A good trade website makes it easy to see what you do, where you do it and how to get hold of you. The best ones show it with a page for each job and each town, your number where people look first, and proof from real customers. Here are three sites we’ve built, and what each one does well.
1. Thomas Ford Construction: town pages and named projects
Thomas Ford Construction is a builder in Rugby. The site has pages for the other towns it covers: Leamington Spa, Lutterworth and Southam. It also has a “Recent projects” page, where each job is named, like a fire damage reinstatement in Redditch or an annex redevelopment in Lutterworth.
A named project tells a homeowner more than a gallery of photos. They can see the type of job, the place and that it’s real.
2. Decota: the number at the top of every page
Decota installs CCTV across Coventry and Birmingham. A bar at the very top of every page shows its numbers, and each one is a tap to call link. Whatever page someone lands on, the number is the first thing they see. On a phone, one tap rings it.
It also shows its Which? Trusted Trader membership clearly, with the logo near the top of the page and again further down. Someone letting a firm fit cameras at their home or business can see straight away that it’s been vetted.
The site answers the questions people ask before they ring in an FAQ section, including what CCTV costs and what affects the price.
3. RJ Ocall Rendering: a page for every job and every town
RJ Ocall Rendering works across Warwickshire. Its site gives each type of rendering its own page. Silicone render, K Rend, monocouche, render repairs, pebbledash removal and external wall insulation each have one. It also has pages for the towns it wants work from, like Warwick, Leamington Spa, Kenilworth and Coventry.
In our view that matters because people search for the job, not just the trade. Someone thinking about K Rend wants a page about K Rend, and this site has one.
It also puts proof near the top. The Google rating sits in the first screen. The “Recent jobs” section captions each photo with the town it was done in. And there’s a WhatsApp button in the first screen, for people who’d rather send a photo of the wall than ring.
What they have in common
Each one makes it clear what the firm does, where it works and how to get in touch. Thomas Ford does it with named jobs and town pages. Decota does it with its numbers and its vetting at the top. RJ Ocall does it with a page for each job and each town, and proof in the first screen. The full list we plan into every site is on our page on websites for trades. If you’re an electrician, there’s a version for your trade: websites for electricians.
None of this needs a big budget. It needs the right pages and the right details in the right places.
Three things trade websites often miss
These aren’t about looking good. They’re rules, and they’re easy to get wrong.
Your company details
If you trade as a limited company, GOV.UK says that on your website you must show:
- the company’s registered number
- its registered office address
- where it’s registered (England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland)
- that it’s a limited company, usually through the full name with “Limited” or “Ltd”
The footer is the usual place.
Cookie consent
If your site uses cookies that aren’t essential, such as analytics or ad tracking, the ICO says you must tell people and get their consent. It says consent “must be actively and clearly given”, and that you “cannot set non-essential cookies on your website’s homepage before the user has consented to them”.
Logos you’re allowed to use
Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT, TrustMark and Which? logos all help people trust you. Only use the ones you’re entitled to. Business Companion, the trading standards guidance site, says the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 “specifically bans businesses from displaying any form of trust mark, quality mark or equivalent if they are not authorised to do so”. Check each scheme’s rules on how its logo can be shown.
Your website is one part of getting found
Google uses the mobile version of a site to decide where it ranks. So check yours on your phone, not just your computer.
A website also works best alongside a complete Google Business Profile with your website link on it. If you haven’t got one yet, here’s how to set up your Google Business Profile. Then build up your Google reviews so there’s something worth showing.
Want to know how your site compares? Our free website review tells you what’s working and what’s missing.
Questions trades ask about their website
Do I need a page for every town?
Only the towns you want work from. In our view each needs its own words about the work you do there, not a copy with the town name swapped.
Should I show my prices on my website?
It depends on your work and your market. Some trades show “from” prices for simple jobs. Others explain what affects the price, like Decota’s FAQ does. Either way, be clear.
What should go in my website’s footer?
If you’re a limited company, GOV.UK says your website must show your company number, registered office and where you’re registered. The UK e-commerce rules also ask for your geographic address and email address to be easy to find. The footer is a common place for both.
Can I use the Gas Safe logo on my website?
Only if you’re authorised to. The law bans showing a trust or quality mark you’re not authorised to use. Trading standards guidance says to take particular care with the Gas Safe logo. Check Gas Safe Register’s own rules on how to show it.