Barefoot Build

Such a great morning volunteering with Movement Raleigh Durham! We loved getting our hands dirty and giving back to our community. Thanks for having us! 💙💛

Seeing hundreds of impressions in Google but barely any clicks? It feels like Google is teasing you. 😅

I put together a new blog that breaks down the most common reasons this happens and what you can do about it. If you've ever opened Google Search Console and thought, "What am I doing wrong?" this one's for you.

barefootbuild.com

Honestly, I'm frustrated. We've had far too many people come to us with the same story over and over again.

A business owner pays a deposit for a new website, communication slows down, deadlines come and go, or they end up with a site they don't own or can't even update. More recently, we've also talked to people who were promised an AI-built website that would "do everything for them," only to realize later that it still needed strategy, content, and a whole lot of work.

The hardest part is telling someone they've already spent $1,000, $2,000, or even more before they came to us.

There are so many talented, honest web designers out there who genuinely care about their clients. Unfortunately, it only takes a handful of bad experiences to make people skeptical of the entire industry, and that's unfair to both business owners and the people doing good work.

That's exactly why I wrote this guide.

If you're thinking about hiring a web designer or trying one of the new AI website platforms, please read it before you send anyone a deposit. Spending five minutes asking the right questions today could save you months of headaches later.

If this helps even one business owner avoid a bad experience, it'll be worth it.

Questions You Should Ask Your Web Designer Before Paying a Deposit Hiring a web designer? Learn what questions you should ask your web designer before paying a deposit so you can avoid costly mistakes.

Give your homepage the 5 second test!

Open your website like you've never seen it before. Before you start scrolling, ask yourself these four questions:

• What does this business do?
• Where do they work?
• Why should I trust them?
• What should I do next?

If you can't answer all four within five seconds, there's a good chance your visitors can't either.

One of the biggest misconceptions we see is that a website has to be flashy to be effective. In reality, clarity wins every time. When people immediately understand who you are, what you do, and how to get in touch, they're much more likely to become customers.

It's a simple exercise, but it can completely change the way you look at your website.

How does ChatGPT find businesses?

AI search is obviously changing how customers find local companies. When someone asks an AI assistant for a recommendation, it's looking for businesses with clear websites, consistent information, helpful content, and strong online trust signals.

We just published a new guide explaining how AI finds businesses and the practical steps you can take to improve your AI Search Visibility while strengthening your SEO at the same time.

How ChatGPT Finds Businesses | Barefoot Build Learn how ChatGPT finds businesses, what influences AI recommendations, and practical ways to improve your AI Search Visibility.

Some business owners don't need a new website. They need someone who looks at the bigger picture and understands how all the pieces of their business works together online.

A website should convert visitors into customers, a Google Business Profile should attract local traffic, and at the very least, a business should appear when people search for the services it offers.

A website plays an important role, but it is only one part of a broader marketing strategy. The goal is not just to have the most visually appealing site, but to build something that consistently supports business growth.

This perspective has become a central focus at Barefoot Build. While we still enjoy building websites, we find great value in partnering with businesses over the long-term and helping them improve every aspect of their business online.

Effective marketing is not about chasing trends. It's about making steady, intentional improvements that continue delivering you results every month.

Over the past week, I've spent a lot of time looking through local business websites around Cary and Raleigh. Some because they reached out to us, some because they're running Google Ads, and some because I'm just nosy (occupational hazard. 😅).

One thing is obvious, the businesses themselves are great. Their websites just aren't helping them as much as they could. The same handful of issues just kept showing up over and over again.

Slow load times that lose visitors before the page even opens (yes, that matters), mobile layouts that are frustrating to use, contact forms that are buried halfway down the page (c'mon guys 😓) and the worst one: homepages that never clearly explain what the business actually does.

Most of these businesses don't need a brand new website, and we realize that. They need someone to point out what's holding their current one back.

That's why we've started offering free website audits. We look at your site the same way a potential customer would and point out what's working, what isn't, and where there are opportunities to get more calls, more leads, and better visibility on Google and AI search.

No pressure or scary sales presentation. Just honest, easy to apply feedback.

If you own a business and you've been wondering if your website is helping or hurting, send it our way. We'd be happy to take a look.

Most business owners are familiar with SEO, but many haven't heard of AIO (AI Optimization) or GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). As more people use tools like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Claude, and Perplexity to find information, businesses need to think beyond traditional search rankings. It's no longer just about showing up in Google results- it's also about making sure AI-powered search tools can accurately understand, reference, and recommend your business.

Small, consistent improvements often deliver better long-term results than waiting years between major website updates. Reviewing your content, search visibility, and AI presence each quarter helps ensure your business continues to be found by the right audience, regardless of how they search.

This is where Barefoot Build comes in. We help businesses evaluate how they appear in both traditional search results and AI-powered search experiences, identify gaps, and make strategic updates that improve visibility over time.

What Is a Quarterly GEO Review? | SEO, GEO & AI Optimization If you've spent any time reading about SEO lately, you've probably come across terms like GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and AIO (AI Optimization). As search continues to evolve, businesses are no longer focused solely on ranking in traditional search engines like Google. More people are turni...

One thing I've learned since starting Barefoot Build is that website pricing confuses just about everyone. You'll get one quote for a few hundred dollars, another for a few thousand, and then somebody comes in with a proposal that's more than your first car. 😅

The truth is, the cost isn't really about the website itself. It's about what you need the website to do. Do you just need an online business card? Or do you need something that helps people find you on Google, answers questions, builds trust, and actually brings in leads?

We've had conversations with business owners all over Cary and North Carolina who bought the cheapest option they could find, only to realize a year later they still weren't showing up online and had to start over.

That's why we wrote our newest blog. There's no sales pitch, just a straightforward look at why website prices vary so much, what you're actually paying for, and what questions you should ask before signing anything.

And if you've gotten a website quote recently and aren't sure whether it's a good deal, send it over. We're always happy to give an honest second opinion!

How Much Does Website Design Cost in Cary, NC? | Barefoot Build If you've started shopping for a website, you've probably already noticed something frustrating. One company quotes a few hundred dollars. Another quotes several thousand. Then you find an agency quoting five figures and suddenly you're wondering if anyone is talking about the same thing. The realit...

Wow!! We are so honored to share that Barefoot Build was voted Cary's #1 Web Designer!

What's especially meaningful is that we've been serving the Cary area for less than a year. When we moved to the Triangle, we believed that if we built great websites, treated our clients well, and stayed true to our mission of helping small businesses grow online, the rest would follow. To receive this recognition so quickly is incredibly humbling!

To celebrate, we're increasing our Summer Sale from 15% to 20% off new website projects through August 31st.

Here's to helping even more small businesses get found online 🥳👩🏻‍💻💪

Website Offers & Care Plan Savings | Barefoot Build Cary NC Current Website Offers & Care Plan Savings