Reach out: writing to the almanac

This page explains how to write to the Merrimack Valley Almanac. It covers which messages suit us. It also shows where a reader can act without waiting. Nothing here promises a reply. Every route it names is one this site actually has.

The routes this site has today

We do not publish an inbox, phone line or contact form on this page. So there is no reply route to offer you here. Most of what you want to settle is already written down. The Tech Explained page holds the questions to put to a provider. The Stack page lists the tools a setup needs and which can wait.

Which messages are worth sending

What makes a message useful to us?

A message that names one page on this site is the most useful kind. It should also name one claim on that page that you cannot check yourself. A general request for advice gives us little to work from. Keep it short. Say which page you mean.

Will the almanac judge a provider for me?

No. We do not audit a site, judge a named business’s work or speak for a provider. The questions on Tech Explained let you test a proposal yourself. Bring those questions to the provider, not to us. Their answers will tell you more than a reply from this page could.

Can the almanac quote a price or run a campaign?

No. We can describe what moves a price, and point to figures that have a named source. A quote has to come from the business that would do the work. A campaign has to be run by someone who can be held to it. Ask that person to write each figure out with its basis.

Where a reader should look instead

A paper street map on a wooden table beside a pen and a coffee cup — A Google Business Profile needs a real location customers can visit, or a business that travels to them.

Tall glass office towers seen from street level against a pale sky — A city full of firms is not a reason to hire the first one you find.

Three steps a reader can take alone

Read the proposal in order

Start with the buyers’ guide on Tech Explained. It sets out what a proposal should name. It says who does each part. It also says what no one can promise. Check each line before you reply.

Check the promises against Google’s own words

Google’s Search Central documentation says no one can guarantee a first-place ranking. Set any promise a provider makes beside that sentence. Ask them to explain the difference in writing. A clear answer is a good sign. Keep the reply with the proposal.

List the tools before the quote arrives

The Stack page groups tools by the job they do. It says which ones can wait. Know that list before a quote arrives. Ask which items are in scope and which are extras. Compare the answer with the list.