Henry Guest
Founder, russle
Henry Guest is the founder of russle, a web design, ecommerce and SEO studio working with ambitious businesses across the UK. He writes about building sites, stores and platforms that actually bring in work.
Website design for accountants
Accountancy websites nearly all say the same things. The ones that win clients are specific about who they are for and what working together is like. Here is what to change.
By Henry Guest
Checkatrade or your own website?
Directories bring work and take a cut, and the customer stays theirs. Here is an honest look at what each one is good at, what a directory really costs you, and where the balance should sit.
By Henry Guest
Restaurant website design that fills tables
Someone looking at your restaurant site is usually hungry, on a phone, and deciding between you and two others. Here are the four things they need in ten seconds, and the mistakes that lose them.
By Henry Guest
Law firm website design that wins enquiries
Most law firm websites are written for the partners rather than the person with a problem. Here is what a client is actually doing on the site, and the pages that turn a visit into an enquiry.
By Henry Guest
Your service area could be hurting your ranking
If you hide your address, Google places you in the middle of the areas you list. Adding the whole county can quietly move you out of your own town.
By Henry Guest
Why your new website is not showing on Google
A new site can take days or weeks to appear, and sometimes something is genuinely blocking it. Here is how to tell which, in the order worth checking.
By Henry Guest
A local SEO checklist for small businesses
A short, honest checklist for getting found in your own town, in the order that matters. No tools required for most of it.
By Henry Guest
You do not need a big range to sell online
One product, made well, is enough to build a shop around. Here is why a small range is an advantage online, and what a one-product store actually needs.
By Henry Guest
Small business SEO: what actually works
Most SEO advice is written for businesses with a marketing department. Here is the short list that genuinely moves things for a business with none of that.
By Henry Guest
Selling through Instagram DMs is costing you orders
Taking orders in the messages works until the week you are busy. Here is what the DM actually costs a small food business, and what replaces it without losing the personal bit.
By Henry Guest
When is a website redesign worth the cost?
A redesign is worth it when the site is losing you work, not when you are bored of it. Here is how to tell the difference, and when the problem is not the website at all.
By Henry Guest
What does an online store cost to build?
The honest answer is that it depends on what you sell and how much of the work is yours. Here is what actually moves the number, and what it costs to run once it is live.
By Henry Guest
How to choose a brand and web agency
Choosing the agency that builds your brand and website is a big decision. Here are the questions to ask and the warning signs to watch for before you commit.
By Henry Guest
Conversion-led web design: turning visitors into customers
A beautiful website that nobody acts on is an expensive brochure. Conversion-led design is about turning visitors into enquiries and sales. Here is how it works.
By Henry Guest
How AI is changing brand and web in 2026
AI has changed how people find businesses and what a website has to do. Here is what actually matters for brand and web in 2026, without the hype.
By Henry Guest
What is a growth retainer, and what should it include?
A growth retainer is a monthly arrangement that keeps your brand, website, and marketing working after launch. Here is what a good one includes and how to judge it.
By Henry Guest
Email marketing for small businesses: where to start
Email is the cheapest, most reliable way to bring customers back. Here is how a small business starts email marketing without overcomplicating it.
By Henry Guest
Website launch checklist: get these right before you go live
Launching a website is where avoidable mistakes happen. Here is the checklist to run before you go live, so nothing important gets missed.
By Henry Guest
How to rank in Google’s local Map Pack
The local Map Pack is the three businesses Google shows at the top of local searches. Here is how a small business earns one of those spots.
By Henry Guest
WordPress vs Webflow: which should you choose?
WordPress and Webflow both build serious sites, in very different ways. Here is the honest comparison for a small business choosing between them.
By Henry Guest
How to write website copy that converts
Most website copy talks about the business. Copy that converts talks to the customer. Here is how to write words that turn visitors into enquiries.
By Henry Guest
Squarespace vs Wix: which is better for a small business?
Squarespace and Wix are the two most popular website builders. Here is the honest comparison to help a small business pick between them.
By Henry Guest
Is SEO worth it for a small business? An honest answer
SEO takes time and money, so is it actually worth it for a small business? An honest answer, including when it is not.
By Henry Guest
Do you need a rebrand or a refresh?
Not every tired brand needs a full rebrand. Here is how to tell whether you need a deep rebrand or just a refresh, and what each involves.
By Henry Guest
What makes a good small business website in 2026
A good small business website is clear, fast, trustworthy, and built to turn visitors into enquiries. Here is the checklist that actually matters.
By Henry Guest
GoDaddy builder vs hiring a designer
GoDaddy’s builder is quick and cheap. A designer costs more and delivers more. Here is honestly which one your business needs.
By Henry Guest
Freelancer vs agency vs studio: who should build your website?
Freelancer, agency, or studio? Each builds websites differently, at different prices and risks. Here is who suits which kind of business.
By Henry Guest
Canva websites vs a real website build
Canva can throw up a website in minutes. Here is honestly where that helps, where it falls short, and when you need a real build.
By Henry Guest
Framer vs Webflow vs a custom website
Framer and Webflow are the two leading design-led website tools. Here is how they compare with each other and with a custom build.
By Henry Guest
Best website builders for small businesses in 2026
An honest roundup of the main website builders for small businesses, what each is best at, and when a custom build beats all of them.
By Henry Guest
How much does branding cost for a small business?
Branding costs anywhere from nothing to many thousands. Here is what changes the price, what you actually get, and where the value sits.
By Henry Guest
Template vs custom website: the real difference
A template gets you online fast and cheap. A custom site is built around your business. Here is what the difference actually means for results.
By Henry Guest
Webflow vs WordPress for a small business
Webflow and WordPress both build serious websites in very different ways. Here is the honest comparison for a small business deciding between them.
By Henry Guest
Wix vs WordPress vs a custom website: which should you choose?
Three common ways to build a small business website, and the honest trade-offs of each, so you can pick the one that fits where your business is heading.
By Henry Guest
Squarespace alternatives for a growing business
Outgrown Squarespace, or want more control from the start? Here are the realistic alternatives, from other builders to a custom build, and who each suits.
By Henry Guest
Why your website isn't getting enquiries (and how to fix it)
A good-looking website that brings in nothing is more common than you would think. Here are the usual reasons, and how to turn visits into enquiries.
By Henry Guest