Why your website isn't bringing in enquiries
People are finding your website but the phone isn't ringing. Here's a ten-minute check you can do on your own phone to find out where they're dropping off.
Years ago I had a website getting over a thousand visitors a day from Google, and it was barely making any money. I couldn't work it out. The traffic was there, so where was it all going?
When I finally dug into the numbers, people were landing on the site and leaving almost straight away. Google was doing its job. My website wasn't. I'd been so obsessed with getting visitors that I'd never really looked at what they saw when they arrived.
Loads of trade websites have the same problem. Think of a builders' merchant with the shutters half down. People walk past, glance in and keep going.
So here's a check you can do in about ten minutes, on your own phone, to see if yours is doing the same.
Do it on your phone, not your computer
Most people looking for a trade will find you on their phone, often in a hurry, sometimes with water coming through the ceiling. So that's how you should test it. Put the laptop away and grab your phone.
The ten-minute check
The five-second test
Open your homepage and count to five. In that time, could a stranger tell what you do, where you work and how to get hold of you? If they have to scroll to find out, a lot of them won't bother.
Can they call you with one tap?
Tap your phone number. Does it start a call? It should, and it should be near the top of every page. It sounds obvious, but a number that's just plain text, or tucked away on a contact page, is one of the most common things I see on trade websites.
Does it load quickly away from Wi-Fi?
Switch off your Wi-Fi and load the site on mobile data. If you're sat there waiting, so is your customer, and they won't wait long. For a proper check, Google has a free tool called PageSpeed Insights. Put your web address in and it tells you how your site does on a phone.
Is there proof they can trust you?
Look for your reviews, photos of real jobs and any badges you've earned, like Gas Safe or NICEIC. Are they easy to spot, or buried at the bottom? People decide who to ring very quickly, and proof is what tips it.
Does each service have its own page?
If "boiler repairs" is one line in a long list, neither Google nor your customer has much to go on. A proper page for each service, saying what you do, where you do it and roughly how it works, helps you get found and helps people decide.
How long is your quote form?
Fill it in yourself. A name, a number and a line about the job is plenty to start with. Every extra box is another reason to give up halfway through.
Does the writing make sense?
Read it out loud. Does it sound like you? Watch out for leftover template text, and phrases that could be about any business in the country, like "we pride ourselves on quality". Customers can smell it a mile off.
What to fix first
If you failed a few of these, don't panic.. a lot of trade websites I look at fail at least two.
In my opinion, start with anything that stops people calling you: the tap-to-call number, the speed and the five-second test. Those are the moments someone's ready to ring you and something gets in the way. The proof and the service pages come next, because they're what makes people choose you over the next firm.
