From Word-of-Mouth to a Measured Online Presence

Sinclair Black • October 30, 2025

The Pool Service Co. Case Study

When we first met The Pool Service Co., they were already one of Sydney’s largest independent pool businesses, family-owned, trusted, and running smoothly with over 25 staff. Their reputation spoke for itself. In fact, every new customer came through word-of-mouth or by purchasing existing pool runs from retiring pool cleaners.


But that success came with a ceiling. Their website at the time was a simple 3-pager, basically a digital business card. It did the job when the company was smaller, but it didn’t reflect the operation they had become: a professional, growing, and highly capable team managing residential, strata, and commercial clients right across Sydney.


The owner knew it was time to level up. They had the systems, the team, and the service quality, what they didn’t have was visibility.



The Challenge


  • The Pool Service Co. had almost no digital footprint.
  • A basic website with minimal traffic.
  • No active SEO strategy.
  • No Google Ads or business profile.
  • And only a handful of website enquiries each year.


Our goal was simple: turn their online presence into a real lead engine. One that matched their reputation in the field.



The Strategy


We started from the ground up, building a digital foundation designed to last.

  1. Website Rebuild – We created a new site that reflects their scale and credibility. Clear navigation, strong visuals, and simple calls-to-action that build trust. We showcased their expertise, service range, and reliability while keeping the tone approachable and local.
  2. SEO & AIO Setup – We developed a keyword and content strategy focused on high-intent local searches like “pool cleaning Northern Beaches” and “commercial pool maintenance Sydney.” We also began optimising for AI discovery (AIO), ensuring they show up in emerging AI search tools and voice results.
  3. Google Business & Ads – We set up a Google Business Profile and launched a small, tightly targeted Google Ads campaign to test conversion rates and geography performance.
  4. Social Presence – We helped establish consistent branding across social media and LinkedIn, reinforcing credibility across all platforms.



The Results


In the first few months after launch:

  • Over 80 new website enquiries, a massive jump from just a handful per year.
  • Many of those leads have converted into regular weekly and fortnightly clients.
  • The website now appears on page one of Google for several core search terms.
  • The Google Ads campaign continues to deliver strong ROI.
  • Engagement and recognition have grown across social platforms.


And this is just the start. We continue to optimise their SEO and AIO each week, strengthening rankings and tightening their digital funnel.



The Takeaway


The Pool Service Co. had built a great business, they just needed the online world to see it.


What began as a simple website overhaul has turned into a complete brand clean-up and digital growth story. They now have a professional, high-performing online presence that matches the quality of their work in the field.


At BrandWeb, this is what we love most, helping great local businesses step confidently into the next stage of their growth with simple strategies that work.


If your business relies heavily on referrals or outdated systems, it might be time for a similar online brand clean-up. The results speak for themselves.


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From Google to AI: The New Rules of Being Found Online

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SEO Basics Still Matter

By Sinclair Black • August 28, 2025
SEO Basics Still Matter: But the Game Has Changed There’s no magic trick to hit #1 on Google overnight. But there are simple, proven steps that make your website easier to find, not just on Google, but also on AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and voice search. AI tools don’t just scan websites, they summarise them, recommend them, and even answer questions using your content. That’s why smart, consistent SEO is more important than ever. Here are 5 essential SEO habits to help your site get found, by people and AI: 1. Write for humans, not robots High-quality, original content is still king. Make sure your writing is clear, relevant, and error-free. Avoid keyword stuffing or copying from other sites, both Google and AI can spot the fakes instantly. 2. Add a blog and make it visual Fresh blog content keeps your site active and gives AI more to work with. Use images, videos, and infographics to boost engagement and shareability, and increase your chances of being referenced in AI-generated answers. 3. Focus on user experience If your site is clunky, pushy or confusing, visitors (and AI) will bounce. Keep your layout clean, your navigation simple, and your message clear. A good experience = more time on site = better rankings. 4. Link your pages with purpose Use internal links to guide visitors and AI through your content. Link relevant blog posts to your services, FAQs to your contact page, and so on. Just keep it natural. Think helpful, not spammy. 5. Check your Core Web Vitals Speed, stability, and mobile-friendliness matter. Google uses these metrics to rank you and AI tools rely on them to decide which sites are reliable and worth referencing. Run regular checks and fix what’s slowing you down. Want help applying this to your site? Book your free 30 Minute Online BrandWeb Audit and get a personalised fix list.