Clickflame PodcastsSpanish Speakers Can Wait Till Later?
The hype says Spanish speakers can wait till later. More than 630 million people speak Spanish, and our Spanish first directory hit page one in twelve days. Plus the top 20 party stores in the world.
A Clickflame Podcast
Smoke & ReceiptsThe hype goes up in smoke. We bring the receipts.
Somebody online makes a big promise. We run the real numbers. Then we call it. Smoke, or receipts?
New · Episode 24 · 7 minSpanish Speakers Can Wait Till Later?
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How It Works
Hype In. Receipts Out.
Every episode runs the same way, so you always know where the truth is.
Step 1
The Hype
A big promise that is going around right now, in the words it was sold in.
Step 2
The Math
We run the real numbers both ways, and read the fine print the thumbnail left out.
Step 3
The Verdict
Smoke or receipts. One call, the reason for it, and what to do instead.
The Episodes
Latest Burns
Press play right here, or open the show notes for the full math and the sources.
Your Old Website Is Worthless?
The hype says an old website is worthless and you should start over. Molly's Sugar Shack was the first site Clickflame ever built. We rebuilt it instead, and it went to #1 in Pacific Beach and page one in San Diego.
Real Sites. Real Traffic.?
Sonic Agent's showcase says Real Sites. Real Traffic. We opened all 32 sites, tapped the phone numbers, pulled the traffic, and checked a member agency's Google Partner badge against Google's own directory.
Yext Fixes Your Listings for Good?
The pitch says pay for Yext and your listings are fixed for good. Marcus brings the price per location, what happens to the listings when you stop paying, and the cheaper ways to build citations you keep.
Online Psychiatry Is Just a Pill Appointment? With Harpal Singh of Mindful Sewa
The hype says online psychiatry is just a ten minute video call and a prescription. Harpal Singh of Mindful Sewa Psychiatry, a California telepsychiatry practice, says the whole person comes first.
You Need a $15,000 Website?
An agency pitch says a real business website costs fifteen grand and anything cheaper loses customers. Marcus brings the real price ranges, what actually moves the number, and the four places the money leaks.
SEO Is Dead, Just Buy AEO?
An agency ad says SEO is dead and you need to buy AEO as a separate package. Marcus brings Clickflame's own study of 76 ranking pages, Google's own AI features page and Pew's click data.
Local Service Ads Are Free Leads?
A guy on the internet says Google Local Service Ads are basically free leads. Marcus loses it, then brings the receipts on cost per lead, missed call charges, the retired guarantee and how LSAs really rank.
Too Small to Go Paperless? With Ross Seymour of EHR1
The hype says a small doctor's office is too small to go paperless. Ross Seymour of EHR1, practice software for Medicare and Medicaid practices, says the paper charts can go.
Any Locksmith Near Me Will Do? With Mike German of Silver State Locksmith
The hype says any locksmith near me will do. Mike German of Silver State Locksmith in Las Vegas, a Clickflame client since 2015, says do your homework first.
Every Mechanic Is Out to Upsell You? With Brian Huey
Our first real guest. The hype says every mechanic is out to upsell you. Brian Huey of Huey's Mobile in Monroe, North Carolina, walked out of a quick lube that pushed $100 tickets to do it the honest way.
Does a Small Business Website Take Six Weeks to Build?
A two mover crew in Everett, Washington went from a free template with no prices to a twenty six page site in one day. We check whether a small business site really needs a six week project.
Can You Pay Google to Rank Higher on Maps?
Your business is not showing up on Google, so can you just pay Google to move you up? Google's own help pages say no, and we walk through what actually fixes it.
Appliance Repair Leads Only Come From Lead Sites?
Do appliance repair calls really come from lead sites? The article finds bought leads are one of four channels, and the one with the most paperwork questions.
A Discount for a Google Review Is Totally Fine?
Is ten dollars off the next mow for a Google review totally fine? The FTC allows some incentives, but Google bans them, and your reviews live on Google.
Google Killed Call-Only Ads. Are Your Phone Leads Dead?
Google stopped new call-only ads in February 2026 and the old ones go dark in February 2027. The calls do not die with them, but your call counting can.
Bought a Pest Control Lead? Are You Free to Call It?
Buying a pest control lead does not automatically mean you are free to call it. We go through the FTC staff opinion, the questions to ask a lead seller and the channels to build first.
Do Big Companies Own the Tree Service Market?
Tree care is a market of small local crews, not big brands. We cover how a small crew wins on proof, one clean Business Profile and a storm plan.
Should Plumbers Just Buy Their Leads?
Bought leads can fill a slow week, but they make a poor base for a plumbing business. We cover owned channels, how Local Services bills a plumber and a 90 day order of work.
The Cheapest HVAC Lead Is Always the Best Deal?
Is the cheapest H.V.A.C. lead always the best deal? Marcus runs the break even math and walks through the fast and slow channels that actually book jobs.
Google Ads Keeps Your Form Leads Safe Forever?
Does Google Ads keep your lead form leads safe forever? Google says they expire after 60 days, and Marcus explains how to get every lead out in time.
More Pages Means More Google Traffic?
Do more pages mean more Google traffic? We put our own directory on the stand, with 164,748 dental offices listed and 178 pages indexed.
More Clicks Means More HVAC Jobs?
Do more clicks mean more H.V.A.C. jobs? Google can only bid toward what you show it, so Marcus explains how to feed it booked jobs instead.
What Clickflame Actually Does
This week we put ourselves on the stand. The hype says a local business has to spend thousands a month on ads to get the phone to ring. Marcus runs our own receipts.
At the Table
Watch the Crew
Justin and Anthony at the Smoke & Receipts table, with the screens they talk about.
The w3bsiter Film
Anthony and Justin at the Smoke & Receipts table explain the whole w3bsiter program in 96 seconds: find a business losing on Google, show them why, build the fix before they pay, and sell the calls and leads we already have.
Start at w3bsiter.comOn the Docket
Coming Up Next
The next stories from the Clickflame blog that we are turning into episodes.
- 01Where Moving Company Leads Come From and Which Ones BookUp Next
- 02What Is AEO? Answer Engine Optimization Explained
- 03Google Will Start Billing You for the Calls You Miss
- 04Introducing RV Shop Desk
- 05Your Site Ranks. It Still Never Rings.
- 06Why We Moved Every Site Off WordPress
- 07A Public Map of Free Dental Care
- 08What a Service Business Website Should Cost
- 09The WordPress Teardown. The Phone That Rings.
About the Show
Why We Run the Numbers
Every episode starts with a claim that is everywhere right now. A money hack, a side hustle, a get rich plan with a thumbnail and a few hundred thousand views.
Then we do the part the video skipped. We run the math, show our work and read the fine print out loud. At the end we call it. Smoke means the promise falls apart. Receipts means the numbers back it up.
Smoke & Receipts is made by Clickflame. The numbers are real and every one of them has a source.
On the Mic
The Crew
Justin
Hosts the show and makes the call at the end. Has heard every pitch twice.
Marcus
The co-host. Brings the receipts and runs the math before the show. He does not let a number slide.
The Announcer
Opens and closes every episode, and keeps the show moving.
The Company We Keep
The Company We Keep
- Berner
- Grant Cardone
- Ryan Deiss
- Brian Dean
- Bruce Clay
- Moz
- Tommy Chong
- Daily High Club
- Bob Maier
- Andy Dick
- Alki David
- Perry Belcher
And Our Clients
- Supercanic
- MechanicRank
- New York Intelligence Agency
- ABBA Bail Bonds
- CS Locksmith
- ABC Lock and Safe
- Free Dental Office
- Nova Southeastern University
- Apex Power
- iHealthOne
- Brodie Childers
- Brian Huey
- Beebe's Pest Control
- Bob's Lock & Safe
- Molly's Sugar Shack
- Cal State University
- Ace Asphalt
- Apex Performance Wellness Rehab
- Apex Photo Studios
- Arts Wired Electronics
- Blue Fox Garage Doors
- Bridgman Psychological Services
- Cash Home Buyers Milwaukee
- Colours by Coronado
- Competition Roadside Repair Service & Assistance
- Drew Family Dentistry
- Emily Blair Media
- Esperanza-Hope Primary Care
- Greater York Dance - Midstate Ballet
- Hard Bodies Personal Training
- Higher Consciousness Hypnotherapy
- Jolly Green Oil
- Junk Monster
- K C Custom Builders Seismic Retrofitting
- KJ's Caffe
- Leonardo Rossi Salon Studio
- MW Engineering
- Mechanical Brothers Heating & Cooling
- Nationwide Realty
- No Worries Rooter
- Paternoster Law Group
- RSK Sales
- Rock The Locksmith
- Santa Rosa Windows & Glass
- Silver State Locksmith
- Steri-Clean Arizona
- Tarah's Beauty Bar
- The Islands Statesboro
- Thee Photo Ninja
- Zianna Day Spa
- Anaheim House of Prayer
- Superdads Pool Service
Your Turn
Got a Hype We Should Burn?
Send us the video, the post or the promise. Tell us where you saw it. If the numbers are worth running, Marcus will run them.
Listen Anywhere
Press play on this page, or follow the show in your podcast app.
Questions
What is Smoke & Receipts?
Somebody online makes a big promise. We run the real numbers. Then we call it. Smoke, or receipts? Every episode starts with a claim that is everywhere right now. A money hack, a side hustle, a get rich plan with a thumbnail and a few hundred thousand views.
Is this financial advice?
No. The numbers are example math so you can see how a claim holds up. Talk to a licensed professional about your own money.
Who are the hosts?
Justin is the host and Marcus is the co-host. The Announcer opens and closes every episode.
Where do the numbers come from?
We run the math ourselves and list every number and its source on the episode page, under the receipts.
How do I send in a hype?
Send us the video, the post or the claim. Tell us where you saw it. If the numbers are worth running, it may end up on the show.
From the Clickflame Blog
Read the Full Stories
Every article we have published. The ones with an episode tag have a show you can play.
¡Hora de la Fiesta! Nuestro Marketing en Español Ya Trae Tráfico.
Lanzamos sitios en español y Google nos mostró 32,045 veces en 12 días. Clientes, las 20 mejores tiendas de fiestas del mundo y un nuevo episodio.
9 Checks Before an Electrician Buys One More Call
A 9 point checklist for electricians: answer every call, fix the Business Profile, run Local Services right and cap what a lead can cost.
The 135 Rule in Plumbing Adds a Cleanout Past 135 Degrees
Under the UPC, a drain line needs one more cleanout once its horizontal turns pass 135 degrees. The code text, the IPC rule and the page that wins.
Win the Garage Door Call by Proving You Are Real
Fake garage door listings crowd the map. How a real company passes Google's checks, looks trustworthy and wins the broken spring call.
Our First Website. Now Ranking in San Diego.
Molly's Sugar Shack was the first website we built, in our six man Westminster office. Rebuilt in 2026, it is #1 in Pacific Beach and ranks in San Diego.
Sonic Agent Review: We Audited All 32 Showcase Sites
Sonic Agent says Real Sites. Real Traffic. We checked all 32 showcase sites. 23 get under 10 visits a month, 6 dial 555, and a Google Partner badge.
What Is the Hardest Pest to Get Rid Of? Win the Job With the Answer
Bed bugs top the list, German roaches come back and termites cost the most. The true answer, the search data and the page that wins the pest job.
The First Hour of a Water Loss Decides Who Gets the Job
A minute by minute playbook for restoration companies: answer, triage, show up with proof and beat the 48 hour mold clock to win the job.
Can I Upgrade My Panel Without Rewiring? Win the Job With the Answer
Homeowners ask if a new panel means a full rewire. The true answer, the 2023 code adds, the 2026 rebate facts and the page that wins it.
Just Opened? What to Set Up in Your First Six Months Online
A new business gets a short head start on Google. What to set up before and after you open, and the review wall to plan for.
Marketing for Electricians: What a Click Costs and What to Fix First
What electricians pay per click on Google in 2026, what most skip for free, and the order to fix it in. Real numbers, no fluff.
Shop Desk. Built in Our Own Bays.
How Supercanic built Shop Desk inside its own shop. 146 paid invoices, 102 quotes approved by text and 33 businesses signed up since September 2, 2026.
Google Preferred Sources: Let Your Readers Vote You Into Their Results
Readers can now pick your site as a preferred source in Google. What it does, the three ways to add it, and a free PDF guide.
Not a Pill Appointment. A Person First.
Harpal Singh of Mindful Sewa Psychiatry runs telepsychiatry across California in four languages. His story, his podcast episode, and what to ask a provider.
7 Free Fixes That Fill a Carpet Cleaner's Calendar
Seven free fixes for carpet cleaners: the phone, the profile, reviews, a 12 to 18 month rebook list, job pages and referral partners.
What Is the $5000 Rule for HVAC? An Owner's Guide
The $5,000 HVAC rule in plain words, where it breaks, and how an HVAC company wins the homeowner who searches it before calling.
Door Knocking vs the Map Pack: Where Roof Jobs Really Come From
Door knocking, mailers, the map pack, Local Services and referrals, scored side by side for roofers, with the rules that cost money.
Halloween Marketing for the Six Weeks That Pay the Year.
How haunts, pumpkin patches and costume shops market Halloween: 2026 NRF numbers, six independents doing it right, what to fix now, and a site in 1-2 days.
Local Service Ads. What They Cost and How They Really Rank.
Local Service Ads cost $33 to $215 a lead by trade. How they rank, the Google Verified badge, missed call charges, disputes, and when SEO wins.
What Is the 25% Rule in Roofing? A Roofer's Guide
The 25% roofing rule in plain words, where it applies, what changed in 2022, and how a roofer wins the homeowner who searches it.
Two Years to Get In. Paper Charts Out.
Ross Seymour of EHR1 builds practice software for Medicare and Medicaid offices. His story, his podcast episode, and what to ask before you pick an EHR.
What Should Roofing Google Ads Cost in 2026?
Set a top price per roofing lead from your own profit and close rate, then run Search and pay per lead ads that only pay for real calls.
What Is the $3000 Rule for Car Repairs? A Shop Owner's Guide
The $3000 rule for car repairs explained in plain words, what it gets wrong, and how an auto shop wins the driver who searches it.
Ten Years In. Still Picking Up at 2 AM.
Mike German of Silver State Locksmith in Las Vegas, with Clickflame since 2015. His story, his podcast episode, and his advice before you call any locksmith.
How to Get on Podcasts and Tech Blogs as a Small Business
How a local service business gets booked on podcasts and quoted in tech and trade blogs, and why those mentions now feed AI search.
We Paid Him Before We Ever Met. That Is Why We Do This.
How we met Brian Huey of Huey's Mobile through MechanicRank. A $150 inspection came first, then 20 paid jobs, a new site and our first podcast guest.
Launched the Same Day. Priced Right on the Page.
How Clickflame launched everettmover.com in one day. A 26 page mover site with motion video, a cost estimator, town pages and a tracking line that texts.
Why Is My Business Not Showing Up on Google?
Why a business is missing from Google Maps or search, how to tell which problem you have, and what to fix first, from Google's own rules.
What Makes a Homeowner Call Your Repair Shop First?
Homeowners ask if it is worth fixing before they call. Answer that, post your trip fee and explain warranty rights, and the call comes to you.
A 12-Month Plan to Keep Your Landscaping Routes Full
A month by month calendar for landscapers. When to raise the ad budget, what to post, what to sell and the review rule that trips crews up.
Before February 2027, Move Your Call Only Ads Without Losing a Call
Call only ads stop serving in February 2027. Move them to responsive search ads with call assets and keep counting every real call.
Stop Paying for Pest Leads Other Companies Also Bought
A scorecard for every pest control lead source, the federal calling rules for past customers and how to make Local Services cost less.
The Phone Habits That Win Plumbing Jobs
Seven phone habits that win plumbing jobs, how Local Services treats your hours and job types, and the 90 day order we set up channels.
After the Storm, the Tree Crew That Answers Gets the Job
A storm day plan for tree crews. Sort calls by danger, post on your profile, turn on message leads and beat the door knockers on trust.
Lead Volume Is Not Your HVAC Problem
Most HVAC shops do not need more leads. Score your capacity, answer faster, rank better in Local Services and set a real lead price.
7 Google Ads Lead Form Settings That Keep Leads From Slipping Away
Seven Google Ads lead form settings that get every lead to a phone fast: webhook, test data, lead_id checks, qualifying questions and more.
178 Pages Indexed out of 86,000
Google indexed 178 pages of freedentaloffice.com, a directory of 164,748 dental offices. What Search Console said, what we cut, and what we changed.
How to Make HVAC Google Ads Pay Off in Booked Jobs
Set an HVAC lead ceiling, split campaigns by job type, feed booked jobs back to Google and get ready for pay per lead in 2026.
Why Movers Who Pass the Red Flag Test Book the Job
The FMCSA gives your customers a list of mover red flags. How to make your site, phone and profile pass every one of them.
What Is AEO? Answer Engine Optimization Explained
What is AEO? Answer engine optimization explained for local businesses, with our own AI traffic data, a GA4 setup and a 90 day plan.
Google Will Start Billing You for the Calls You Miss
From October 1, a Local Services Ads caller who waits past 20 seconds is a paid lead, even if nobody answers. What changes and what to do.
Introducing RV Shop Desk
RV Shop Desk is our new project. Software, a website and marketing for RV rentals, dealers and repair shops, in one bill. We explain why.
Your Site Ranks. It Still Never Rings.
Ranking and converting are separate problems, and most money goes to the first. Seven reasons a well ranked service site never gets calls.
Why We Moved Every Site Off WordPress
We moved every client site off WordPress to static HTML. Security was the reason. Speed made it worth doing. What we gave up, too.
A Public Map of Free Dental Care
Why we built freedentaloffice.com, a list of 18,460 California offices that take Denti-Cal, what it gives patients and offices, and where to find free care.
What a Service Business Website Should Cost
Real numbers for what a service business website and its SEO cost, what drives the price, and the four places the money quietly leaks.
What Actually Wins the Answer Spot
We pulled 17 question SERPs and measured 76 pages. The AEO checklist items did not separate the winners. Internal linking did, by 2.4x. Full study below.
The WordPress Teardown. The Phone That Rings.
How Clickflame rebuilt hemetmechanic.com from WordPress to hand coded static HTML, with 8 service verticals, published pricing and a phone that rings.
How to Claim & Set Up Your Google Business Profile
How to claim and set up a Google Business Profile in 2026. Finding your listing, video verification, service area setup and the mistakes that get you suspended.
One Directory. 44,275 Mechanics.
How Clickflame built Mechanicrank, an independents only auto directory with 44,275 verified businesses in 6,314 cities and 50 states, plus repair cost guides.
Portland Since 1985. Now Online.
How Clickflame rebuilt ABC Lock and Safe, Portland's 40+ year locksmith, into a fast site with metro wide coverage and a safe cracking section of its own.
Hemet's Shop. The Country's Mechanic.
How Clickflame built Supercanic, Riverside County's mobile mechanic and auto repair brand, into a multistate mobile auto presence handling 300 calls a week.
Discretion. Discoverability.
How Clickflame built New York Intelligence Agency into a Manhattan investigation authority, with a page for every location and service the agency covers.
From Hemet to Phoenix.300 Calls a Week.
How Supercanic grew from a single Hemet auto repair shop to a multistate mobile mechanic operation fielding 300 calls a week across Southern California.
11,665 Calls. One Bondsman.
How Abba Bail Bonds logged 11,665 first time tracked calls in 25 months and roughly doubled monthly calls with SEO, paid search and CallRail call tracking.
Greenville's Lock & Key.
How Clickflame built C&S Locksmith into Hunt County, Texas's dominant locksmith search presence with a city × service architecture across six counties.
Emergency Septic. Loud Phones.
How Clickflame built Emergency Septic & Sewer of Greater Atlanta into a real estate inspection authority across Georgia with a programmatic SEO architecture.
How to Create & Submit a Sitemap in WordPress
Step by step guide to creating an XML sitemap in WordPress with Yoast SEO and submitting it to Google, Bing, Yandex and Baidu so your pages get indexed.
New York Private Detective Search
How we ranked David Schassler's New York Intelligence Agency #1 for 'New York private detective' searches in one of the most competitive markets in America.
Dan Rousseve the Man
A tribute to Dan Rousseve and the scholarship Clickflame offered in his memory in 2018, for students pursuing a degree in marketing, chosen by a short essay.
Best Ranked SEO Services Company
Clutch ranked Clickflame among the best SEO services companies in Los Angeles. The story of the recognition and why third party reviews matter.
Top Ten Free Listings for Your Business Online
A list of the top ten free business directories every local business should be listed on, including Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Yelp and Manta.
Does Yext Work? Yes, Until You Stop Paying
Yext works, but it rents your listings. What it costs over the years, what happens when you stop paying, and cheaper ways to build citations.
Using Google Posts to Reach Customers
Google Business Profile posts, once called Google Posts, are still one of the most underused free channels in local SEO. How to use them in 2026.
Best Local SEO Strategy How We Outrank the Competition
The local SEO strategy we use to outrank competitors for our clients and ourselves. Google Business Profile, citations, content and page speed, explained.
Who Is the Best Local SEO Company? 11 Agencies Scored for 2026
Who is the best local SEO company? We scored 11 agencies, us included, on six public checks. Local focus, proof, price, terms, reviews and research.
What is Local SEO?
What is local SEO? A 2026 explainer on Google Business Profile, directory citations, on site optimization, social signals and the full local search ecosystem.
Digital Marketing for Small Business
Digital marketing for small business in 2026. How to outrank competitors with the right tools, the metrics that matter and a plan that fits any budget.
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235 E Broadway #800, Long Beach, CA 90802