7 website mistakes tradespeople make (that cost them jobs)

After reviewing hundreds of trade websites, the same problems come up again and again. Most tradespeople know their site isn't doing what it should — but they're not sure exactly what's wrong. Here are the seven issues we see most consistently, and what each one is costing you.

1. Slow load speed

A website that takes more than 3 seconds to load on mobile loses roughly half its visitors before they even see your content. Slow sites are often caused by uncompressed images, too many plugins (especially on WordPress), or cheap shared hosting. Google also uses page speed as a ranking factor — a slow site ranks lower.

2. Not designed for mobile

More than 70% of local service searches happen on a phone. If your site is difficult to navigate on mobile — small text, buttons that are hard to tap, forms that are awkward to fill in — you're losing those customers. This isn't about looking pretty on desktop. Mobile is the device your customers use.

3. No clear local signal

If Google can't tell where you operate, it won't rank you in local searches. Your website needs to clearly state your service area — not just in your footer, but naturally throughout your content and in your metadata. A site that just says 'UK-wide' without specifying cities or regions will lose to a site that's clearly optimised for specific local searches.

4. No lead capture beyond a phone number

A phone number is good. But customers who visit at 10pm can't call. They need another option. A contact form or AI chat widget means you capture those evening and weekend leads instead of losing them to the first competitor whose site offers more than just a phone number.

5. Generic stock photos

Stock photos of people in hard hats or a generic house exterior don't build trust. Customers want to see your work. Even a few photos of real completed jobs, taken on your phone, will outperform glossy stock imagery every time. Real photos say 'this business is real and does real work'. Stock photos say nothing.

6. No reviews or testimonials

If you have reviews on Google or Checkatrade, they should be visible on your website. New customers who don't know you are making a trust decision. Showing them what existing customers say about you — with real names and ideally photos — dramatically increases the chance they get in touch.

7. No follow-up after enquiry

Even if a lead does fill in your contact form, many trade websites have no process for following up if the customer doesn't hear back quickly. A simple automated acknowledgement — 'Thanks for your enquiry, we'll be in touch within 2 hours' — immediately increases the chance the customer waits for you rather than moving on.

The businesses consistently winning the most enquiries usually aren't the best at the job. They're the ones whose website and lead process is just slightly better than everyone else's.