The Captain Coder Podcast

For a business like yours, your website is your storefront, pitch, and even the gateway to building trust with potential clients. I’ve been building websites for decades, but distilling an entire business into just a few pages is hard.You want your potential customers to be able to learn enough about your business that they know who they might be working with, make it easy for them to reach out and start a relationship, and get steady new traffic from Google.How can you possibly organize all of that information?In this guide, we’ll dive into the six essential website pages you need to craft a compelling online presence. We'll explore how each page contributes to attracting, educating, and converting leads, ultimately turning website visitors into loyal customers.MENTIONED RESOURCES:Get a Privacy Policy templateFREE RESOURCE: Create accessible content easilyFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

Imagine a website that perfectly integrates with your marketing strategy and drives more leads. Does that feel impossible?It can be hard, especially when today’s trend seems to be cookie-cutter themes and everyone’s websites look the same.But what your website looks like matters. According to Stanford University, 75% of people judge a company's credibility based on its website's design.Do you want to risk your reputation and sales because you took a shortcut with a popular template?I didn’t think so.Ditch the theme everyone else is using. A custom WordPress website is an investment that delivers significant ROI through improved SEO, web accessibility, flexibility, security, and a unique brand experience.In this post, we’ll cover:The ROI of a custom WordPress websiteHow its advanced security protects your brand and customersAnd the power of a unique online presenceFREE RESOURCE: Create accessible content easilyFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

AI has made it easy to add some personalization to our marketing, be more efficient (which is great when you’re a one-person team), and create content far more quickly than we might have been used to.But how do we use AI and still keep that human touch?I’m not sure there will ever be a day that our use of AI doesn’t need oversight. After all, it’s only as good as the people training it. That can lead to biases, misunderstandings, and false information (or as Chat GPT calls them, “hallucinations.”)Let’s break down how you can use AI to make your life easier but use it responsibly.MENTIONED RESOURCES:Google GeminiSurfer SEORankIQBrand Voice Chat GPT ProcessFREE RESOURCE: Create Content in Minutes with AIFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

Can everyone use your website and the content you create, or are you excluding up to 27% of your audience? When you focus on creating content that all people can access, regardless of their abilities, you’re working to improve your web accessibility. On the flip side, when you don’t follow some basic best practices, you’re not just excluding potential customers; you’re putting your business at legal risk.Just a chilling fact for you - there were thousands of lawsuits filed against website owners last year for accessibility issues.How can you improve your web accessibility and ensure your content is user-friendly every time (and get that lawsuit target off your back)?The sad reality is that it’s a pretty simple process to make vast improvements to your website accessibility, and yet it gets neglected far too often.Let’s break down five steps you should take when creating content for your website.MENTIONED RESOURCES:AHrefs ALT Text ToolWordcounter.net GrammarlyWebAim’s free contrast checkerCaptions AppRev.comPave PDF  FREE RESOURCE: Create Accessible ContentFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

Have you heard this lately: “We need more leads.” In marketing, we often focus on getting new leads and customers into your business, but what about the leads you already have? It’s time to think about boosting your customer retention and bringing them back over and over again.Keeping happy customers is the best way to grow a business. Repeat customers spend an average of 67% more than new customers and it’s five times more expensive to get new customers than it is to retain the ones we have.So why aren’t we taking care of our customers and selling them more?Let’s break down five strategies you can implement in your business to cultivate customer loyalty.FREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

Have you been asking yourself whether or not you’re cut out for entrepreneurship? Fun fact - everyone is cut out for it - if they want to be.I know that choosing to run your own business is not the easiest decision. Honestly, I think being a small business owner is one of the hardest things any of us could choose to do. But if you have a solid vision for your business and what entrepreneurship will look like to you, it becomes a whole lot easier.In this episode, Liz Wolfe and I are unpacking everything you need to keep in mind when you’re running your new business.You’ll learn:Her own unusual journey into entrepreneurshipWhat most new entrepreneurs get wrongThe four entrepreneur personality typesWhere new entrepreneurs should startLiz’s system for new entrepreneurs Why visioning worksHow to start on your ownMENTIONED RESOURCES:Liz’s CEO Personality Quiz - https://lizwolfecoaching.com/resources/quiz/Brendon Burchard The Millionaire Messenger - https://www.amazon.com/Millionaire-Messenger-Difference-Fortune-Sharing/dp/1451665997/Mrs. Space Cadet video - https://www.tiktok.com/@mrs.space.cadet/video/7339671823715503406 FREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

Having a blog for your business is a great way to bring targeted traffic to your website. However, the average blog (without AI assistance) takes about 5-6 hours to write and get on your website. Want to get the most out of that investment? It’s time to repurpose your blog articles.Repurposing, or transforming your blog content into other formats like social media snippets, infographics, or videos, allows you to extend its reach, engage diverse audiences across different channels, and maximize the value you get from your initial investment. How do you break up a long blog post and make it palatable for these other platforms so you get reach?Let’s take a look at six ways we can do just that, including:Turning into audioMaking a videoHow to make it multiple social postsUsing it for an emailCreating downloadable resourcesAnd transforming it into a visual assetMENTIONED RESOURCES:StreamyardDescriptFREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

The first result on Google gets 39.8% of the clicks, but that can feel like an impossible task in 2024. There’s so much competition.But there’s one thing you might be overlooking because it feels like “no one reads them” anymore - blogging.Blogging has long been and still is one of the most effective ways to improve your SEO and climb the Google rankings.Let’s talk about how you can make blogging an effective tool in your SEO belt.In this episode, we’re breaking down:The magic of SEOHow blogging supercharges SEO5 steps to writing blogs that rankAnd a freebie to get you startedMENTIONED RESOURCES:Episode 79 - SEO Secrets that Generate RevenueAHrefs free Keyword GeneratorFREE RESOURCE: Write blogs that rank checklistFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

On a scale of one to “Why did I start a business,” how burned out are you right now?You started your business because you were GREAT at what you do. But you didn’t start it because you wanted to do all the admin work of running your business.Many entrepreneurs and business owners are convinced that even though they hate it, no one can do things in their business quite like they can. Want to love your business AND scale it? It’s time to delegate the things that are sucking the life out of you.Cathy Baillargeon and I are opening up your mind to the many possibilities that you have in getting help in your business.In this episode, you’ll learn:The signs it’s time to delegateCommon excuses to notHow a VA differs from employeesCommon delegation misunderstandings (and why they’re wrong)How to make delegation easierThe hidden value of delegationWhat you can get help withAnd the real results of asking for helpMENTIONED RESOURCES:Virtual CathyVirtual Cathy on InstagramVirtual Cathy on FacebookVirtual Cathy YouTubeThe E-Myth RevisitedFREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

Unless you have a monopoly in what you do or you never want to grow your business beyond where you are right now, you need a website.Even if you’re rocking sales with DMs and simple landing pages, you need a website that builds trust in your business.Don’t believe me? I get it. I talk to people all day long who think they don’t need a website anymore.But let me tell you - without one, you’re putting your business at risk.Let’s break down the 4 big reasons you still need a website, including:It’s your home online - that you ownHow it builds trust - even with referralsHow it can bring people to youAnd act as your silent salespersonMENTIONED RESOURCES:Captain Coder Podcast - Ep 079Captain Coder Podcast - Ep 081FREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

Are people buying from your website? Selling online - even when you’re selling services - requires high-converting sales pages.Unlike many of the pages on your website, a sales page attempts to convert someone from a mere visitor to actual revenue.How do you take someone from voyeur to willing to hand over some of their cold-hard cash? You have to take them through a process that ends with them signing up to be your client.That also means your sales pages need to convert and generate revenue.In this episode, you’ll learn:The key elements to a sales pageHow to dial in your messagingHow to have your other clients sell for youHow to make purchasing seamlessHow to use design to your advantageHow bonuses give you a boostAnd real-world statistics of what’s possibleMENTIONED RESOURCES:AHRefs Keyword GeneratorFREE Canva Template - Dream Client PersonaLeads Growth Strategy WorkshopFREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

Have you been putting SEO on the back burner because it feels like it’s too hard to mess with?Let me tell you the secret about SEO - it’s one of the easiest things you can do for your business. It just takes a little bit of time but that’s well worth the investment.Generating consistent revenue in your business is possible when you’re investing a bit of time and energy into your SEO.In this episode, SEO expert Lauren Gaggioli and I are unpacking everything you need to know to start SEO with your business and the small, next best steps you need to take to make this all a reality.You’ll learn:Lauren’s background in SEOHow Google drives revenue through SEOThe biggest misunderstandingsThe time it will take for SEO to workHow you can implement SEO in your businessHow to choose keywordsThe competition you need to understandHow to link everything internallyAnd the foundation you needMENTIONED RESOURCES:Find Lauren Gaggioli onlineLauren’s DIY Website AuditAHrefs Keyword Generator ToolGoogle Search ConsoleBing Webmaster ToolsFREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

Do you often find yourself working with clients that just aren’t the best fit for you but you take them because revenue is important? What if I told you that you could attract your dream clients instead?I know that might sound fanciful if you’ve been building your business for a while, but it doesn’t have to be a fantasy.You can attract the right leads and your dream clients to your business.In this episode, we’re going to discuss:How to get clear on who you’re helpingThe best way to get their attentionGetting them to take the next stepMeeting them in their space onlineAnd shortcutting the Know, Like, and Trust factorLet’s dive into five powerful tactics that will transform your business.MENTIONED RESOURCES:Episode 77: How to Cut Through the Noise in 2024Buyer Persona Canva TemplateFREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

I can’t tell you how much doom and gloom I’ve seen about the state of marketing in 2024. With the shifts from AI, changes to Google’s algorithm, and the continued push to privacy (which means losing some data), I see a lot of experts claim that it’s going to become impossible to market effectively.What are they all forgetting?There are real, actual human beings on the other side of your marketing efforts.Online marketing has never been about trying to scam Google’s algorithm or have a video go viral. It’s always been about talking to your dream clients and getting them to pay attention to you so they’ll buy from you.Rant aside, there is a real issue of needing to cut through all of the noise in the world and get their attention.How do you do that?In this episode, we’re going to cover:The process to follow to get their attentionHow to keep itHow to build trustBe more memorableAnd how to get in front of new audiencesMENTIONED RESOURCES:Episode 58: One Key Traffic Tactic You’re MissingEpisode 67: Unlocking the Earning Power of Email MarketingFREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

No one is honest about how it looks to run a business.Often, we see the shiny numbers of “Oh, I’m a 6 figure business owner", but we don’t share the reality of what running that business is.Growth doesn’t just happen overnight. Honestly, it’s easy to get distracted by something that doesn’t help grow your business, get some shiny object syndrome, and have some lulls you didn’t expect.But you know what? We often don’t look at the victories as we should either. I’ll be honest - I don’t often love sharing the ins and outs of my own business.But today, I’m reflecting on some things that went right - and some things that didn’t go to plan.FREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

A website should be an investment in your business, which means it absolutely should offer some kind of return.The way that many customers find us is so varied these days. They see us on social media, then maybe get an email, read a blog, or listen to a podcast before they may ever really explore our websites.Then of course some get to your website organically through Google and other search engines.With every customer coming to us through a myriad of ways, how do you know if your website is working for your business as a silent salesperson?There are several factors you should be paying attention to, including:How many people are visiting your websiteWhere they’re coming fromWhat they’re doing once they get thereHow it feels inside your businessThe questions you need to ask to set clear goals for your websiteLet’s dive into what matters.MENTIONED RESOURCES:Google AnalyticsGoogle Search ConsoleFREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

Can everyone - and I do mean everyone - use your website? What a lot of business owners don’t understand is that there are common website trends that make it harder for some individuals to use their websites.That means you’re excluding a potentially huge chunk of your target audience - up to 27%. That’s the exact opposite of what you want to do right?The good news is that having an accessible website is not only possible, it’s easy to make your website more accessible for everyone.Today, we’re going to cover 5 easy ways to make your website more accessible, including:Writing good ALT descriptions and how to add themHow to make links clear to everyoneChoosing the right color combinationsHow to simplify your website copy to be readableAnd making video and audio content accessibleMENTIONED RESOURCES:Captain Coder Website Audit for AccessibilityRev.comWebAim Contrast CheckerWordcounter.netGrammarlyFREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

If you’ve been in business longer than 5 minutes, you know that there are a lot of things to pay attention to. It’s so easy for many of these things to hit the back burner throughout the year and even cause problems the longer you go without taking care of them.As this year winds down, this is a great chance to take a few simple steps to prep your marketing for 2024.Let’s take a look at the 7 steps you should take now to clean up your marketing and get ready for the new year!In this episode, we’ll cover:The data you need to look atTalking to your dream clientHow to review your goalsThe marketing pieces you need to clean upAnd how to plan your marketing strategy for 2024MENTIONED RESOURCES:Leads Growth StrategyHow to Get Your Dream Client’s AttentionUnlocking the Earning Power of Email MarketingFREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

Hear a lot about marketing funnels but have no idea what that means? Online experts often talk about funnels and how they can help your business grow, but they very often break it down so you understand where to start.Here’s why this is so frustrating to me - funnels don’t have to be overly complicated and they can be incredibly powerful to help you turn prospects into customers.With a marketing funnel, you can improve your customer engagement, increase your conversion rates, and bring more people to your business.So how does this all work?In this episode we’ll cover:What a marketing funnel isHow to market to each stage of a funnelThe types of content you need at each stageMarketing funnel examplesIdeas for your own businessAnd how to keep customers coming backFREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder

Where do you find people online that want to work with you?One of the easiest traps to fall into when you’re a service-based business is to rely on referrals only. While referrals can bring you some of the best-fit clients, you can’t control how consistently they come in.Take control of your leads and get the right people to your business - all with online strategies.In this week’s podcast, I’m teaching you six ways you can drive more leads into your business, including:How to set everything up to convert those leadsWhere to focus your long-term strategyHow to get in front of a new audienceWays to effectively network onlineLet’s break down some of the best ways to get out of your box and get people to your business - consistently.MENTIONED RESOURCES:Episode 49: How to Get Your Dream Client’s AttentionFREE RESOURCE: Get more leads from your websiteFollow me on Instagram: @captaincoder