Web Design and SEO Articles
Written for business owners, not for other agencies. If you cannot act on it, it does not go here.
What Is Local Business Schema and How Do I Add It?
Local business schema explained for business owners: what it is, which details to include, a copy-ready example, how to test it, and when to hire help.
What Do You Get When You Hire Someone to Build Your Website?
Website design deliverables explained for business owners: what a project should include, what to put in writing, and how to tell essentials from extras.
Should I Boost a Facebook Post or Run an Ad?
Boosted posts and Facebook ads both cost money, but they work differently. See what each does, what it costs, and which fits your small business.
What Are Core Web Vitals and How Do You Pass Them?
Core Web Vitals explained for business owners: the three scores Google checks, what a good result looks like, how to test your site free, and what to fix first.
How Long Should a Blog Post Be for SEO?
There is no magic word count for Search Engine Optimization. Learn what the research says, how to pick the right blog post length, and what to write first.
What Are UTM Parameters and How Do You Use Them?
UTM parameters are short tags you add to a link to see where website visitors came from. Learn what each one means, with plain examples and common mistakes.
How Does Google Ads Remarketing Work for a Small Business?
Remarketing shows Google ads to people who already visited your website. Here is how it works, what you need first, and how to decide if it fits your business.
What Is NAP Consistency and Why Does It Matter?
NAP consistency means your business name, address and phone number match everywhere online. Learn how to check yours and fix it, in plain English.
What Should a Contact Form Include on a Small Business Website?
Plain contact form best practices for small business owners: which fields to ask for, where to put the form, how to stop spam and what to do after submit.
Homepage Design Best Practices for Small Businesses
What belongs on a small business homepage, how to write the headline, and what to leave off. A plain guide from a Michigan web design shop.
What Are the Benefits of a Responsive Website?
What a responsive website does for a small business: one site for every screen, Google's mobile-first approach, easier upkeep, and what it costs to get one.
What Are Branded and Non-Branded Keywords?
Branded keywords include your business name, non-branded ones do not. Learn the difference, how to check each in Google, and which one your business needs first.
How Do You Design a Landing Page That Gets Customers?
What a landing page is, how it differs from your homepage, what to put on it, and how to decide whether your business needs one. A plain guide for owners.
How to Find the Keywords Your Local Customers Search For
A plain-English guide for small business owners: find the words local customers type into Google, pick the ones worth using, and put them on your site.
Website Design Timeline: 8 to 14 Weeks for Small Business Sites
See how long a small business website takes, from discovery to launch, and how ready content, clear phase approvals, and named reviewers keep dates on track.
Evergreen Content Examples for Small Businesses, From Guides to Tools
Find evergreen content examples for small businesses, including guides, checklists, FAQs, and tools. Get simple steps to create and refresh each asset.
Facebook Ads Budget for Small Businesses: Start Daily, Scale Safely
Small business owners can set a realistic Facebook ads budget with a daily starting point, account for Meta's learning phase, and scale carefully.
Google Ads for Contractors: Pay Per Click or Per Lead?
Learn how contractors can compare Google Ads and Local Services Ads, plan a budget, track lead quality, set up ads, and decide when to hire help.
Performance Max Campaigns: 30–50 Monthly Conversions, New Controls
See when Performance Max campaigns fit, why to keep Search live, and how 2026 reporting, asset controls, and landing page checks improve launch readiness.
On Page SEO Checklist: 13 Checks for Search, AI, and Core Web Vitals
Run 13 ordered checks for page titles, headings, links, images, schema, Core Web Vitals, and indexing, with practical steps for AI discovery.
Small Business Website Maintenance Cost: 3 Budgets, Renewal Costs
Compare monthly website maintenance costs by site type, then use three sample budgets and renewal pricing to plan for hosting, updates, and year two.
Google Reviews: 3 Small Business Moves, Plus Fixed Price Site Help
Build a repeatable workflow to get more Google reviews with profile updates, QR codes, timely asks, checkout calls to action, and fixed price website help.
Avoid Accidental Sitewide Blocks: Robots.txt for SEO Launch Checklist
Practical robots.txt steps for SEO: back up your file, test in Google Search Console or Bing, start permissive, then monitor 72 hours after deployment.
Audit First Website Redesign SEO: 30–90 Day Plan to Save Rankings
Audit first checklist to protect rankings during a redesign: exact redirects, mobile and structured data parity, and 30–90 day monitoring after launch.
Fix Core Web Vitals on Google Ads Landing Pages in Two Weeks
Practitioner playbook tying Google Ads' Big Three to Core Web Vitals fixes, Rel mCvR tracking, and a two week landing page build you can launch fast.
SMB Landing Page Cost 2026: Budget Bands, GA4 Benchmarks, Fixed Price
2026 cost guide for SMBs: compare budget bands, conversion benchmarks, GA4 setup tips, and when a fixed price landing page saves you money.
4–6 Week Baseline: A/B Testing Landing Pages Without False Positives
Avoid false positives in A/B tests. Use a 4–6 week baseline, predefined MDE and stopping rules, and a practitioner checklist to build test-ready landing...
Core Web Vitals: Speed First Local Landing Pages for SMBs That Convert
Make local landing pages that convert: prioritize mobile Core Web Vitals, exact NAP/schema, and unique local content. Includes agency tradeoffs and a...
Testing First Conversion Rate Optimization for Checkout and Forms
Testing first conversion rate optimization that fixes checkout and form friction to recover sales. Fast fixed price help from Blue Lake.
Stop Losing Map Pack Spots: 90 Day Plan for Local Businesses
A practical plan you can execute in 90 days to boost Map Pack ranking. Verify your Google Business Profile, fix pin and category, collect steady reviews,...
Local Citations SEO: Clean NAP for AI and Small Businesses
Audit and fix NAP inconsistencies before adding listings. Prioritize AI-visible Tier 1 profiles, 10–50 core listings, and quarterly monitoring for...
Call Tracking for Ads: CRM Imports, Privacy, and 60 Day GFNs
Privacy aware call tracking for ads that ties calls to revenue using Google Forwarding Numbers, DNI, CRM imports, and server side tag setup.
SMB Google Ads Cost: Budget $1,000 to $2,500 to Hit CPL Targets
SMB Google Ads cost benchmarks and step by step budget math: average CPC $5.42, CPL $66.69, plus how to set $1,000 to $2,500 test budgets and cut wasted...
Use Smart Bidding First: When to Shift Broad vs Phrase Match
Decide when to use broad or phrase match. Learn how Smart Bidding and account maturity should guide your switch, with a safe test checklist and a managed...
30–90 Day Google Business Profile Checklist for Small Businesses
Checklist first 30–90 day playbook for small businesses to claim, verify, and optimize their Google Business Profile. Includes steps for reviews, photos,...
10× Customer Value and a 60–90 Day Test for Small Business Google Ads
Budget-first Google Ads advice for small businesses: when $500–$3,000/month and the 10× customer-value rule make ads pay, plus a 60–90 day test plan and...
30.4 Rule: Set Your Google Ads Budget and Scale Like an Agency
Learn the 30.4 monthly rule, when to use Performance Planner, and agency tested steps to set, forecast, and scale your Google Ads budget.
Should You Design Your Website? Here's the Pros and Cons
Should you design your own website? The benefits and pitfalls of creating your own site, plus what you need to know about domains, CMS choices, and hosting.
Web Design Agency in Novi, Michigan Offers Affordable Web Design and Marketing
Blue Lake Web Design, a Novi, Michigan web design agency, announces expanded services delivering affordable custom-designed websites for companies across the state.
How to Set Up Google Analytics 4 in Less Than 10 Minutes on your Wordpress Website
Our method of installing GA4 on WordPress is easy, and has worked for every single site we have installed it on. Set up Google Analytics 4 in less than 10 minutes.
The Principles of Good Web Design
A comprehensive guide to good web design principles, covering visual hierarchy, layout, navigation, content, style, technical optimization, testing and SEO.
How to Hire a Web Design Agency | Think about THIS before hiring a web designer!
Hiring a web agency can be complicated. Here are the questions to ask yourself, what a web developer is actually responsible for, and how much web designers charge.
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