The Mako Blog
Insights to help you grow
Practical, no fluff guides on paid ads, SEO, and web design for service-based businesses. Real strategies you can act on today.
Speed to Lead: Why Fast Follow-Up Wins Jobs and Slow Replies Lose Them
The most expensive leak in your marketing is not the ad account, it is the hour that passes before someone answers the lead. Here is how to build follow-up that wins the job by being first.
Read articleHow to Get More Google Reviews: A System for Service Businesses
Reviews decide who gets the call before your phone ever rings. Here is a repeatable system for earning a steady stream of 5-star Google reviews without begging, bribing, or breaking the rules.
Read articleSEO vs Google Ads: Which Should a Service Business Invest In First?
One brings leads this week and stops the moment you stop paying. The other takes months and then compounds for years. Here is how to decide where your next dollar goes.
Read articleHow Much Does Google Ads Cost in Canada? A Real-World Breakdown
Every owner asks the same first question: what will this cost me? Here is a straight answer, with realistic budgets, cost per click ranges, and the levers that decide whether Google Ads is cheap or expensive for you.
Read articleHow a Full Funnel Marketing System Turns Traffic Into Paying Customers
One channel on its own is fragile. Here is how a full funnel system where paid ads, SEO, web, and retention work together turns traffic into booked, repeat customers that compound.
Read articleWhat Makes a Service Business Website Actually Convert
A pretty website that does not convert is a liability. Here are the elements that turn a service business site from a digital brochure into a booking machine.
Read articleGoogle Local Service Ads: The Complete Guide for Service Businesses
Local Service Ads sit at the very top of Google with a trust badge, and you only pay for real leads. Here is the complete guide to setting them up and getting called first.
Read articleLocal SEO for Service Businesses: How to Win the Google Map Pack
The top three local results capture most of the calls. Here is exactly how service businesses earn a spot in the Google map pack and turn organic search into a compounding lead source.
Read articleMeta Ads for Local Lead Generation: A Practical Playbook
Facebook and Instagram are not just for brand awareness. Here is the practical playbook service businesses use to turn cold scrollers into booked appointments with Meta Ads.
Read articleGoogle Ads for Service Businesses: How to Turn Clicks Into Booked Jobs
Google Ads will spend your whole budget whether or not it makes you money. Here is how service businesses make it profitable, from account structure to the landing page that closes the deal.
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