Resources
& writing.
Practical guides on SEO, GEO, AI-search, performance, and the modern web stack — written by the people doing the work.
SEO
Website SEO for Small Business: What It Actually Includes (And Do You Need It)
What's actually included in small business website SEO — technical, on-page, content — and how to tell if you need a retainer or a one-time fix.
Growth
Will a New Website Actually Get You More Customers? What to Expect
An honest look at website ROI — what actually drives conversions, realistic traffic expectations, and what we do to make a new site pay for itself.
Trust
Freelancer vs Agency vs DIY: How to Avoid Getting Scammed on Your Business Website
How to vet a web developer, spot red flags, and decide between freelancer, agency, and DIY builder — before you pay a deposit.
Conversion
10 Signs Your Small Business Website Is Hurting Your Sales
Slow load times, no clear CTA, broken mobile layout — 10 concrete signs your website is costing you customers, and what to fix first.
Pricing
How Much Does a Website Cost for a Small Business in 2026?
A transparent breakdown of small business website costs in 2026 — landing pages, full marketing sites, agency vs freelancer vs DIY, and the hidden costs nobody mentions.
Studio
Custom Website vs. Template: How to Know What Your Small Business Actually Needs
A data-backed comparison of custom-built sites vs. Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress templates — cost, performance, SEO ceiling, and a simple decision framework.
GEO
What is GEO and why classic SEO isn't enough anymore
Generative Engine Optimization is how you get cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Here's the playbook we run on every project.
AI Search
llms.txt: the new robots.txt for AI crawlers
A practical guide to writing an llms.txt that actually gets read — including which AI bots respect it and how to structure your content for extraction.
Performance
Core Web Vitals in 2026: what still matters
LCP, INP, and CLS — the only three metrics Google still ranks on, plus the optimization stack we use to land under 1.2s on every build.
Technical SEO
Schema.org for marketing sites: a minimum viable graph
You don't need 40 schema types. You need Organization, WebSite, BreadcrumbList, and the right entity for each page. Here's the template.
Stack
Headless CMS in 2026: Sanity vs Storyblok vs Payload
We've shipped on all three. Honest tradeoffs on editor experience, pricing at scale, and how each handles localization.
Studio
Why we build custom instead of using page builders
A pragmatic look at when Webflow and Framer are the right call — and when bespoke code pays for itself in performance, SEO, and longevity.
Local
Web Design for Chicago's Suburbs: Elmhurst, Lombard, Morton Grove & Beyond
You don't have to be downtown to get a custom-built site. Serving small businesses across Elmhurst, Lombard, Morton Grove, Carol Stream, and the wider Chicago suburbs.
Pricing
Affordable Web Design in Chicago: What 'Affordable' Actually Buys You in 2026
DIY builders, freelancers, small studios, and agencies compared — real price ranges and what each tier actually gets you in the Chicago market.