Prospect Genius

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Look, we know you have zero time and even fewer cares to give about SEO. The only kind of E-A-T you care about is lunch. We get it. We are bringing this up so you have accurate info the next time a smooth talker tries to sell you magic beans. Here is the straight talk on E-A-T and why it matters for both Google and the AI answers stealing the top of the page.

Search has changed. The old top 10 game is getting replaced by a top 1 game. AI answers now sit above the regular results. If you are not THE answer, you are not the answer at all. We recently broke that shift down here: We are not playing the top 10 game anymore.

E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. When you improve E-A-T, you upgrade both SEO and AI visibility in one shot. That is a high value move, even if you never want to touch your website again.

The Realistic Plan For People With No Time

There are two parts. First, a one time setup that fixes the foundation. Second, light ongoing updates so Google and AI know you are active and reliable. If you like DIY, none of this is rocket science. If you are grinding 12 plus hours a day, call us and we will handle it.

5 Actionable Steps To Win E-A-T And Capture AI Traffic

1) Get Your Website In Order

Your site is your home base. It does not need to be fancy. It does need to prove you are real, local, and qualified. If your site is weak, you are bringing a go kart to a drag race. See examples and fixes here: The one mistake that is killing your local SEO.

• List every service and your service areas on dedicated pages. Include neighborhoods and nearby towns.
• Show license numbers, certifications, insurance, and real crew photos.
• Add proof of recent jobs with city names. Example: Water heater replacement in Albany.
• Put contact info on every page. Embed a Google Map. Keep name, address, and phone number the same everywhere.
• Make mobile fast and simple. Clear menu and click to call buttons.

DIY: update service pages and the About page first. No time? We can rebuild the core pages and load in photos, proof, and trust elements for you.

2) Show Obvious Expertise

Make it easy for humans and bots to see why you are a pro.

• Add short author bios under how-to content and service explainers. Example: Written by Maria Lopez, Master Electrician, License 12345.
• Put a credentials strip on the homepage. Years in business, licenses, brands you work on, training.
• Publish project summaries with before and after photos and location names.

DIY: write three sentences per tech with role, years, specialties. No time? We interview you once and build bios and proof sections.

3) Earn Local Authority

Mentions from trusted local sources act like reputation votes. A few quality ones go far.

• Join your Chamber of Commerce and trade associations. Get listed on their sites.
• Claim top directories and keep info identical across your site, Google Business Profile, Yelp, and BBB.
• Pitch one small community story to local news. Example: Free furnace tune ups day for seniors.
• Sponsor a youth team or charity and ask for a website mention.

DIY: fix Google Business Profile and the top 10 directory listings first. No time? Our Directory Dominator service can get you tons of directory listings.

4) Get Reviews The Right Way

Stars help, but getting keywords inside the reviews is important. You want reviews and replies that include service and city keywords. We cover this in section 4 here: Backlinks are old news. Focus on local gossip.

• Coach happy customers with a simple prompt. Just ask them to include the service performed and the city where it was done when they leave the review.
• Reply to reviews with keyword detail. Example: “Thanks for trusting us with your water heater replacement in Pine Hills.”
• Feature a few detailed reviews on your site with city names and service types.
• Ask at the right moment. Right after the walkthrough on a successful job.

DIY: save two reply templates that include service and city, then personalize. No time? We can help you respond to reviews or get more reviews with ReviewStream.

5) Stay Fresh With Light Local Updates

You do not need to blog every day. You do need to show signs of life. Short, local updates tell Google and AI you are active and trusted.

• Post one or two job highlights per week. Example: “We helped out this customer in Austin TX with a broken AC system. The AC wasn’t cooling so we replaced the capacitor and got it back up and running in no time.” Include photo. Post done.
• Add seasonal tips tied to your region. Example: Winter HVAC checklist for Buffalo homes.
• Update service pages with a new photo or quick FAQ every quarter.
• Keep hours and service areas current on your Google Business Profile.

DIY: snap a photo and dictate two sentences. Done in two minutes.

Why Bother If You Do Not Care About SEO

Because the top 1 game is already live. AI answer boxes sit above the old blue links. If you skip E-A-T, AI has no reason to pick you as the answer, and those calls go to someone else. A little groundwork now keeps you visible as these bots change the rules.

Quick Reality Check

• This is not rocket science. A handy DIYer can knock out the basics.
• You can also hand it to us and get back to work. We set the foundation and keep it fresh.
• Do nothing and the AI results will pass you by.

Bottom Line

You have a business to run and lunch to eat. We will keep it simple. Set up the foundation once, keep light updates going, and you win both SEO and AI visibility with the same effort. If you want to DIY, use the links above as a playbook. If you are slammed and just want the phone to ring, give us a call and we will handle it.

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If you’ve ever felt like you’re paying way too much for services or products (whether it’s a phone line, email, or website) you’re not alone. We hear this all the time from small business owners. It’s hard to know if you’re getting fleeced when it’s difficult to establish what an average price even looks like. So, let’s break down what you should expect to pay for some essential business tools, so you don’t get stuck paying more than you need to.

Disclaimer: We have no affiliation with any of these companies so we’re not getting paid to plug anyone here. This is just our own experiences and opinions formed over the last 20 years of operating in this industry. 

Second Phone Lines: Keep It Simple (and Affordable)

Many business owners are hesitant to use second phone lines or tracking numbers provided by marketing companies, and for good reason. Too often, companies have held these numbers hostage after service cancellation, refusing to release them. This leaves business owners stuck without access to a number they relied on for customers, causing frustration and lost calls.

You have a few options to avoid this problem:

1. Get your own second line and tell the marketer to use that number. This way, you (and only you) have control of it. Just be aware this means the marketer’s reporting won’t work since they won’t have access to the number’s data. It also means your marketer cannot make proactive decisions because they won’t have the data to work with. This is a big downside to this option…

2. Get your own second line, then port that number into your marketing company’s system. This makes it clear the number is your property, but still allows their reporting and other systems to function properly. You can get the new number from dozens of different places, including your cell carrier.

3. Simply recognize (and call out if needed) that having control of your phone number is the law, not an option. The FCC has ruled that if the number rings directly to you, it’s yours to port away whenever you want. Any company disallowing this is likely breaking the law, and you can easily get them in hot water with the federal government. The mere threat of this almost always results in the number going exactly where you want it to go.

At Prospect Genius, we include clear terms of service to protect your right to take your number with you. This isn’t just good business, it’s federal law.

So, where do you turn for this second line, and how much does it cost? Here are a few options to consider:

• Sideline: This app lets you add a second phone number to your existing smartphone. It even supports team access for calls and texts. Expect to pay about $10 a month.
• Google Voice: Free and easy for basic calls and texts on a second line, but not packed with features. Good if you want a budget-friendly option without fancy extras.
• CallTrax: This is what we recommend for clients. It integrates with reporting and has strong spam call blocking. Price? Around $25 a month.
• RingCentral: A big name in VoIP with a slick app and lots of enterprise features, also about $25 a month.

A quick note about second lines included with marketing services:
Many businesses are hesitant to use metered phone numbers provided as part of their marketing packages. They’ve been burned before by companies refusing to release the number after canceling the service. Even though tracking your marketing with a dedicated number is super helpful, losing control of that line can cause real headaches.

At Prospect Genius, we include clear language in our terms of service giving you the right to take your number with you when you leave. This isn’t just good business practice, it’s the law.

Phone Number Portability in the U.S.
We’re not lawyers, and this is not legal advice, but, thanks to FCC regulations, you generally have the right to port (take) your phone number to a new provider if:

• The number is active and rings directly to you.
• The new provider serves the same geographic area (for landlines).
• You initiate the port before terminating your current service.

Exceptions:
Numbers tied to shared systems like business PBX setups or some VoIP services may not be portable. Always check with your provider to be sure.

A company trying to hold onto a number, against your will, isn’t just bad customer service, it’s likely breaking FCC rules and the law. So, always demand control over your phone numbers. Remember, you are legally allowed to port that number away, and you can often port number IN for use with your new marketing project so keep that in mind as well.

Email: Don’t Use companyName@gmail.com Anymore

Still rocking a companyname@gmail.com email? That looks outdated and unprofessional. You can get an email address with your own domain (like bob@bobsplumbing.com) using services like ForwardEmail.net. Plans run from $0 up to $10/mo, but $3/mo is enough for most businesses.

Bonus: You can still use Gmail’s interface, so no need to change your daily routine. Setting it all up takes a small amount of effort, but if it feels beyond your comfort zone, we do offer the EmailMask service to do exactly this.

Google Business Profiles: It’s Yours and It’s Free, But Getting Help Isn’t

First and foremost, your Google Business Profile (GBP) is yours to claim and manage, and setting it up is completely free. Google doesn’t charge anything to create or own your profile on their platform.

That said, it’s totally reasonable for someone to charge you a fee to do the work for you. Think of it like hiring an accountant to do your taxes: filing taxes yourself is free, but if you want expert help, you pay for their time and know-how.

Services like our Google Business Profile Optimization are exactly that. We don’t charge for the GBP itself, but we do charge for our expertise and the time it takes to optimize your profile for better visibility and customer engagement.

If you’re signing up for a service like this, just be clear on what you’re paying for. Unfortunately, there are plenty of scams that try to make you think Google is charging fees directly, but it’s really about paying for the service and expertise, not the profile itself.

Google Ads Management: Transparency Is Key

The prices and structures of Google Ads management services vary widely, and it’s easy to get scammed if you’re not careful. The best practice? Your management company should bill you separately from Google’s ad spend. This way, you know exactly how much goes toward ads and how much goes toward the management fee.

How much should you pay? Usually, 15% to 25% of your ad budget. If you’re spending $500 a month, expect to pay around 25% for management. If your budget looks more like $10,000/mo you should expect to get a rater closer to about 15%-20%.

Website Design: Invest Wisely

Website prices depend on size and features. Small business sites usually cost between $500 and $5,000. Cheaper sites often lack important SEO and content optimization, so if you go cheap, you might pay more later in lost leads.

Think of your website as the foundation of your home. If you build it well, you’ll never have to worry. If you cheap out, you’re going to regret it every time you try to renovate the house above it. Things that should be cheap and easy, suddenly become expensive and difficult, all because you kicked your technical debt down the road.

Domain Registration: Don’t Cheap Out

Domains cost about $10 per year. That’s less than a dollar a month. Some try to save a buck by using cheap registrars but end up paying hundreds later to fix problems.

We like PorkBun for domains, but we avoid companies like GoDaddy, Turbify, 1&1, Tucows, and BlueHost because they either lack critical features, or we’ve had too many issues with them over the years.

Similar to the phone line issue, domain names are something you NEED to make sure you control. You can register them for multiple years at a time, making this a near-zero maintenance issue. On the other hand, when you lose control of it, you are in a world of hurt because getting it back an be time-consuming, expensive, and sometimes even impossible. Don’t let all your years of built-up equity suddenly get flushed down the drain when you need to completely start over with a new domain.

Hosting: Don’t Let Your Website Crawl

There are many hosting options, but opting for cheap, shared hosting can slow your site to a crawl. Slow sites frustrate visitors and hurt your Google rankings.

Especially if you use WordPress, spend a little more on faster hosting. It’ll save you money in the long run because your web designer won’t waste hours waiting on slow load times, and you’ll keep both your site visitors and Google happy.

Bottom Line: Knowing what you should pay can save you serious headaches and money. If you’re unsure or want a hand setting things up, we’re here to help with advice, tools, and services tailored for small businesses.