Straight answers about websites, SEO, and AI search
Written for pastors, ministry staff, and local business owners who want to understand their website without becoming a web expert.
Every Article
Do You Still Need a Website Now That Everyone Asks AI?
AI Overviews are answering questions people used to Google. Here's what the 2026 data actually says about churches and small businesses, and what gets you cited.
· For both
How Do I Know If My Website Is Working?
The useful version of website reporting takes about ten minutes a month and ignores most of what the dashboards show you. Here are the numbers that answer the question, where Google already counts them for free, and why your bounce rate is probably misleading you.
· For small businesses
Did a Google Update Hurt My Website?
Google started a spam update on September 24, 2026. Here's how to check whether it touched your site, what these updates actually look for, and the one setup worth checking on a small site: a bulk content contract nobody reads.
· For both
Does Our Church Need an App?
An app only reaches people who already installed it. Here's what the app stores actually require, how in-app giving gets approved, and when a church app earns its keep.
· For churches & ministries
Why Do Our Emails Keep Going to Spam?
Most spam problems at a church or small business trace back to a missing DNS record on your domain. Here's the free check that tells you which one.
· For both
Why Did My Google Ads Switch to AI Max?
Google began auto-upgrading Search campaigns to AI Max on September 1, 2026. Here's what it turned on, why your ad headlines are suddenly coming from your website, and the four settings worth checking in your account this week.
· For both
Why Was My Google Business Profile Suspended?
What a Google Business Profile suspension means, the rules worth checking first, how to appeal it properly, and the move that turns a one-profile problem into a two-profile problem.
· For both
Can You Ask Customers for Google Reviews?
Asking for Google reviews is allowed. Google's policy says so directly. Here are the six things it actually prohibits, the one your review software may be doing without anyone turning it on, and what churches with several ministries at one address need to check.
· For both
Is Google's AI Using Your Website? Now You Can Check
Google finished rolling out a Search Console report that shows whether your pages appear in AI Overviews and AI Mode, plus a switch to opt out. Here's how to read it.
· For both
Does My Small Business Website Have to Be ADA-Compliant?
Small businesses are being sued over website accessibility at record volume. Here is what the law actually requires, what would change if Graves' bill becomes law, and what to do about your own site.
· For small businesses
Does a Church Website Have to Be Accessible?
Churches are broadly exempt from the ADA's public accommodation rules. Here's what that actually means for your website, and why the exemption isn't the end of the question.
· For churches & ministries
How Much Should a Church Website Cost?
A plain breakdown of what a church website actually costs, what each line item is for, and why the published price ranges vary so wildly.
· For churches & ministries
Should You Use a Website Builder or Hire Someone?
A decision framework for small businesses choosing between a DIY website builder and hiring help, including the cases where building it yourself is genuinely the right call.
· For small businesses
Who Actually Owns Your Website?
Your domain, hosting, and content can each be held by a different party. Here's how to find out who controls yours, and what your rights are as a domain registrant.
· For small businesses
Why Doesn't My Church Show Up on Google Maps?
The usual reasons a church is missing from Google Maps and local search, and how to fix each one, using Google's own rules rather than guesswork.
· For churches & ministries
Why Is My Website Slow, and Does It Actually Matter?
What Google actually measures when it judges your site's speed, the three numbers that matter, and the handful of causes behind most slow small-business sites.
· For both
Will My Website Get Hacked?
Small sites do get hacked, and almost never on purpose. Here's the real mechanism, what the 2026 vulnerability numbers say, and the short list that prevents most of it.
· For both
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