The Digital Spork

04/09/2026

When did you last look at your Google Business Profile?

I’ve just finished optimising one for a client today, including updating the services, service areas, business description and adding a better mix of project photos.

It reminded me how easy it is to set one up and then pretty much leave it there.

But business can change.

Maybe you offer different services now, work in different areas, or want more of a certain type of work.

Or maybe you’ve got much better photos that actually show what you do.

Have a look at your own profile and see what a potential customer is seeing.

Is the info still right?

Does it show the work you’re actually doing and want more of?

Do you need to add some new photos?

I do try to keep mine updated and add posts, but even writing this has made me think I need to give mine a proper check too.

When did you last look at yours?

Send a message to learn more

23/07/2026

𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀?
Start with these five things.

𝟏. 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞
Add your services, the areas you cover, opening hours and contact details. Keep your photos up to date too.

𝟐. 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞
If everything is squeezed onto one general services page, it’s harder for Google and potential customers to work out exactly what you offer.

𝟑. 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤
Put this on your home page and service pages. “Bookkeeper for tradies in Auckland” tells people way more than “helping businesses thrive.”

𝟒. 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰𝐬
When someone is comparing two similar businesses, recent reviews can help them decide which one to contact.

𝟓. 𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮
Take one question you’re regularly asked and answer it on your website, Google Business Profile or social media.

And don't think you have to do them all in one go. Just start with one this week to help get your business found before your competitors.

16/07/2026

One mistake I see business owners making when they post on socials:

They write a laundry list of what they do, without explaining why any of it matters to the customer.

The content ends up sounding like a boring sales brochure.

For example, Bonnie the Bookkeeper shares:

“Includes monthly reports, bank reconciliation and GST returns.”

Susan, who may well need help with her accounts, thinks, “So what? Another bookkeeping package.”

And keeps scrolling.

But what if Bonnie said:

“Know your accounts are up to date, understand how your business is tracking and avoid a last-minute mad rush when GST is due.”

It’s the same service, but now Susan can see what’s in it for her.

Before you share your next post, look at it through the eyes of your customer:

Have I explained what I offer and why it matters to them?

11/07/2026

Are you an Auckland small business owner looking to grow through stronger connections, support and referrals?

The networking group (TNG) is an established New Zealand-owned business networking organisation, with groups across the North Island.

Members meet fortnightly to build connections, support one another and refer with confidence.

And finally, New Lynn is getting its own TNG group, launching on Wednesday 22 July.

There is one seat per profession, so members can support and refer one another rather than compete for the same work.

The launch is a chance to meet other business owners, experience how a TNG meeting works and see whether the group could be right for you.

We’ve had lots of interest in the launch already, and a few professions in the new group have now been filled.

To register for the launch or ask any questions, feel free to DM me or contact Melanie at TNG: [email protected] or 021 209 3210.

05/07/2026

Want to know one of the easiest ways to lose a lead?

Have a website where people have no idea what you do when they click the link.

You know when someone asks for a recommendation in a local Facebook group?

Someone who knows you tags your business and shares your website. You might even get a few tags.

That’s your golden opportunity.

But if your website doesn’t quickly answer the things people need to know, it’s not doing you any favours.

I secretly love checking this stuff out.

Last night, this exact thing happened. To be honest it’s a daily occurrence.

I clicked on a website link someone had recommended and seriously had to scroll right down the page before I could even work out what the business actually did.

That top section of your homepage is soooo important.

And it’s super frustrating to see it not used properly.

It needs to quickly spell out in plain English:
• What you do
• Who it’s for
• Why someone should trust you
• What they should do next

That’s where your call-to-action button comes in too. Not hidden halfway down the page. Right there and easy to find.

The website I saw last night had some really easy fixes.

And they must be good right, because people were recommending them.

But their website was letting them down.

It’s tough out there, and making your website easy to understand can help you stand out to people who are already looking for what you do.

So, because it’s my birthday month, and yes, I’m one of those people who celebrates for the full month, I thought I’d offer a few free mini homepage checks.

Just a quick look at your homepage and 2–3 things I’d fix first to help people understand what you do and take the next step.

Send me a message, with your website link, if you’d like one.

18/05/2026

Are you a local business owner or professional who wants to build more local connections?

A new TNG business networking group is launching in New Lynn, Auckland on Wednesday 22 July at 7:30am, and I’m helping get the group started.

It’s for business owners and professionals who want to meet other people in business, build strong connections, share referrals, and help each other grow.

TNG is a New Zealand-owned networking group where members meet fortnightly. It’s networking without the pushy sales tactics, with a focus on word-of-mouth referrals, real relationships, and local connections.

There is one seat per profession, so if you think New Lynn could be right for you, we’d love to hear from you.

Send me a DM or email me at [email protected] if you’d like to know more or visit the launch meeting.

You can also contact Melanie at TNG on [email protected] or 021 209 3210.

12/05/2026

Charlotte is already over winter in New Zealand and it hasn’t even arrived yet.

So she does what a lot of us do now. She opens ChatGPT.

She’s thinking about a holiday in Rarotonga and has a pretty clear idea of what she wants.

So she asks something like:

“We’re a family of four planning a holiday to Rarotonga in July. We want somewhere with a pool, good Wi-Fi, two bedrooms, close to the beach, with good snorkelling nearby and places to eat that will work for the kids. What are the best areas to stay, and what accommodation should we look at?”

And within seconds, she has ideas, areas to compare, questions to ask, and places to check next.

Not the whole decision made for her, because let’s not pretend anyone books a family holiday without checking 47 other things first.

But it gives her a starting point.

So why does that matter for your business?

Because people, Google and AI tools all need clear information to understand what your business does.

If your website is vague, your Google Business Profile is out of date, or your services are unclear, people have to work harder to decide whether you’re the right fit.

Same goes if your reviews don’t mention what you actually helped with.

It doesn’t mean you need to panic about AI or rewrite everything overnight.

But it does mean your website, Google profile, reviews and content need to be clear, current and useful.

If someone looked you up today, would they have enough to help them choose you?

Send a message to learn more

08/05/2026

Being busy is great. Until things go quiet.

When you’re flat out, your focus is on client work. That makes sense. But that’s usually when your own stuff starts slipping.

Website sits there, Google Business Profile gets out of date, and posting becomes a bit random.

At the time, it’s not an issue.

But people are still checking you out. After a referral or from a networking event a while back, just trying to work out what you do.

If it’s not clear, yep, they move on.

That’s when things start to drop off.

If you’re not sure what’s working, what’s not, and what needs attention first, my Marketing Check-In will help you figure that out.

Not sure what’s working in your marketing? This free check-in helps you spot what needs attention so you know where to focus next.

28/04/2026

I totally get why your own marketing gets pushed to the bottom of the list.

Client work has to be the priority, right?

Then there are invoices to send, quotes to follow up, emails to reply to, and all the other “stuff” that comes with running a business.

By the time you get to your own marketing, you’re trying to decide whether to update the website, post on LinkedIn, sort Google Business Profile, send an email, rewrite the offer, or try whatever everyone is suddenly talking about.

No wonder it all becomes too much.

Most business owners I talk to are doing bits and pieces when they can.
Randomly posting, tweaking their website, running an ad, starting something in Canva, or using ChatGPT but still feeling like the draft doesn’t sound quite right.

It’s obvious there’s work to be done, but the hard part is knowing what to look at first.

Is your website unclear or your Google Business Profile out of date?

Is your offer too vague, or too full-on and hard to understand?

Does your content match what you actually do?

Is the next step obvious enough?

It’s unlikely you need a complicated plan.

You probably just need a clearer view of what’s working, what’s getting in the way, and what to sort first.

That’s why I created the Marketing Check-In.

It’s a simple way to look at the marketing you’re already doing and spot what might need your attention first.

You can grab it here:

Not sure what’s working in your marketing? This free check-in helps you spot what needs attention so you know where to focus next.

12/04/2026

Ever feel like you’re on a roller coaster and want to get off?

As a business owner, I’ve definitely had moments like that too, and I actually hate roller coasters. I turn green just looking at them.

There’s so much advice out there about what you should be doing.

• Post more
• Do video
• Fix your website
• Sort your SEO
• Update LinkedIn
• Start posting on Threads
• Use Google Business Profile
• Start an email list
• Show up on Instagram
• Be active in Facebook groups
• Go networking
• Run a webinar or masterclass
• Create a lead magnet

And that’s only some of what we’re told we should be doing.

At some point, more advice stops being helpful because there is just too much of it and not enough direction around what to focus on first.

That’s when it can start to feel like a roller coaster. You’re up, down, all over the place, trying different things, then ending up back where you started.

Or you avoid it altogether because it feels too big.

Maybe the answer isn’t doing more. It’s figuring out what actually needs your attention right now.