Do You Need a Website, and What Should It Say?

Do you actually need one?

If most of your work comes from word of mouth and repeat customers, a simple one-page site may be all you need. If you want new customers from Google, or you do bigger jobs where people research who they are inviting into their home, a proper site helps a lot.

Either way, people will look you up before they call. A site with a few photos and a phone number beats nothing at all.

What every trade site needs

• What you doIn the first line, in plain words. "Plumber and heating engineer in Stockport" does the job. Skip slogans.
• Where you workName the towns and areas you cover. It helps customers and it helps Google.
• A phone number people can tapMost visitors are on a phone. The number should be at the top and ring when pressed.
• Photos of your own workBefore and after shots, in good light, with a line saying what the job was.
• ReviewsA few real ones, with first names and the town if the customer is happy for you to use them.
• A simple contact formName, number and what they need. Keep it short or fewer people will finish it.
• Proof you are legitimateAny accreditation you really hold, such as Gas Safe or NICEIC, with the registration number so people can check it.

Pages worth having

Home, one page for each main service, an about page with your face on it, and a contact page. If you cover several towns, a short page for each can help you turn up in local searches, as long as each one says something true and useful rather than repeating the same text with the town swapped.

Things to sort before anyone builds it

• Your domain nameRegister it in your own name and keep the login. If a designer registers it for you, you can end up unable to move it later.
• Your business detailsIf you trade under a business name, your own name and address need to appear on your website and paperwork. Check the current rules on GOV.UK.
• Cookies and privacyIf your site uses analytics or tracking, you need a cookie notice. If your contact form collects details, add a short privacy notice saying what you do with them.
• Who updates itAsk how you add a photo or change a number. If the answer is "ring us", that is a monthly bill waiting to happen.

Free builders and cheap templates

Free site builders put their own advertising on your site and usually will not let you use your own domain without paying. Cheap templates look fine until you want to change something. Look at the running cost over three years, not just the first month.