U7 Solutions

05/27/2026

Here’s to Eric and two years of making U7 better from the inside out.

Eric has become a key part of how U7 operates, improves, and grows. As Head of Digital Operations, he brings a rare mix of technical depth, calm leadership, and practical problem-solving to the team.

Eric is the kind of person who can move comfortably between strategy, systems, process, and complex technical challenges, keeping things clear even when the work gets complicated. He’s always looking for better ways to organize, improve, and scale how we deliver, while staying steady, thoughtful, and solution-focused along the way.

His workday essentials say a lot about him: a lunchtime run when possible, an afternoon smoothie, a strong appreciation for the Terminal/CLI, and one very practical rule worth respecting: don’t push to prod on Fridays. Add in a talent for turning leftovers into completely different second meals, a love of history books, and a past life as the drummer in an 8-piece ska band, and you get a pretty good picture of Eric.

“Eric is loyal, dependable, responsible, and always looking to learn, grow, and improve. He’s made U7 his home and has our success connected to his own.” – Jayson

“One of the things I value most about working with Eric is his ability to stay calm, focused, and solution oriented no matter the challenge. He leads with both efficiency and empathy, which makes a real impact across the team.” – Chirag

“Eric is the kind of person who can walk into a complex operational issue, bring the right people together, keep communication clear and calm, and somehow still sneak in a perfectly timed engineering joke while solving the problem.” – John

Thanks for everything you’ve brought to U7 these past two years, Eric. We’re lucky to have you on the team and excited for what’s ahead.

05/18/2026

Is it easy to prioritize content shoots? Nope.
Is it worth it? Absolutely 💯

There are probably a dozen reasons why your team can’t create fresh, original photos and videos for social media. Here are even more reasons why you can, should, and absolutely need to do it anyway:

📸 Content shoots cost less than you think

1. You don’t need 10 people to pull off a shoot. 3 – 5 people is plenty.

2. You don’t need professional gear – a decent phone camera and natural light will do the trick!

3. You don’t need to rent a fancy location. Keep the set real and authentic (and free).

📸 Content shoots are efficient

4. With a tight shoot plan, you can capture months of content in just a few hours.

5. Batch shooting + batch editing takes a fraction of the time it would take to shoot and edit each video individually.

6. Teams can rotate roles (actor, director, grip, videographer, etc.) to share workload and keep energy high.

📸 Trends = unlocked

8. You can jump in on the best trends for showcasing company culture.

9. You can jump in on the best trends that require 2 or more people.

10. Shooting b-roll footage makes it easy to move quickly on trending audio - just add video titles, write a caption and your reel is ready.

📸 Benefits beyond the content

11. Whether your team is in-office or remote, shoots are an opportunity to connect on another level.

12. The creativity boost that comes with breaking from the usual routine can spill over into everyone’s usual roles and responsibilities.

13. It’s just plain fun!

Still not convinced? Check out on Instagram to see for yourself 😉

05/11/2026

Your website should be closing clients while you sleep.

If someone visits your site ready to hire you and hits a contact form, a few back-and-forth emails, and a two-day wait, they've probably moved on. Not because they weren't interested. Because the friction got in the way.

Here are the questions worth asking right now:

1️⃣ Can someone book a call without a single email exchange?

2️⃣ Is your contact form asking for more than it actually needs?

3️⃣ Does your homepage tell your ideal visitor exactly what to do next?

4️⃣ When someone clicks your ad, do they land on a page that matches the promise, or just your generic homepage?

We recently set up a direct booking tool called Amelia for a client. Now clients book a walkthrough directly on the site, and all the details land straight in the owner’s calendar. In his words: "I love the system. I like that it gives all of the client's information so I can just add them to my phone right away."

Fewer steps, less back-and-forth, more booked jobs.

If you're not sure where your site might be losing people, we can help you figure it out. Drop us a message or book a call directly here: https://calendar.app.google/jNuZXKEPEC5qftxj6

05/07/2026

You’ve worked hard to earn your place in the organic search results on Google, so why aren’t you showing up in the AI answers when people ask where to donate, find services, or get help?

The good news is that your SEO work still has value.
The bad news is that SEO is no longer a complete search strategy.

Here’s what you need to know about the new search trifecta: SEO, AEO & GEO

1. SEO - Search Engine Optimization: This is still the foundation; keep doing what you’re doing.

• Build topical authority through program pages, impact stories, and service guides.

• Optimize technical SEO factors such as site security, schema markup, titles and meta descriptions.

• Own the high-conversion queries: "best [service] for [need] in [location]".

2. AEO - Answer Engine Optimization: Show up in search engine tools like Google AI Overviews, Bing Generative Search and Alexa+.

AEO is about providing clear, specific answers that AI models can easily extract.

• Answer the questions your community is actually asking.
• Put a clear answer to the main question at the top and structure content in AI-friendly formats like bullet points, numbered lists, question headings, and FAQs.
• Check that your site is not blocking AI bots, optimize for speed, and use structured data (schemas) to make answers easy to identify.

3. GEO - Generative Engine Optimization: Get cited by AI agents such as Claude and ChatGPT.

GEO is about building a strong online presence on trusted platforms, ensuring your business or cause is referenced by AI models.

• Establish your presence on authoritative platforms like Google Business Profile, local government directories, and industry-specific sites.
• Create clear content with relevant keywords that AI can easily reference.
• Earn mentions through third-party websites that AI models trust for citations.

The Impact of AEO and GEO on Search Engine Optimization in 2026

1. Top rankings in organic search results no longer guarantee top visibility
The first organic result often appears below the fold, pushed down by ads, AI Overviews, featured snippets, or local packs. The "10 blue links" are dwindling, with some queries showing only six to eight results on page one.

2. Clicks and scroll depth are declining
Users find immediate answers in the top third of the page, and motivation to scroll has dropped. Recent stats show about 70% of users never scroll past an AI overview and 60% of searches are “zero-click”, meaning the search ends without a site click.

3. Search engines are losing market share to AI
AI understands natural language, interprets context, and manages constraints, so more people choose AI tools for complex, personalized queries.

The Good News

SEO still brings traffic and AI-generated results are not as elusive as they may seem. With the right strategy, you can show up in traditional organic search, AI summaries, zero-click searches, ChatGPT citations, Claude recommendations – anywhere your audience is searching for answers.

05/07/2026

So cool to see our very own Sara Gill l on the latest episode of E-coffee with Experts!

Check out the full podcast to hear Sara’s insights on what she knows best: marketing strategy, analytics, attribution, AI search, and why testing your assumptions is still one of the smartest things a marketing team can do.

Big thanks to E-coffee with Experts and host Ranmay Rath for the invite!

2 likes. "AI Search Is Changing Marketing Attribution Forever"

05/04/2026

Some of the team behind the work (Ottawa crew).

Most of our work happens remotely, so moments like this don’t happen often.

From left to right:
• Eric Murrell — Head of Operations, keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes
• David Folkerson — Digital Strategist focused on turning ideas into campaigns that actually perform
• Maddie Gagné — Principal Designer, bringing ideas to life through design
• Jayson Peltzer— Founder & CEO, guiding the big-picture thinking behind what we do
• Sara Gill — Head of Marketing, leading strategy, analytics, and performance

A reminder that behind every project is a team making it happen.

04/29/2026

As a long-term partner, we've helped Function Physiotherapy owner Brad Lafortune get more from his marketing budget, not by spending more, but by spending smarter.

On a budget-friendly monthly plan, we gradually improved every page of his website – refining the design, strengthening the content, and building out SEO – without a costly full redesign. We also manage and continuously optimize his Google Ads, adjusting strategy month after month to drive qualified, local leads.

The result? Steady growth, better online visibility, and a marketing investment that actually works as hard as Brad does.

As he puts it... totally worth it. 🙌

04/13/2026

Strong development work often goes unnoticed when everything goes smoothly.

Our developer Greg Slonina recently helped bring the new homepage for hyperionelectrical.com to life and did a fantastic job capturing the design mockups down to the smallest details.

Greg has been part of the U7 team for over a year, helping both our marketing and web teams smoothly deliver a wide variety of projects. Originally from Vancouver, Greg is currently living in Mexico City, and all of us Canadians are extremely jealous of his warm weather ☀️

04/09/2026

🎉 Happy 6th Work Anniversary, Guido! 🎉

It’s been great having Guido on the team. He brings a calm, solution-focused mindset to his work and has a way of catching things early, often before they turn into bigger issues. When something needs attention, he steps in and takes care of it.

Over the years, we’ve seen him grow and take on more responsibility, and that consistency has made a real difference across projects. He cares about doing things properly and keeping everything running smoothly, and it shows!

"I’ve had the pleasure of working with Guido for the past 2.5 years, and he has always been someone the team can rely on. It’s been great working with him, and I truly appreciate the knowledge and support he brings to the team." – Anthiya

“As a developer and webmaster, he brings curiosity, initiative, and steady professionalism to everything he touches. He’s proactive, friendly, and always eager to learn, explore, and improve the work around him.” – John

Guido, we truly appreciate the work you do and the role you play at U7. Happy anniversary!

04/06/2026

A new website is on the way for St. Patrick's Home of Ottawa Foundation.

We’ve been working with their team to redesign the site so it better reflects the incredible work happening at St. Patrick’s Home and the impact the foundation has on the lives of residents.

The goal is a website that feels as welcoming and supportive as the community it represents. Think clearer navigation, stronger storytelling, and a modern design that makes it easier for donors and families to understand how their support makes a difference.

The new site is still being designed, but we’re excited to share a small glimpse of the work in progress. More to come!

04/02/2026

When Brendan Shoniker launched Rosho Demolition, he needed a brand identity that would reflect the company’s story and heritage. The final logo thoughtfully incorporates an Indigenous medicine wheel, connecting Rosho’s roots to a strong, modern presence in the demolition industry. A brand built with intention, ready to stand out on every site and every proposal.