Blog

Step by Step Instructions for checking for and applying updates in all major web browsers (desktop and mobile)

September 15, 2023

When a browser security flaw becomes public, attackers can move fast, sometimes before a fix even exists. This 2023 post explains zero-day vulnerabilities and gives step-by-step instructions for checking and applying updates in Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari on desktop, plus browsers on Android and iPhone or iPad. The menu steps reflect the browsers as of 2023.

What is AI and How Can I Use it in My Business? (Part One)

June 13, 2023

ChatGPT, Google Bard and Meta’s LLaMA made big headlines in 2023, but these tools are only as smart as the questions you ask. Part One of our AI series calls them very clever parrots, lists practical business uses like outlines, product descriptions and brainstorming, and shares ten ChatGPT name ideas for a goat-grazing business.

“My website is down! Can you fix it?”

May 25, 2023

On May 25, 2023, an internet outage in Silicon Valley made sites like Shopify, Reddit and Roblox hard to reach. Our servers were fine, but the network around them wasn’t. This post explains what we could and couldn’t fix that day, how to check Downdetector, and how our hosting is set up across several datacenters.

#ShareTheLove 2023

February 8, 2023

Every February, Wild Iris runs #ShareTheLove and asks you to leave a review for a business you appreciate. This 2023 note explains why those reviews count, both in how search engines rank a business and in whether a potential client picks up the phone. Your doctor, coffee shop, realtor or mechanic would be a good place to start.

Managed Hosting to the Rescue

February 3, 2023

A Colorado non-profit client lost every image on its website when a plugin it was testing deleted them. Because the site had managed hosting with us, we restored just the affected files from offsite backups within the hour, without losing newer content. Chris Hanson explains how that differs from calling a big web host’s support line.

Wild Iris Marketing Announcement

December 6, 2022

In December 2022, AlphaPixel Reach became Wild Iris Marketing. This announcement explains the new name, taken from a tough, drought-tolerant flower that blooms along mountain highways, why “digital” was dropped as clients asked for broader help like print and branding, and why the team you already knew stayed the same.

Should I Use a QR Code for My Business?

July 22, 2022

QR codes are everywhere, from restaurant tables to a $16 million Super Bowl ad, but they aren’t always the right tool. This 2022 guide covers where a QR code helps (tickets, sign-ups, reviews, booking) and where it frustrates people, plus the company that printed 100,000 books before noticing the code didn’t go to its website.

SEO and Keyword Ranking on the Playground

July 15, 2022

One client was sure she knew the keywords that brought people to her business, rewrote her website around them, and watched her search traffic drop. A keyword analysis found people were really searching phrases like “business bookkeeping.” This 2022 post uses a playground teeter-totter to explain the fix and why rankings need ongoing care.

little girl wondering What Hasppened to my Facebook Posts from SEMRush?

What Happened to My Facebook Posts from SEMRush?

May 10, 2022

In May 2022, many brands (Apple included) found most of their Facebook posts missing, and the common thread seemed to be posts scheduled through tools like SEMRush. Written as it was happening, this short post shares what was known at the time and our best guess that a filtering problem, not mass deletion, was to blame.

#ShareTheLove 2022

February 7, 2022

February means #ShareTheLove, the annual Wild Iris campaign that encourages you to review the businesses you appreciate. This 2022 post explains how reviews shape where people spend their money and can help a business rank higher on Google. If you own a business yourself, it’s a good month to leave some love on your neighbors’ pages too.