This episode looks into how platforms lure us in, lock us down, and extract value from everyone and how small, independent websites can push back.

What this episode covers

The 3 stages of Enshittification (Cory Doctorow’s framework applied to web platforms)

Real‑world examples: Facebook, Amazon, Google

How interoperability was intentionally broken and antitrust was weakened

The hidden human labour and exploitation behind “AI magic”

The rise and hangover of vibe coding (Karpathy, YC, GitClear findings)

Why AI‑generated codebases are brittle and hard to maintain

Tim Berners‑Lee, the fight to keep the web in public ownership, and why the web is for everyone

Practical ways web designers and developers can reclaim agency:

Static sites and the “dumb web”

IndieWeb and POSSE (Publish on your Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere)

Using AI as a tool, not a master

If you’ve been feeling uneasy about AI hype, social media, and the state of the modern web, this episode might help connect the dots and point to a healthier, more human direction for making websites.

Mentioned in this episode

Cory Doctorow – Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It

Karen Hao – Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman’s OpenAI

Yanis Varoufakis – Technofeudalism

Tim Berners‑Lee – This Is for Everyone

Ed Zitron – Better Offline (podcast & newsletter)

Carl Brown – Internet of Bugs (YouTube channel)

IndieWeb & POSSE (Publish on your Own Site, Syndicate Everywhere)

On the podcast today we have David Waumsley and Nathan Wrigley.

David and Nathan have been helping local businesses build websites for years, gaining insight into the world of digital marketing and the challenges faced by small business owners, from vets and accountants to electricians and therapists. In this episode, they turn their attention to Google Ads, demystifying pay-per-click advertising for those new to it. With the rapid shift from traditional marketing, think local papers and radio, to digital options, spending your marketing budget wisely is more important than ever.

David begins by sharing his experiences supporting clients as they navigate Google Ads: requests to set up tracking scripts, questions about campaign managers, and a recent odd appointment with Google’s own support team. There’s skepticism, are Google’s new beginner-friendly moves as helpful as they seem? As Google adapts to challenges in its search dominance, the duo explore what this means for newcomers.

Nathan and David then break down the landscape. Why is Google so powerful? What do statistics about return on investment actually mean, and why do most small businesses lose money? They discuss the differences between traditional and digital marketing, explaining why driving more traffic is pointless unless your offer really connects.

Using the story of Bob Smith, a landscape gardener, they illustrate common mistakes, like sending ad traffic to generic homepages and neglecting the power of targeted messaging and landing pages. They contrast this with the marketing-savvy approach of Bob’s wife, Mary, who uses landing pages, keyword research, urgency, and lower-risk conversion options to boost results.

The conversation digs deeper into Google Ads practicalities: negative keywords, location targeting, conversion tracking, and why “set it and forget it” just doesn’t work. There’s talk of budgets and timelines, and the importance of time and skill regardless of whether you DIY or hire an expert, along with the red flags to look for if you do.

Finally, David and Nathan round off with a checklist for getting started: optimise your Google Business profile, learn about local service ads, invest in onsite SEO, and always start by clarifying your business problem before jumping in.

If you’re a local business owner, or guiding one through the world of online advertising, this episode is packed with actionable advice, real-world stories, and critical perspectives on how to avoid costly mistakes with Google Ads.

Nathan Wrigley and David Waumsley are the hosts of the No Script Show, and in this episode, they’re diving into the vast topic of website forms.

Forms, as they point out, are what make the web interactive, without them, you can’t do things like search, comment, shop online, or even book an appointment. But adding forms, especially to static websites, can be a lot more involved than it first appears.

They start by sharing their personal journeys and frustrations with forms, both as web developers and as people helping clients with website interactivity. They discuss the explosion in the number of static and hybrid sites, and the need for third-party form solutions if you’re not using a dynamic platform like WordPress. The conversation ranges from specific client expectations, like the belief that ‘if you build a booking form, bookings will magically come’, to why forms can be both a blessing and a pain to administer.

They unpack when you might actually need a form, and look into some eye-opening statistics about contact forms, such as how they typically convert much less than direct clickable emails or phone numbers.

Along the way, Nathan and David look at alternatives to forms, like WhatsApp links and website chat, and why simply putting a phone number on the site could sometimes be the best UX decision of all.

For those who do need a form, the hosts provide an overview of the different options available, from DIY setups using third-party endpoints like FormSpark, all the way up to full-featured SaaS form builders such as Jotform, Paperform, and Tally. They touch on accessibility, cost, performance, spam issues, and how keeping things simple can often be the smartest move.

If you want to understand the real value, challenges, and modern choices for website forms, whether you run static sites, work with WordPress, or are helping clients decide what’s best, this episode is for you.