Quick summary
How to get more customers from your website: if you’re a tradesperson with a website that gets visitors but not enough calls, this guide covers ten practical changes you can make right now. From showing your phone number clearly and putting real photos of yourself on the site, to listing the areas you cover and displaying your reviews, these are the small tweaks that build trust and turn browsers into paying customers.
A plain-English guide for trades businesses who want to receive more enquiries through their website
You’ve got a website. People are finding it. But the phone isn’t ringing as much as it should be. Sound familiar?
This guide is for tradespeople: plumbers, electricians, heating engineers, builders who want their website to actually bring in work. No jargon, no complicated tech stuff. Just practical changes that make a real difference.
1. Make it super easy to get in touch
This is the big one. If someone has to hunt around your website to find your phone number, they’ll just move on to the next result.
Here’s what to do:
- Put your phone number at the very top of every page, where it can’t be missed
- On mobile, make sure tapping the number automatically starts a call — most people searching for a tradesperson are on their phone
- Have a short contact form (just name, phone number, email, and a message box — nothing more)
- Consider adding a WhatsApp button if your customers tend to message rather than call
💡 Quick win: Move your phone number to the top of your homepage today. That one change alone can increase calls.
2. Show who you are
People are letting a stranger into their home. They want to know who’s turning up. A faceless website with no names or photos makes people nervous.
What helps:
- A real photo of you (or your team), ideally in your work gear or next to your van
- Your name, not just your company name
- A short paragraph about you covering how long you’ve been working, where you’re based, and what you specialise in
You don’t need a professional photoshoot. A decent smartphone photo works fine. What matters is that it’s real.
3. Be clear about where you work
When someone searches for a plumber, they usually include their town or area. If your website doesn’t mention the places you cover, you won’t show up in those searches.
What to do:
- List all the towns and areas you serve, somewhere on your website
- If you cover a lot of areas, consider having a separate page for each main one (e.g. “Plumber in Dunfermline”, “Plumber in Kirkcaldy”)
- Include your business address if you have one. Even if customers don’t visit you, it helps people trust that you’re a real local business
💡 Why this matters: Google uses these location clues to decide who to show in local search results. The more clearly you describe where you work, the more likely you are to appear.
4. Let your reviews do the talking
Good reviews are one of the most powerful things on your website. People trust what other customers say far more than anything you say about yourself.
How to make the most of them:
- Show your Google reviews directly on your homepage. Don’t hide them on a separate page
- Aim to have at least 10 to 20 recent reviews on Google
- After every job, ask the customer to leave a review. Most happy customers will do it if you just ask
- Respond to all your reviews, good and bad. It shows you care
5. Show your prices (even if it’s just a guide)
Most trades websites say nothing about price, which makes people nervous. They worry they’ll get a quote and it’ll be way more than they expected.
You don’t have to publish a full price list. But even something like:
- A callout charge or minimum fee
- An hourly rate
- Fixed prices for common jobs (e.g. “Boiler service from £X”)
…can make a real difference. It builds trust and means the people who contact you are more likely to be ready to book.
6. Separate out your services
If your website has one big page that just says “we do all types of plumbing”, it’s not very helpful. And it’s not great for search results either.
A better approach:
- Have a separate page for each main service, such as boiler repairs, bathroom fitting, leak detection, etc.
- On each page, explain what’s involved, how long it typically takes, and what kind of problems you fix
- This helps people quickly find what they’re looking for, and helps Google understand what you offer
💡 Example: Instead of one “Services” page, have separate pages for “Boiler Repairs”, “Emergency Plumber”, and “Bathroom Installation”, each with proper detail.
7. Make sure it works on mobile
More than half of all searches happen on a phone. If your website is awkward to use on a small screen, with text too small, buttons hard to tap, or things not loading properly, people will leave straight away.
Check your own site on your phone right now. Ask yourself:
- Can I read the text without zooming in?
- Is the phone number easy to tap?
- Does the page load quickly? (If it takes more than 3 seconds, it’s too slow)
- Can I fill in the contact form easily?
If any of those are a problem, they’re worth fixing as soon as possible.
8. Use clear, action-focused buttons
Don’t just have a “Contact” button at the top of your site and nothing else. Guide people towards getting in touch throughout the page.
Good examples:
- “Call Us Now” or “Get a Free Quote” are much better than just “Contact”
- Add a button or link at the end of each service description
- Make buttons big enough to tap easily on a phone
9. Answer the questions people actually ask
Think about what customers ask you before they book. Things like:
- How quickly can you come out?
- Do you charge a callout fee?
- Are you Gas Safe registered?
- Do you offer a guarantee on your work?
Put a short FAQ section on your website that answers these. It saves time on both sides, and it’s great for search results too. Google loves pages that directly answer real questions.
10. Sort out your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is the box that appears in Google when someone searches for your business or for tradespeople near them. It shows your name, phone number, opening hours, photos, and reviews.
If you haven’t claimed yours yet, do it today at business.google.com. Then make sure:
- Your name, address and phone number are correct and match what’s on your website
- You’ve added photos, including of your work and your team
- Your opening hours are up to date
- You’ve chosen the right business categories
A well-filled-in Google Business Profile can get you showing up in local searches without any other changes to your website.
Not sure where to start?
We offer a free website review for trades businesses. We’ll look at your site and tell you exactly what’s working, what isn’t, and what to fix first. Plain English, no tech speak.
Whether your site was built last year or five years ago, a fresh pair of eyes can make a big difference.
