If you run an HVAC, plumbing, or roofing company, your website doesn't need to win any design awards. It needs to make the phone ring. That's it.
I've looked at a lot of trade websites around South Alabama and Northwest Florida, and the ones that fall short usually miss the same few things. Here are the five I put on every trade site I build.
1. A call button you can't miss
A lot of people looking for a plumber or AC repair are on their phone, and many of them have a problem right now. Water on the floor. No cold air. A leak over the bedroom after a storm. They aren't going to read three paragraphs about your company history. They want to call.
So your phone number should be:
- Tappable. One tap on a phone should start the call. If people have to copy and paste your number, some of them won't bother.
- At the top of every page. Not buried in the footer or tucked away on the contact page.
- Sticky on phones. I like a call button that stays on screen as people scroll, so it's always one tap away.
If you offer emergency or after-hours service, say so right next to the number.
2. Your services and the towns you cover
People want to know two things fast: do you do what I need, and do you come out to where I live?
Spell out your services in plain words. "Heating and cooling" is fine, but "AC repair, heat pump installs, duct cleaning, and maintenance plans" is better. Customers search for specific things, and it helps when your site uses the same words they do.
Then list your service area. Name the towns and counties: Atmore, Brewton, Century, Pensacola, Milton, Bay Minette, wherever you actually go. Somebody in Jay wondering whether a Pensacola outfit will drive up to them shouldn't have to call to find out.
On bigger sites, each main service and each main town can get its own page. That's a big part of what my Growth plan is built for.
3. Real reviews and proof of your work
Hiring a tradesman means letting a stranger into your house or up on your roof. People want proof that you're good at what you do and that you show up when you say you will.
- Show real reviews. Link to your Google reviews, or post a few of your best ones with the customer's first name and town (with their OK).
- Show your work. Before-and-after photos of a new roof, a clean install, or a tidy repair say more than any sales line. Use your own photos whenever you can, because people can spot stock photos.
- Show your credentials. If you're licensed and insured, say so. List any manufacturer certifications or warranties you offer.
4. A quick way to ask for a quote
Not everybody wants to call. Some folks are at work, some want to send a photo of the problem, and some are shopping around after hours. Give them an easy way to reach out without picking up the phone.
Keep the form short: name, phone, town, and what they need. Every extra box is another reason to quit halfway through. Add a line about when you'll get back to them, like "We'll call you back the same business day," but only if it's true.
For roofers especially, a quote form with room for a note about storm damage or insurance can save a lot of back-and-forth.
5. It has to work great on a phone
Your customers are probably finding you on their phone, often while standing in a hot house or staring up at a water stain. If your site is slow, hard to read, or has buttons too small to tap, they'll hit the back button and call the next company on the list.
A good trade website on a phone should:
- Load fast, even on a weak signal
- Have text you can read without zooming
- Have buttons big enough for a thumb
- Put the phone number and main services right up top
Pull up your own site on your phone right now. If anything about it is a pain, your customers are feeling it too.
Bonus: keep it current
This one's simple, but I see it everywhere. Out-of-date hours, an old copyright year in the footer, a phone number that changed, or a "spring special" still running in October all make a business look like it might have closed. Keep it fresh, or have somebody keep it fresh for you. Small edits are included in every Forged Digital plan.
And make sure your domain is set to auto-renew. I've seen local businesses lose their web address and have it end up showing somebody else's junk. Here's what happens when a business domain expires and how to protect yours.
See what this looks like in practice
I built all five of these into the sample home pages I designed for local trades. Take a look:
There are also examples for electricians, tree service, and more in the full concepts gallery.
Ready for a site that gets calls?
If your current site is missing a few of these, or you don't have one at all, I'll build you a free mockup so you can see the difference before you spend anything. My Starter plan is $750 to set up and $79 a month, and you can see everything it includes on the pricing page. Wondering about costs in general? Read how much a website costs for a small business in South Alabama. Still running on just a Facebook page? Here's why I think most businesses need both.