~$~/blog.md173 entries

field notes — taken to the nines

The Nines.

Take it to the nines. Plain-spoken posts on what’s actually working in marketing — and what isn’t. Written by senior practitioners. Drawn from live client engagements. Nothing wallpapered, nothing half-finished.

~/blog/the-future-is-here.md

NEWS4 min

The Future is Here.

We rebuilt the agency around agents doing the heavy lifting and senior people on the hook for the outcome. Here's what already changed — and where you can log in and see it.

~/blog/blake-coward-joins-the-nine.md

NEWS2 min

Blake Coward joins The Nine as Director of New Business.

The Nine adds a Director of New Business — Blake Coward brings the experience of building and running his own agency, and a track record of pushing new AI technologies into how client work actually gets done.

~/blog/the-nine-acquires-smartsource-solutions.md

NEWS3 min

The Nine acquires SmartSource Solutions.

The Nine has acquired SmartSource Solutions — a credit union technology firm with 20+ years as a CUSO and nearly 300 credit unions served. Same team, same products, now backed by an AI-native agency.

~/blog/website-design-for-security-system-companies.md

DESIGN9 min

Website Design for Security System Companies

The Nine breaks down website design for security system companies, from above-the-fold messaging to service area pages, so your site can turn visitors into booked installations.

~/blog/website-design-for-pool-service-companies.md

DESIGN11 min

Website Design for Pool Service Companies

Learn what website design for pool service companies entails and what you website needs in order to draw in consistent leads.

~/blog/ai-seo-tools.md

SEO19 min

Which AI SEO Tools Should You Use?

Should you use AI SEO tools just because they make your processes faster? Find out which tools actually move the needle and which ones you can skip.

~/blog/ai-tools-for-web-design.md

DESIGN15 min

Which AI Web Design Tools Should You Try?

Which AI tools for web design should you try and which ones should you skip? Our detailed guide offers expert insights.

~/blog/website-design-for-commercial-cleaning-companies.md

DESIGN9 min

Website Design for Commercial Cleaning Companies

Website design for commercial cleaning companies has one job: convert facilities managers, not homeowners. Learn what pages, copy, and CTAs actually do that.

~/blog/website-design-for-industrial-services-companies.md

DESIGN10 min

Website Design for Industrial Services Companies

Website design for industrial services companies separates from templates by custom-building around how your actual operation works and what your specific buyers need to see.

~/blog/website-design-for-irrigation-companies.md

DESIGN9 min

Website Design for Irrigation Companies

Website design for irrigation companies needs clear service pages, trust signals, and an easy path to contact. Here is what that looks like.

~/blog/the-nine-effect.md

PLAYBOOK5 min

The Nine Effect: a playbook for marketing that actually pays off.

Most marketing budgets get spent before anyone can tell you what worked. That's the problem the Nine Effect was built to solve.

~/blog/website-design-for-trucking-companies.md

DESIGN9

Website Design for Trucking Companies

Website design for trucking companies requires solving a dual-audience problem from the homepage down. Here's how to build for shippers and drivers at once.

~/blog/seo-audits.md

SEO6 min· draft

Why most “SEO audits” don’t change anything.

PDFs full of red checkmarks aren’t strategy. Here’s what actually moves rankings — and what to ask before you sign anything.

~/blog/ai-powered-digital-marketing.md

STRATEGY5 min

AI-Powered Digital Marketing Strategies for Niche Markets

See how AI-powered digital marketing can help niche businesses understand customers, refine messaging, automate tasks, and scale faster.

~/blog/kill-bad-campaigns.md

PAID4 min· draft

The case for killing your worst campaign today.

Half of every paid budget we audit is funding campaigns nobody’s defended in months. Here’s how to tell which ones to cut.

~/blog/credit-union-growth.md

STRATEGY7 min· draft

What credit unions get wrong about digital growth.

Member-experience awards don’t show up in your funnel. The fix isn’t a bigger budget — it’s a different system.

~/blog/ai-tools-for-content-writing.md

AI9 min

How Are AI Tools for Content Writing Transforming SEO

AI tools for content writing are reshaping SEO, but only when used right. Discover the real benefits, the serious risks, and what Google actually rewards.

~/blog/ai-tools-for-web-development.md

DEV15 min

How AI Tools for Web Development Affect the Web Development Process

AI tools for web development assist developers with coding, testing, and design, but skilled developers remain essential to every high-performing website.

~/blog/how-to-start-a-brand.md

STRATEGY11 min

How to Start a Brand from Scratch in 2026

Learn how to start a brand in 2026 by following the framework that works across various industries.

~/blog/website-design-for-landscaping-companies.md

DESIGN12 min

Website Design for Landscaping Companies

Website design for landscaping companies is more than just a homepage. Learn what your site needs to rank, convert visitors, and bring in jobs year-round.

~/blog/website-design-for-lawn-care-companies.md

DESIGN16 min

Website Design for Lawn Care Companies

Website design for tree service companies that converts visitors into calls. Learn which pages, trust signals, and design choices drive real leads.

~/blog/website-design-for-pressure-washing-companies.md

DESIGN12 min

Website Design for Pressure Washing Companies

Learn how professional website design for pressure washing companies helps turn visitors into real leads with the right pages and conversion-focused features.

~/blog/website-design-for-tree-service-companies.md

DESIGN13 min

Website Design for Tree Service Companies

Website design for lawn care companies that converts visitors into leads. Learn what pages, features, and SEO foundations your lawn care website needs to generate calls.

~/blog/optimize-content-for-seo.md

SEO6 min

Best Ways to Optimize Content for SEO (That Google Loves)

Learn the best way to optimize content for SEO to ensure your content reads well, ranks better, and converts perfectly.

~/blog/website-design-for-demolition-companies.md

DESIGN9 min

Website Design for Demolition Companies

Learn the ins and outs of website design for demolition companies. Understand what it takes for a demolition website to become your #1 sales asset.

~/blog/website-design-for-land-clearing-companies.md

DESIGN8 min

Website Design for Land Clearing Companies

Learn what effective website design for land clearing companies requires, from homepage structure and service pages to local SEO, and lead-generating forms.

~/blog/website-design-for-saas-companies.md

DESIGN10 min

Website Design for SaaS Companies

Learn what website design for SaaS companies must entail. Understand essential pages, site architecture, industry-specific design, and visual identity best practices.

~/blog/website-design-for-utility-contractor-companies.md

DESIGN11 min

Website Design for Utility Contractor Companies

Website design for utility contractor companies should do more than exist. Learn what separates sites that book jobs from ones that don't.

~/blog/website-development-for-security-companies.md

DEV13 min

Website Development for Security Companies

Discover how website development for security companies boosts credibility, rankings, and lead generation with the right structure, service pages, and strategy.

~/blog/best-erps-for-shopify.md

ECOM10 min

Best ERPs for Shopify: Top 8 Picks for 2026

Looking for the best ERPs for Shopify? We break down 8 top platforms, covering inventory, fulfillment, accounting, and how to pick the right ERP for your store.