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Straight guidance on the stuff growing businesses keep asking us about.
Most of this industry profits from confusion
Vague quotes, jargon, and reports nobody reads. We would rather you understood exactly what you are buying, even when that means telling you that you do not need it yet. Everything here is free and none of it is gated behind a form.

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Things worth asking any agency before you hire them, answered honestly — including where we are not the right fit.
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Worth asking, whoever you use
You should, and the answer should be an immediate yes. Ask specifically about the code, the content, the domain and every account. If any of it stays with the agency, you are renting your own business.
A lot of quotes quietly end at go-live, which is exactly when the problems appear. Ask who fixes things in the first month and whether it costs extra. We include thirty days.
Plenty of agencies sell you a senior team and staff the project with juniors, or subcontract it out entirely. Ask to speak to the person who will build it, before you sign anything.
Agree the measure up front, and make sure it is a business number — enquiries, bookings, cost per lead — not traffic or impressions. If nobody can say what success looks like, nobody can fail.
The most useful question on this list. Ask it plainly and watch how comfortable the answer is. Content, photography, hosting and post-launch support are the usual gaps.
A good answer here saves you more than any discount. If everything you ask about is met with yes, you are talking to someone selling rather than advising.






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