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3 Questions To Ask When Reviewing A Blog Post

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 12:00:08 GMT

When you sign up for our managed digital marketing you signup with a number of blog posts that you will receive from us. Theses posts come in a draft form from us and we ask that you review each post. This post is here to help you to do just that. Here I answer the question “So what do you want me to do with this post?”.

Why are blog posts important for your business?

We make a big deal around blog posts because that’s the best way to keep your website updated. Search engines like, Google, want the most relevant answer to their users search queries. The best way to answer these queries are through blog posts about the topic directly. When we have sent you a post to review we have looked at the data and determined that the topic is something people are searching for and that they care about.

How to review a blog post from Wellspring

When you get a draft blog post from us at Wellspring we want to answer the search query we have determined for that post accurately and provide the most value that we can. Here are the three questions you should ask when reviewing a blog post from us.

Does this post use the voice we want to use for our business?

Your business has a unique personality - maybe you're the friendly expert, the no-nonsense problem solver, or the compassionate guide. Every blog post on your website should sound like YOU. When customers read your content, they're getting to know your business before they ever pick up the phone. If a blog post sounds too corporate when you're actually down-to-earth, or too casual when you run a professional firm, it creates a disconnect.

By reviewing the voice of each post, you ensure customers who find you through Google will meet the same business personality they'll experience when working with you. This builds trust and attracts the right kind of clients - the ones who appreciate your approach.

Is the content accurate?

You're the expert in your business, not us. While we research thoroughly, you know the ins and outs of your industry, your specific services, and your local market. Maybe we've written that a process takes two weeks, but you know it typically takes three. Perhaps we've mentioned an industry standard that your business actually does differently - and better.

These details matter because incorrect information damages credibility. When potential customers fact-check your content or try to hold you to something stated in a blog, accuracy protects your reputation. Your review catches these crucial details and ensures every post reinforces your expertise rather than undermining it.

Are there consideration that should be noted or avoided?

Every business has its unique situations - maybe you don't serve certain areas, you've discontinued a specific service, or there's a common misconception you're tired of addressing. Perhaps certain terminology might confuse your customers or attract the wrong type of inquiries. You might have legal considerations, industry regulations, or competitive reasons to approach topics carefully.

By flagging these considerations, you prevent headaches down the road. This question helps you spot potential problems before they're published, ensuring your blog posts work FOR your business, not against it. Think of it as quality control that saves you from awkward conversations or lost opportunities later.

Your review is important to this process

You are important to this process of review because when you get your hands into the content, the content becomes more like you. The idea with blog posts is to answer the questions your customers have before they even come to you. We want your potential customers to feel like they already know you and when they come to you for the sale, the sale is already made.

Your customers are already searching for you

You might not be a Wellspring customer. Right now, your potential customers are typing questions into Google about the exact services you provide. Without a strong blog presence, they're finding your competitors instead. Our managed marketing services include professionally written blog posts that capture these searches and turn curious browsers into informed buyers who already trust your expertise. When they finally reach out, they're not comparing prices - they're ready to work with the business that's already answered their questions.

Why Your Business Website Should Use Google Tag Manager

darrin.deal@icloud.com (Darrin Deal) — Tue, 13 May 2025 18:03:08 GMT

Running a small business means making every marketing dollar count. Tracking performance, understanding user behavior, and making data-driven decisions help you grow smart. But setting up and managing website tracking can feel technical and time-consuming.

That’s where Google Tag Manager (GTM) comes in.

GTM is a powerful yet accessible tool that helps you control website tracking without needing to edit code or rely on a developer for every change.

This article explains what GTM is, why it matters, and how you can start using it to improve your website and marketing.

What Is Google Tag Manager?

Google Tag Manager is a free tag management system. It lets you add, edit, and manage tracking codes (called "tags") on your website from a single dashboard.

Tags are small code snippets that send data to tools like Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook Pixel, Hotjar, and more. They help you track:

Form submissions
Button clicks
Page views
E-commerce purchases
Scroll depth
Video views

Instead of placing these tags manually in your website’s code, you use GTM to manage them through an interface.

GTM has three main components:

Tags : The actual tracking codes you want to fire.
Triggers : Define when and where a tag should fire.
Variables : Hold information your tags and triggers might need (like a click URL or form ID).

This system gives you full control over your tracking without relying on a developer for every update.

Why You Should Use Google Tag Manager

GTM simplifies the process of managing tags, but it does much more than that. Here’s how it helps small business owners like you.

1. Manage Tags Without a Developer

In the past, adding a new tag meant editing the site’s code or asking your developer. With GTM, you do it yourself.

You can:

Add new marketing or analytics tags
Update existing tags for new campaigns
Remove old or broken tags

This control saves you time and lets you respond faster to marketing needs.

2. Launch Tags Faster

Speed matters in marketing. GTM lets you roll out new tags quickly.

Let’s say you want to run a Facebook ad retargeting campaign. You can install the Facebook Pixel yourself in minutes.

You don’t have to:

Wait for your developer to add the code
Schedule changes during off-hours
Worry about code-breaking bugs

It’s all handled through your GTM dashboard.

3. Improve Website Performance

Many sites get bogged down by multiple tracking scripts. GTM solves this.

It loads tags asynchronously. This means they don’t block other parts of your website from loading.

As a result:

Pages load faster
User experience improves
SEO rankings benefit from better performance

Google considers page speed a ranking factor, so this directly helps your visibility in search results.

4. Get Consistent, Reliable Data

Data consistency matters. If your tracking setup is messy, you may get:

Duplicate events
Missed conversions
Inaccurate traffic reports

With GTM, you create a clean, organized tagging system. Every tag fires exactly when it should. No guesswork.

For example, if you're tracking button clicks, you can set one trigger that fires a tag every time someone clicks your "Buy Now" button. You won't miss data, and you won't double-count.

5. Test Tags Before Publishing

Mistakes happen, but GTM helps you catch them early.

Before publishing a change, use the built-in Preview and Debug mode. You see:

What tags fire
When they fire
Which triggers and variables are used

If something doesn’t work, you fix it before it affects your live site.

GTM also includes version control. Every time you publish changes, GTM saves a version. If something goes wrong, you roll back with one click.

6. Control Access Easily

GTM lets you manage access levels across your team.

For example:

Marketers can add and edit tags
Developers can assist with custom code
Admins control permissions and publishing rights

This makes collaboration smoother and more secure.

You avoid the common bottleneck of having only one person who can make updates.

7. Scale With Your Business

As your business grows, so do your marketing and tracking needs. GTM grows with you.

You can:

Add new tools like Hotjar, LinkedIn Insights, or TikTok Pixel
Create complex triggers and custom events
Track user journeys across your site

You don’t need to rebuild your tracking setup every time. You adapt and expand without changing your website’s core code.

Real-World Use Cases for Small Businesses

Here are some practical ways small businesses use GTM:

1. Track Form Submissions

You want to know when someone fills out your contact form.

Set a trigger for a form submission event and fire a Google Analytics tag. Now you see these actions as conversions.

2. Monitor Button Clicks

Want to know how many users click your "Call Now" or "Sign Up" buttons?

Set up click triggers for specific button classes or IDs. Use tags to send the data to Google Analytics or Facebook.

3. Run Remarketing Ads

Install the Facebook Pixel or Google Ads remarketing tag with GTM.

Track visits to your product pages. Retarget visitors who didn’t convert.

4. Track E-commerce Events

If you run an online store, GTM helps you track:

Product views
Add to cart actions
Checkout steps
Completed purchases

This data improves your ad targeting and lets you optimize your sales funnel.

5. Track Scroll Depth or Video Engagement

Use built-in GTM triggers to see how far people scroll on a page or if they watch embedded videos.

This helps you understand content engagement and refine your site layout.

How To Get Started with Google Tag Manager

Ready to try GTM? Follow these steps:

Step 1: Create an Account

Go to tagmanager.google.com and create a free account.

You’ll set up a container for your website.

Step 2: Add GTM Code to Your Website

GTM provides two code snippets. Add them to your site’s header and body.

If you have no clue what that means, reach out! We would love to help you get going.

Step 3: Set Up Your First Tag

Example: Fire a Google Analytics 4 tag when someone views any page.

Create a new tag
Choose "Google Analytics: GA4 Configuration"
Enter your Measurement ID
Set the trigger to "All Pages"
Save and publish

You’re now tracking page views with GA4 through GTM.

Step 4: Test Everything

Use the Preview mode before publishing.

Check that your tags fire correctly. Make adjustments as needed.

Best Practices for Using Google Tag Manager

Follow these tips to get the most from GTM:

Name tags, triggers, and variables clearly (e.g., "GA4 - Form Submit")
Use folders to stay organized
Limit custom JavaScript unless necessary
Document changes and tag setups
Regularly audit your container for outdated or broken tags

Staying organized keeps your setup clean and avoids mistakes.

Final Thoughts

Google Tag Manager gives you control over your website tracking.

You save time, avoid technical barriers, and get accurate data to guide your marketing.

If you’re a small business owner looking to track performance and improve results, GTM is worth using.

It’s free, flexible, and built for teams that need to move fast.

Need help setting it up? Our team can walk you through every step and tailor your GTM configuration to match your business goals. Schedule a consultation with us to get started.

What is SEO? A Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization

darrin.deal@icloud.com (Darrin Deal) — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 17:02:39 GMT

Having a website isn’t enough to ensure your business gets noticed online. With millions of websites competing for attention, how do you stand out? The answer lies in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) - the art and science of improving your website’s visibility on search engines like Google, Bing, and, in 2025, ChatGPT.

Understanding SEO

SEO is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). When users search for products, services, or information, search engines use complex algorithms to determine which websites provide the most relevant and valuable content. By implementing effective SEO strategies, businesses can improve their search rankings, drive organic traffic, and increase online visibility.

How Does SEO Work?

Search engines like Google use crawlers (also known as bots or spiders) to scan and index web pages. They evaluate various factors, including keywords, content quality, website structure, and backlinks, to determine rankings. Here are the core components of managing SEO:

1. On-Page SEO

This involves optimizing individual pages on your website to improve rankings and user experience. Key aspects include:

Keyword Optimization – Using relevant keywords in titles, headings, and content.
Content Quality – Creating valuable, informative, and engaging content.
Meta Tags – Writing compelling meta titles and descriptions.
Internal Linking – Connecting related pages within your website.
URL Structure – Keeping URLs clean and keyword-rich.

2. Off-Page SEO

This refers to actions taken outside of your website to improve its credibility and authority. Major off-page factors include:

Backlinks – Gaining high-quality links from other reputable websites.
Social Signals – Engagement on social media platforms can enhance visibility.
Brand Mentions – Being cited on authoritative sites helps boost rankings.

3. Technical SEO

This focuses on the backend of your website to ensure it’s optimized for search engine crawlers and users:

Site Speed – Fast-loading pages improve rankings and user experience.
Mobile-Friendliness – Google prioritizes mobile-optimized websites.
Secure Website (HTTPS) – Security plays a role in ranking.
XML Sitemap – Helps search engines index pages efficiently.
Structured Data – Enhances search results with rich snippets.

Why is SEO Important for Your Business?

Investing in SEO can provide long-term benefits for your business. At the end of the day the efforts of successful SEO draws in new business. Beyond that SEO provides a better user experience and a competitive advantage in may industries.

How Long Does SEO Take to Work?

SEO is a long-term strategy, and results don’t happen overnight. Depending on competition and effort, it can take several weeks to months to see significant improvements. Consistently updating content, optimizing performance, and building links are crucial for sustained success.

Get Started with SEO Today!

SEO is an essential tool for businesses looking to thrive online. If you want to improve your search rankings and drive more traffic to your website, Wellspring can help . We specialize in optimizing websites for search engines and delivering measurable results. Contact us today to get started on your SEO strategy!

Ready to grow your online presence? Request a free discovery call from Wellspring today!

What Are the Four Types of Online Content?

darrin.deal@icloud.com (Darrin Deal) — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 12:00:04 GMT

When building your online presence, it is important to think about the content you will post online. Content is the currency of the web, and every business must become a content producer to gain the results the information age provides. There are four types of content that we help businesses with at Wellspring: owned, rented, paid, and earned. These broad categories help us keep in context how the content should be created to be effective.

Owned

Owned content is content that you control. This means that you own everything about it from the narrative that you tell to the platform that content is distributed on. This is ultimately where we want users to end up.

An example of owned content would be your website and the connected blog. We recommend that every business have a blog set up for their business. This helps keep your website updated and relevant for your given industry.

All the other types of content should point to the owned content because there you control the flow. You can guide your users to where you want them to go, hopefully to inspire them to take action and engage with you and your business.

Rented

Rented content refers to the platform on which you post content. The place you see this now is social media. Here you have control over the flow users take to an extent. This is not the place to sell, per se, but rather build awareness.

Share moments in your business or tips that can help the user for free. The idea here is that you would have small impressions on your potential customers so that when they are ready to buy, they think of your business.

Paid

Paid content refers to ads that you purchase on online platforms. This would include Meta or LinkedIn ads. Ads can help grow your business more quickly because there is a speed to the number of impressions that you get. The ad platform puts your creative in front of your defined audience.

Rented and Paid go hand in hand. One of our favorite strategies is to create a rented piece of content, and if it does well, we can then boost that post or a version as a paid ad. You already know that the content resonates. Now we just get that content in front of as many people as we can.

Earned

Earned content is the holy grail, but you should expect to focus on the others. Earned content is where someone else creates content that mentions you. You now have all the impressions without having to create the content.

You will most likely see this with blog posts. Your blog post could be used as a reference in another blog’s content. You get the benefit of their SEO efforts without having to put in the energy.

Conclusion

Now that you know the broad types of content, you can tailor your creative to the specific type. I recommend focusing on the owned, rented, and paid content, as those are predictable, unlike the earned content. If you need help with your content strategy, we would love to have a conversation on how you can boost any of these content types. Click here to contact us. We would love to talk with you about your situation.

5 Things Your Small Business Website Must Have

darrin.deal@icloud.com (Darrin Deal) — Sat, 20 Jul 2024 17:24:59 GMT

If your small business website doesn't have these things you are absolutely missing out on customers.

Your website is the one place that you actually own on the internet. What you put on your small business website matters. It could mean if you land the customer or not. That is a big deal! You didn't get into business to not have customers. That would mean you would be on the road to end of your business and I don't want that for your business. Making sure that you have the right content on your small business website is important. Wellspring is here to help you with that.

In this post we are giving you 5 things that your small business website must have. This not an exclusive list of what your website needs but these are important so that your website can do its job. Meaning that your website is educating and selling your services or products well. Let's dive in.

1. Share What You Do At The Top Of Your Homepage Above The Fold

This is what most small business miss on their website. They put one of two things in this spot. They will either put a fluffy phrase that doesn't describe what they do or they will but their business name. Both of those are not helpful when you have 50 milliseconds to to capture your users attention. That is not a lot of time to help them.

Stating what you do at the top of your sites homepage helps the user to decide if they have found what they want. An example of a statement that shows this would be the following.

"Let Us Build Your Dream Home"

This example could be for a home builder that specializes in custom homes. Notice that it states what they do, build homes, in an a glanceable statement. It also puts an image in the users mind that you can build the home that they have been dreaming about for years.

Stating what you do is the most important converting factor. You can add a cherry on top by creating an image the user can grab a hold of.

2. A Homepage That Is More About Your Customer than You

How much does your website talk about your business? Does it say how many years you have been in service? Does it tell your history? If yes let's think about changing that. If your website is more about you than your potential customer you have a resume more than a sales tool.

What do Star Wars and Bluey have in common? They tell compelling stories! They follow a path called a story arch. The story arch simplified goes like this. Someone, think Luke Skywalker or Bluey, has a problem that needs solving. On their journey to solve this problem they find a guide, think Obi-Wan or Chilli, that helps them along the way. They help them solve the problem and the person, or dog, is better off at the end. Look at all the Marvel movies they follow this pattern.

You should follow this pattern on your website homepage and all pages for that matter. You are also not who the story is about. On your website you are the guide helping your potential customers. You are the one that helps solve the problem or makes them better.

3. Calls To Action, Everywhere

What would happen to your business if you never gave a potential customer the way to take the next steps with you? It would fade away. You have to point your potential customers to take the next step with you. The way to do that is to add calls to action on your site, like everywhere.

When we build websites we don't hold back on the calls to action for our clients. Each section of a page on their site will 9 time out of 10 have a call to action. That might be asking them to take the next step in working with us. It could also be as simple as asking theme to learn more about a product offering.

Most of the time we will ask our clients user to take the next step with them and we have seen the results. Ask your potential customer to take the next step with your business and see what can happen by asking them.

4. Proof You Can Do What You Claim You Can Do

The internet is a wild place. You can put almost anything you want online regardless of the validity. You want to take steps to ease the fears that you are not legit to your potential customers. The best way that you can do that is to provide proof of what you do. This alone alleviates anxiety in your sites users.

To provide this proof there are many ways. You could write case studies about your projects, with your customers consent. These case studies could tell the story of the project, following the story arch from earlier. You could have videos walking through a project. You could do something as easy as creating a photos page.

Show your potential customer that you can do what you say you can do.

5. Simple Navigation

The navigation is on all if not most of your sites pages. If it is confusing or not organized you will lose users. Keeping your navigation simple helps users get to where they want quicker. That means they stay on your site longer and proves that you are educating. Educating your users brings them one step closer to taking the next step in working with you.

If your website has confusing navigation here are a few guidelines that we like to follow.

No more than 6 top level links
With the limited number of pages or folders it is easy for your user to navigate at a glance.
Use folders when needed but limit yourself to 1 level deep
If you need more than the first level pause and make sure you need that second or even third level.
Order the navigation in order of priority
Don't put your about page first. Your site is about your customer and not you.

Where to Go Next?

These five things are essential to having a converting website. If your website is not meeting these standards contact us. We would love to help your website earn you more business. Click here to start a conversation about your website.

Are hidden web pages a good strategy for SEO?

darrin.deal@icloud.com (Darrin Deal) — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 17:13:52 GMT

You are going to find differing opinions on this topic of hidden pages. Some say it's no good for search engine optimization , while others say it's a great technique. How confusing! I want to throw my hat in the ring and share why we are fans of hidden pages for SEO.

You may think of trying to trick Google or a black hat technique called "cloaking" when you read the phrase "hidden pages." We are not talking about either. We are talking about hidden pages that you may use for internal linking or to answer a specific search query. The goal is to help searchers find the answers that they are looking for. Take, for example, a roofing company.

Roofing Example

This roofing company services both residential and commercial properties. They also cover four cities. For their website, they could create a main residential page and the same for commercial. This is content that pertains to all potential clients. This is where they can supercharge their website. This is where hidden pages come in.

They now have two pages that offer content that pertains to all, but now they could create residential and commercial pages for each city. These pages have content geared towards the specific city. I would optimize it for keywords like "<city> roofing" or "roofing contractors near <city>." This is where you can dial it in for a specific keyword, then track the queries made for those specific pages and their impressions/clicks.

Used in Internal Links

These pages make great for internal linking. Internal links are important to create a web that the search bots can crawl through your website. Another good example of this would be businesses that are cross-industry. If you have created a hidden page for each industry that you serve, you can use that for internal linking. The idea that comes to mind is in blog posts.

In your blog posts, you might mention a specific industry. When you state the specific industry in the post you can add a link to the hidden page, adding one more strand to the web you are building on your website.

Do hidden pages benefit SEO? In my opinion, yes. That is as long as they answer a specific question and if you are trying to help users find the answers they are looking for.

I would love to have a conversation about your search engine optimization strategy and how hidden pages could help you boost your search engine ranking.