19 August 2026 · web-design
DIY builder, freelancer or agency?
A practical comparison of DIY website builders, freelancers and agencies, including scope, ownership, continuity and the questions to ask before choosing.
Blog: notes from the workbench
Notes from the workbench, yours to use.
Practical notes on what moves leads: pages, ads, analytics, photos and product data, ready to use on your own site.
All posts, newest first
19 August 2026 · pricing
DTC website costs: UK 2026
How to compare DTC website costs in the UK in 2026, including platform fees, build scope, ownership and Turing Websites' published starting prices.
19 August 2026 · google-ads
Google Ads or a better website?
Compare Google Ads with website investment using cost-per-lead maths, current traffic evidence and a decision sequence for choosing which job comes first.
19 August 2026 · pricing
Professional services website costs UK
How to compare a professional services website quote in 2026, with Turing Websites' published starting price and a checklist for clarity, proof and enquiries.
19 August 2026 · ecommerce
Shopify or custom ecommerce?
A practical Shopify versus custom ecommerce comparison for UK product brands: scope, costs, ownership, integrations and the questions to test before choosing.
19 August 2026 · web-design
WordPress or a custom website?
A practical WordPress versus custom-build comparison for 2026, covering editing, dependencies, performance, lead capture, ownership and cost.
21 July 2026 · google-ads
Google Ads Cost UK: Budget, CPC & Fees
Plan Google Ads (AdWords) cost in the UK with daily-to-monthly budget limits, a worked CPC and lead model, management fees, and a pre-spend checklist.
21 July 2026 · redesign
7 signs you need a website redesign
How to tell a website that needs a redesign from one that needs a smaller fix: seven clear signs, two false alarms, and the value a good redesign should protect.
21 July 2026 · seo
Why isn't my website showing up on Google?
Run the 30-second check that separates an indexing problem from a ranking problem, then take the right next step.
4 July 2026 · pricing
How much does a website cost? (UK 2026)
UK website costs in 2026: published Turing price floors, a current platform example, year-one calculations and a quote-comparison worksheet.
3 July 2026 · conversion
Why isn't my website getting leads?
Turn more website traffic into enquiries: seven practical checks covering speed, clarity, forms, targeting, trust and measurement.
2 July 2026 · web-design
Custom vs Wix, Squarespace & WordPress
The trade-offs between website builders and a custom build (cost, speed, ownership and lock-in), with a practical guide to where each route fits.
21 June 2026 · product-data
Product data that helps people buy
Complete specs, consistent attributes and a feed that matches the page: the data behind your products helps buyers decide. Here's what to improve first.
19 June 2026 · photography
The in-scale shot: your cheapest photo
Shoppers judge size from product photos. An in-scale image answers that question quickly, builds confidence and reduces size-related returns.
16 June 2026 · process
The open-door approach to web projects
Most agencies treat the build as a black box. We think you should be able to watch your project the way you watch a pizza being made.
10 June 2026 · photography
Product photography buying guide
A practical product-photography plan for ecommerce: the buyer questions to answer, a repeatable shot list and the measures to review after publishing.
Steal freely. It’s why we wrote it down.
Why we publish
Notes from the workbench.
Each post starts with a question or decision from an active build.
The awkward stuff, included.
Why your product photos matter more than your homepage animation: the things agencies mumble, said plainly.
Take it and run.
Use it yourself or hand it to whoever builds your site. It’s useful either way: that’s the point.
Take the notes. Keep the edge.
If a post raises a question about your own site, get the answer in two minutes. Our free scorecard turns your answers into a tailored plan - no call required.