Pixel Jam Digital

30/07/2026

With all of the AI-talk, vibe coded websites, and model updates, we wanted to again share how we use it in our work:

Our team uses Artificial Intelligence as part of our workflow, not as the solution. These tools help us work more efficiently to spot patterns across large amounts of data and troubleshoot complex issues, but they do not replace our creative judgment.

Here are a few things we want you to know:
💙 Strategic decisions and creative direction are a collaboration between us and our clients, not an algorithm.
💙 We don't use your data, analytics, or any confidential information to train AI models. (This option was purposefully turned off.)
💙 AI-generated output can occasionally be inaccurate or incomplete, which is why we review everything before delivery.

We understand not everyone is a fan of how AI is being integrated into small business work, which is why we are taking extra steps to be transparent in our usage.

🤖 AI Disclaimer: We wrote this post from scratch, then used Claude to refine and proofread. The graphic is an original design created in-house.

08/07/2026

We love helping kids grow their imagination through STEM-related toys!!!

✨ A HUGE thank you to our incredible sponsors, 84 Construction LLC and Pixel Jam Digital , for bringing our brand-new Giant Lite-Brite Wall to life! 🌈💡

From the design and creation to the installation, they helped transform this fun idea into a colorful, hands-on experience our Tiny Play Café families to enjoy

We are so grateful for local businesses that believe in creating spaces where kids can learn, imagine, and play joyfully together. ❤️

Be sure to check out the Giant Lite-Brite on your next visit and help us thank these amazing community partners!

07/07/2026

Raise your hand if you've been personally victimized by browser caching 🙋‍♀️

Ugh. Same.

Caching occurs when your browser stores a copy of a file in a temporary location so information can be accessed more quickly. (This could include images, HTML files, JavaScript — you name it.) TL;DR: caching is used to speed up how fast a web page loads while you're visiting it.

Caching is wonderful when we don't even notice it's working in our favor. Unfortunately, it can also be a real pain when it loads old content that should be updated. For example: your customers might see old text on a homepage, even though you - the biz owner - just changed it. The same goes for us. We'll make updates to a site, tell you we're done, but those changes don't show up on your end 🥲

Here are some tips to clear your cache:
1. Do a hard refresh in your browser. On mobile, this is a hard swipe down. On desktop/laptop, hold CTRL (or Command) while clicking the refresh button.
2. Open the site in an incognito window. Going incognito usually tells your browser to start fresh, without any stored cookies.
3. Add "?nocache=1" to the end of the URL - minus the quotation marks. This isn't a universal standard, but some websites and browsers will treat it as a signal to skip serving a cached version of the page.
4. Reset your router. Sometimes your network router is the culprit storing a cached version of the site.
5. Try a combo of the above 😅 Reset your router, open an incognito window, AND add "?nocache=1" to the URL.

Lastly, let us apologize for being one of those IT clichés every time we reply with "Did you try clearing your cache?" while troubleshooting an issue. We promise we're not trying to be condescending!

Wondering why the heck we're chatting about caching? Because a fab client of ours recently admitted she didn't know what it meant, even though we tend to use the term. So, it seemed like a good opportunity to restart our Digital Definitions series!

🤖 AI Disclaimer: We wrote this post from scratch, then used Claude to proofread. The graphic is an original design created in-house.

02/07/2026

Let's play Two Truths and a Lie: Small Business Edition!

We'll start:
1. “Pixel Jam Digital” is named after Erica’s son.
2. We play rock-paper-scissors to settle debates internally.
3. We turned down a client because their brand included Comic Sans.

Your turn! Which one is the lie? 🤔

We'd love to see what a few more small businesses have to share. We're tagging-in range free For the Love of Systems Optimized CFO & Controller Services LLC K&K Co. and Brim Branding to play!

30/06/2026

I officially launched Pixel Jam Digital as a full-time business on June 1, 2018. I was terrified. I was excited. I cried on the floor every day for at least a month. 😅

My original plan was to offer a handful of digital marketing services to a select few clients while also providing white-label services to agencies. But, I quickly learned there was a gap that wasn't being filled: many small businesses didn't have a large budget for a website, and couldn't afford an all-in-one agency. We started receiving referrals through our white-label work that allowed us to work one-one-one with entrepreneurs.

Somehow over these past eight years I built a business that grew beyond what I expected. I never would have thought I'd be able to work with such kickass organizations, hire a team of such wonderful people, be a finalist in our local chamber's Small Business of the Year, or help raise $10,000 for a local nonprofit in less than a month.

If you've been a part of Pixel Jam at any stage, THANK YOU for working with us!!! I consider myself lucky to be a part of this amazing, entrepreneurial community.

~*Cheers to eight years*~

Yours digitally,
Erica Martin

P.S. I still have imposter syndrome after all this time. (Does it every go away?) Writing this post was difficult because I feel awkward sharing about our wins, but I know my therapist would be proud 🥰

23/06/2026

We’ve heard before that businesses will log into their Google Analytics account once a year or so, stare blankly at their dashboard for 30 seconds, then close the browser as if nothing happened. 😅

If you’re already using Claude, then you can (and should) put it to work for you to process the data and help break down what it means for your website - starting with your top performing blog posts.

Understanding how and why your blog is performing the way it is can give you better insight into the type of content you create, where you promote your blog, and even if you’re missing the opportunity to pick up new customers.

You can follow a step-by-step guide in our post "How to Use Google Analytics + Claude AI: Finding Your Best-Performing Blog Posts." Read it now @ https://pixeljam.digital/blog/how-to-use-google-analytics-claude-ai-to-find-your-best-performing-blog-posts/

22/05/2026

Oh hey, it's Website Launch Friday! 🎉

This week, we're celebrating all of the amazingness that is Voluntary Action Center ❤️

has been serving Mid-MO for 50 years to respond to the basic needs of individuals within our community. In 2025 alone, they helped 631 students start the school year with supplies, purchased 5,229 bags of groceries after the sudden loss of SNAP benefits in October, and helped over 1,100 families receive gifts for the holidays.

And now, they're opening the VAC Opportunity Campus, which will include access to resources, emergency shelter with case management, and pathways to permanent housing.

Their dedication to this community deserved a website that matched their heart. We worked alongside the always-incredible branding by to build something that speaks to both those in need and those who are ready to show up for their neighbors. (Thanks for letting us be a part of it!)

Check it out their new website @ vacmo.org

20/05/2026

Hey there! Erica here. Guess what? I vibe coded my first app.

This will be the first year that both of my kiddos (ages 5 and 12) will be home all summer while I continue working full-time, also from home. 🙃 🫠 🥲 Fortunately, one of my super powers is overthinking problems to the point it becomes a hyperfixation! So, I built a self-hosted web app with Claude Code.

You can read about the project, as well as the five things I learned that were valuable insights into our business on our blog. (Because I can't be the only WFH parent who's a little concerned about balancing work and family time over the summer.) -> https://pixeljam.digital/blog/5-things-i-learned-from-vibe-coding-my-kids-summer-schedule/

Ultimately, my hyperfixation superpower came through. I over-engineered a summer schedule, learned some things along the way, and now have a fully functional app that my kids will probably ignore before the end of June. Worth it!

18/05/2026

On May 13, 2026, Google announced a new feature inside Google Analytics that will help you track user traffic from popular chatbots.

This new attribution will show when people click through to your website from chatbots like Claude or ChatGPT.

"Ok, cool, but WTF does this mean for me as a small biz owner?"

You can now actually see how much of your traffic is coming from AI and determine if they're valuable leads who are converting. No more guessing or assuming!

To check this out in your GA account, go to Reports → Generate Leads → Traffic Acquisition → then set your search to “session source/medium” to see if you’re getting user traffic from AI. (Need help? Send us a DM!)

Now for the bigger question: How often do you review your website's traffic? 🫣

15/05/2026

Oh hey, it's website launch Friday! 🎉

Most entrepreneurs don't start their business to become accounting experts. (We sure as hell didn't!) They start because they're great at what they do, whether that's creating, building, or serving their community.

Groundswell Financial was created to lift that accounting burden by providing CFO guidance in plain English so small business owners aren't drowning in reports. And our job was to make sure their website reflected exactly that.

The new site walks visitors through their three service tiers: Day-to-Day bookkeeping, Direction for forward-thinking analysis, and Decision for deeper strategic forecasting. Each one is clearly laid out so potential clients can self-identify where they are and what they need, without feeling overwhelmed.

We love building websites for businesses that lead with genuine human connection.💜

Check out their new site: https://groundswellfinancial.com/