VanDenBerg Web + Creative

06/12/2026

Google may be sending fewer users directly to your website than you think.

With AI Mode, local searches increasingly surface Google Business Profiles before a user ever reaches a business website.

That doesn't make websites less important. It means your website and Google Business Profile need to work together to support visibility, trust, and conversions.

Here's what changed, why it matters, and how your business should adapt: https://bit.ly/4v4k5HX

TL;DR: Google's newest AI Mode feature keeps users inside Google longer by opening local results in a side-by-side AI interface. To stay visible in local and

06/11/2026

WordPress powers more than 40% of the internet.

That popularity is one of the reasons it's such a common target for hackers.

The good news? Most website security issues are preventable with consistent updates, monitoring, and maintenance.

If you're not sure whether your website is being properly maintained, see what's included in our WordPress Care Plans: https://bit.ly/4dzhDS2

06/08/2026

Two clients texted me this weekend in a panic.

Both said the same thing: "Every email I send is bouncing back."

The error? A DMARC reject policy.

Translation: Google and Yahoo are no longer letting businesses send email from their own domain unless that domain has the right DNS records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) in place. If your records are wrong, missing, or outdated, your emails to clients, vendors, and even your own staff can silently fail.

Here is what most business owners don't realize:

1. Your branded email lives on top of DNS records you probably haven't touched in years.

2. Big email providers tightened the rules in 2024. They got even stricter in 2025 and 2026.

3. You usually don't find out you're broken until you've already lost the deal, missed the invoice, or ghosted the customer.

The fix is not complicated. But it is technical, and it lives in a part of your business nobody owns until something goes wrong.

At VanDenBerg Web + Creative, this is exactly the kind of thing we handle for our clients before it becomes a crisis at 7:55 PM on a Sunday.

If you have a branded email address and you have not had your DNS records checked in the last 12 months, that is your homework this week.

Ask your IT person, your hosting provider, or your web team about SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. If they look at you blankly, that is your answer.

06/07/2026

Not every season feels like progress in real time. But that doesn’t mean progress isn’t happening.

A reminder for today: the bigger picture is still unfolding.

06/05/2026

A lot of the conversation around search right now is focused on SEO vs GEO.

But the simplest way to think about it is this:

SEO is about how people find your website in search results.
GEO is about how your content is understood and used by AI systems.

Both matter, but they optimize for different types of visibility.

Save this infographic for later if you’re working through how your business shows up in both search and AI results.

06/04/2026

Most website horror stories start small.

A plugin update here, a broken form there, and suddenly things stop working the way they should.

This is why ongoing maintenance is essential, not optional. See what’s included in our website care plan at the link in bio. 🔗

05/31/2026

The world can be unpredictable, but my foundation remains the same.

Starting my day with Jesus allows me to lead with more patience, clarity, and purpose. When we align our morning with our values, the rest of the day tends to fall into place.

How do you ground yourself before the workday begins?

05/29/2026

The strongest business strategies are rarely the most complicated.

They’re the ones built on clarity, consistency, and intentional decisions over time.

These are five strategic truths that have had a lasting impact on how we serve our clients.

05/28/2026

Not every search leads to a click anymore.

AI is now shaping how customers find and evaluate local businesses, often before they ever visit a website.

We created a local business guide to SEO + GEO to explain what’s changing and how to think about visibility in this new search landscape.

Download for free here: https://bit.ly/49zoKsL

05/25/2026

Today, we take a moment to remember those who gave everything in service to our country. Their sacrifice is the foundation of the freedoms we live and work under every day—and it’s something we don’t take lightly.

At VanDenBerg Web + Creative, we’re grateful for the lives, families, and communities shaped by their courage. We honor their legacy by remembering them and carrying that respect into how we show up each day.