Guides: straight answers before you spend a penny
Before you pay for a website, you probably have a few honest questions. What should it actually cost? Will Google have a problem with a site built using AI? How do you get recommended by ChatGPT? These guides answer the things York and North Yorkshire businesses ask me most, in plain English, with no sales fluff. Read them, then decide.
How much should a small business website cost in the UK?
A straight answer on what a good small business website should cost in the UK, and why agency prices are so much higher.
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Will Google penalise a website built with AI?
No. Google rewards helpful, high-quality content however it is made. Here is what actually gets penalised and how to stay clear of it.
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What is AI search optimisation, and why your business needs it
AI assistants now recommend local suppliers. Here is how to get your business mentioned by ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews.
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Cheap vs affordable web design: how to tell the difference
A cheap website costs you customers. An affordable one is built properly for less. Here is how to tell them apart before you buy.
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Why isn't my website showing up on Google?
A plain-English troubleshooting guide for small business owners who searched for their own site and found nothing, with real reasons and simple fixes.
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Local SEO for York businesses: how to get found by nearby customers
A practical local SEO guide for York businesses: Google Business Profile, consistent NAP, real reviews, honest location pages and the map pack explained.
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Do you still need a website if you already have Facebook and Instagram?
Social media is great for reach, but it is rented ground. Here is why a website you own still earns its place, and how the two work best together.
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How long does SEO take to work? An honest answer
A straight, no false promises guide to how long SEO really takes for a UK small business, and what makes it faster or slower.
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What makes a good small business website?
The real ingredients of a small business website that earns enquiries: fast, mobile, one clear purpose, easy to find, trustworthy, with obvious next steps.
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Website builders vs a custom build: the honest trade-offs
A fair, first-hand comparison of DIY builders like Wix and Squarespace against a properly built custom site. Cost over time, SEO, ownership, your own time, and when a builder is genuinely fine.
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How to get more customers from your website
A plain, practical guide to turning website visitors into real enquiries: get found, get trusted, get in touch, then follow up.
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How to choose a web designer, and the red flags to avoid
A plain, honest guide to picking a web designer: the five things a good one always has, the five warning signs that should make you walk away, and how to check before you pay.
Read the guideMy web designer won't give me access to my website
A calm, practical UK guide to getting control of your domain, hosting and website back when your web designer has gone quiet or is refusing to hand over access.
Read the guideHow to get your domain back from your web designer
A plain English guide for UK businesses on checking the Nominet record, understanding IPS tags, and getting a .co.uk or .com domain back from a designer who will not let go.
Read the guideDo I own my pay monthly website?
An honest look at what you actually own on a pay monthly website deal, what happens if you stop paying, and how to check who really holds your domain.
Read the guideHow to change web designer without losing your Google rankings
A practical UK guide to switching web designer without losing your Google rankings, covering copies, domain control, URLs, 301 redirects and what to watch after launch.
Read the guideWhat should I own when someone builds my website?
A plain checklist of everything you should own or hold before, during and after a website build, with what good looks like and the warning sign for each.
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