Notes on getting found,chosen & grown.
Practical, no-jargon writing on web, local SEO, AI search, and photography for Bay Area small businesses. 16 articles so far.
Latest articles
- Web7 min read
How to choose a web designer in San Jose
Web designers all say the same things, and the price gap is huge. How to tell a good San Jose web designer from an expensive one before you sign.
- Web6 min read
Do you need a website if you have Instagram and Yelp?
If your business runs on Instagram and Yelp, do you even need a website? Honest answer — what rented platforms can't do, and when a site is worth it.
- Apps7 min read
Does your service business need an app?
Most service businesses don't need an app — until one thing changes. The honest test for when it's worth building, and what one takes.
- Local SEO7 min read
How to choose an SEO company in San Jose
Most SEO pitches sound identical, and some are a waste of money. Here are the questions that separate a real San Jose SEO company from an expensive one.
- Photography6 min read
What professional headshots cost in San Jose
Thinking about professional headshots in San Jose? What drives the cost, what you should get for the money, and how to prep so they're worth it.
- Real Estate6 min read
Real estate photos and a website that sells the listing
For agents, the photos and the site are one job, not two. Why splitting them across vendors costs you — and what one studio doing both looks like.
- Web8 min read
Small business web design: what matters
Most advice on small business web design is fluff. What a site has to do, what matters, what doesn't, and the mistakes that quietly cost you.
- Web7 min read
WordPress vs. a custom website: which is right for you?
WordPress isn't wrong — for some businesses. An honest comparison of WordPress vs. a custom-built site, and how to tell which one fits yours.
- Web6 min read
How to write website copy that sells your service
Most service-business websites describe what the owner does — not what the customer gets. How to write copy that converts a browser into a caller, without sounding like a brochure.
- Moving7 min read
Peak season in the moving industry: how to maximize it
Summer is the busiest window of the year for movers — and the most competitive. How to capture more of the demand, convert it faster, and build something that lasts past Labor Day.
- Web7 min read
Why your small-business site should be fast before it's fancy
A slow site loses customers before they see your offer. What Core Web Vitals measure, why mobile load time is a conversion lever, and the fixes that matter most for a small-business site.
- Photography6 min read
Are professional photos worth it for a small business?
Phone cameras are great now — so when is it worth paying for professional photography? An honest, buyer's-eye look at where good photos pay off and where your phone is fine.
- Web7 min read
What a small-business website costs in the Bay Area
Website pricing is confusing on purpose. An honest look at the real tiers — DIY, template, and custom — what drives the cost, and how to avoid overpaying as a Bay Area small business.
- Local SEO7 min read
Setting up your Google Business Profile so it brings in calls
Your Google Business Profile is the highest-ROI free marketing a Bay Area small business has. How to claim, complete, and optimize it so it shows up in the map pack and brings in real calls.
- AI Search6 min read
How to get your business recommended by ChatGPT and AI Overviews
More people are asking ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews who to hire. How to make your business one of the names they surface — without any tricks.
- Local SEO6 min read
How Bay Area service businesses show up in the Google map pack
The map pack is the three local results with the little map above them. What decides who lands in it, and what agencies oversell.
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