Insights
Practical guides for running a connected business
Guides, checklists and notes on websites, growth, AI and automation, written for small service businesses. Free to read, copy and use.
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Website Essentials
Build, manage, and improve your website.
02Business Growth
Turn your online presence into business results.
03AI & Automation
Discover smarter ways to work.
04Guides & Tutorials
Learn with practical, easy-to-follow instructions.
05Free Resources
Access checklists, templates, and useful downloads.
06Digital Insights
Explore technology trends and business ideas.
01
Website Essentials
Build, manage, and improve your website.
How often should you update your website?
There are two kinds of updates: the software underneath and the words and pictures on top. Both matter, on different schedules.
Why websites slow down, and what to fix first
A slow website loses visitors before they read a word. These are the usual causes, in the order we'd look at them.
Domain, hosting and DNS: who owns what, and why it matters
Your domain, your hosting and your DNS are three different things, often held by three different companies. Knowing which is which protects your business.
What your website’s first screen needs to do
Most visitors decide in a few seconds whether they're in the right place. Here's what the first screen of your website should tell them, and what it can leave out.
02
Business Growth
Turn your online presence into business results.
Google Business Profile: the free listing that brings local calls
For many local businesses, the Google listing gets more views than the website. A few hours of setup and a little upkeep make it work for you.
A simple system for getting more reviews
Happy customers are glad to leave a review. Most just need to be asked at the right moment, with a link that takes one tap.
Website forms people actually finish
Every extra field is a reason to give up. Here's how to design an enquiry form that gets filled in, and what to do once it is.
Speed to lead: why the first reply matters most
When someone fills in your form, they're often asking other businesses too. Replying first, and well, is one of the simplest ways to win more work.
03
AI & Automation
Discover smarter ways to work.
Five automations worth setting up first
You don't need dozens of workflows. These five catch the most common gaps in a small service business, and none of them needs AI.
Why every AI draft should wait for your approval
Letting AI send messages on its own is fast until it gets something wrong in your name. An approval step keeps the speed and removes the risk.
Missed call text back, explained
When you can't pick up, an automatic text can keep the caller from ringing the next business on the list. Here's how it works and how to word it.
Where AI helps a small service business, and where it doesn’t
AI is good at drafting, sorting and summarising. It's not good at judgement calls or knowing your customers. Here's how to tell the difference.
04
Guides & Tutorials
Learn with practical, easy-to-follow instructions.
How to check your website on a phone before you share it
Most of your visitors are on a phone. This ten-minute check catches the problems they'd notice first.
How to take good website photos with your phone
Real photos of your team and your work build more trust than stock images. A modern phone and a few habits are all you need.
How to write a service page that answers one question well
A good service page answers the question a customer typed into Google. Here's a simple structure you can follow for any service.
05
Free Resources
Access checklists, templates, and useful downloads.
Checklist: before your website goes live
The last checks before a new site or page goes public. Work through this list and launch day will be quiet, which is exactly what you want.
Templates: replies for new leads
Three short message templates for new enquiries: the first reply, a follow-up, and a friendly last check-in. Copy them and adjust to your voice.
Checklist: monthly website care
A short routine, once a month, keeps your website safe, accurate and working. Copy this list and work through it on the first of each month.
Checklist: what to gather before a website build
Most website projects slow down waiting for content. Gather these before the build starts and your site will launch sooner.
06
Digital Insights
Explore technology trends and business ideas.
One view of the business: why owners are connecting their tools
Most small businesses now run on five to ten separate tools. The next step isn't another tool; it's seeing them together.
What AI search means for small business websites
More people are asking AI assistants instead of typing searches. The websites that get mentioned are the ones that answer questions clearly.
Accessibility is good business
A website more people can use is a website more people can buy from. Most accessibility improvements are simple and help every visitor.