Website 101 Podcast

Sean Smith, Mike Mella, & Amanda Lutz

The Website 101 Podcast offers advice on how to build and manage websites. Whether you’re a web developer, or someone who manages your organization’s website, learn how to do your job better. Hosted by Sean Smith, Amanda Lutz, and Mike Mella, who each have 15+ years of experience in the industry.

  1. 4d ago

    This Tech Conference Had No Notes. Seriously.

    Mike and Amanda kick off Season 10 of the Website 101 Podcast with some host news and then share a glowing review of EEConf, the ExpressionEngine conference they attended in Toronto. OverviewMike and Amanda open Season 10 with some host news, then give a glowing review of EEconf, the ExpressionEngine conference they attended in Toronto. They cover the community, the standout talks on image optimization, natural language search, and accessibility reports, and the venue and food. Key TopicsHost and schedule newsSean has taken a full-time job and is stepping away from the show for now, with hopes of having him back as a guestThe live YouTube Lunch Bites move to the first and third Tuesday of each month for the rest of the year, and the audio episodes will be made from those recordingsWe're thinking about starting a PatreonA funny voice assistant storyMike accidentally started a voice chat with Claude and got a surprise replyTalk of smart home voices that are a little too chipper, and the idea of having a different voice for each room, like staffEEConf, the ExpressionEngine conference in TorontoThe community: a small, welcoming group of around 40 to 50 people, with none of the cliquishness of bigger tech conferencesImage optimization: serving right-sized images with the picture element and srcset, and why you shouldn’t lazy load your hero image (Gavin Lawrie)Natural language search: using AI services so a search for “where can I stay” finds the hotel page (Michael Rog)AI accessibility reports: a scanning tool that scores a site, gives advice, and shows which issues were fixed between runs (Gilbert Lin)The venue and food: round tables, meals all day including a memorable curry, drinks on the second day, and maple "hopcorn" on the tablesKey Takeaways Serve smaller images to phones and larger ones to desktops, so visitors aren’t downloading images bigger than their screens needLeave lazy loading off the hero image at the top of the page, since it can slow down the first paintNatural language search can match related terms, not just exact words, which fixes problems like a “financial planning” page not showing up for “wealth management”AI-powered accessibility scanning can quickly produce a scored report and track your progress as you make fixesUse client-owned email addresses when signing up for services, so access isn’t tied to one personA smaller conference can be a great one when the community is friendly and approachable Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/5WZrSQ-lYcs Show Links EEConf ExpressionEngine Hop Studios View Episode Transcript More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn

    This Tech Conference Had No Notes. Seriously.

  2. Jun 2

    Bots, Bingo, and "Why We Can't Have Nice Things"

    Amanda and Mike discuss the impact of bot traffic on their websites, share strategies to stop bot registrations, and explain how to identify bot traffic. OverviewDiscuss strategies to prevent bot registrations and traffic on websites. Discussion includes various security measures like recaptcha, honeypot fields, rate limiting, time-based submission checks, and email verification before access. Key TopicsDiscussion of bot registrations and traffic on websites[01:08] Amanda discusses her website, Sidewalk Bingo, being targeted by bots causing registration issues[06:34] Mike asks questions about the activation process for Sidewalk Bingo accounts to better understand the problem[15:41] Claude AI suggestions for preventing bot registrations are discussed, including recaptcha, honeypot fields, rate limiting, time-based submission checks, and email verification before accessKey TakeawaysRecaptcha is a popular method for preventing bots but has its drawbacksHoneypot fields can be an effective strategy against unsophisticated botsRate limiting attempts per IP address can help limit bot trafficTime-based submission checks can help detect bot activity based on quick form submissionsEmail verification before access can help prevent bot registrations and reduce spam email issuesLinks & Resourcessidewalkbingo.com — Amanda's website discussed in the podcastClaude AI — mentioned as a source for website security strategies Show Links View Episode Transcript More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn

    Bots, Bingo, and "Why We Can't Have Nice Things"

  3. May 27

    AI Can Talk, But Does It Understand?

    Discussion about the use of AI in creating generic art, the limits of AI creativity, and a new feature in HTML canvas that allows for putting HTML inside a canvas element. Key TopicsAI limitations and predictive nature ([01:35 - 04:03])The analogy of AI as a toddler learning language ([04:03 - 06:14])AI being used in place of humans in various scenarios ([06:01 - 07:36])HTML canvas and its new capabilities ([08:13 - 15:27])Key TakeawaysAI is not creative, but predictive. It can't process new thoughts or ideas.The new HTML canvas feature allows for putting HTML inside a canvas element, potentially opening up possibilities for complex animations and interactions.The new feature may face challenges with accessibility and SEO.Links & ResourcesChatGPT — Mentioned in the transcriptGoogle Gemini — Mentioned in the transcript (only if used in a project) Show Links View Episode Transcript More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn

    AI Can Talk, But Does It Understand?

  4. Apr 21

    When Was The Last Time You Built A Site Without A CMS?

    From websites built without a CMS to QR codes on work vans and AI-generated novels, we cover a mix of current web and tech topics. Discussion on the benefits and limitations of non-CMS websites, with real life examples and suggestions for using AI as a tool instead of a replacement. The use of AI in writing books The benefits and potential drawbacks of AI generated meeting notes (18:50 - 23:04)The use of AI to alter faces in documentaries (23:04 - 26:56)The use of AI in fashion industry (26:56 - 30:38) Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1928pHVyFo Show Links Trust Me: The False Profit Notion View Episode Transcript More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn

    When Was The Last Time You Built A Site Without A CMS?

  5. Mar 26

    Can AI build a smartphone app in a weekend? Sean tried it.

    Sean walks Mike and Amanda through Location Scout, a fully functional Android app he shipped over a weekend using Claude Code, React Native, and Tailwind. A discussion about prompting tips and more follows. Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLjfh3Qb46I&t=24s Show Links View Episode Transcript More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn

    Can AI build a smartphone app in a weekend? Sean tried it.

  6. Mar 12

    AI Coding, The SaaSpocalypse, and the Tools We Still Pay For.

    Can AI replace the apps you pay for? We dig into the SaaSpocalypse debate, vibe coding wins, AI tells in writing, and why "just build it yourself" isn't that simple. Sean, Mike, and Amanda kick things off with quick life updates before diving into two main topics: the so-called "SaaSpocalypse" and how AI is changing the way people write and code. Is Saas dead?AI Writing 'tells' or giveaways Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d_e2LY0M9U&t=162s Show Links View Episode Transcript More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn

    AI Coding, The SaaSpocalypse, and the Tools We Still Pay For.

  7. Feb 25

    Deepfakes, Bullying, and the Future of AI Video

    The hosts dig into the rapid rise of AI‑generated video and deepfakes, reacting to everything from celebrity fight scenes to political misinformation. What starts as a fun tech chat quickly turns into a thoughtful look at ethics, creativity, and the risks of synthetic media. It’s equal parts entertaining and unsettling. Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_S4SX0Fc5U Show Links View Episode Transcript More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn

    Deepfakes, Bullying, and the Future of AI Video

  8. Feb 18

    Productivity tips to help you work

    In this episode we discuss various things that people use to help them improve their productivity at work. CoffeeEnergy DrinksMusicCoffeeshopDrugs / AlcoholOffice TalkCold environmentsRoutinePomodoro TimerBoundaries and work/life balance Show Links View Episode Transcript More Website 101 Podcast Email the Podcast! Twitter Sean on LinkedIn Mike on LinkedIn Amanda on LinkedIn

See All (97)

Ratings & Reviews

4.3
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

The Website 101 Podcast offers advice on how to build and manage websites. Whether you’re a web developer, or someone who manages your organization’s website, learn how to do your job better. Hosted by Sean Smith, Amanda Lutz, and Mike Mella, who each have 15+ years of experience in the industry.

Information

  • Creator
    Sean Smith, Mike Mella, & Amanda Lutz
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    97
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Sean Smith
  • Show Website
    Website 101 Podcast