CATESWEB Journal
Honest advice for West Michigan businesses
Straight answers on what a website costs, who to hire, what you should own, and why speed matters — written for small businesses across Grand Rapids and Kent County.
Local SEO
7 Google Business Profile Mistakes That Keep Local Customers From Finding You
The map box wins the "near me" search — and most local profiles are losing it with wrong categories, ignored reviews, and no photos. The 7 mistakes, ranked by cost.
Read: 7 Google Business Profile Mistakes That Keep Local Customers From Finding You →Local SEO
How to Get More Google Reviews (Without Begging or Buying)
Happy customers, no reviews? The fix is a system, not a campaign: the direct link, the ask at peak happiness, and a response to every review. Plus what never to do.
Read: How to Get More Google Reviews (Without Begging or Buying) →Building Your Site
How Long Does It Take to Build a Small Business Website?
A small business site should take 1–4 weeks, not 3 months. Real timelines by project type, the delay nobody warns you about (your content), and how to stay on schedule.
Read: How Long Does It Take to Build a Small Business Website? →Building Your Site
What Pages Does a Small Business Website Actually Need?
The honest answer is five: home, services, about, contact, and proof — and services matters most. What belongs on each page, and which "extras" are just padding.
Read: What Pages Does a Small Business Website Actually Need? →Cost & Pricing
What Website Maintenance Actually Costs (and What You’re Paying For)
Hosting, updates, edits, SEO — what a monthly maintenance bill should actually cover, real 2026 price ranges, and the signs you are paying rent on your own website.
Read: What Website Maintenance Actually Costs (and What You’re Paying For) →Redesign & Speed
Should You Fix Your Website or Start Over?
Agencies say rebuild, maintenance shops say patch forever. Four honest questions settle fix-vs-rebuild — and sometimes the answer is "your site is fine."
Read: Should You Fix Your Website or Start Over? →Local SEO
How to Get Your West Michigan Business to Show Up on Google
Why your business is not showing up on Google — and the local SEO basics (Business Profile, reviews, NAP, on-page signals) that put you in front of nearby customers.
Read: How to Get Your West Michigan Business to Show Up on Google →Building Your Site
Is Your Website ADA Compliant? What Michigan Businesses Risk
Accessibility lawsuits target small businesses too. What ADA / WCAG 2.1 AA actually requires, why overlay widgets do not protect you, and how compliance gets built in.
Read: Is Your Website ADA Compliant? What Michigan Businesses Risk →Redesign & Speed
7 Signs Your Business Website Needs a Redesign
Slow, dated, not mobile-friendly, generating no leads? Here are the 7 clearest signs your business website needs a redesign — and what a rebuild actually involves.
Read: 7 Signs Your Business Website Needs a Redesign →Cost & Pricing
What a Small Business Website Actually Costs in West Michigan (2026)
DIY, freelancer, or agency? Real 2026 price ranges for a West Michigan small business website — plus the ongoing and compliance costs most quotes quietly leave out.
Read: What a Small Business Website Actually Costs in West Michigan (2026) →Hiring & Ownership
Freelancer vs. Agency vs. Wix: Honest Trade-offs for a Grand Rapids Business
Cost, speed, ownership, and who actually picks up the phone — an honest comparison of freelancer vs. agency vs. Wix, including when not to hire me.
Read: Freelancer vs. Agency vs. Wix: Honest Trade-offs for a Grand Rapids Business →Hiring & Ownership
12 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Web Designer
The 12 questions that separate a good web designer from an expensive mistake — ownership, platform, SEO, support, accessibility — and exactly how I answer each one.
Read: 12 Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Web Designer →Hiring & Ownership
Do You Actually Own Your Website? (Domain, Hosting, and Code)
Plenty of businesses discover too late that someone else controls their domain, hosting, or code. Here is how to check what you actually own — and keep it.
Read: Do You Actually Own Your Website? (Domain, Hosting, and Code) →Redesign & Speed
Why a Slow Website Is Costing You Local Customers
53% of mobile visitors leave after 3 seconds. Here is what a slow site quietly costs a local business in lost customers — and how hand-built code fixes it.
Read: Why a Slow Website Is Costing You Local Customers →