Blog
Notes from Bilal Hashimi on websites, booking and local search for small businesses.
5 Signs Your Website Is Losing Customers (And How to Fix Them)
Is your website losing customers? Here are five warning signs contractors see every week — and how to fix each one.
What Does a Cheap Website Really Cost? The Hidden Price of Going Too Cheap
A cheap website looks like a bargain until the add-ons, fixes, and missed calls pile up. Here's what a cut-rate site really costs a contractor over the long term.
Automated Follow-Up for Contractors: Never Miss Another After-Hours Call
Automated follow-up for contractors means every missed call or after-hours quote request gets answered in seconds. Here's how it works, what it costs, and what to watch out for.
What to Ask Before Hiring a Web Designer: A Contractor's Guide
What to ask before hiring a web designer: 8 questions that reveal whether a contractor's website will book jobs — or become an expensive brochure.
What Happens After Your Website Launches? What a Good Designer Does Next
Your site going live is the start, not the finish. Here's what should happen after launch — the checks, the tweaks, and the support — so your contractor website actually brings in jobs.
How to Show Up in "Near Me" Searches: A Local SEO Guide for Contractors
Practical local SEO for contractors: claim your Google Business Profile, fix your business info, and earn reviews so you rank in "near me" searches.
Why Nobody Calls From Your Website: 7 Fixes That Actually Work for Contractors
Your website gets visitors but the phone stays quiet. Here are the seven real reasons why nobody calls from your website — and what to fix first.
Website Builder vs Hiring a Web Designer: The True Cost for Contractors
Website builders look cheap at $20–$50 a month — until you count your time, add-ons and lost leads. Here's the honest cost comparison of DIY vs hiring a web designer for a contracting business.
How to Tell If Your Website Is Actually Working: A Contractor's Checklist
Wondering how to tell if your website is working? Here's the plain-English checklist I give Ottawa contractors — five checks that show whether your site is booking jobs.
Wix vs a Custom Website for Contractors: The Honest Comparison
Wix vs a custom website for contractors: real costs, limits, and when each wins. An honest comparison before you build.
How to Get More Google Reviews: A Contractor's Playbook
Real-world ways for contractors to get more Google reviews: ask at the right moment, make leaving one effortless, and respond to every review. No gimmicks.
AI Chat Booking for Contractors: How It Works and What to Watch For
How AI chat booking for contractors works: instant answers after hours, bookings straight into your calendar, and the questions to ask before you pay for one.
Why Your Business Isn't Showing Up on Google: A Contractor's Guide
Wondering why your contracting business isn't showing up on Google? Here are the five reasons contractors go invisible in local search — and the practical fixes that get you found.
Who Owns Your Website After It's Built? Read This Before You Pay a Designer
Who owns your website after it's built? Why domain, hosting, and code ownership matter, the monthly-fee trap to avoid, and the questions to ask before you pay a designer.
How Much Does a Website Cost in Ottawa? Real 2026 Prices
How much a business website costs in Ottawa in 2026 — real price ranges for DIY builders, freelancers, and agencies, and what you're actually paying for.
5 things every contractor website needs before spending a dollar on ads
Most contractor websites are online brochures. These five elements turn yours into something that actually books jobs, and none of them require ad spend.