The studio journal
Writing
Notes on design process, client work, and building for the web.
Staging Site vs Live Site: What's the Difference?
A staging site is a private copy of your website for testing changes before they go live. Here is how it differs from your live site, and why it matters.
Sam Blake·June 4, 2026·6 min read
Why Your Website Redesign Failed and What to Do Now
The most common website redesign mistakes, why a new site can lose traffic and leads, and a practical plan to fix a redesign that underperformed.
Sam Blake·June 1, 2026·7 min read
How to Pick the Best CMS for a Small Business Website
A plain guide to choosing a CMS for a small business website: what WordPress, Squarespace, Webflow, and Shopify cost, and how to avoid lock-in.
Sam Blake·May 28, 2026·7 min read
What I Need Before I Can Quote Your Website
Before I can put a real number on a website build, I need six things from you. Here's what goes in a web design brief, why content readiness matters more than budget, and what a small business site actually costs in 2026.
Sam Blake·May 22, 2026·6 min read
Why Your Blog Posts Don't Show Up in AI Answers
If AI search never quotes your content, the answer is almost always buried. Here is how to tell, and the one edit that gets your posts picked.
Priya Nair·May 18, 2026·2 min read
How to Get Your Content Cited by AI Search Engines
Answer engines quote the page that answers the question most clearly. Here is how to write so ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI lift your words and cite your site.
Priya Nair·May 14, 2026·3 min read
What Belongs on a Landing Page That Actually Converts
High-converting landing pages ask for one thing and prove one claim. A field-by-field look at the headline, the form, and the order that turns visitors into signups.
Maya Chen·May 11, 2026·3 min read
Why Your Pretty Website Doesn't Convert
A beautiful site can still leave visitors with nothing to do. Here is why design alone does not convert and how to give every page one obvious next step.
Maya Chen·May 8, 2026·3 min read
What Actually Makes a Small Business Website Load Fast
The fast small-business sites share three things, and none of them is an expensive host. A measured look at images, fonts, and the scripts you can safely cut.
Jordan Kim·May 4, 2026·3 min read