed WordPress. Better performance, less hand-holding. Cloudways is our pick for beginners.

Managed WordPress: Premium option that focuses solely on WordPress sites. More expensive but includes security management, updates, and even malware cleanup.

• Shared: SiteGround (reputation a bit tarnished lately) or Venture IP
• VPS/Cloud: Cloudways for beginners, or try RunCloud/ServerAvatar/xCloud for more control
• Managed WordPress: Kinsta or WP Engine are the big names

Don't forget - you can always work with a designer/developer who manages hosting for you! It's part of our care plans, so you can sleep easy knowing we'll handle all the technical stuff.

Bottom Line: There's no one-size-fits-all solution. Consider your technical comfort level, budget, and support needs when choosing.

Thanks for listening to our podcast where we talk about websites and digital marketing for small businesses. Visit thedigitalbrew.com.au/podcast for more episodes, detailed show notes, resources, and our newsletter.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

n this episode of The Digital Brew Podcast, we dive into the reality of AI's impact on website copywriting and content creation. We're not here to sugarcoat it – we'll give you the honest truth about what's happening in our industry.

We talk about our preferred AI tools (spoiler: we both like Claude) and how we use them in our daily work. Angela shares her approach of treating AI like an enthusiastic intern – helpful, but you've got to check their work carefully.

We discuss how the industry has changed, especially for entry-level writers. The work has slowed down, but highly skilled writers are still in demand. We explore whether this is temporary or a permanent shift.

Angela explains why she only gives AI small, specific tasks instead of entire projects. We talk about the importance of maintaining quality standards and why straight AI content can damage brands.

We draw parallels between AI writing tools and design tools like Canva – they make things more accessible, but professional expertise is still irreplaceable.

Our predictions for the next few years include an explosion of written content, the growing importance of "proof of humanity," and why storytelling will become even more crucial.

• AI is unavoidable but not a replacement for professional writing
• Quality content will stand out more as AI-generated content floods the market
• Brands need unique data, stories, and human perspectives to differentiate themselves
• If you can't be bothered to write your content, why should your audience bother reading it?

The landscape is shifting quickly, so whether you're a writer or a business owner, staying informed about AI developments is essential. But remember – being cautious is just as important as staying current.

Thanks for listening to our podcast where we talk about websites and digital marketing for small businesses. Visit thedigitalbrew.com.au/podcast for more episodes, detailed show notes, resources, and our newsletter.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Digital Brew podcast we're chatting about web design trends for 2025. Join us as we explore what's trendy in website design and how you can keep your online presence fresh without sacrificing functionality.

We discuss the shift from overwhelming "macroanimations" to subtle microanimations that enhance user experience without being disorienting. These small, purposeful movements can draw attention to important elements or add personality to your site. Remember to respect users who prefer reduced motion by implementing the right CSS media queries!

Many websites are getting creative with their colour palettes in 2025, moving beyond the traditional 2-3 colour schemes. However, we emphasize the importance of intentional colour choices that align with your brand rather than random rainbow explosions. Working with a professional brand designer can help you define your colour strategy effectively.

We explore the trend of intermixing different typography styles within the same headings or sentences. This technique can draw attention to specific words and add personality to otherwise conservative websites. It's a subtle way to make your content more visually interesting while maintaining readability.

Oversized words are making a statement in 2025! While not suitable for every brand, strategically placed giant typography can create impact when used sparingly. This approach works best when you have few words but want to make a powerful impression.

We talk about how adding custom illustrations to photography or stock images can help your website stand out. This technique transforms generic stock photos into unique visual assets that better reflect your brand identity.

Pop-ups are becoming less aggressive and more purposeful. We share when it's appropriate to use them (like announcing limited-time offers) versus when they become frustrating for users.

We reflect on how websites built with clean, purposeful design principles can remain effective for years. Many of our sites from 2014-2016 still look great because they prioritize white space, clear structure, and intuitive navigation over trendy gimmicks.

• Focus on strategy and intention rather than cramming in trendy elements with no purpose
• Be cautious about jumping on short-lived design trends that could quickly make your site look dated
• Remember that accessibility should never be sacrificed for visual appeal
• Well-built websites with good structure can remain effective for many years with only minor updates

Thanks for listening to our podcast where we talk about websites and digital marketing for small businesses. Visit thedigitalbrew.com.au/podcast for more episodes, detailed show notes, resources, and our newsletter.

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Welcome back to another episode of Digital Brew! In this episode, we dive into the drama that's been unfolding in the WordPress world. If you've heard whispers about "Matt vs. WP Engine" but weren't sure what was happening, we've got you covered.

Matt Mullenweg (co-founder of WordPress and founder of Automatic) accused WP Engine (one of the largest WordPress hosting companies) of not contributing enough to the open-source WordPress ecosystem.

Matt then banned WP Engine from accessing wordpress.org resources, preventing their customers from updating WordPress or plugins.

WP Engine responded with a cease and desist followed by a lawsuit.

The conflict has caused significant tension in the WordPress community, with staff leaving Automatic and longtime community members abandoning the project.

Automatic has reduced its investment in WordPress, cutting major version releases for 2025 down to just one.

Despite the drama, we don't think there's a real reason to panic about WordPress's future.

WordPress powers 43.5% of the internet, including major organizations like TechCrunch, Sony, CNN, Spotify, Microsoft, and yes, even Taylor Swift's website.

The massive financial investment in WordPress from large companies means it won't disappear overnight.

Being open-source means that even if current leadership falters, others can pick up the torch (just as WordPress itself began as a fork of B2/Cafe Log).

Security updates will continue regardless of the situation.

The real power of WordPress comes from third-party developers creating plugins and themes, not just from the core team.

We believe closed-source platforms like Squarespace or Webflow actually pose a greater long-term risk than WordPress.

Closed-source platforms can change pricing or terms overnight, as Webflow demonstrated recently by significantly increasing costs for some users.

With WordPress, you can always move your site to a different host if needed.

The "WordPress situation" makes for interesting gossip but doesn't represent a significant risk for businesses using or considering WordPress. The open-source nature of WordPress provides a level of security that closed-source platforms simply can't match.

Have thoughts or lingering concerns about WordPress after listening to this episode? We'd love to hear from you!

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Welcome to Season 2 of our podcast! After a four-year hiatus, we are back to share what we've been up to personally and professionally since early 2020.

• We're back after approximately four years away from podcasting - expect us to be a bit rusty!
• Our kids have grown so much (now 9 and nearly 8) and seem to have doubled in size since our last episode
• We bought a house and have been slowly renovating it (it's about as old as we are and "slightly falling apart, just like we are")
• We refreshed our brand from "The Digital Brew" to simply "Brew" (because as Australians, we have to shorten everything!)
• We recently switched from a .com to a .com.au domain
• We briefly tried out a new service offering before removing it (the timing wasn't quite right)
• We survived preparing for Brisbane's first cyclone in over 30 years, which fortunately turned out to be a non-event for us

We're recording a bunch of episodes and plan to release them weekly for the next little while. Expect website industry updates, tips, tools, and whatever else we think might be useful and interesting for small businesses.

Thanks for listening to our podcast where we talk about websites and digital marketing for small businesses. Visit thedigitalbrew.com.au for more episodes, detailed show notes, resources, and our newsletter.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.