small business is hard : the digital bit shouldn't be
practical help to get found, trusted and chosen online
how customers search for a local business is changing.
It's more important than ever that the digital side of your company is working just as hard as you do.
I make it simple for you to check you're showing correctly to customers, Google and AI search, then focus on what's getting in the way, fix the bits that matter and help you grow your business.
I'm Gareth :
I started ratio studio because I kept seeing small businesses stuck in the same loop.
Busy owners without the time to fix how they show up online, quietly losing enquiries for reasons they couldn't see.
It could be a Google listing with gaps, a homepage that's slow to load, or an issue hidden in the depths of your code. I find it, explain it plainly, and fix it.
No jargon. No pressure. No hidden costs.
You'll deal with me directly, at a fixed price, and I'll tell you honestly what matters and what can wait.
Most of what I fix is small. But for the person who found you online and moved on, it was the difference.
I look at your business the way a customer or a search engine would, then tell you plainly what is working and what is quietly getting in the way.
From there I fix the things that matter and leave the things that do not.
the five check areas
local visibility
check area 01
local visibility:
How easy it is to find the business in local search, including Google profile signals, local results, category fit and nearby competition.
local visibility / Google Maps listing
Google Maps listing
Your Google Maps listing is often the first place a local customer meets the business. I check that it exists, that it looks active, and that it gives Google what it needs to show you at the right moments.
what I can help with
whether the listing appears and is verified
the link between the listing and your website
completeness: hours, phone, photos and services
duplicate or conflicting listings
signs of activity that reassure customers and Google
how each stage helps
focus :a written review of how the listing stands today, what is missing and what stronger nearby listings are doing differently
fix :correcting and completing the listing, resolving duplicates and connecting it properly to your website
grow :keeping the listing active and accurate each month as services, hours and Google itself change
result
A listing that is easier for customers to trust and easier for Google to show.
Local search results decide who gets seen and who gets skipped. I check when and where you appear for the searches your customers actually make, and what the businesses above you are doing differently.
what I can help with
the local searches most likely to bring you work
where you appear in the results and on the map
what Google seems to understand about the business
the competitors appearing above and around you
the AI summaries Google now builds from these results
how each stage helps
focus :a clear written picture of where you stand in realistic local searches and what is holding your position back
fix :strengthening the signals that matter most across your profile, website and local information
grow :watching your visibility month to month as competitors, results and AI search change
result
A stronger presence in the searches most likely to lead to useful enquiries.
A complete, accurate profile helps Google show the business to the right people. I check the details behind the listing: categories, services, attributes and everything customers see when they tap through.
what I can help with
primary and secondary categories
services, descriptions and business information
opening hours, service areas and contact links
photos, posts and profile activity
duplicates, access and ownership problems
how each stage helps
focus :a full audit of the profile against your website, your listings and what nearby competitors show
fix :correcting the details, filling the gaps and making the main sources consistent
grow :keeping the profile current as services, guidance and best practice change
result
A clearer profile that is easier for customers and Google to understand.
Nearby customers need to know at a glance that you serve their area. I check whether the website and your listings say clearly where you work, and whether search tools agree.
what I can help with
how the site describes your service area
location wording on the important pages
service areas on your Google profile and listings
consistency of addresses across the web
gaps where nearby customers could be missing you
how each stage helps
focus :reviewing how clearly your coverage reads across the site, profile and listings
fix :making your service area explicit in the places customers and search tools look for it
grow :keeping coverage accurate as the business and its patch change
result
A clear answer to the first question a local customer asks: do you cover my area?
Whether the business is explained clearly and consistently across the website, Google and search results.
clarity and consistency / consistent details
consistent details
Small differences in business information create doubt and make the business harder to understand. I check that the essential facts agree wherever a customer might find them.
what I can help with
the business name across the website, Google and listings
phone numbers, email addresses and physical addresses
opening hours, locations and service areas
linked social profiles and directories
outdated details still visible from past changes
how each stage helps
focus :comparing the important facts across every visible source and writing up the mismatches
fix :correcting outdated or conflicting details and making the main sources agree
grow :keeping one reliable version of the facts as people, places and services change
result
One clear version of the business wherever customers and search tools look.
Page titles and descriptions are often the first words a customer reads, before they ever visit the site. I check whether each important page makes a clear, honest case in the search results.
what I can help with
page titles across the important pages
search descriptions and how the results read
name and location signals in titles
repeated or missing titles and descriptions
how the pages read in AI-assisted results
how each stage helps
focus :mapping the searches that matter to the pages that should answer them
fix :rewriting titles and descriptions so each page makes its case clearly
grow :refining how pages appear as searches, services and results change
result
Search results that better match what each page offers and give people a reason to click.
Your website should explain what you do in words a customer can understand quickly. I check whether the main message, services and benefits are clear, specific and useful.
what I can help with
the headline message on the homepage
how each service is named and described
the benefits a customer can actually expect
vague, repeated or missing copy
whether the right customer can recognise themselves
how each stage helps
focus :reading the key pages as a new customer and comparing them with what the business actually offers
fix :clarifying the main message, service descriptions and next steps
grow :adding useful detail as services, questions and customer needs develop
result
Clearer pages that help the right customer understand the value and take the next step.
A page needs enough useful text, in the right order, for people and search systems to take it in. I check whether the structure, headings and detail make the site easy to read and easy to show.
what I can help with
headings and the order ideas arrive in
how much useful text each page carries
questions customers ask that the site should answer
structure that search and AI systems can follow
walls of text, thin pages and repeated blocks
how each stage helps
focus :reviewing how the important pages read, for people scanning and for systems parsing
fix :restructuring headings, text and detail so each page is easy to take in
grow :building pages around genuine customer questions as they come up
result
Pages that read well for people and read clearly to the systems deciding when to show them.
The visible signals that help someone feel the business is credible, active and worth contacting.
trust and reputation / reviews
reviews
Reviews are one of the quickest ways for a customer to judge a local business. I check whether the visible feedback feels recent, credible and well looked after.
what I can help with
how your rating and review count compare nearby
how recent the visible reviews are
owner responses and unresolved concerns
how easy it is for happy customers to leave a review
testimonials and where they appear on the site
how each stage helps
focus :reading the review pattern and comparing it with the businesses customers may also consider
fix :improving responses, review routes and the way useful feedback is shown
grow :making review requests and thoughtful responses part of the normal customer journey
result
A healthier review presence that gives new customers more confidence to get in touch.
People form an opinion before they read very much. I check whether the first screen, images and overall look feel current, genuine and consistent with the quality of the business.
what I can help with
the homepage first screen on desktop and mobile
website and Google profile photos
outdated, generic or low-quality images
visual consistency across pages and profiles
whether the look matches the standard of the work
how each stage helps
focus :reviewing the first impression across the main pages, profile and mobile view
fix :removing weak or outdated material and giving stronger images the right place
grow :building a bank of recent, real images as the business develops
result
A more credible first impression that feels recognisable, active and well cared for.
Claims are easier to trust when there is something concrete behind them. I check whether the site shows enough real work, experience and reassurance to support what it says.
what I can help with
examples of real work and case studies
accreditations, qualifications and memberships
guarantees and what happens if something goes wrong
the about page and the people behind the business
proof placed where decisions actually happen
how each stage helps
focus :finding the strongest existing proof and the points where confidence is most likely to drop
fix :placing relevant proof beside the services, claims and decisions it supports
grow :collecting stronger examples and evidence as new work is completed
result
More believable claims and a clearer reason for a customer to choose the business.
Contact details that disagree quietly undermine trust. I check that the phone number, address and other details on the website match your Google listing and the other places customers look.
what I can help with
phone numbers across the site and listings
addresses and how they appear on maps
email addresses and contact pages
old numbers and addresses still in circulation
the details AI search repeats when asked about you
how each stage helps
focus :verifying the important details against your listing and the other visible sources
fix :correcting mismatches and removing out-of-date details wherever they linger
grow :keeping the details aligned as numbers, people and places change
result
Details that agree wherever they are checked, so nothing undermines the first contact.
How easy it is for someone to call, email, message or take the next step.
contact and connection / phone route
phone route
For most local businesses the phone is still how customers prefer to get in touch. I check whether your number is easy to find, easy to tap and working hard on every page that matters.
what I can help with
where the number appears on each page
tap-to-call links on phones
the number on your Google profile and listings
what happens outside opening hours
barriers between an interested customer and a call
how each stage helps
focus :following the call journey from the most likely entry points on desktop and mobile
fix :making the number visible, tappable and consistent wherever customers look
grow :keeping the route working as pages, devices and habits change
result
Fewer missed calls, and a number that is there the moment someone decides to ring.
Once someone is interested, the next action should be obvious. I check whether calls to action, booking routes and follow-up messages give people enough confidence to continue.
what I can help with
calls to action and button wording
booking, quote and consultation routes
where each page sends people next
confirmations and what happens after
choices that stall people instead of helping
how each stage helps
focus :tracing the main customer journeys from first visit to a completed next step
fix :removing unclear choices and joining up the important actions and confirmations
grow :improving the journey around the enquiries and bookings that become good work
result
A more confident route from deciding to act to receiving a clear response.
People check the practical details before they commit: hours, address, parking, prices. I check whether that information is present, easy to find and consistent with your listings.
what I can help with
opening hours on the site and your Google profile
address, directions and finding the premises
prices, deposits and payment information
access, parking and other practical questions
the practical answers AI search gives about you
how each stage helps
focus :checking the practical questions customers ask and where the answers live
fix :filling the gaps and aligning the answers across the site and your listings
grow :keeping practical information current as hours, prices and services change
result
Practical questions answered before they become reasons not to follow through.
The background setup that helps the site load, work on mobile and be understood by search engines.
site basics / speed and mobile
speed and mobile
Most local customers meet the business on a phone, and a slow page loses them before the message lands. I check how fast the site loads and how well it works on a smaller screen.
what I can help with
loading speed on realistic connections
layout, text size and readability on phones
menus, buttons, forms and tap targets
images, fonts and scripts causing delay
movement and instability while pages load
how each stage helps
focus :measuring the important pages and finding the few issues causing most of the delay
fix :repairing the layout, speed and stability problems that get in the way
grow :keeping new images, tools and pages from quietly slowing the site down again
result
A faster, steadier site that is easier to read, use and act on from any device.
Search systems, including the AI ones, need to reach and understand the site before they can show it. I check the setup that lets the important pages be found, read and organised.
what I can help with
crawl access, sitemaps and indexing
structured business data that machines read
page structure and internal links
broken links, errors and redirects
the signals AI systems use to summarise the site
how each stage helps
focus :checking how search systems reach, read and organise the important pages
fix :repairing access, structure and error issues that create avoidable confusion
grow :keeping the setup tidy as pages are added, changed or removed
result
A site that search and AI systems can read properly and show with confidence.
Browsers and search engines treat security problems seriously, and so do customers who meet a warning. I check that the site is served securely and the background setup is in good order.
what I can help with
HTTPS and the security certificate
redirects between site versions
hosting, domain and renewal basics
browser warnings customers might meet
small background signals that add up
how each stage helps
focus :reviewing the security and background setup for anything working against the site
fix :repairing certificates, redirects and configuration problems at the source
grow :watching renewals and background changes before they become visible problems
result
A site that browsers, search engines and customers can treat as safe.
Without measurement, decisions about the site are guesses. I check whether you can see what visitors actually do, and whether the data you have can be trusted.
what I can help with
analytics and whether it is set up properly
Google Search Console and search data
which pages and actions are measured
privacy, consent and honest data
the numbers worth watching each month
how each stage helps
focus :reviewing what is currently measured, what is missing and what the data can answer
fix :setting up honest, useful measurement around the actions that matter
grow :watching the numbers month to month and turning them into decisions
result
The means to see what is working, rather than guessing.
I look at your business the way a customer or a search engine would, then tell you plainly what is working and what is quietly getting in the way. From there I fix the things that matter and leave the things that do not. You are never charged for work that won't make a difference.
With the free check. It takes about two minutes and shows you where you stand right now. After that you choose how far to go, one stage at a time. There is no set route, and nothing happens without your say so.
Most work is done in days, not months. The free check is instant, a focus review takes a few days, and a fix is usually turned around within a week or two once the scope is agreed.
No. Explaining it clearly is my job, not yours. I tell you what I found, what I would do and why, in plain English, and you decide from there.
Only if you want it. The check, focus and fix stages are one off and fixed price, with nothing to commit to afterwards. Ongoing support is a separate monthly stage you can start or stop whenever it suits you.
Me, start to finish. No account managers, no handovers, no team you never meet. You work directly with the person doing the work.
A business that is easier to see, trust and choose, for customers and for the modern search tools they now rely on. Usually that shows up as more of the right enquiries, not just a tidier website.
see how customers, search engines and AI see your business
Start your free local visibility check and see the signals people and search systems rely on. It takes a few minutes and gives you a clear starting point.
The way people find a local business has changed. AI hasn't replaced the basics. It's made them matter more. A free two-minute check shows how clearly your business reads to customers and modern search.
GET IN TOUCH
let's talk about what your business needs
Tell me what you're working on, or start with a free local visibility check if you're not sure yet.
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