Maya Digital Services
Portrait of Maya Rennick

Authors

Maya Rennick

Founder and lead author

Maya Rennick has spent eleven years setting up map listings, review routines and websites for local businesses: hair salons, plumbers and electricians, cafés and small clinics. She started out at a print shop designing menus and signs for the same kind of owners, and she still checks a business’s listing before its logo.

The site carries her name. She writes every section except Paid Ads and wrote The Local Scorecard: its twenty questions and the order of its fixes.

Writes about

On the map

Guides by Maya Rennick

17 guides on 7 streets, numbered as they are on the map.

DEFGH123451234567891011121314171819Local SEOAVEWebsitesWAYReviewsSTSocial MediaBLVDEmail & SMSLNBranding & PrintRDMarketing ToolsDR
Squares D to H across, 1 to 5 down. Your business is in G3.
  1. Local SEO Ave5 guidesA3–H3

    1. How to rank higher on Google Maps: what you can change

      Google ranks map results on relevance, distance and prominence. What an owner can change, in what order, what gets a listing suspended, and how to check rank.

      Square G38 min read

    2. How to set up a Google Business Profile, field by field

      How to claim or create your free Google Business Profile, verify it, fill in each field the way Google allows, add photos and start asking for reviews.

      Square F37 min read

    3. Local citations: where to list your business, in order

      Which map apps and directories to list your business on, in the order that matters, with one name, address and phone to copy and old listings fixed first.

      Square H39 min read

    4. What Does $$ Mean on Google? A Complete Guide

      What does $$ mean on Google? See how price levels shift by business type and compare costs, then choose the right setting for your listing today.

      Square G38 min read

    5. How to Get Your Website to Show Up on Google

      How to get your website to show up on Google starts with checking indexing, targeting the right keywords, and improving pages, speed, links, and reviews.

      Square G311 min read

  2. Websites Way4 guidesG1–G5

    1. Best website builder for a local business, compared

      Squarespace, Wix, WordPress.com, GoDaddy, Square Online and Carrd compared on a call button, booking, your own domain and the price billed monthly.

      Square G49 min read

    2. Pages a small business website needs: a checklist

      The pages a local business website needs and what each must say to turn a visit from your map listing into a call or a booking, plus the pages that can wait.

      Square G28 min read

    3. Website Has Expired: What Happens and How to Recover

      If your website has expired, find the domain stage, restore your site and email, and learn how to renew or recover it before another outage.

      Square G310 min read

    4. Website Buttons That Tell Visitors What to Do Next

      Website buttons guide visitors to call, book, or get directions. Use clear labels, strong contrast, and smart placement to turn more clicks into action.

      Square G315 min read

  3. Reviews St2 guidesF1–F5

    1. How to ask customers for Google reviews, with texts to copy

      When to ask, what to say at the counter, texts and emails to copy for trades, salons, cafés and clinics, and the Google, FTC and Yelp rules to follow.

      Square F29 min read

    2. How to respond to negative reviews, with replies to adapt

      A four-part reply written for the next customer, examples for six common complaints, how to report fake reviews on Google and Yelp, and what never to write.

      Square G49 min read

  4. Social Media Blvd2 guidesA2–H2

    1. Which social media is best for a local business?

      Pick one or two platforms by the kind of business you run, using Pew’s figures on who uses each, set them up so customers can reach you, and keep them current.

      Square F16 min read

    2. SEO for Small Business: A Complete Guide to Getting Found

      SEO for small business helps turn urgent searches into calls. Start with your map listing, then prioritize keywords, site fixes, and costs that fit your time.

      Square G210 min read

  5. Email & SMS Ln1 guideE1–E5

    1. How to build an email list for a local business

      Collect emails at the counter, at booking and online, ask for texts separately, and send the first three emails that bring customers back, within US rules.

      Square E29 min read

  6. Branding & Print Rd2 guidesA5–H5

    1. What is graphic design? Purpose, elements and careers

      What is graphic design? See how images, words, and colour help customers grasp an offer at a glance, from shop signs and menus to logos and print.

      Square F514 min read

    2. Poster Design Done Right, From Message to Print

      Poster design works best with one clear message, a strong focal point, and readable text. Follow a step-by-step build and get print sizing right.

      Square G515 min read

  7. Marketing Tools Dr1 guideD1–D5

    1. Marketing for Auto Repair Shops: A Complete Guide

      Marketing for auto repair shops helps drivers find and trust your shop. See how reviews, call handling, and follow-up bring customers back for service.

      Square D415 min read