Websites are incredibly effective for any business. However, when designed and developed with a tradie business in mind, there are certain must-haves that should be included. Sure, tradies provide a hands-on service that relies on word-of-mouth recommendations and demanding physical work. As such, it can be easy for tradies to think that investing in a website for their business is just a luxury. However, that would be a mistake.
Websites are the modern-day shopfront for tradie businesses – effectively drawing prospects to your trade business, giving them the information they need, and making it as easy as possible for them to book a trade job with you.
There are several ways a tradie can use a website to grow their business and generate additional healthy revenue. But first you have to make it as easy as possible for potential customers to find your business online.
How to make your business easier to find online
As a trade business owner setting up your company website, it’s in your interest to make your business easy to find online. This is where search engine optimisation (SEO) can play a key role.
Firstly, you may consider having an SEO specialist review your tradie website and optimise it for SEO. Local SEO techniques, in particular, will help make your business much more visible online to those who are searching for your trade services in your local area. When implemented in line with a clear SEO strategy, you will in time see your website’s organic ranking rise closer to the first page of search engine results.
For example, if a prospect in your area searches for “blocked drain solution near me”, your plumbing trade website will be one of the first they see. An SEO specialist will also work to capture user intent by targeting individuals who
are ready to make a purchase. In the above example, you can see that this user has a problem that they need immediate help with, which makes them more prone to impulse hires. And, with well-considered SEO tactics, your trade business can be offer that solution.
Make Your Services Available 24/7
One of the biggest benefits websites can offer tradies like you is that they make your business address, project gallery, and contact details available to prospects and customers 24/7 – all without you having to lift a finger once your site is set up.
Not only does this position you as a tradesman that can be relied on, but you can leverage it to generate more business. Ask your website designer to include very clear calls to action across your site, and website copy that explains that your trade services are available 24/7 for emergency call-outs. This is especially important for plumbers and electricians, as your customers often face unexpected issues after-hours and often require urgent help.
There are many tactics that tradies can use to leverage their website to generate ample business opportunities online. However, doing so alone can be an expensive process of trial-and-error with little reward.
Three top tips for creating an effective tradie website
Create a clean cut tradie website
What this means is that your site should offer an enjoyable user experience that allows for effective and intuitive navigation, with little waiting time for users. Make your tradie website a well-designed, responsive space that can be enjoyed time and time again by visitors by providing quality insights and information about your business and the services it provides. An unresponsive webpage is a big negative when it comes to Google crawling your website to index it.
Read your market
To truly understand your audience, you should carefully consider their age, gender, location, income, and all other elements of your market that impact both their opinions and their spending habits. To get a clear picture of the type of person you want to engage, consider your market segment and show them how you can provide the level of service they need.
With a well-designed ‘About Us’ page to promote your trade business online, you can promote your professionalism and skill efficiently and easily. When you have defined and honed in on your ideal target audience, you can increase the effectiveness of your online interactions with them through your website.
Create clear business goals
When defining the goals for your business and the growth trajectory you hope to achieve, it can be far easier to track progression via digital channels. Digital platforms allow for a far more detailed feedback system whereby your entire digital marketing strategy can be realigned with real-time information.
With these markers in place, you can not only ensure that you are reaching the right audience, but you can see empirical analytics that break down your successes and shortfalls online. With this updated information, you can realign and clearly define your business goals.
Reduce your tradie risk with trade insurance
Tradespeople in New Zealand in all trade professions can encounter safety risks and hazards daily on the job, and this is where tradie insurance* can help. Trade insurance is a selection of business insurance products that together can help tradespeople reduce their risk. Tradie insurance may include the following types of business insurance:
You may have a one-man tradie band, or you may have a small group of tradespeople working for you to get the job the done. Either way, BizCover NZ can tailor your trade insurance to match the specific risks your business can face, no matter how big or small your operation is.
BizCover helps tradie small business owners to reduce the risks to their business via tradie insurance*. Visit our dedicated online destination for tradie insurance in New Zealand get trade insurance for your business without drama and get on with your day. If you’d like to chat you can reach us at 0800 249 268.
*This information is general only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It should not be relied upon as advice. As with any insurance, cover will be subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions contained in the policy wording. © 2023 BizCover Pty Limited, all rights reserved. BizCover Limited is owned by BizCover Pty Ltd (ABN 68 127 707 975).
