The blog
Practical, no-fluff tips on web design, SEO, Google Ads and AI search, from the person who does the work.
Do you need a website if you already have a busy Facebook or Instagram page? The honest answer, what social media does well, and the one thing it can never do for your business.
How we built Top5Trades UK with AI, HTML and JavaScript: a fast, lean directory without the usual WordPress bloat, and what AI website development means for your business.
How Hays Electrical in Christchurch grew online with EightySix Digital. A case study in web design and SEO for an electrical business.
How blogging helps plumbing companies get more local leads, why it isn't about writing fluff, and how the right posts bring in real work.
What keywords a plumbing company should actually target, beyond the obvious ones, to get found for the searches that bring in profitable jobs.
Why an old plumbing website quietly holds your SEO back, the signs to watch for, and what to fix so your site starts ranking and winning jobs.
What cheap SEO for plumbers actually gets you, why the bargain offers usually fail, and what to look for instead so your money brings in real jobs.
Seven common SEO mistakes that quietly sink plumbers' Google rankings, and how to fix each one so your plumbing business gets found by local customers.
Service area pages are the most overlooked SEO opportunity for plumbers. What they are, why they drive local leads, and how to do them right.
How plumbers can rank in the Google Maps pack without paying for ads, from your Google Business Profile to the reviews and local signals that win the top spots.
Is SEO worth it for solo, one-man-band plumbers? An honest look at whether it pays off when you're running every job, quote and phone call yourself.
How much a plumber should spend on SEO each month, what different budgets actually get you, and how to make a smart commercial decision.
How long SEO takes to work for a plumbing company, what to expect month by month, and how to speed up results so you get found sooner.
How SEO for plumbers actually works, explained in plain English around how plumbing businesses really operate, so you know exactly what you're paying for.
What Google really looks for from plumbers in 2026, and how SEO has changed, so your plumbing business stays visible while competitors slip.
Why local SEO matters more than national SEO for plumbers, and why ranking in your service area beats broad reach for winning real local jobs.
How to improve your plumbing website's lead generation so it turns visitors into calls, emails and booking requests instead of just looking fine.
A live experiment: can a simple, fast website plus strong SEO outrank fancy, expensive sites for competitive search terms? Follow the TopChoice results.
How a one-person chainsaw carving studio in rural Gloucestershire outranks huge corporations on Google. A case study in web design and SEO for a tiny business.
How Canterbury Plumbing & Gas, a family-owned Christchurch plumbing and gasfitting business, grew their local visibility and leads with EightySix Digital.
Why SEO is so important for plumbers, and how it helps plumbing companies of every size show up when customers search 'plumber near me' and more.
How Honest Electrical, a Dunedin electrician, used web design and local SEO to get found across Otago. A real EightySix Digital case study.
SEO vs Google Ads for a plumbing company: which to invest in first, how they differ, and how to get the best return for your budget.
How Woodney Contracting, a Hamilton fencing and tree services company, rebuilt their website and grew with web design and SEO. A case study.
Nine plumbing website mistakes that quietly cost you jobs, from slow load times to missing calls to action, and how to fix them so your site wins work.
How much a plumber should spend on Google Ads each month, how to set a budget that brings in jobs, and what to expect for your money.
Plumber SEO basics explained without the jargon: how to get your plumbing business found on Google so more local customers can find and call you.
A straight-up, complete guide to getting your website to the top of Google in 2025: SEO, local SEO, content and the work that actually moves rankings.
What Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is and why it matters as AI changes how people search, plus how to get your business mentioned in AI answers.
How long SEO really takes to work, why results build over months, and why giving up too soon is the most common and most costly mistake.
Is your website not ranking on Google? How to fix indexing, content, technical SEO and backlinks to improve your search rankings, explained simply.
How service businesses in Christchurch can target local traffic and win more nearby customers, with practical local SEO tips for plumbers, electricians and tradies.
How strong Google reviews drive local SEO success, why they matter so much for ranking, and practical ways to get more of them.
How much you should spend on Google Ads: a straight-up budgeting guide for tradies and small business owners who want more leads without wasting money.
What is SEO? A straightforward, jargon-free guide for New Zealand businesses on how search engine optimisation helps you get found and bring in customers.
How to rank at the top of Google Maps: claim and optimise your Google Business Profile, build reviews and local signals, and win the local map pack.
How to know for sure whether your website is actually bringing in leads, with simple ways to track calls, forms and enquiries so you can prove its worth.
What to put on a high-converting tradie website: the key elements that turn visitors into calls and quotes, for New Zealand trades businesses.
The truth about SEO and digital marketing guarantees: why 'page one guaranteed' is usually a red flag, and what honest results really look like.
SEO vs Google Ads: which is better for small businesses in NZ? How each works, what they cost, and where to put your money for the best return.
Why mobile-friendly web design matters for local businesses, how it affects both customers and Google rankings, and what a good mobile site needs.
Is Google Ads worth it for tradesmen? An honest look at when paid search pays off for tradies, what it costs, and how to make it work.
The top five website mistakes that quietly cost small business owners leads, and how to fix each one so your site works hard for you every day.
How local SEO helps tradies win more jobs in their own suburb, and the simple steps to show up when nearby customers search for what you do.
How fast your website should be, and why page speed matters for SEO, user experience and conversions. What a slow site costs you, and how to speed it up.
Why user experience (UX) matters in web design: how an easy-to-use, well-structured website keeps visitors happy and directly improves your results.
Five smart ways to advertise your plumbing business and win more local jobs: local SEO, a professional website, paid ads, referrals and lead generation.
How long SEO takes to work, what affects the timeline, and practical ways to speed it up so your investment starts paying off sooner.
How to do keyword research for SEO, even if you're not technical. A simple, step-by-step way to find the searches your customers actually use.
A step-by-step guide to on-page SEO: how to optimise a web page so it ranks higher in Google, covering titles, content, structure and more.
Five common SEO myths that could be hurting your rankings, and the truth behind each one, so you stop wasting effort on advice that doesn't work.
What SEO is and why your business needs it in 2025, explained simply, so you understand how it helps you get found on Google and win more customers.
Ten practical, proven ways to improve your website's Google ranking, from on-page SEO and site speed to content and local search. No jargon, just what works.
Tips are great, but if you’d rather just have it handled, that’s what I do. Web design, SEO, Google Ads and AI search, by the person you talk to.
