Carl Formigoni
Founder & Director of YourStuff
Brisbane, Queensland · Building small business websites and digital strategy since 2005
Latest Articles
Bagisto vs WooCommerce for AI-Built Online Stores
We built a client's Pokemon card shop on Bagisto, not WooCommerce. Why Laravel lets AI work across the whole codebase, what broke and how we fixed it.
Website Migration & Relaunch Checklist
Moving hosts, switching platforms, or rebuilding your site? Here's how to protect the rankings and traffic you've already earned through the change.
Small Business Marketing Budget: How Much to Spend
How much should a small business spend on marketing? A practical percentage-of-revenue benchmark, and the order to actually spend it in as you grow.
Custom AI Agents Are a Bad Bet (Build This Instead)
Paying an agency for a bespoke AI agent sounds like serious infrastructure. Often it's a bet on one vendor's framework - the case for skills instead.
The Work Behind the Words.
Carl Formigoni has spent more than twenty years actually building the things he writes about here, not reporting on them from the outside. He founded YourStuff in 2005, spent fourteen years running it in parallel with a full-time role at AcctWeb and PlannerWeb from 2011, and has been hands-on with web design, SEO, and digital strategy for small businesses the entire way through.
He also knows what it's like sitting on the other side of the advice. Carl founded and ran Pretty Kickz, a sneaker retail business, from 2020 to 2025 - building its website, managing its SEO, and handling its social presence himself. Every article on this blog is written by someone who's actually had to make these calls for his own business, not just recommend them for someone else's. Pretty Kickz closed in 2025 so YourStuff's clients could have his full attention.
Carl studied IT, Multimedia, and Interaction Design at the University of Queensland and has lived in Brisbane for most of his life - he still works directly with every client himself, no account managers or relay through a project manager. Outside the studio he's a sneaker collector with over 200 pairs, a Parkway Drive regular, a MotoGP fan since 2008, an Essendon Bombers supporter, and a dad to two kids.
More Articles by Carl
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How to Build an AI Brain for Your Business
The businesses getting real value from AI aren't using fancier tools - they've documented how their business actually works. Here's how to build that yourself.
What Should Be Included in a Website Quote?
A cheap website quote often means SEO and marketing basics were never included at all. Here's how to work out exactly what you're paying for before you sign.
How to Run a Client Competition (Not a Giveaway)
A practical guide to running a client appreciation competition on your email list - cross-promotion, entry mechanics, and the legal bit most businesses miss.
Why Your Marketing Emails Are Landing in Spam
Low open rates rarely mean your writing is bad - they mean your emails aren't reaching the inbox. What actually causes poor deliverability, and how to fix it.
Do You Still Need a Graphic Designer in 2026?
AI can produce a genuinely good logo in minutes. Here's why that's not the same as producing a usable one - and what still goes wrong.
Do You Still Need a Website in 2026?
With AI search and social platforms doing more of the work, do small businesses still need a website in 2026? Here's the honest, evidence-based answer.
Why Not Using AI in 2026 Is Frankly Unethical
When AI does a task faster and more accurately than a human could, doing it manually isn't tradition, it's negligence. Where that holds, and where it doesn't.
Signs It's Time to Redesign Your Website
Not every website problem needs a full redesign. Here's how to tell when you genuinely need one, and when a smaller fix - or going static - solves it instead.
How to Build an Email List for Your Small Business
A practical guide to building an email list from zero: lead magnets that work, Spam Act consent rules, and the simple tools small businesses actually need.
My Website Has Been Hacked - What Do I Do Now?
A calm, step-by-step guide for small business owners dealing with a hacked website - what to do first, what repair costs, and how to stop it recurring.
ACSC Alert: Hackers Are Targeting WordPress Sites
The ACSC has issued a critical alert about a global hacking campaign hitting WordPress sites. Here's how to check if your small business website is affected.
The AI Receptionist: Stop Missing Calls and Jobs
Most missed callers never ring back - they call a competitor. Here's how an AI receptionist answers every call, and what to check before you buy one.
Online Booking Systems: What to Use and Avoid
Choosing an online booking system for your Australian small business? What to look for, which tools suit your industry, and the traps that cost you clients.
Instagram for Local Business: What Actually Works
Most service businesses get Instagram wrong. Here's what actually works for tradies, mechanics, physios, and accountants who aren't selling aesthetics.
The No-Backend Playbook for Small Business Sites
Forms, bookings, payments, search - every feature a small business website needs can run on a static site. Here's exactly how to do it, tool by tool.
What Is GEO and Why It Matters More Than SEO
58% of Australians now search with AI tools like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews. What Generative Engine Optimisation is, and how to get named in AI answers.
Should Your Small Business Have an AI Usage Policy?
Your staff are probably using ChatGPT at work already. Here's a practical guide to the rules worth setting before a data mistake happens.
Google Business Profile Optimisation Cost
Google Business Profile optimisation costs explained for Australian small businesses - DIY, one-off professional setup, and monthly management prices compared.
What Happens When You Don't Maintain Your Website
Ignoring WordPress maintenance doesn't mean nothing is happening - it means you're not watching. What's quietly going wrong with neglected business websites.
Why Small Business Websites Should Be Static in 2026
WordPress, Wix and Squarespace made sense in 2012. In 2026, static sites managed with AI are faster, cheaper and easier to update - the case for switching.
The Complete Small Business SEO Checklist
A practical small business SEO checklist covering on-page, local, technical and content SEO, with Australian context. Work through this before spending on ads.
Google Business Profile Optimisation Guide
Google Business Profile optimisation step by step: categories, photos, reviews, costs, and how Brisbane small businesses can win the local map pack.
Domain, Hosting and Website: What's the Difference?
Confused about domains, hosting and websites? A plain-English explanation of what each one is, how they work together, and what to set up first.
Your GBP Is Secretly Costing You Customers
Google Business Profile optimisation is ongoing, not a one-off. The mistakes most Australian small businesses make are silently killing their local rankings.
AI Automation for Small Business: What Actually Works
Learn how to automate small business workflows with AI, without the hype - what genuinely saves time and money, and how to get started in Australia.
Why Your Website Gets Visitors But No Enquiries
Traffic without conversions is a silent killer for small businesses. The real reasons people visit and leave without getting in touch, and what to do about it.
Local SEO vs Google Ads: A No-Nonsense Framework
What is local SEO, and why does it matter? An honest framework for choosing between local SEO and Google Ads, so you know where your budget goes first.
Workflow Automation: Where to Start
Workflow automation for small business in Australia - what to automate first, which tools to use, and how to get your first automation running this week.
How to Plan Your Digital Project Before You Start
Planning a digital project - website, campaign or automation build - starts before you engage anyone. The thinking to do first, and how to document it.
5 Signs Your IT Setup Is Costing You Money
Most small business IT problems don't announce themselves - they quietly cost you time and money every day. Here are the five warning signs to watch for.
AI Chatbots for Small Business: Cost and Setup
AI chatbots for small business in Australia - how they work, what they actually cost, when they're worth it, and how to set one up without a developer.
Why Your Competitors Look More Professional Online
Most businesses can't see the gap between how they appear online and their competitors. A five-point self-audit that shows exactly where you're losing ground.
Email Marketing Still Beats Social Media
Social media feels more modern, but for most small businesses email marketing delivers higher ROI and results you actually own. Here's why, and how to start.
How to Set Up AI Tools in Your Small Business
How to set up AI tools in your small business - a practical guide for owners with no technical background. Start with five tools and build from there.
What Digital Strategy Actually Means for You
What is a digital strategy, and why does it matter? Most businesses spend on marketing with no coherent plan. What a real strategy looks like, and its results.
Landing Pages Explained: What They Are and Why
A landing page isn't just a page visitors land on. It's a purpose-built tool for converting traffic into enquiries - and most businesses don't have one.
How to Use AI to Write Better Business Content
AI writing tools can save hours - but used badly, they produce generic content that undermines your brand. Use them as a partner, not a replacement.
The Best Way to Market Your Small Business Online
The best way to market a small business online in Australia depends on your industry, budget and timeline. A practical, no-nonsense guide to getting it right.
Cloud Storage for Small Business: What You Need
OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud - most small businesses pay for cloud storage they don't fully understand. Here's how to make the right choice.
How to Write Website Copy That Converts
Most small business website copy talks too much about the business, not enough about the customer. A simple framework for words that make people enquire.
Website Design Cost for Small Business in Australia (2026)
How much does website design cost for a small business in Australia? Transparent pricing from DIY to full agency builds - what to budget for, and what to avoid.
Why Your Business Isn't Showing on Google Maps
Not showing up in Google Maps results costs local businesses real enquiries every day. Here are the most common reasons why, and what to do about each.
What Is a Digital Agency? A Plain-Language Guide
What is a digital agency and what do they actually do? A plain-language guide to the services on offer, and whether one is right for your small business.
Small Business Website Launch Checklist
The complete website launch checklist for small business: 27 technical, homepage, content and SEO checks to run before you go live, plus first-48-hour steps.
Social Proof That Actually Converts
A five-star rating is a baseline expectation, not a differentiator. The businesses winning trust online use more specific, more credible social proof.
Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace: Which to Choose?
Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace for small business: costs, key differences, and which platform suits which type of business - without the tech jargon.
Build a 90-Day Content Plan in Under Two Hours
Most small businesses produce content sporadically or not at all. A simple 90-day plan fixes both, without a dedicated marketing team or expensive tools.
Website Accessibility for Small Business Explained
Website accessibility isn't just a legal consideration, it's a business one. Here's what it actually means for small business websites, and where to start.
10 Practical Uses for ChatGPT in Your Small Business
10 practical uses for ChatGPT in your small business - beyond writing blog posts - plus how to get started quickly, even without a tech background.
How to Build a Referral System for Your Business
Word of mouth is the best lead source most small businesses have - and almost none have a system for generating it deliberately. Here's how to build one.
How to Respond to Negative Reviews the Right Way
A bad review handled well can build more trust than five positive ones. Here's exactly how to respond, and what never to do, no matter how unfair it seems.
How to Build a Professional Small Business Website
How to build a professional website for your small business in Australia - platform choice, design, copy, SEO, cost and launch, done right the first time.
Cybersecurity for Small Business: What Matters
Cybersecurity advice for small business is often too technical or too vague to act on. Six specific protections that cover most threats most businesses face.
The Real Reason Your Website Isn't Ranking
If your website isn't ranking on Google, it's probably not a technical mystery. How to improve your ranking, and the real reasons most sites don't show up.
How to Get More Google Reviews Without Being Pushy
How to get more Google reviews without feeling pushy - a practical system that makes the ask easy, consistent and natural, so reviews actually come in.