What a Tradie Website Needs to Win More Jobs

Most tradies get plenty of work through word of mouth. But even when a neighbour recommends you, the next thing most people do is look you up. They want to check you're real, you're licensed, you do the kind of job they need, and you'll come out to where they live.

If your website answers those things in a few seconds, on a phone, they call. If it doesn't, or you don't have one, they often call the next name on the list.

Here's what a tradie website needs, whether you're a plumber in Penrith, a sparky in Lithgow, a builder in Bathurst or a landscaper in the Hawkesbury.

A click-to-call button on phones

Most people looking for a tradie are on their phone, often with a problem in front of them: a leak, a tripped switch, a fence that came down in the wind.

• Put your phone number at the top of every page, as a tap-to-call link, so one tap rings you.
• On phones, keep a Call button visible as people scroll.
• Say when you answer. "Calls answered 7am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday" sets expectations and saves missed-call frustration.
• Offer emergency work? Say so clearly, and say what it covers.

A simple quote request form

Not everyone wants to ring, especially in the evening when they finally sit down to sort it out. A quote request form lets them tell you about the job while they're thinking about it.

Keep it short:

• Name, phone and email.
• Suburb.
• What the job is, in their own words.
• If you can, an option to upload a photo of the problem. It helps you quote and saves a wasted trip.

Then make sure the form goes to an email address you actually check, and reply quickly. Fast replies win jobs.

The suburbs and towns you service

People want to know straight away whether you'll come to them. Spell it out:

• List the suburbs and towns you cover, in words, not just a map: "Lithgow, Wallerawang, Portland and the upper Blue Mountains".
• Mention how far you'll travel, and whether there's a call-out fee for further away.

This helps people, and it also helps you get found. When someone searches "electrician Wallerawang" or "plumber Windsor", search engines look for pages that mention those places. Listing the areas you genuinely service, in plain sentences, gives you a better chance of showing up. Don't list places you don't actually go to. It annoys customers and doesn't help.

Your licence details

In NSW, licensed tradespeople and builders are generally required to show their licence number on their advertising, and that includes your website. Check NSW Fair Trading for the rules for your trade.

Even where it isn't required, it's worth showing:

• Your licence number, in the footer of every page, so it's always there.
• Your ABN (Australian Business Number).
• Insurance: that you carry public liability insurance.
• Memberships and qualifications, if you have them.

Customers can check your licence on the NSW Government's licence check. Showing it up front tells them you've got nothing to hide.

Real photos of your work

Stock photos of smiling models in clean hard hats don't win jobs. Your own work does.

• Before and after photos are the most convincing thing a tradie can show.
• A range of jobs: the big ones and the everyday ones, so people can see you do work like theirs.
• Your ute, your team and you, if you're happy to be shown. People like to know who's turning up.
• Short captions: "New switchboard, Bathurst" or "Retaining wall, Richmond". It tells people what they're looking at and helps with search.
• Ask customers first before you show their home, and leave out house numbers and number plates.

Keep adding to it. A few new photos every month shows you're busy and keeps the site fresh.

Reviews

Reviews are one of the biggest reasons people pick one tradie over another.

• Ask happy customers for a Google review when you finish a job. A short link sent by text makes it easy.
• Reply to every review, good and bad, calmly and briefly.
• Show a few real reviews on your website, word for word, with the customer's first name and suburb. Only use reviews you actually received.

Your Google Business Profile

When someone searches "plumber near me", Google usually shows a map with three businesses before any websites. That listing comes from your Google Business Profile, a free listing you manage yourself.

If you visit customers rather than having a shopfront, you can set a service area instead of showing your home address. Fill in your services, add your photos and link to your website. Our guide to getting found on Google Maps goes through it step by step.

What you do, in plain words

Have a short list of the work you do, and a little on each:

• "Hot water systems: repairs and replacements, gas and electric."
• "Switchboard upgrades for older homes."
• "Blocked drains, with a camera to find the problem."

Use the words your customers use. People search "hot water not working", not "thermostatic element replacement".

Fast on a phone

Your website needs to load quickly, even on a weak signal in a back yard or a paddock. That means small photo files, no slow sliders or videos on the home page, and your number and quote button showing first.

A quick checklist

• [ ] Tap-to-call phone number at the top of every page.
• [ ] A short quote form, ideally with a photo upload.
• [ ] The suburbs and towns you service, in words.
• [ ] Licence number and ABN in the footer.
• [ ] Before and after photos of your own work.
• [ ] Real reviews, and replies to every one.
• [ ] A complete Google Business Profile.
• [ ] Your services, in your customers' words.

Where to start

Most tradies need nothing more than our new small business website: up to 6 pages, works on phones, a contact form and ready for Google (titles, local details, fast on phones), with 2 rounds of changes, for $990 (No GST charged). Want cards to hand out on the job that match your site? Business card design is $150 (No GST charged) from our add-ons. If you'd rather not think about updates and backups, our website care plans start from $99 a month (No GST charged).

We work with tradies across Lithgow, Bathurst, Penrith, the Hawkesbury and beyond. Try our quick quote to see what your site would cost, or book a free chat.