If most of your work comes from referrals, you might wonder whether your website really matters. A happy customer has already recommended you. Surely that has done the hard part?
Think about what happens next. Someone hears your name, looks you up on their phone and tries to decide whether to get in touch. Your website gives them a chance to see the work you do, recognise the business they were told about and find the right contact details.
Here is a practical way to check whether your site backs up that recommendation.
Put yourself in the referred customer’s shoes
Imagine a homeowner asks a neighbour for a roofer. Your business gets recommended, so the homeowner searches for your name before calling. They may want to see a similar job, check that you cover their area and find out who they will be dealing with.
That is a hypothetical example, but it gives you a useful test. The neighbour knows your work. The person looking at your site may know very little about you.
If they find vague services, old project pages and a phone number buried in the footer, the website can leave them with questions. An out-of-date site may give an impression that does not reflect the care you put into your actual work.
Start by checking these three things on a phone.
1. Show a recent example of the work you want more of
Can a visitor quickly find a job that helps them understand what you do? If you want more roof repairs, show a genuine roof repair. If you want bathroom refurbishments, make those easy to find.
A photograph is more useful with a little context. Explain what the customer needed, what you did and the area you served. A short description such as “Replacement guttering and repairs to a leaking roof in Purley” tells someone more than “Another happy customer”.
Use work you actually carried out and images you have permission to share. Check that photos and captions do not reveal details the customer wanted kept private.
You do not need a long case study for every job. Start with one clear example that reflects the service you want enquiries about. If you need ideas for what to photograph, see our guide to five photos every trades business should have on its website.
2. Give them a genuine reason to trust you
A recommendation is a good start. Your website can add the details a new customer needs to feel comfortable making contact.
Look for a genuine customer review with a clear source, a straightforward explanation of who runs the business, or useful information about how you work. For a trades business, clear service areas and business details also help someone work out whether they have found the right company.
Keep reviews accurate. If you show a qualification or membership, check that it is current and that you can use its badge. Choose information that helps someone assess your business rather than filling the page with broad promises.
Ask yourself: could a person who has never met us explain why they would feel comfortable enquiring?
3. Make the next step easy to find
Once someone wants to speak to you, can they see what to do? Open the site on your phone and look for the contact route before you start scrolling through menus.
A call button, a short enquiry form or a clear request for a quote can all work. Choose the route that fits how you handle enquiries, and label it in plain words.
Tap the button and check where it leads. If it opens a form, send a clearly marked test using your own details and confirm that the right person receives it. Finding a contact button is only the first part of the check.
Try the five-minute phone check
Ask someone who is less familiar with your business to open your website on their phone. Give them the business name and a simple task: imagine a neighbour has recommended us for a job.
Ask them to find:
- A recent example of the sort of work they need.
- A genuine reason to feel confident about the business.
- A clear way to contact you.
Watch where they hesitate before explaining where anything is. Write down the first thing that causes uncertainty, the page it happens on and what would make it clearer.
Choose one fix. You might add a recent project, clarify the area you cover or make the call button easier to spot. Then repeat the check.
Help the recommendation lead to a conversation
You do not need a complicated website to answer these questions. You need a site that reflects your work and helps the person who has just heard your name take the next step.
Try the phone check today. If you would like a second pair of eyes, request a free website review from Smart Cow.
