Jason Murphy
Founder, Lehvel
Jason has spent two decades building sites, search programs, and digital products for businesses. At Lehvel, he leads product and strategy.
Writes about
- Business Truth
- AI visibility and answer engines
- Search architecture and technical SEO
- Structured data and entity systems
- Analytics and observability
- Lehvel product architecture
Published
Labs
Systems, experiments and research, with their evidence and limits.
- Start with the business, not the homepageWhat changes when a website redesign starts by understanding the business instead of starting with the homepage?
- AI visibility tools have a trust problem, and it isn't a secretThe category's own users say the same thing, unprompted, across five separate threads: nobody trusts the numbers.
- The most interesting AI work is happening around the modelSeven tools and patterns we examined this week — a typed decision model, a context compactor, a narrative evaluator, a closed-loop tester, event-triggered review, hosted executors, and the connector pattern.
- What if the expensive AI is doing the wrong job?We are testing whether a tiny decision model can handle the hundreds of semantic judgments surrounding frontier-model work — without giving it authority to act.
- Is the cheapest model actually cheaper?Lower cost per turn did not mean lower cost per completed task.
- Sales DeskWe needed a CRM that carried the customer from first conversation into fulfillment. So we built one.
- The Agent Coordination PlaneWe got tired of moving prompts, status and context between AI systems by hand. So we built a durable control plane around GitHub.
- Conversational OperationsWe wanted an owner to say what changed, in normal language, and have the system turn it into structured business context.
- Verified website executionA commit is not completion. HTTP 200 is not completion. The change has to be seen on the live site.
- Audit LabWe wanted the audit to prove the product before a salesperson ever asked for a meeting.
- AI Visibility ObservatoryWe would rather show no metric than relabel ordinary search data and call it AI visibility.
- How owners actually manage their digital presenceFive fixed questions, then let the owner talk.
- What browser-level QA found that green tests missedA passing build is not a passing check.
Learn
Answers to the questions business owners ask, by topic.
Websites
- Local business schema: what it is and how to add itLocal business schema states your name, address, hours and services in a form search engines read. What it does, an example, and what it won't do.
- Website redesign checklist for a small businessA website redesign checklist for small businesses: what to record before launch, what to keep, and how to redirect old pages so Google traffic survives.
- Wix vs Squarespace vs WordPress for a small businessWix vs Squarespace vs WordPress for a small business: the trade-offs that matter, like who maintains it, how hard it is to leave, and who owns it.
- What makes a website design SEO-friendlySEO-friendly website design for a small business: readable text, one topic per page, fast on phones, sensible links and URLs. What matters and what doesn't.
- Small business website hosting: what you actually needSmall business website hosting explained: security certificates, backups, speed, updates and who owns your domain. What matters when you choose a host.
- Technical SEO for a small business websiteTechnical SEO for a small business site: can Google find, read and index your pages? A plain checklist covering indexing, speed, HTTPS, redirects and more.
- Is a WordPress website right for a small business?A WordPress website for a small business: what it does well, what it costs you in updates and security, and the difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
- The cheapest website builder: what you give upWhat the cheapest website builder plans leave out for a small business: your own domain, no ads, SEO settings, and a way to leave. When cheap is fine.
- Google Search Console backlinks: reading the Links reportHow to see your backlinks in Google Search Console: where the Links report is, what it shows and doesn't, and which links matter to a local business.
- Is Google Sites good enough for a business website?Google Sites for business: a free, simple website builder from Google. What it does well, what it can't do for search, and when a small business outgrows it.
- AI website builders: good enough for a small business?AI website builders can produce a site in minutes. What they get right, the generic copy and invented details to fix, and what they can't know about your business.
- How to make a mobile friendly website for a small businessWhat makes a mobile friendly website for a small business: readable text, tap-to-call, buttons thumbs can hit, no pop-ups in the way, and pages that load quickly.
- How to run a website speed test, and what to fix firstHow to run a website speed test with free tools, what Core Web Vitals mean in plain words, and the handful of fixes that make most small-business sites faster.
- Ecommerce website design for small businessesEcommerce website design for small shops: pick the platform first, then make product pages, checkout and shipping clear. What matters and what can wait.
- Modern website design without chasing trendsWhat makes website design look modern to customers: fast pages, real photos, clear type and plain words. Which trends date quickly and which last.
- FAQ schema markup: is it still worth adding?FAQ schema markup no longer shows dropdowns in Google for most sites. What it still does, how to add it correctly, and the rules that keep it valid.
- Event schema markup for small businessesEvent schema markup helps Google list your classes, tastings and workshops in event search. The required fields, an example, and mistakes that get it ignored.
- How to set up Google Search Console for SquarespaceHow to connect Google Search Console for Squarespace sites, where your Squarespace sitemap lives, and the first three reports to check.
- Medical practice website design: what patients look forMedical practice website design that patients can use: insurance, providers, booking and forms up front, plus accessibility and privacy requirements.
- Which schema markup testing tool to useWhich schema markup testing tool to use: Google's Rich Results Test for rich results, the Schema Markup Validator for everything else, and Search Console over time.
Google Business Profile
- Google Business Profile categories and services: how to choose themHow to choose Google Business Profile categories: the primary category matters most. How to pick it, when to add secondary ones, and where services fit.
- Google Business Profile not showing up? Here's whyWhen your Google Business Profile is not showing up in Search or Maps, the cause is usually verification, a suspension, a duplicate, or how you searched.
- How to add keywords to your Google Business Profile (safely)How to add keywords to your Google Business Profile without risking suspension: categories, services, description, posts and reviews. Not your business name.
- How to merge a duplicate Google Business ProfileHow to merge Google Business Profile duplicates: report the extra listing, ask support to move reviews, and stop duplicates coming back after a move.
- Someone edited my Google Business Profile. What happened?When someone edited your Google Business Profile, it was the public, Google itself or another manager. How to spot the change and reverse it.
Local search
- Local SEO for service-area businessesLocal SEO for a service area business that works at the customer's location: setting up your Google profile, which towns to list, and what pages to build.
- Doorway pages: when location pages become a problemWhat doorway pages are, why Google treats them as spam, and how a small business can build location pages that are actually useful.
- Bing Places for Business: is it worth setting up?Bing Places for Business: what it feeds, how to set it up quickly by importing your Google profile, and why it's worth ten minutes for a local business.
- Apple Maps business listing: setting up Apple Business ConnectHow to claim and fix your Apple Maps business listing with Apple Business Connect, what iPhone users see, and why it's worth doing alongside Google.
- Local SEO checklist for small businessesA local SEO checklist you can work through in an afternoon: Google Business Profile, website, listings and reviews, in the order that matters most.
- Local SEO for multiple locationsLocal SEO for multiple locations: one Google Business Profile and one real page per location, consistent listings, and reviews tied to the right branch.
- How to rank higher on Google MapsHow to rank higher on Google Maps: Google says local results come down to relevance, distance and prominence. What each means and what you can change.
- Local citations and NAP consistency, explainedLocal citations are your business name, address and phone number on other sites. Why keeping them consistent still matters, now for AI answers too.
AI answers: ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity
- How to optimize your website for AI searchA practical checklist to optimize your website for AI search: facts in plain text, one page per service, and not blocking the crawlers AI search uses.
- AI assistants like ChatGPT, and why they matter to your businessThe main AI assistants like ChatGPT: Claude, Gemini, Copilot and Perplexity. What each is, which search the web, and why your customers' choice matters.
- How to rank in AI Overviews: what Google has saidHow to rank in Google's AI Overviews: Google says there's no special markup or opt-in. What it does say matters, and what a small business can control.
- Will AI replace plumbers, dentists, realtors or lawyers?Will AI replace plumbers, dentists, realtors or lawyers? Not the work itself. What AI is changing is how customers find and choose them, and the paperwork around the job.
- AI visibility tools: what to look for before you payAI visibility tools and AEO tools report what ChatGPT and other assistants say about you. What a useful one shows, and why a single score shouldn't be trusted on its own.
- How to turn off AI Mode in Google Search (and turn it on)You can't turn off AI Mode in Google Search with a setting, but you can stay out of it. How to avoid it, how to turn it on, and why it matters for your business.
- How to remove the AI Overview from Google Search resultsGoogle has no setting to remove the AI Overview from search results. The Web filter and a custom search engine hide it, and what the 'not available' message means.
- Perplexity SEO: how businesses get cited in Perplexity answersPerplexity SEO for small businesses: Perplexity searches the web live and cites sources. How to be crawlable, quotable and mentioned on the sites it reads.
- How to get ChatGPT to recommend your businessYou can't pay for or request a ChatGPT recommendation. Here's what it reads about your business, and what to change so it recommends you accurately.
- How to check what ChatGPT says about your businessA simple way to see what ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Perplexity tell customers about your business, without your own chat history skewing the answer.
- ChatGPT has wrong information about my business. How do I fix it?When ChatGPT has wrong information about your business, like old hours or a dead phone number, the fix is at the source it read, not in ChatGPT.
- Is SEO dead because of AI?SEO isn't dead because of AI, but its job has shifted. For a small business the same groundwork now feeds both Google and AI assistants.
- What is llms.txt, and is it worth adding to your site?llms.txt is a plain-text file that tells AI tools what your site is about. What it does, what it doesn't, and whether a small business needs one.
- Zero-click searches: why clicks drop when rankings don'tZero-click searches are answered on the results page, so nobody visits a site. Why they happen, and what a small business should measure instead.
AI for small-business marketing
- AI agents for small business: what they're actually used forHow small businesses use AI agents today: following up on leads, answering reviews, posting to social media and replying to routine questions.
- ChatGPT for small business: useful jobs, and where to be carefulChatGPT for small business owners: the everyday jobs it helps with, what to check before you use its output, and what not to paste into it.
- Should your small business add an AI chatbot?An AI chatbot for a small business helps when it answers routine questions accurately and hands off to a person. When it helps, when it hurts, and what it needs.
- AI tools for small business: what's worth itAI tools for small business, by job rather than brand: writing, meeting notes, bookkeeping, scheduling, reviews and customer questions. What to try first.
- Is ChatGPT safe for business data?Is ChatGPT safe for business use? What happens to what you type, the settings that keep it out of training, and when a business plan or private AI makes sense.
- AI for SEO: what it's good at, and what Google says about itAI for SEO in a small business: keyword ideas, outlines, titles, schema drafts and reading Search Console. What Google says about AI content, and where it goes wrong.
- ChatGPT for marketing a small businessChatGPT for marketing a small business: turning one job into a post, an email and a page; mining your reviews for customer language; and what to check before posting.
- Claude AI for small business: what it is and how owners use itClaude AI for small business owners: what Claude is, the jobs owners use it for, how its business plans handle data, and how it fits with ChatGPT and Gemini.
- AI tools for content creation in a small businessAI tools for content creation a small business can use: writing, captions, video editing, design and transcription, and the one rule about AI images of your work.
- Voice AI for business: answering the phone with AIVoice AI for a small business: what AI phone answering can handle, where callers get frustrated, and the consent rules for recording calls and AI outbound calls.
- AI SEO writers: can AI write your service pages?Can an SEO writer AI tool write your service pages? It can draft them. It can't supply your experience, local detail and facts, which make a page rank and convert.
- AI agents for marketing: what a small business can hand offAI agents for marketing can draft posts, answer leads and report on results. Which jobs a small business can hand off, which need a person, and how to start small.
- AI automation for small business: where to startAI automation for small business works best on repeat admin: missed calls, quote follow-ups, review replies and invoices. How to pick the first job and test it.
- Free AI tools for marketing a small businessFree AI tools for marketing that cover most small business jobs: writing, images, video edits and research. What the free tiers do, and where they stop.
- Using ChatGPT for business ideas without getting generic onesChatGPT for business ideas works when you give it your skills, town and budget. Prompts that produce specific ideas, and how to test them before spending.
- How to use deep research in ChatGPT for your businessHow to use deep research in ChatGPT: what it does, business questions it answers well, how to write the request, and why you still check the sources.
- AI receptionist for small business: what it handlesWhat an AI receptionist for small business can do: answer calls, book appointments, take messages and text back. Free options, limits, and how to test one.
By trade
- Roofing SEO: how roofers get found on Google and in AI answersRoofing SEO for local roofers: separate repair and replacement pages, a Google profile that matches, real job photos, and reviews that name the work.
- SEO for dentists: what brings new patients from searchSEO for dentists: pages for each treatment, insurance and new-patient details, Google profiles for the practice and each dentist, and HIPAA-safe review replies.
- Contractor SEO: getting remodeling and building jobs from searchContractor SEO for remodelers and general contractors: project pages with real photos, the areas you build in, license and insurance details, and reviews.
- Electrician SEO: getting found for the jobs you wantElectrician SEO for local electrical contractors: pages for panels, EV chargers and generators, emergency hours that are true, and your license shown.
- HVAC SEO: staying findable through the busy and slow seasonsHVAC SEO for heating and cooling contractors: pages for repair, replacement and maintenance, seasonal updates, honest emergency hours, and brand details.
- SEO for plumbers: showing up when the water won't stopSEO for plumbers: pages for water heaters, drains and sewer lines, honest emergency hours, a phone number one tap away, and a Google profile that matches.
- Restaurant SEO: menus, hours and the questions people ask AIRestaurant SEO: a menu as text rather than a PDF, hours that are right on holidays, a complete Google profile, and reviews answered. What diners and AI read.
- Landscaping SEO: design, maintenance and seasonal workLandscaping SEO: separate pages for design, installs, lawn care and seasonal services, project photos by town, and a Google profile updated each season.
- SEO for moving companies: winning trust before the quoteSEO for moving companies: local and long-distance pages, your USDOT number where it belongs, honest quote details, and reviews that show you're not a scam.
- Pest control SEO: pages by pest, and claims you can back upPest control SEO: a page for each pest people search, recurring plans explained, your applicator license shown, and eco-friendly claims you can support.
- Local SEO for attorneys: practice areas, profiles and the ethics rulesLocal SEO for attorneys: a page per practice area, profiles for the firm and each lawyer, and review replies and claims that stay inside your bar's advertising rules.
- SEO for insurance agents: local, specific and compliantSEO for insurance agents: pages for each line you write, the carriers you represent, your license, a Google profile for the office, and carrier-compliant copy.
- Real estate agent SEO: owning your name and your neighborhoodsReal estate agent SEO: you won't outrank the big listing sites for homes, but you can own searches for your name and the neighborhoods you know best.
- SEO for accountants: ready before tax season, useful all yearSEO for accountants and CPAs: pages for each service and the clients you serve best, work done before tax season, and advertising within your board's rules.
- SEO for photographers: getting a portfolio foundSEO for photographers: niche pages for weddings, headshots or newborns, portfolios that load fast and describe the images, and a Google profile for your area.
- SEO for veterinarians: new clients, emergencies and speciesSEO for veterinarians: which species you treat, urgent and emergency details that are accurate, new-client steps, and a Google profile in the right category.
- Junk removal SEO: pricing, what you take, and same-dayJunk removal SEO: explain how pricing works, list what you take and what you don't, say when you can come, and back up any donation or recycling claims.
- Construction company website design: built for owners, GCs and hiresConstruction company website design for commercial builders: project portfolios by sector, safety and bonding details for prequalification, and a careers page.
- Law firm website design: practice areas, bios and careful intakeLaw firm website design: practice area pages, attorney bios with bar admissions, contact forms with the right disclaimer, and copy inside advertising rules.
- Locksmith SEO when fake listings crowd the mapLocksmith SEO in one of the most spammed trades on Google: prove you're a real local locksmith, show your license, and be straight about lockout pricing.
- ChatGPT for real estate agents: listings, follow-ups and fair housingChatGPT for real estate agents: listing description drafts, neighborhood pages, client follow-ups, and the fair-housing and accuracy checks every draft needs.
- ChatGPT for lawyers: useful, with the ethics rules in viewChatGPT for lawyers and small firms: where generative AI saves time, what the ABA's guidance says about confidentiality and competence, and why citations need checking.
- AI for restaurants: where it helps, and the allergen ruleAI for restaurants: menu descriptions, review replies, social posts and answering common questions, plus the one rule: AI never answers allergen questions on its own.
- AI for home service businesses: plumbers, HVAC and contractorsAI for home service businesses like plumbers, HVAC companies and contractors: scheduling, quote drafts, follow-ups and review requests, and what stays on the truck.
- IDX on a real estate agent website: what it does and doesn'tWhat IDX does on a real estate agent website: MLS listings searchable on your own site. What it doesn't do for SEO, and the content that makes the site yours.
- Local SEO for doctors and medical practicesLocal SEO for doctors: practice and provider profiles on Google, insurance and condition pages, and how to reply to patient reviews without breaking privacy rules.
- Local SEO for home services businessesLocal SEO for home services: set your service area properly, build a page per service, and get reviews that mention the job and the town.
- Local SEO for therapists and counselorsLocal SEO for therapists: a Google profile if you see clients in person, directory listings, pages for what you treat, and why you can't ask clients for reviews.