Blog

Color Psychology Is Oversold: What Actually Matters When Choosing Brand Colors

Color psychology oversells universal meanings. The research says what actually matters is whether a color fits the brand's category and concept — here's what to focus on instead.

A glass mug with "good morning" text and a laptop.

Why WordPress Is Still the Best CMS for Small Businesses in 2026

WordPress runs 42.5% of the web for a reason. Here's what flexibility, SEO, and extensibility actually mean for a small business in 2026 — and where WordPress falls short.

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Custom Post Types vs. Plugins: Which Should Run Your Product Catalog?

Plugins are easy to install and quick to outgrow. Custom post types take longer to build and last longer in production. Here is how to choose between them for a product catalog.

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The Elements of User Experience: What Business Owners Should Know Before a Website Project

Jesse James Garrett's five-plane framework explains why some websites just work and others look fine but fall apart. Understanding it will change the questions you ask your designer.

The Real Cost of a Free WordPress Theme

A free WordPress theme costs nothing to install and somewhere between $3,000 and $15,000 to recover from. Here are the three hidden costs nobody mentions until the bill arrives.

How to Budget for a Brand Project When You’ve Never Hired a Designer

Brand identity for a small business typically costs $5,000–$30,000 in 2026. Here is what each piece actually costs, where to spend first if the budget is tight, and the two mistakes to avoid.

How to Write a Creative Brief That Saves Everyone Time

A creative brief is a business document, not a design document. Here are the six things it needs, what to leave out, and why you are the only person qualified to write it.

Your Homepage Has Five Seconds: What It Needs to Do in Them

Most visitors who leave a small-business homepage do so in the first ten to twenty seconds. Here are the four things above the fold that earn you the rest of the page.

Three Typography Mistakes That Make Your Brand Look Cheap

Most typography problems in small-business branding are three specific, common mistakes. Here is what they are, why they happen, and how to fix each one in an afternoon.

Patrick is a web developer extraordinaire! We worked together on the UI of a web application to rate and review politicians. His deployments were prompt, and above standard. His UI work is clean, and solid. His work is well thought-out, which speaks to his expertise as a brand consultant.