RESOURCES // 15 GUIDES
Straight answers. No sales pitch first.
What a service business needs online, written for the owner. Websites, AI tools, reviews, missed calls, local search, and how AI assistants decide who to mention.
Websites
4 min read · 15 key pointsShould I redesign my website or build a new one?How to decide between a redesign and a new build for a local service business website: what to keep, what to check, and what can go wrong in the move.4 min read · 9 key pointsWhat does a contractor or service business website need?The pages and details a roofer, plumber, HVAC, electrical or cleaning company website needs so a customer can check you out and call in under a minute.3 min read · 9 key pointsHow do I tell if my website is slow, and does it matter?How to test your business website speed for free, what Google's Core Web Vitals numbers mean in plain words, and the usual causes of a slow site.
Buying guide
8 min read · 33 key pointsHow much does a small business website cost?What a small business website really costs: the build, the domain, hosting and the monthly fees to watch for, with questions to ask before you sign.4 min read · 8 key pointsWho owns your website, your domain and your hosting?How to find out who really owns your business website, domain name and hosting account, and what to get in your own name before you need it.8 min read · 37 key pointsAutomation vs AI for a small business: what is worth paying for?The difference between automation and AI for a local service business, where each is useful, and a short test for whether a tool is worth its monthly fee.
AI tools
5 min read · 21 key pointsWhat does AI chat on a business website actually do?What a website chat assistant does for a home service business, what it should never do, and the questions to ask before you put one on your site.2 min read · 4 key pointsWhat is an AI photo check for a home service business?How an AI photo check works on a contractor website: a customer sends a picture of the problem and gets a plain first read. What it can and cannot tell.
Local search
4 min read · 11 key pointsHow do ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity pick which local businesses to mention?How AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity find and choose local businesses to mention, and what a service business can do about it.7 min read · 20 key pointsWhat should I put on my website so AI assistants can read it?A practical checklist for making a local business website readable by AI assistants: clear services, towns, prices, FAQs, schema markup and llms.txt.5 min read · 17 key pointsGoogle Business Profile basics for a local service businessHow to set up and look after a Google Business Profile for a service business: categories, service areas, hours, photos, reviews and common mistakes.3 min read · 7 key pointsWhat is a service-area page, and do I need them?What service-area pages are, how to write one that is useful and not spam, how many to make, and what Google's doorway page policy means for them.
Reviews
4 min read · 9 key pointsHow do I ask customers for Google reviews without breaking the rules?How to ask every customer for a Google review the right way: when to ask, what to say, and why review gating and incentives break Google's policy.2 min read · 7 key pointsHow should I reply to a bad Google review?How a local business should reply to a negative Google review: what to say, what to leave out, when a review can be removed, and a simple reply pattern.