Why Your Business Deserves More Than Just a Linktree

QR codes that take people to a Linktree are brilliant. They give viewers the chance to see all your contact details in one place instead of landing on just one page or phone number. It is convenient, quick, and very handy for events, business cards, or flyers. But here’s the thing: if Linktree is the only place people can find you online, you are leaving money and opportunity on the table.

Think of it like this: Linktree is a really tidy business card. Your website? That is your actual storefront.

You Don’t Own Your Linktree

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Linktree owns your page. If they change their terms, shut it down, or suddenly start charging for features you have been enjoying for free, you don’t have much say in it. Your website? That is yours. You control it, you own the domain, and nobody can take it away.

If Linktree goes down, your online presence disappears. With a website, you are in control of your own destiny.

Google Can’t Find You

Photo by Jessica Lewis on Pexels.com

When someone Googles your business or the services you offer, what comes up? If it is just a Linktree, probably not much. Google does not index Linktree pages the same way it does real websites, so you are basically invisible.

A simple portfolio website, even just one page, can be optimised for search engines. That means when someone in Cape Town searches for “handmade jewellery Cape Town” or “brand photographer near me,” you have a shot at showing up. That is free marketing working for you 24/7.

First Impressions Count

Click a Linktree and people see a list of links. Functional, yes. Memorable, not necessarily.

When someone lands on your website, they see your colours, your personality, and your best work front and centre. Testimonials, stories, and a little slice of who you are help create a first impression that turns casual browsers into paying customers.

You Are Limiting Your Potential

Photo by Tracy Le Blanc on Pexels.com

Linktree is built to send people away to your Instagram, your shop, or your booking page. A website is the opposite. People can stay, explore, and really get to know your business without bouncing around.

Your website deserves the spotlight. That is your home. Let people find your other platforms on your website. Keep Linktree, definitely, but your bio, the prime real estate, should point straight to your website. 

It Is Easier Than You Think

Photo by olia danilevich on Pexels.com

“But building a website sounds expensive and complicated!” I hear you. Here is the good news: it does not have to be.

WordPress.com is perfect for South African small business owners. Start for free, learn the ropes, then upgrade for a custom domain, yourchoiceofname.co.za or .com, instead of yourchoiceofname.wordpress.com.

And if the tech side is not your thing? That is where we step in at CuppaWeb. We love helping women get online without stress or jargon. You do not need fifteen pages, just one that says: “This is me, this is what I do, here is how to work with me.”

WordPress-related Posts

From Market Stall to Bee Hives — The Sweet Side of Community Connections

If you read my recent blog, Why Cape Town Markets Are Thriving: A Community Love Story, you’ll know how much I love the connections that happen at markets. Well, this one took things to a whole new level!

While selling Safety Key Chains at a local market, I met Audrey de Jongh (infinitybees.co.za), a passionate beekeeper. We got chatting about her bees and her hives, and before I knew it, I was inviting her bees to come live on our plot in Morningstar, Cape Farms.

And so early this morning, Audrey and her team collected the hives from their previous location (while the bees were still sleeping – before their day’s work began). They all arrived at our plot in a convoy of cars and set up the stands for the hives, carefully carrying in two buzzing colonies and six catchment boxes (where the bees will eventually be moved into hives).  They included two more catchment boxes, waiting for new swarms. (It’s “swarm season”, which means colonies are naturally dividing and looking for new homes.) Within minutes of the boxes being opened, the bees began exploring their new surroundings.

It couldn’t be a more perfect setting. The flowers, fruit trees, and open spaces of the Morningstar area are ideal for bees, and we’re thrilled to play a small part in giving them a safe home. Bees are such an essential part of our ecosystem; pollinating flowers, fruit, and vegetables, and keeping nature’s delicate balance in motion. Without them, so much of what we enjoy in our gardens and on our tables simply wouldn’t exist. They remind us how interconnected everything truly is.

And the sweetest part of all? The very day I met Audrey, my husband saw a swarm fly over our property almost like nature was giving us a little hint that this was meant to be (bee).

It’s a lovely reminder that market days aren’t just about selling products. They’re about connection, community, and sometimes, unexpected opportunities that make life a little richer.

How AI Is Helping Me Be More Human (No, Really)

Guest Post by Brian Currin

Here’s something unexpected: AI is making me more human, not less.

I know, that sounds backwards. Aren’t we supposed to be worried about technology making us cold and disconnected?

But here’s what I’ve discovered.

The Thing Nobody’s Talking About

The best use of AI isn’t to replace our thinking – it’s to help us clarify what we already know.

Think about those moments when you know exactly what you need to say or do, but can’t quite find the words. Or you have the right instinct but second-guess yourself. Or you just need confirmation: “Yes, you’ve got this. Trust yourself.”

We talk to friends for this. We journal. We think it through on long walks.

AI is just another tool in that same toolkit – a way to organise the wisdom we already have.

What It Actually Does

Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels.com

When I’m stuck, I use AI like a thinking partner. Not to tell me what to do, but to help me articulate what I already know. It asks clarifying questions. Offers structure. Reflects back my own thoughts, just… tidier. More confident.

It’s like having a conversation with the version of yourself that’s had a good night’s sleep and isn’t emotionally tangled up in the situation.

The result? I communicate more clearly. I trust my boundaries more. I second-guess myself less.

That’s not cold or robotic. That’s actually really healthy.

The Real Question

Photo by ThisIsEngineering on Pexels.com

Maybe we’re asking the wrong question about AI.

Instead of “Will AI make us less human?” maybe we should ask: “Can we use AI to amplify the best parts of being human – our wisdom, our clarity, our confidence?”

Because here’s what I’ve learned: technology at its best doesn’t replace human judgment. It helps us trust it.

And honestly? In a world where we’re all doubting ourselves a little too much, constantly second-guessing, wondering if we’re doing it right… maybe that’s exactly what we need.

A tool that helps us remember: we already know. We’ve already got this. We’re wiser than we think.

What about you? Have you had a moment where technology helped you be more yourself, not less?

Wander: More Than Just a Summer Song – It’s the Anthem for Every Journey

From Yours In Travel

There’s something lekker about music that captures the essence of movement, of discovery, of that restless spirit that calls us to explore beyond the familiar. “Wander” by Canadian alt-pop duo Neon Dreams, South African Booshle G and New Yorker BYRNE, isn’t just the perfect soundtrack for chilled summer days – it’s the anthem that should be playing in every traveller’s heart as they set off to discover the world.

The Summer Connection

Summer has always been synonymous with adventure. School’s out, the weather’s warm, and there’s this electric feeling in the air that anything is possible. “Wander” perfectly encapsulates that summer energy – the freedom, the spontaneity, the desire to chase horizons. But here’s the thing: that feeling doesn’t have to end when March rolls around.

Beyond Seasonal Boundaries

What makes “Wander” truly special is how it transcends the typical summer song formula. While other tracks might focus on braais and beaches, this song speaks to something deeper – the universal human desire to explore, to seek, to find ourselves in new places and experiences.

Whether you’re:

  • Backpacking through Southeast Asia in the monsoon season
  • Exploring European Christmas markets in December
  • Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland’s winter darkness
  • Road-tripping through autumn’s changing colours

The spirit of “Wander” travels with you, regardless of the season or destination.

The Traveller’s Soundtrack

Every seasoned traveller knows that music can transform a journey. It’s the soundtrack to our adventures, the emotional backdrop to our discoveries. “Wander” deserves a permanent spot on every travel playlist because it captures:

The Anticipation: That flutter of excitement as you plan your next adventure
The Journey: The open road, the unknown path, the thrill of movement
The Discovery: Those moments when you find something unexpected and beautiful
The Reflection: Looking back on experiences that changed you

Making It Your Own

The beauty of adopting “Wander” as your travel anthem is that it grows with your experiences. Each time you hear it in a new place – whether it’s echoing through headphones on a train in Japan or playing softly at a café in Paris – it collects new memories, new meanings.

Your Next Adventure Awaits

So the next time you’re planning a trip, packing a bag, or even just daydreaming about far-off places, let “Wander” remind you that the world is vast, beautiful, and waiting to be explored. It’s not just a summer song – it’s a call to adventure that knows no seasons, no boundaries, no limits.

After all, the best journeys aren’t just about the destinations we reach – they’re about embracing the spirit of wandering itself.

What song serves as your travel anthem? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Understanding Trans Identity: Breaking Down Misconceptions

From Facebook

I’ve just seem someone comment that “this trans stuff is bullshit”.

This comment, combined with the awful statement that Trump Jr made earlier this month (“I can’t name, including probably like Al-Qaeda and the Taliban, a group that is more violent per capita than the radical trans movement.”) is making me so mad. Okay, he did refer to the “radical” trans movement … but honestly, is there such a thing?

Trans people just want to be who they are! I’m just so sick and tired of the hurt thrown at the minorities time and time again.

My life has given me endless opportunities to learn about “new-to-me” aspects of life and every time, I’ve chosen to embrace the chance to grow when faced with something I didn’t yet understand.

You do know that trans is just an ADJECTIVE, right? It works the same way as:

  • Tall woman
  • Thin man
  • Tan woman
  • Pale man
  • Pregnant woman
  • Short man
  • Trans woman
  • Trans man

That’s it. Just a descriptor. Nothing radical, nothing threatening, just another word that helps describe who someone is.

A reminder that we’ve seen this pattern of non-acceptance over and over again, and in the end, society learns and grows.

Slavery: Once accepted, later recognised as profoundly wrong.

Left-handedness: Once treated as unnatural or sinful, later understood as simply a natural variation.

Interracial relationships: Once banned and punished, now embraced as normal and loving.

Women in power: Once dismissed as unfit, now rightly recognised as capable leaders.

Same-sex relationships: Once criminalised, now increasingly understood as love like any other.

Being trans sits in that same pattern. What was once called “wrong” or “unnatural” is being recognised for what it truly is: a human reality, another expression of the beautiful diversity of how people exist.

And DON’T say a man is a man, and a woman is a woman – all that does is show your ignorance, your lack of effort to actually learn, and your pride in remembering high school biology while ignoring everything we’ve learned since.