SMALL BUSINESS GUIDES
Plain-English guides for owners who do their own marketing
No jargon, no 40-slide decks. Each guide walks you through one problem and what to do about it, written for small business owners, not marketers.
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The DIY Local SEO Checklist: Get Found Online in One Afternoon
A free, plain-English local SEO checklist for small business owners who do their own marketing. Get found on Google, Maps, and AI search in one afternoon.
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Why Isn't My Business Showing Up on Google? 12 Fixes, From Easiest to Hardest
Can't find your business on Google or Google Maps? Here are 12 common causes, from 5-minute fixes to bigger problems, and how to tell which one is yours.
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How to Get Customers Without Paying for Google Ads (Stop Renting Your Customers)
Tired of paying for every click? Here are the free and low-cost ways small businesses get found online, how long each takes, and when ads still make sense.
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How to Get Your Business Recommended by ChatGPT and AI Search
Customers now ask ChatGPT and Google's AI to recommend local businesses. Here's how those tools decide who to name, and how to check if you show up.
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The Free Google Business Profile Checklist (2026 Edition)
A free, step-by-step Google Business Profile checklist for small businesses. Fix your listing, show up on Google Maps, and feed Google's new AI answers.
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How to Get More Google Reviews (Without Being Awkward About It)
Simple, non-awkward ways for small businesses to get more Google reviews, with copy-paste text and email scripts and what Google's rules say not to do.
Read the guideDeciding whether to hire help

How Much Does SEO Cost for a Small Business? (Honest Numbers, From Someone Who Sells It)
Real SEO price ranges for small businesses, what you get at each level, red flags in cheap SEO, and when SEO isn't worth it yet. From someone who sells it.
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SEO vs. Google Ads: Which Should a Small Business Pay For?
An honest comparison of SEO and Google Ads for small businesses: cost, speed, how long results last, and when to use each, or both.
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How Long Does SEO Take to Work? A Realistic Month-by-Month Timeline
A realistic, month-by-month SEO timeline for small businesses: what changes in week one, month three, and month six, and how to get quicker wins.
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9 SEO Scams Small Businesses Fall For (and the Questions That Expose Them)
Guaranteed rankings, fake "Google" calls, and accounts held hostage. Here are 9 common SEO scams and the questions to ask before you hire anyone.
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