Casey Dolan Consulting

Casey Dolan Consulting Digital Consulting, Web Design, and Marketing.

Google Maps is getting a pretty interesting upgrade.Instead of typing something like “restaurant near me,” people can no...
03/13/2026

Google Maps is getting a pretty interesting upgrade.

Instead of typing something like “restaurant near me,” people can now ask Maps questions like:

• “Where’s a good brunch spot with outdoor seating?”
• “What’s open right now?”
• “Where can I get a quiet place to work?”

Google calls it Ask Maps, and it’s basically turning Maps into a recommendation engine powered by reviews, photos, and business info.

For local businesses, that means things like reviews, photos, and Google Business Profile updates matter even more.

I wrote a quick post explaining what’s changing and a few practical things businesses can do about it.

Read it here:

Google Maps has quietly become one of the most important marketing platforms for local businesses. People use it to find restaurants, compare service providers, check reviews, and decide who looks trustworthy enough to call. In many cases, they never even visit a website before making that decision....

If you run a business in Palm Springs or anywhere in the Coachella Valley, you’ve probably heard someone say: “SEO is de...
03/03/2026

If you run a business in Palm Springs or anywhere in the Coachella Valley, you’ve probably heard someone say: “SEO is dead. AI is taking over.”

Relax.

People still search. They still compare. They still need someone to call when the AC dies in July. AI changes how answers are delivered. It doesn’t eliminate the need for clear, credible local businesses.

I put together a guide on how to position your website in the age of AI without chasing every shiny tool. If your site hasn’t been touched since 2019, this might be useful.

If you’ve heard someone declare “SEO is dead” lately, congratulations. You’ve witnessed a marketing industry tradition. Right up there with “email is dead” and “websites don’t matter anymore.” Here’s the truth: SEO isn’t dead. It’s changing. And AI is the reason people are pa...

Google Ads get recommended a lot.Sometimes they’re the right move.Sometimes they’re just expensive.In the Coachella Vall...
02/18/2026

Google Ads get recommended a lot.

Sometimes they’re the right move.
Sometimes they’re just expensive.

In the Coachella Valley, things aren’t one-size-fits-all. Palm Springs behaves differently than Indio. Seasonal demand changes everything. Budget matters more than people admit.

I wrote a practical breakdown of when Google Ads make sense locally and when you’re better off strengthening your SEO first.

If you’ve been wondering whether to run ads, this will help.

If you run a business in Palm Springs or anywhere in the Coachella Valley, you’ve probably heard this at some point: “We should be running Google Ads. Everyone searches on Google.” That part is true. The part that gets skipped is whether Google Ads make sense for your business, in this market,...

Ever scroll social media and feel like every company suddenly hired the same copywriter?Short dramatic lines.Emoji in pr...
02/11/2026

Ever scroll social media and feel like every company suddenly hired the same copywriter?

Short dramatic lines.
Emoji in predictable spots.
Hashtags that could apply to literally anything.

AI isn’t ruining content.

Using it without direction is.

I wrote a post about how to use AI for social media without sounding like everyone else. If you’re experimenting with AI tools right now, this might help you avoid blending into the noise.

Spend five minutes scrolling LinkedIn or Facebook and you’ll notice something strange. Different companies. Different industries. Different audiences. But the posts all look, well, suspiciously similar. Big statement. Short line. Another short line. Maybe an em dash. A rocket emoji. Three hashtags...

If marketing has ever felt confusing, frustrating, or harder than it should be, this is probably why.I just published a ...
02/03/2026

If marketing has ever felt confusing, frustrating, or harder than it should be, this is probably why.

I just published a breakdown of what a “limited marketing budget” actually looks like in practice and how to prioritize when money is tight.

Honest, realistic, and written for small businesses that want clarity, not hype.

“We have a limited marketing budget.” I hear this phrase constantly. From small businesses, nonprofits, event organizers, and pretty much anyone who has ever tried marketing before and walked away a little bruised. Sometimes it means “we’re being cautious.” Sometimes it means “we got bur...

Digital marketing works a little differently in Greater Palm Springs. And in 2026, that gap is getting wider.Tourism, se...
01/28/2026

Digital marketing works a little differently in Greater Palm Springs. And in 2026, that gap is getting wider.

Tourism, seasonal residents, events, and short attention spans change how people actually find and choose local businesses here. A lot of national “best practices” just don’t hold up.

I put together a practical breakdown of what’s actually changing, what still matters, and what local businesses should probably stop doing if they want results.

Digital marketing in Greater Palm Springs has never followed the same rules as bigger cities, and in 2026 that gap is only getting wider. This region runs on tourism, seasonal residents, events, and short attention spans. People are here for a few days, maybe a few weeks, and they are making decisio...

SEO in the Coachella Valley isn’t one-size-fits-all.Palm Springs search behavior doesn’t look like Indio. Palm Desert do...
01/26/2026

SEO in the Coachella Valley isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Palm Springs search behavior doesn’t look like Indio. Palm Desert doesn’t behave like Cathedral City. And treating them all the same usually leads to missed opportunities.

I wrote a new post breaking down how local SEO actually works across the valley, in plain language, without the usual jargon or hype.

If you run a business here and have ever wondered why being “online” doesn’t always translate to being found, this one’s for you.

If you run a business in Palm Springs or elsewhere in the Coachella Valley, SEO probably sits in a strange mental category. You know it matters. You’re not entirely sure why. And you’ve likely heard a dozen different explanations that range from overly technical to wildly oversimplified. The tru...

If your website contact form gets spam from time to time, you’re not alone.And no, it doesn’t mean your website is broke...
01/23/2026

If your website contact form gets spam from time to time, you’re not alone.
And no, it doesn’t mean your website is broken.

Spam is unfortunately part of being reachable online. The real goal isn’t eliminating it entirely. It’s managing it without blocking real customers or breaking your form.

I wrote up a straightforward guide on why spam happens, what actually helps reduce it, and when it’s worth worrying about (and when it’s not).

If social media feels louder, more crowded, and less effective than it used to, you’re not imagining it. But if your contact form keeps getting spam, congratulations. You’re officially on the internet. And if you’re on the internet, spam is part of the deal. That includes messages about crypto...

Social media can feel louder and less effective than it used to and there’s a reason for that.Platforms have changed, or...
01/21/2026

Social media can feel louder and less effective than it used to and there’s a reason for that.

Platforms have changed, organic reach has shifted, and the role social plays in a marketing strategy looks very different today than it did even a few years ago.

This new post breaks down where things stand now, what still works, and why your website matters more than ever.

If social media feels louder, more crowded, and less effective than it used to, you’re not imagining it. I talk to a lot of business owners who are doing what they think they’re supposed to be doing. They’re posting consistently, sharing updates, staying active. On paper, everything looks fine...

Winterfest in Wine Country is live and lighting up the holiday season at Galway Downs in Temecula Valley. 🎄❄️I had the c...
12/12/2025

Winterfest in Wine Country is live and lighting up the holiday season at Galway Downs in Temecula Valley. 🎄❄️

I had the chance to build the event website and support the festival throughout the season with ongoing updates, social media, and digital marketing. With skating, Santa visits, special appearances, and rotating attractions, the site was designed to make planning a visit easy while still capturing the festive feel of the event.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how it all came together:
👉

The Winterfest in Wine Country website launched in late November, and the event is now in full swing at Galway Downs in Temecula Valley Wine Country. Running throughout the holiday season, Winterfest blends festive lights, ice skating, seasonal entertainment, and classic holiday moments into a multi...

Your social media might get likes… but your website homepage gets customers.I just published a new post breaking down wh...
12/11/2025

Your social media might get likes… but your website homepage gets customers.

I just published a new post breaking down why your homepage deserves way more attention than your feeds and why it’s often the real deciding factor when someone chooses your business.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your website is actually helping you, this one’s worth a read.

Social media can be great. It’s fun, it’s fast, and it hands out likes like they’re raffle tickets. But here’s the thing many business owners quietly overlook while refreshing their notifications: Social media gets likes. Your website gets customers. One gives you a dopamine hit. The other p...

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