Your own website
You own it, you control what it says, and there are no per-lead fees. It takes some effort or money to set up, and it needs to be found. It is the best place to send someone who wants to check you out.
A Facebook business page
A Facebook page is free and quick, and it is a good place to post photos of recent jobs and to be found by people in local groups. Its limits are that you do not control how it is shown, many people who search on Google never see it, and not everyone has or wants a Facebook account.
Directory and lead sites
Sites such as Checkatrade, MyBuilder and Rated People put you in front of people actively looking for a tradesperson. They typically charge a membership fee, a fee per lead or a fee per job, and the details change, so check the current terms before joining. The trade-off is that you are paying for access to a shared pool of customers who may also be asking several other firms for quotes.
How they compare
| Own website | Facebook page | Lead or directory site | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | One-off or monthly, depends on the route | Free | Membership or per-lead fees, check current terms |
| You control it | Yes | Partly | Mostly not |
| Found on Google | Possible, takes time | Sometimes | Often, for their own brand |
| Good for | Proving you are real, being found, linking everything | Showing recent work, local groups | Getting enquiries quickly |
How customers actually use each one
People use these in different moments. Someone in a hurry who wants a quote today often goes to a lead site or a search engine. Someone who has been recommended checks Google and Facebook to see whether you look real. Someone who wants to compare three firms may use a directory. Your website and Google profile are the places that sit across all of those moments, because every route can link to them.
Working out whether a lead site is worth it
Lead and directory sites can be a good way to start, or an expensive habit. The way to tell is to track what you spend and what you earn from them. The sums are simple.
- Cost per lead: total fees divided by the number of enquiries you received
- Win rate: the share of enquiries that turn into paid jobs
- Cost per job won: cost per lead divided by your win rate
- Profit per job: what you earn on an average job after costs
- If the cost per job won is well below the profit per job, the site pays. If it is close to or above it, it does not
An illustrative calculation
Suppose you pay £150 a month and receive 10 enquiries. That is £15 per lead. If you win 3 of them, each job costs you £50 in fees. If an average job earns you £300 profit, that is a decent return. If you only win one, each job costs £150, and the return is much thinner. Your own numbers will differ, so measure them for a few months before deciding.
Getting more from a Facebook page
- Post photos of finished jobs regularly, with permission and without house numbers
- Fill in the About section, services, areas and phone number, and match them to your website
- Join local community groups, follow their rules, and reply helpfully rather than spamming
- Link to your website from your page and your posts
- Respond to messages quickly
What only a website can do
- Give you a web address you own and put on your van and invoices
- Appear in Google search results for your services and areas
- Let you control the layout, the wording and the message
- Hold your information in one place that every other profile can point to
- Work without anyone needing an account
How to use them together
- Use your website as the home base and put its address everywhere else.
- Use Facebook for recent photos and community posts, and link to your website.
- Use a lead site only if the leads pay back the fees. Track how much work each source actually brings in.
- Keep your phone number, name and areas identical everywhere.
- Ask every customer for a Google review, whichever route they came from.
The bottom line
If you can only do one thing, start with a Google profile and a simple website, because both are yours and neither charges you per customer. Add the others as they earn their place.
Common questions
Is Checkatrade worth it?
It depends on your trade, your area and how much you pay. The only reliable answer is to track the cost per job won over a few months, using the sums above.
Should I be on all of them?
Not at first. Start with a Google profile and a simple website, add a Facebook page if you like posting photos, and only pay for a lead site if the numbers work.
Do I need a Facebook page if I have a website?
It is optional, but many local customers use Facebook, so a simple page that links to your website is a cheap addition.
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