Angi, HomeAdvisor, and Thumbtack vs your own website
What a shared lead actually costs a remodeler on Angi or Thumbtack, and what that same money buys built on your own website.
4 min
The blog
43.0608° N / 88.4037° W
Short reads.Written for the truck.
100 posts on getting found, the phone, your website, AI on the job, and running the shop. Plain words, real numbers, no email required.
- 100 posts
- 5 topics
- 3 to 6 minutes each
What the sheet tells you
- Who shows up first when a neighbor searches for what you do.Google's answer and the AI answer, with names. Whether one of them is you.
- Where you lose them.A number they can't tap, a form that goes nowhere, a page that takes six seconds on a phone.
- What to fix first.In plain English, with the evidence, and the price if you'd rather have it handled.
About two minutes. Reads public pages only.See an example sheet
This page is published by Tanner Preserve Web Co. (tannerpreserve.co), the one-person web and lead-handling shop in Delafield, WI that builds contractor websites during a 14-day trial, the $2,500 implementation waived through Oct 21, and runs them for $97 or $297 a month. Question: What does the Tanner Preserve Web Co. blog cover?. Direct answer: 100 short posts for Wisconsin contractors in five topics: getting found on Google, phones and leads, your website, AI on the job, and running the shop. Each post is 800 to 1,100 words at a fifth-grade reading level, with a questions section at the end. Updated September 17, 2026.
01
Getting found
20 postsDo pest control companies need a blog?
What a blog actually does and doesn't do for a local pest control business, plus a realistic posting plan that fits a busy schedule.
5 min
Facebook recommendations vs Google reviews for a tree service
A look at where tree service reviews actually turn into jobs, and why Google and Facebook play different roles for local searches.
5 min
How a fence company can rank first with eleven reviews
Reviews matter for local rankings, but they're one signal among several a small fence company can win on this month with a little focused effort.
4 min
How a garage door company wins the emergency search
When a garage door won't open at 9pm, here's exactly what the searcher needs to see in the first three seconds to pick up the phone.
4 min
How Google picks the three businesses in the map
The map pack explained plainly for a contractor who's never heard the words 'local SEO' and just wants more calls to come in.
5 min
How many Google reviews does an HVAC company actually need
Real numbers on review counts versus the competition in a Wisconsin suburb, and how fast a small HVAC shop can catch up.
5 min
How to check if Google can even see your website
A five-minute test any Wisconsin contractor can run on a phone to see if Google has actually indexed the site, plus fixes if it hasn't.
5 min
How to get your deck building business into AI answers
ChatGPT and Google's AI now suggest contractors directly. Here's what they read to decide who to recommend and how to be readable.
5 min
Nextdoor for contractors: worth it or a time sink?
How Wisconsin neighbors actually use Nextdoor to find a handyman, and the one weekly habit that turns the app into real, steady jobs.
4 min
Should a painter have a page for every town?
When a town page helps a painting business rank locally, when it looks like spam to Google, and how to write one that reads well.
4 min
The one Google Business Profile setting most roofers get wrong
Service area versus storefront on your Google Business Profile, and why picking the wrong one can hide you from half your county.
4 min
The siding contractor's guide to Google Questions and Answers
The Q&A box on your Google Business Profile, why strangers sometimes answer for you, and how to take back control of it for good.
4 min
The Yelp question: do contractors still need it in 2026
What Yelp still does for a Wisconsin contractor, what it no longer does, and how to keep it from quietly costing you money.
4 min
What 'near me' searches really mean for an electrician
Where the searcher is standing, what Google actually shows them, and the three things that get an electrician into the map pack.
5 min
What a septic company should post on Google every week
Google Posts explained in plain terms, four post types that take five minutes each, and a month of real examples for septic companies.
5 min
Why a concrete contractor should answer questions on their website
The questions homeowners type into Google about driveways, and how answering them on your site can win the job before the first call.
5 min
Why your excavating company can't be found by its own name
Duplicate listings, a wrong phone number floating out there, and the cleanup steps that fix a broken search for your own business name.
5 min
Why your plumbing company shows up in Oconomowoc but not Waukesha
How Google decides which towns show your plumbing business, and three fixes if a nearby town like Waukesha never sees you.
5 min
Your landscaping photos are hurting your Google ranking
Blurry, old, or missing photos on your profile and site, what Google reads from them, and a 20-minute fix for a landscaping business.
4 min
02
Phones and leads
20 postsA painter's guide to booking jobs from the website
What an online booking button should do, what it should never do, and how to set one up without adding more work to your day.
4 min
How a tree service handles storm week calls
A simple triage system by text, a waitlist message, and how to protect the good jobs when the phone won't stop ringing.
5 min
How fast should a plumber call back a lead?
See how fast a plumbing lead really goes cold, minute by minute, and a simple callback routine you can run from the truck.
4 min
How many leads does a landscaper lose to voicemail?
A worked example showing how spring call volume, close rate, and job value add up to real dollars lost to voicemail every year.
5 min
How to ask for a review without feeling weird
Simple scripts for asking a happy customer for a review in person or by text, and why asking the same day works best.
5 min
How to stop spam calls without missing real ones
Carrier-level tools, a second business number, and a simple screening text that real customers don't mind answering.
5 min
Review gating is against the rules. Here's what to do instead
What review gating means, why Google penalizes it, and an honest system that still gets you more five-star reviews.
4 min
Should an HVAC company use an answering service?
Compare the real cost of a phone answering service against a text back setup, and see which one fits a small HVAC company's call volume.
5 min
The electrician's guide to quoting by text
When a text quote wins the job, when it backfires, and a simple template that protects you from scope disputes later.
5 min
The gutter company's guide to seasonal follow-up
A simple fall and spring text list that brings last year's customers back for cleanings without printing a single mailer.
4 min
The referral ask that works for a handyman
When to ask for a referral, the exact words to use, and a simple thank-you that keeps referrals coming back.
5 min
The remodeler's lead tracker you can keep in a Notes app
A simple six-column lead list you can build in ten minutes, plus the daily two-minute habit that keeps it useful.
5 min
The roofer's follow-up schedule that doesn't feel pushy
A simple day 1, day 3, day 10 follow-up plan for roofing quotes, with what to say each time so it never feels like a sales push.
4 min
The text message that saves a missed call
See the exact text to send after a missed call, why timing matters more than wording, and how to send it without lifting a finger.
5 min
What a concrete contractor should say on voicemail
A short voicemail greeting that keeps callers on the line, plus the follow-up text that closes the loop right after.
5 min
What happens in the 30 seconds after a homeowner calls you
The first 30 seconds of a call decide if you get the job. See what voicemail, a text back, and answering actually do to your close rate.
5 min
What to do with a one-star review
See the reply that helps after a bad review, the reply that makes it worse, and when Google will actually take one down.
5 min
Why homeowners ghost after asking for a quote
Five reasons quote requests go quiet, which ones you control, and the one follow-up message that actually brings people back.
5 min
Why your contact form leads go cold
See where your website's contact form submissions actually land, why nobody notices them, and a fix you can put in place in an afternoon.
5 min
Why your Google Ads leads never called back
Wrong-number forms, slow response times, and the landing page mistakes that quietly waste your ad budget every month.
5 min
03
Your website
20 postsA deck builder's portfolio page that sells
How many finished projects to show, what to say about each one, and why the ugly before photo does more selling than the after shot alone.
4 min
A pest control website that books recurring service
How to explain quarterly plans on your site so homeowners understand them, plus the button wording that actually gets them started.
4 min
Accessibility for a contractor website in plain words
Who website accessibility actually helps, what the law expects from a small business, and five fixes that cover most of it.
5 min
Do you own your website, or does your web guy?
Check your domain, hosting, and login access today so you never get locked out of the website you paid a web company to build.
5 min
Does a roofing website need a chatbot?
What site chat does well, where it annoys homeowners, and a simple rule for deciding whether your roofing site needs one.
4 min
How to write a headline for a painting company
Skip the slogan. The headline that actually works for a painting company says what you do, where, and what happens next.
5 min
Should your HVAC website list prices?
What happens when you post exact prices, what happens when you hide them, and a middle path that still gets the call booked.
5 min
The About page nobody reads, except the people who hire you
Why the About page on your contractor website quietly closes big remodeling jobs, and exactly what belongs on it to build trust.
5 min
The excavating company's guide to a website that works on any phone
Why a plain, fast site beats a flashy one out in the county, and how to check your own website's speed on a weak rural signal.
4 min
The fence company's guide to a quote form people finish
Cut your fence company's quote form down to three fields, then get the rest by text. Fewer drop-offs, more finished forms, more jobs booked.
5 min
The photos that win remodeling jobs
Before and after shots, the right angle, good light, and a caption that answers the homeowner's real question about your remodeling work.
4 min
The service page checklist for an electrician
Panel upgrades, EV chargers, and generators: what each electrician service page needs so Google and the homeowner both get it.
4 min
The siding contractor's guide to a financing page
How to explain financing on your website without sounding like a car lot, plus what disclosure rules require you to say.
4 min
What a contractor website needs on the first screen
The four things a homeowner checks in five seconds on your contractor website, and what you should move further down the page instead.
5 min
What a website redesign should cost a contractor in 2026
Real price ranges for a contractor website redesign, what drives the number up, and the questions that keep a quote honest.
6 min
What SSL is and why your septic site says 'Not secure'
The browser padlock explained in plain words, why the 'Not secure' warning scares homeowners away, and how to fix it on your site at no cost.
5 min
Why your landscaping site still says 2023
Stale dates, dead links, and old prices on your landscaping site quietly tell visitors nobody's home. Here's a 30-minute fix.
5 min
Why your website has no phone number on mobile
The most common mistake we see on contractor sites, how to check for it in ten seconds, and how to make the number one tap.
5 min
Why your website loads slow on a phone
Big photos, cheap hosting, and a five-minute test that shows which one is slowing your contractor website down on a phone.
5 min
Wix, Squarespace, or a web designer for a plumber?
An honest side by side for a one-truck plumbing shop comparing what each website option actually costs after a full year.
5 min
04
AI on the job
20 postsA 30-minute AI setup for a one-truck shop
The one account to open, three prompts worth saving, and one small habit that actually makes it stick week after week on the job.
4 min
AI for a painter's color consultation notes
Record the walkthrough on your phone and get a clean summary the customer can approve before you ever open a gallon of paint.
5 min
AI for hiring: writing a job post that gets real applicants
The prompt to draft a job post fast, the details only you can add, and where to actually post it around Waukesha County.
5 min
AI for Writing the Estimate Email Nobody Wants to Write
The follow-up nudge, the price increase notice, and the we can't do this job email: a prompt for each one you keep putting off.
5 min
AI phone answering cost for a plumber: the real math
Per-minute pricing, monthly minimums, and the break-even point against one saved job, worked out here with real numbers.
5 min
AI Review Replies That Don't Sound Like a Robot
The prompt to use, the one edit you always make, and real examples for five star and one star reviews from Wisconsin customers.
4 min
Can AI answer your Google Business Profile questions?
Drafting Q&A answers on your Google Business Profile with AI, what to verify before posting, and how often to check for new ones.
5 min
Can AI Schedule a Landscaping Crew?
What AI can actually handle from a group text today, what still needs a human, and a simple Monday morning routine to try.
4 min
ChatGPT vs Claude for a Small Contractor
A plain comparison of what each AI tool is good at for the writing a contracting shop actually does, and which one to pay for.
5 min
How a Plumber Uses AI to Write a Quote From a Voicemail
Play the voicemail once, paste the words into an AI tool, and get a clean quote draft back before you've finished your coffee.
5 min
How a remodeler uses AI to write a change order
The prompt to draft a change order fast, the parts you always check by hand, and why plain language gets it signed sooner.
5 min
How a septic company uses AI to explain a failed inspection
Turn a dense county inspection report into a homeowner letter that's kind, clear, and still covers you on every last detail.
5 min
How a tree service uses AI for storm day customer updates
One prompt turns your job list into forty personalized 'here's where you are in line' texts in a few minutes flat today.
5 min
How an Electrician Uses AI to Explain a Panel Upgrade to a Homeowner
Turn the technical reasons for a panel upgrade into plain words a homeowner trusts, without leaving out what actually matters.
5 min
The concrete contractor's guide to AI-written service pages
How to draft a service page fast with AI without publishing the same page every concrete contractor in Wisconsin already has.
5 min
The Roofer's Guide to Reading an Insurance Scope With AI
Paste the adjuster's scope into an AI tool, ask the right questions, and catch what's missing before you sign off on the job.
5 min
Turning a customer's text thread into a job summary with AI
Copy the whole text thread into AI and get the scope, dates, prices, and open questions pulled onto one clean, usable page.
5 min
Using AI to Turn Job Photos Into a Facebook Post
Take three photos on the job, run one prompt, and post something that sounds like you before you even leave the driveway.
5 min
What AI Should Never Do for a Contractor
Pricing, safety calls, and legal promises: where a human has to stay in charge no matter how good the AI tool is.
5 min
What an AI Receptionist Actually Does for an HVAC Company
Walk through one real phone call to see exactly what an AI receptionist books, what it hands off, and what it costs a Wisconsin HVAC shop.
5 min
05
Running the shop
20 postsA painter's simple scheduling system
How Wisconsin painters build a schedule around weather days and crew size so jobs stop stacking up and backing into each other.
5 min
Hiring your first crew member in Lake Country
Where to post the job, what to pay in Lake Country right now, and the two week trial that saves you from a bad hire.
5 min
How a fence company keeps clean books without an accountant
A weekly 20 minute routine, one tool to run it in, and the day your fence company finally needs to hire a bookkeeper.
5 min
How a garage door company turns repairs into replacement jobs
The honest upsell for a garage door repair call, the follow up timeline, and the photo that helps a homeowner decide.
5 min
How a handyman decides which jobs to say no to
A five question filter for handymen weighing a new job, plus the polite no that keeps the referral coming back later.
5 min
How an HVAC company fills the shoulder season
How Wisconsin HVAC companies fill the slow weeks between heating and cooling season with maintenance plans, timed texts, and offers that aren't discounts.
5 min
How to fire a customer politely
The warning signs it's time to stop working with a customer, the words to use, and how to walk away without ending up with a bad review.
5 min
How to price a job so you stop losing money on small ones
A simple way to price small repair jobs in Wisconsin so the trip, the parts, and your time all get paid for, not just the labor.
5 min
Invoice reminders that get you paid without a fight
A three-message reminder sequence for unpaid invoices, plus the automation settings that send it for you so you don't have to chase anyone.
5 min
Should a roofer offer financing?
What financing actually costs a roofing company, what it does to your close rate on storm and replacement jobs, and which providers contractors use.
5 min
The concrete contractor's guide to weather delays and customer trust
The text to send before a customer asks about a rain delay, and why staying quiet costs more trust than the delay itself.
4 min
The deposit policy that protects a remodeler
How much deposit to ask for on a remodel, when to collect it, what Wisconsin law allows, and the exact sentence to put in your contract.
5 min
The electrician's guide to permits and what to tell homeowners
Why the permit conversation scares off homeowners, and a simple script that turns permits into a reason to hire you instead of a reason to hesitate.
5 min
The landscaper's guide to a waitlist that doesn't lose customers
What to say when you're booked out six weeks, and a simple system to keep interested customers from calling the next name on their list.
5 min
The one page business plan for a contractor going full time
The monthly nut, jobs needed, lead sources, and the one number that tells you it's time to go full time.
5 min
The tree service's guide to insurance questions from homeowners
The insurance questions homeowners ask a tree service, what to show them, and where to put the answer on your site.
4 min
Warranty pages and callbacks for a siding contractor
How to write a siding warranty in plain words and the callback process that turns a complaint into a repeat customer.
4 min
What a contractor should do the week after a big storm
A plain plan for the week after hail or wind hits: triage calls, price fair, and spot a storm chaser before they hurt your name.
5 min
What to do when a competitor leaves a fake review
How to spot a fake review from a competitor, how to report it to Google, and how to reply while you wait for it to come down.
5 min
When a plumber should hire the first office person
The signs it's time to hire your first office hire, the real math on what it costs versus what missed calls cost, and what to hand them day one.
5 min
Sheet 03 · The audit
Delafield quadrangle
Want to know where your site stands?
Reading is one way to find out. The audit is faster. It grades your website in about two minutes, no email required, then you decide.