BETWEEN USFRESH OFF THE DESK
Between Us, Most Retainers Are Rent
Between us, a lot of monthly fees buy a standing meeting, not standing work. Here’s how to tell which one you’re paying for.
NELSON ANSAH · JUL 22, 2026 · 4 MIN READ
THE TOG BLOG · WRITTEN BY HANDESSAYS, TEARDOWNS & FULL REPORTS · PUBLISHED WHEN IT’S WORTH YOUR TIME
Content, marketing, and all the icky bits between.
Everything here is written by the two of us, by hand, about work we’ve done. The newsletter is a different beast: everything we’re learning as we build this agency, sent while it’s still warm.
Between Us, Here’s the Case Against The Other Guys
We’re going to make a strong case for why you shouldn’t hire us.
Or start with a pillar.
SIX FOLDERS. NO WADDLING THROUGH THE ARCHIVE.PILLAR 01
SEO
Technical fixes, on-page work, and the fundamentals that still drive organic traffic.
PILLAR 02AI Search
How brands show up when a machine does the recommending.
PILLAR 03Content Marketing
Strategy, distribution, and an owned audience that turns writing into pipeline.
PILLAR 04The Craft
Writing, voice, and editing. Good enough that people and machines want to cite it.
PILLAR 05Did You Notice
Small, clever, overlooked details on real websites, noticed out loud.
PILLAR 06Between Us
Candid, opinionated musings on the industry. Every piece opens the same way.
We’re building this agency in public.
The newsletter is what we’re learning as we go. Wins, faceplants, receipts.