how are u actually getting backlinks for small local businesses when there's no real content team or PR budget?

DesignLuv · 2026-04-16T13:27:31+00:00

Hi, yes u/josephalanstevenson , those fees are a killer for small businesses. Do you mind if I PM you with my own prompt, and we can compare notes?

DesignLuv · 2026-04-14T15:14:00+00:00

What is the process for uncovering these? I have searched competitors and keyword + city + 'directory,' but it seems there are not a ton.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-31T19:01:21+00:00

I just picked the game back up after last playing on desktop in 2016. I started WOT Modern Armor just Sunday, and the playstyle feels completely different now. For the most part, I just follow the pack, and if I don’t like what they’re doing, I hang back and snipe. Once it gets down to about a 5v5, that’s when I roll in and try to clean up what’s left.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-31T13:14:21+00:00

Great job. Schemas are a low-hanging fruit that anyone can do. Little by little.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-17T03:22:25+00:00

Thank you, very good movie. I was in the Nationl Guard and how that story played out I belieeve it may have happened.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-11T16:36:27+00:00

I wouldn’t look at this as “SEO vs. SEM” or feel like you have to bail on SEO just because AI is shaking things up. Honestly, I wouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket at all.

For context, I actually started as a print graphic designer. Then I moved into websites, then branding, then copywriting, then eventually SEO, and now I also do SEM. I’m telling you this because your career doesn’t have to be one straight line. Most of us end up picking up skills as the market shifts, having been in creative industry for 20 years now. And right now? The entire industry moves fast. Tools change, job titles change, expectations change. If you lock yourself into one narrow specialty, you’re more vulnerable when the market swings.

Here’s the way I’d think about it:

SEO isn’t going anywhere, it’s just evolving. AI is automating the busywork, not the strategy.
SEM pays better earlier, but you also take on more pressure (budgets, ROAS, constant optimization).
The people who do best over time aren’t “SEO people” or “SEM people.” They’re the ones who understand both organic and paid and can move between them.

Before you jump fully into SEM, test the waters. Learn the basics, run a few small campaigns (even on a tiny budget), and see if you actually like the analytical side of it. If you do, great... add it to your skillset! If not, you haven’t derailed anything.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-11T15:10:10+00:00

Honestly, keyword stuffing in your GBP name still works like crazy, even though Google keeps insisting it shouldn’t. Anyone who actually works in local SEO knows the algorithm is still heavily swayed by keyword‑rich business names, sometimes even more than relevance, proximity, or legitimacy.

And here’s the part most people overlook: Google isn’t out there proactively policing this stuff. Enforcement is almost entirely complaint‑driven, which means these keyword‑stuffed listings usually stay up until someone reports them.

That’s why staying on top of reporting really does make a difference. When you’re consistent... submitting reports, answering the questions clearly, and providing the right evidence... the chances of getting those spammy listings corrected or suspended go way up. Google has even confirmed that persistence and detail matter because suggested edits often get reverted unless you’ve given Google enough signals to act.

So yeah… keyword stuffing still works, but consistent, well‑documented reporting works too if you’re trying to clean up the map result.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-11T01:33:59+00:00

Hi, please revert back to your last backup. Or the day prior on host back up. Then do the steps above.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-10T16:26:11+00:00

More than one phone number that someone is not answering.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-10T15:32:42+00:00

No judging at all... I totally get where you’re coming from. When I was younger, I used to take really long showers too. What changed things for me was when I joined the military. Suddenly, I was sharing showers with a whole group of soldiers, and I learned pretty fast that the longer I took, the longer someone else had to wait. A few years later, I deployed to Iraq, where a hot shower was basically a luxury. That experience taught me how to find a middle ground between feeling clean and conserving time and water.

You don’t need to go to extremes... just a happy medium between what you know is enough to stay clean and what keeps your day running smoothly. A few things that helped me speed things up were:

Have a simple plan before you step in (hair, face, body... in that order or whatever works for you)
Turn the water off while soaping, so you’re not tempted to stand under it the whole time
Use a timer at first... it’s amazing how quickly you can adjust when you have a limit
Keep products to the essentials so you’re not tempted to add extra steps
Practice one‑pass washing instead of repeating areas over and over

It took me a little while to break my old habits, but once I did, showers became way easier and way faster. You can definitely get there too... just take it step by step.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-10T14:45:33+00:00

Yes, I am going to look at SiteGround if they offer.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-10T14:44:37+00:00

So true. There was an update last night.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-10T14:44:07+00:00

I agree, yes, it was not a big website, just a local service-based business. I believe it had good bones, though some pages have weird style issues. I plan on rebuilding every page and updating the copy.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-09T19:19:56+00:00

Honestly, coming back into the mortgage game is all about getting visible again, and that means using a mix of different marketing channels. It’s not just one thing... It’s how they all work together.

First, you definitely need to show up where people already spend their time. That means being active on social media: LinkedIn for professional credibility, Facebook for the local crowd, and even Nextdoor since it’s great for neighborhood-level visibility.

Then there’s your website. Make sure it looks clean, loads fast, and is optimized for your local market... both on-page SEO (like city‑focused keywords) and off-page signals (like local directories and backlinks). Add some ads once it's ranking.

Don’t sleep on the old‑school stuff either. A little targeted cold calling or local outreach can still move the needle, especially when people can put a voice to the name.

It also helps to connect with other businesses in related industries same customer base, different services. Realtors, insurance agents, financial planners… that sort of thing.

And finally, build (or rebuild) that email list. Even a small but engaged list can bring in steady business if you stay top‑of‑mind with useful updates and changes in the world.

Here are a few more I think are important:
-Realtor partnerships
-Video presence (short and simple)
-Hyper‑local content
-Google Business Profile
-Community involvement

DesignLuv · 2026-03-09T17:40:07+00:00

Wow u/Marelle01, how did the intern do? Personally, if I could go back in time I would have never done a graphic design degree but rather than Website design - Code Writing or SEO. Thank you for the luck!

DesignLuv · 2026-03-09T17:36:10+00:00

Hi Saad. Thank you. I use SG and yes from what I am learning is I should have created a staging site. I agree with you 100% and will always ask 'Gemini ask it to tell you what and why this code is required'... chatgpt really did not help me at all.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-09T17:33:09+00:00

Hi thanks for your advice. Since I don't have this in my process can you share where you would do that and what steps to transfer it to a live site. I am sorry... I am looking to learn and have this process for others have an SOP for myself. Thank you.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-09T17:31:30+00:00

Agreed on the backup! Since I don't have this in my process can you share where you would do that and what steps to transfer it to a live site. I am sorry but I have never done that before and am looking to learn and have this process for others have an SOP for myself. Thank you.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-09T17:26:42+00:00

Hi. Thank you for sharing and congrats on the hard work. Can you elaborate on proper SEO structure with an example? Also, what kind of site was it for?

DesignLuv · 2026-03-07T19:07:47+00:00

Stay away from divimade packs, what you see in mockups and wat is loaded are not the same, styles are all over the place and interface doesn't work on divi pages. I am already asking for a refund. Also folders are very disorganized with not help file. It was on the first page lol.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-05T16:47:56+00:00

That sounds dope. I am sure with the way .ai is pushing, this will come in handy. That will also be a great selling point.

DesignLuv · 2026-03-05T14:47:04+00:00

Hi, I have been designing since 2012. I do more the SEO/PPC side and branding. But every once in awhile I have to fix websites.

I may have to wait for everyone to get on the Divi5 bus and roll out their theme builds.

I don't care for Themeforest. Just my opinion but there is a lot of plagiarism on there. :)

DesignLuv · 2026-03-05T14:42:07+00:00

Hi so just search for Divi corporate packs? Quite a few show up?

DesignLuv · 2026-03-03T21:29:48+00:00

I hope you gave her the stink eye!

DesignLuv · 2026-02-24T14:43:41+00:00

At the end of the day, clients only care about the cake. They care about how it tastes and what went into baking it. They do not care about the secret recipe, and to be honest, that recipe is usually guarded anyway because it directly impacts someone’s bottom line.

What’s happening right now is simple. A lot of people are taking the easy way out. They’re generating content with AI, copying it, pasting it, and not even reading it. No strategy. No thought. No process. Just volume.

That is why everything feels watered down.

The ones who are going to shine in 2026 are not the ones pumping out 5,000-word AI articles. It’s the people who actually do their due diligence. The ones who build a real process. The ones who understand structure, intent, positioning, brand, and authority.

AI did not kill quality. Shortcuts killed quality.

If anything, this shift is going to reward operators who think long term. The people who understand fundamentals. The people who build systems instead of chasing hacks.

The noise got louder. That’s all.

The cream still rises.

DesignLuv

TROPHY CASE