Blog, field notes from building.
Practical essays on building software for small businesses, websites, web apps, automation, the AI tooling we use, and the occasional rant about an agency pricing model.
How to check if ChatGPT recommends your business (and the tools that track it)
The fastest check is free: ask ChatGPT, Google AI, Perplexity and Copilot for the best business like yours in your area and see if you are named. Here is how to run that check properly, plus the AI visibility tools (free and paid) that track it over time, compared.
SEO vs AEO: the difference, and whether you need both in 2026
SEO ranks you on Google's list of links. AEO (answer engine optimisation, also called AI visibility) gets you named by ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI when there is no list, just three or four recommendations. Here is how they differ, how they overlap, and why most local businesses now need both.
Is SEO enough in 2026? The half most businesses are missing
SEO still matters, but it now covers only half of how people find a local business. The other half is AI: around 45% of consumers now use AI like ChatGPT to find a local business (up from 6% a year ago), and SEO does nothing for them. Here is what is changing and what to do about it.
ChatGPT is the new Google: how local businesses get recommended by AI
More customers now ask ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI for a recommendation than ever before, and the assistant names just a few businesses. Here is how AI decides who to recommend, and the practical steps to become one of the names.
How much does SEO cost in 2026? An honest Australian breakdown
Ongoing SEO in Australia typically runs from a few hundred dollars a month for a sole trader to several thousand for a competitive agency campaign. Clearway's standalone SEO starts at $450 a month, with the one-off foundation usually built into your site, and AI visibility is priced separately. Here is what moves the price.
Do tradies need a website in 2026? An honest answer (and when you don't)
Most tradies need a website once they want work from people who don't already know them. If word of mouth fills your calendar, a free Google Business Profile covers you for now. The moment you want strangers to find and trust you, a website usually pays for itself in one extra job.
What you actually get in a tradie website (real example, no fluff)
A done-for-you tradie website is a custom-built, mobile-first site of three to five pages: a hero with your trade and service area, a services page, real job photos, reviews, your licence details, and a tap-to-call number. It is hosted, secured, has on-page SEO, and a template-based build goes live within about 7 working days.
Does a mobile mechanic need a website? (Or is a Google Business Profile enough?)
A Google Business Profile is the free first step, and it may be all you need if you're booked out on referrals. A website earns its keep when you want jobs from people who don't already know you, and when you want to capture "mobile mechanic near me" searches a profile alone won't always win.
How much does a small business website cost in Perth in 2026?
A practical breakdown of what a website actually costs in Perth in 2026, what drives the price, why we quote every project, what a care plan covers, and when to skip the website entirely.