🐝 Collin D Johnson

There are a lot of fake projects on @X So here is a real one: handoff.ai

My website audit checklist for every new client: - Mobile PageSpeed (most fail) - Contact form fields (most ask too much) - One trust signal above the fold (most skip it) - One clear CTA per page (most have three) Most fail at least 3. They all think it's an SEO problem.

Most small businesses use AI to write content that sounds like everyone else's AI content. The value isn't generating words faster. It's using AI to surface what your audience actually worries about — then writing to that. That's the step everyone skips.

@adriankuleszo I have seen this exact thing many times as well. So true!

True story from last year: Billed $5K for a website: "I need to launch in 2 weeks, can you do it?" "Actually can we go back to the first direction?" "I saw a competitor's site and I love their new layout - can we do something similar?" Billed $50K for a website: "Invoice paid. Looking forward to first drafts" "This looks great, let's continue" "I cleared the second invoice, good to go" Not true for every project but it's a pattern I've seen way too many times to ignore.

46% of Google searches are local. Most small business websites have zero local landing pages — just a city name in the footer. You're invisible to buyers ready to spend, two miles from your door. Has your site actually earned local rankings?

@heysatya_ This narrative keeps getting passed around social media but what jobs has AI taken?

With AI replacing everyone’s jobs, one question that’s being asked by many people to me: “which skills should I learn?” The only suggestion I’ll give is: learn animation and design, and you’ll be the most secure person. Design skills with animation skills is a very dangerous combo and will give you visibility + projects offer easily!

Most small business websites bury testimonials on a 'Reviews' page nobody visits. The fix: Put your best client quote above the fold. That's where trust gets built. A stranger won't scroll to find proof you're legit. They'll just leave.

@heysatya_ @letskree8 Also, because they just simply don’t want to do it.

“designers are cooked” meanwhile founders still hitting us up to build their websites. Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about having an output- it’s taste, ideas, and knowing what actually makes people stop and feel something. AI can generate… but it can’t taste. And that gap? still massive.

@anzoryo That’s because people with real work have work to do! 😂

the best designers aren’t even very active on X the worst ones are too busy with performative marketing and self glazing

@tranmautritam @framer This is super cool, now I need them on my Mac!

Why are folder icons so boring by default Made some fun ones in @framer 👀 Which is your fav?

Before AI tools: 3 hours to onboard a new client — notes, recap, kickoff brief. After: 25 minutes. Same quality. We didn't cut corners, we cut copy-paste. Most agencies still haven't figured out what to automate. They're saving time on the wrong things.

@TheRobertAvram This is it!

Hot take: The people replacing "$10k designers" with AI tools are the ones who never paid a designer any money in their life. They weren't your clients before. They won't be your clients now. Meanwhile the founders actually building serious products are paying more for good design than ever.

Your website traffic doesn't matter as much as you think. I've seen businesses with 50K monthly visitors and no clients. I've seen sites with 1,200 visitors and $30K/month booked. Traffic is vanity. Conversion rate is what actually pays.

Most small businesses are wasting money on Google Ads when their SEO isn't set up. You're paying to get visitors to a site Google doesn't trust yet. Fix your organic foundation first, then run ads on top of it.

Agencies: Stop charging upfront project fees for websites. Clients pay, get their site, then you're fired. Switch to monthly retainers. You build once, earn ongoing. They stay accountable. Everyone wins.

@csaba_kissi Anything without human oversight and review = risks

Prove me wrong: Vibe coding = security risks

@Anuar_DesignX The people who see the value, still see the value.

Don't you get the feeling that, with all the buzz around vibecoding, people have somehow stopped caring about good design? Do you think this will ever end?

@gabrielvaldivia Don’t overthink it, it makes sense!

I ported my website from Framer to my own stack and am no longer paying $30/month for Framer and only paying $200/month for Claude 🙃

@Nickkonsta Those one shot Claude code emojis 👀

Agencies charge $1,750 for this. We made it free. Drop your website URL → get your full GTM strategy: -ICP matrix -Buying triggers -Pain points -Sample emails Use it. Steal it. We don't care gtm.buzzlead.io

@Devinbuild @coreyganim Come on now, that’s now how things work here on the internet. If the full truth was told the post wouldn’t do as well.

@coreyganim Still need the ability to sell though

the play: 1. pick one plugin from this article 2. build it this weekend 3. sell it to 5 local businesses for $2K each 4. charge $300/mo to maintain it that's $10K upfront + $1,500/mo recurring from a single plugin you built in two days. you're welcome.