Ask most tradies where their work comes from and they'll say word of mouth. That's still true. But these days word of mouth usually goes like this: a mate recommends you, and the customer Googles your business name before they call.
What they find in that moment decides whether they ring you or keep looking. Here's what a trade website needs to get it right.
1. Say what you do, and where, straight away
Someone landing on your site should know within five seconds what trade you're in, what kind of work you take on and which areas you service. "Residential and commercial plumbing across Tamworth and the New England" beats "Quality solutions you can trust" every time.
2. Make the phone number impossible to miss
Most people looking for a tradie are on their phone, often while standing next to whatever's broken. Your number should be at the top of every page, and tapping it should start a call. If you take quote requests online, keep the form short: name, phone, suburb and a box for the job. Nobody wants to fill out 15 fields to get a call back.
3. Give each service its own page
If you're an electrician who does solar, switchboard upgrades and data cabling, each of those deserves its own page. It helps Google match you to people searching for that specific job, and it lets you explain what's involved in plain language. One long list of services on one page doesn't do either job well.
4. Show your actual work
Photos of real jobs are the most convincing thing on any trade website. Before and after shots, finished projects and your team on site all show customers exactly what they're getting. Stock photos of smiling models in clean hi-vis do the opposite.
When we built the site for KRJ Construction, a family-owned Tamworth builder, their completed projects did most of the talking. The same goes for Walters Fencing, where photos of finished rural fencing tell customers more than any paragraph could.
5. Put your reviews front and centre
Reviews from local customers are your online word of mouth. Show a few on your homepage and link to your Google reviews so people can read more. If you haven't been collecting them, start now. Our post on getting more Google reviews walks through how.
6. Back it up with licences and credentials
List your licence numbers, insurance, industry memberships and any warranties you offer. It's quick to add, it builds trust, and for some trades customers expect to see it before they'll make contact.
7. List your service areas
If you'll travel to Manilla, Quirindi and Werris Creek, say so. Customers in smaller towns often assume a business based in a bigger centre won't come out to them. Spelling out where you work removes that doubt and helps you show up in local searches for those towns.
8. Use it to hire, too
Finding good staff is as hard as finding good work for a lot of trade businesses. A simple careers page that shows what it's like to work for you, what you're looking for and how to apply can make a real difference, especially when you're competing with mining and bigger operators for the same people.
What you don't need
- Fancy animations that slow the site down on a farm internet connection
- A blog you'll never have time to update
- Jargon. Write it the way you'd explain it to a customer on site.
Built for trades across regional NSW
We've built websites for more than 20 trade and construction businesses, from builders and fencers to electricians, plumbers and earthmovers, including Award Plumbing, GCM Lighting & Electrical and Neil Wood Earthmoving. See more on our websites for tradies page, or give us a call on 02 6766 9988 for a chat about your business.
