What a website does for a trade business
A website is the one place online that you own. It is where a customer who has been recommended to you goes to check you are real, see your work and find your number. It is also where a Google search can send people who have never heard of you.
- It makes you look established to someone who is about to let you into their home
- It gives you a phone number and WhatsApp button people can tap
- It lists the areas you cover, so you get fewer calls you cannot take
- It does not charge you per lead or take a cut of your work
When you probably do not need one yet
If you are fully booked, all your work comes from repeat customers and personal recommendations, and nobody ever asks where to find you, you may not feel the benefit today. A decent Facebook page or Google profile may be enough for now.
When it is worth having
- People ask for your website or say they could not find you
- You want work from outside your existing circle
- You want to be less dependent on lead websites that charge you for enquiries
- You work in a trade where trust matters, such as electrical, gas, roofing or locksmith work
- You are growing and want customers to see your accreditations and work
- You want your customers to be able to check you out before you arrive
What a website cannot do
A new website does not bring a flood of work on its own. Showing up on Google takes time and depends on competition in your area. It works best alongside a filled-in Google profile, honest reviews and word of mouth. Anyone who promises you first place on Google is guessing.
What customers do before they call you
A customer who has been recommended to you, or who has just spotted your van, rarely rings immediately. They check you out first. Typically they look you up on their phone, see what comes up, look for photos and a phone number, and sometimes read a few reviews. Whatever they find in those thirty seconds decides whether they call, message or move on to the next name.
If what they find is a half-empty Facebook page and no way to confirm your area or services, some will still call. Others will choose the tradesperson whose details are clear and complete.
Three common situations
These examples are illustrations of how the decision can look, not case studies.
- A fully booked electrician with a long waiting list and plenty of repeat customers. A simple site is not urgent, but it still helps new customers verify who you are and lets you politely point people to it rather than answering the same questions repeatedly.
- A plumber just starting out with no customer base. A website and a filled-in Google profile are some of the cheapest ways to look established and be found by people who have never heard of you.
- A roofer in a competitive area. Customers worry about rogue traders in this trade, so a site with real photos, your real name and number and clear information about how you quote can set you apart.
A simple way to see if it pays
Work out how much profit one average job gives you, and divide the cost of a website by that figure. If a website costs £200 and an average job gives you £400 profit, one extra job pays for it twice over. You will not know for certain which jobs came from the site, so a simple habit helps: ask every new customer how they found you and write it down for six months.
Common myths
- "All my work is word of mouth." Word of mouth still ends with someone checking you online before they call
- "Facebook is enough." It helps, but many people searching on Google never see it, and you do not control how it looks
- "A website is expensive." It can be, but a simple one-off site for a trade is available at modest cost
- "I would have to keep updating it." A small site only needs a change a few times a year
A quick test
Search for your own business name and your trade plus your town. If you appear with nothing you control, or you do not appear at all, a website would give you something to show. If customers already find and trust you, the gain is smaller.
If you decide to get one
Keep it simple: a home page, services, areas, photos and contact details, with a call button and a WhatsApp button. Read what each costs in our guide to website costs for tradespeople, and look for a clear scope, a clear price, and a say in what goes on it.
Common questions
Is a Facebook page enough for a tradesperson?
It is better than nothing, and a good place for recent photos. But a website you own is easier to find on Google, looks more established and does not depend on a platform's rules.
Will a website get me more work?
It can, particularly alongside a good Google profile and honest reviews. It will not bring a flood of work on its own, and nobody can promise rankings.
How long does it take to set one up?
If someone builds it for you from your details and photos, usually a few days to a couple of weeks. Building it yourself takes much longer.
What if I am not very technical?
You do not need to be. The simplest route is to have someone build and look after it for you, and to ask them the ownership questions above.
Five pages with a call button, WhatsApp button and enquiry form. We build a free preview first, and you only pay if you want it live.
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