Let’s be honest, no one’s flipping through a dusty Yellow Pages or wandering down the high street looking for a carpenter, joiner or local tradesman anymore. That’s ancient history. These days, people whip out their phones and type things like “best local joiner near me” or “kitchen fitter in (your town)” straight into Google. If your business doesn’t show up, it might as well not exist.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a self-employed tradesperson, a team of skilled joiners, or you offer everything from fencing to floor fitting, a proper website isn’t some “nice to have” anymore. It’s absolutely essential. And not just any old website either. It has to look professional, work properly on mobile, and make you seem like someone they’d trust with their home.
According to BrightLocal’s 2024 Consumer Survey, a massive 97 percent of people now go online to find local services. So if your current website is clunky, half-finished, or looks like it was built in 2009, you're probably missing out on a steady stream of decent jobs every single day.
People don’t hang about either, most of them decide in seconds whether to call or click away. That first impression is everything.
Think of your website as the modern-day version of someone walking past your van and reading the signage — only now, they’ve got Google at their fingertips and about ten tradespeople to choose from. Before they ring you or fill in your quote form, most potential customers are doing a bit of digital stalking. And who can blame them? If they’re about to drop £3,000 on a new staircase, built-in wardrobes or a kitchen refurb, they want to know they’re in safe hands.
They’re checking if your work looks decent. They’re scanning for reviews. They’re seeing if your contact details are up to date, and whether you’re the kind of business that looks like it’s been around the block a few times, in a good way.
According to Trustpilot’s 2024 Local Services Report, 82 percent of consumers won’t contact a tradesperson without reading reviews first, and nearly 70 percent say a poor or outdated website puts them off completely.
A strong trades website should show:
Because even if a firend gives them your number, they’ll still probably Google you first. If they find a better-looking competitor with shiny photos and dozens of 5-star reviews, guess who gets the job?
Bottom line: Your website doesn’t need to be flashy, it needs to build trust and show you’re the real deal.
Ah yes, the old “I’m on Facebook, so I don’t need a website” argument. It comes up more often than you’d think. And while having a Facebook page is better than nothing, relying on it alone is a bit like trying to run a business from the passenger seat of someone else’s van.
Sure, Facebook’s useful for sharing photos of your latest job or replying to the occasional message, but you don’t control how it looks, who sees it, or whether it even shows up in someone’s feed. Their algorithms change more often than the British weather, and your visibility can disappear overnight if you’re not paying to boost posts or engaging daily.
On the other hand, your own website? That’s your digital HQ. It’s built for you, branded to your style, and doesn’t vanish if Meta decides to change the rules again.
Think of it like this:
Social media is where people hear about you, but your website is where they decide to hire you.
And according to Statista, while over 60 percent of UK adults use social media, over 90 percent still turn to Google when they’re looking to hire a tradesperson.
Your website is where you capture leads, build credibility, and show off your expertise, not just photos, but proper service pages, FAQs, reviews, and location-based landing pages that help people find you in their exact town.
Socials can start the conversation. Your website closes the sale.
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Not all websites are created equal and if you’re in a hands-on trade like joinery, carpentry, or restoration work, your site needs to do a lot more than just exist. It’s got to build trust, rank well, and actually bring in new jobs.
Whether you’re crafting bespoke wardrobes or replacing rotten windows, here’s what separates a good trades website from one that just sits there gathering digital dust.
Most people are finding you on their phones, often while pacing the kitchen or parked in a layby. If your site takes forever to load, they’ll bounce straight to the next one. Google’s research shows that if your website takes more than 3 seconds to load, over half of users will leave immediately. That’s a lot of potential quotes lost to poor hosting or oversized images.
You’re not trying to rank nationwide (unless you are, in which case, good on you). You want to appear when someone nearby searches for “joiner in Canterbury” or “kitchen fitter Tunbridge Wells”. That means your site should be packed with references to your service areas, postcodes, and town names. Local landing pages are your best friend here.
It’s no good saying “we offer unique design solutions” if what you really do is timber window restoration or bespoke alcove cabinetry. Use terms that your customers are actually typing into Google. Phrases like “timber windows”, “fitted wardrobes”, “Accoya doors”, and “sash window repair Kent” help your site get picked up by search engines for exactly the kind of jobs you want.
Don’t assume people will hunt around for your number. You need big, bold, obvious ways to contact you:
Make it simple, fast and friendly, you’ll be surprised how many more leads come through when the buttons are clear and easy to tap.
Finished a lovely staircase? Snap it and upload it. Got another 5-star review? Show it off. A good trades website should be easy to update so that potential customers always see your latest and greatest work. Search engines love updated content too — sites that stay active consistently rank higher.
If your business is all about quality workmanship, heritage details and honest graft, your site should reflect that. Avoid stiff templates with stock photos of random builders and instead showcase your real work, your tone of voice, and your values. It doesn’t need to be flashy. It just needs to be you.
Want to see how your current site stacks up? Get a free audit here, no jargon, just straight-up insight and ideas to get your website working harder for you.
Absolutely. Without a doubt. No question about it.
Whether you're a joiner, decorator, glazier, electrician, roofer, or you fix sash windows on the side, your website is your digital business card, your portfolio, your quote form, your 24-hour salesperson, and your trust builder all rolled into one.
Think of it this way: when someone searches for a local tradesperson and your site doesn’t show up, that job is already halfway to your competitor who does have one. Even if you’re better, faster, more reliable and friendlier, none of that matters if they never find you.
The modern customer wants to research before they commit. They want to see your past work, read reviews, and feel confident that they’re hiring someone solid. No one’s just phoning the first name they hear from a neighbour anymore, they’re Googling, checking, and comparing.
And here’s the best part:
Getting online has never been easier, especially when you work with someone who understands how trades like yours actually operate.
No confusing jargon. No fluff. Just a straight-talking website that works hard in the background, so you don’t have to.
If you’re ready to stop missing out on jobs and start making your website work as hard as you do, get in touch and let’s get cracking.
At Local Trade Websites, we don’t just build pretty homepages, we build hard-working, lead-generating websites designed specifically for tradespeople. Whether you’re a joiner, carpenter, sash window specialist, plumber, tiler, roofer, decorator, builder, handyman, electrician, glazier, landscaper, fencer, plasterer, or bricklayer, your site should be doing more than just sitting there looking polite.
We specialise in creating fast, mobile-friendly, SEO-optimised websites that are made for the way trades work. That means:
Whether you’re starting from scratch or upgrading something you knocked together in 2016, we’ll make the process easy, affordable, and stress-free — no tech headaches, no pushy upsells.
👉 Book your free consultation today and start getting found online by the customers you actually want.
