5 Signs Your Skilled Trade Website is Costing You Jobs and Money
When it comes to websites, there are a few universal truths no matter what type of business you have. The basics need to be covered for a reader to fill out a form, turn into a lead, and then turn into a customer. But it is even more important in the skilled trades. Standing out from the competition is important both through your work and how you show up online. What are the basics? Let’s get started:
No call to action
Simply put, your website is lacking buttons. Buttons are the thing that tells readers where to go next and what action you want them to take. If there aren’t buttons or directions telling them to fill out a form or call you, they may not know to do that. Take a quick look at your website and see if you make it simple and clear how a reader can get in touch with you.
Services aren’t clear
What is it exactly that you do? How do you help your ideal customer? Are you a plumber who specializes in residential work? OR do you only do commercial jobs? Are you a carpenter who builds furniture like tables and chairs? OR do you only do structural work or built-ins? If you don’t make it clear to your readers, they won’t understand how you help them, and they may just assume you can’t help them. Have a clear way to communicate who and how you help.
Slow load times
With most modern web builders today, there isn’t a ton you can do to drastically affect your load time. The thing in your control? The size of your photos and videos. Make sure you’re compressing both to be as small as possible (without sacrificing quality) to keep your load time short and sweet. You wouldn’t want to lose a customer because they got bored waiting for your site!
No photos
Bear with us here, because we know that it isn’t every trade that has photos that look like they could be in Architectural Digest. For the carpenters, masons, pool pros, and contractors, photos may be easy to come by. But that doesn’t mean customers won’t enjoy a beautifully organized electrical panel or wiring behind the walls! A/C pro? Find happy people enjoying their perfectly cooled homes. While you may have to get creative, depending on your trade, photos truly help readers understand what you do and how you help.
No reviews/testimonials
Reviews and testimonials are a form of social proof. They’re a way to say, “hey, I’ve done this before. Don’t take it from me, take it from your neighbor who was thrilled with my work”. There’s something about hearing from someone else that makes your website all the more legit. Have a process for asking for reviews and make sure they get added to your site as well!
Your site looks dated
Here’s a bonus for you. Opting for any old website, or no website at all, isn’t always wise. Yes, you want to have a web presence. But a professional site can take your business from a nonstarter to a top contender in the eyes of your ideal audience. Make sure your site is visually appealing, well-organized, and has the strategies mentioned above, and you’ll be in a great position to welcome new leads through your site.
Want to know more about getting more work from your website? Join our 7-Day Website Fix, a free email-a-day course, to help take your site to the next level.
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Make sure your site has a basic website strategy covered. Buttons, photos, reviews, and clear-cut information can all help to ensure your website is turning readers into leads
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Sure! You can take a peek at the strategies above and use it as a guide to bring your website up to code. But, if you aren’t sure you’re the right person for the job, that’s ok too! Feel free to peek at our Main Street website template to get you on the right track.
