What Should a Tradie Website Actually Include? (Complete Checklist)

If you’re building a trade business website or reviewing whether the one you’ve got is actually working, there’s a basic question: what do you actually need on there?

Most cheap websites are missing the fundamentals. Others have everything but it’s buried or broken. The result is a site that looks fine but doesn’t rank on Google and doesn’t convert visitors into calls.

This article walks you through exactly what should be on your site, why it matters, and at the end, a printable checklist you can use to audit yours right now.

The Non-Negotiable Pages

Your website needs a minimum set of pages. These aren’t optional. Without them, you’re not giving Google (or your visitors) enough to work with.

1. Homepage

Your homepage is your introduction. It needs to tell someone in 10 seconds what you do, where you do it, and why they should call you instead of your competitor.

Most tradie homepages fail at this. They open with a massive header image and vague messaging like “Professional services. Quality guaranteed.” That tells me nothing.

A good homepage says: I’m a kitchen renovation specialist in the northern suburbs of Brisbane. We renovate kitchens for families who want a modern space that actually works. Here’s what that looks like (photo). Here’s how it works (timeline). Here are my reviews (social proof). Call us on 0412 XXXXX or fill out this form.

Your homepage doesn’t need to be complicated. It needs to be clear. Include a visible phone number. Include a clear call to action. Include a photo of you and your team or a finished project. Skip the fluff.

2. Service Pages (One per Core Service)

If you offer more than one service, each service gets its own page. Not a dropdown menu. Not a list with dot points. A dedicated page.

A plumber who does emergency repairs, hot water systems, drain work, and renovations needs four service pages. A pool builder who does new builds, renovations, and maintenance needs three pages.

Why? Because each service targets different keywords. Someone searching “emergency plumber Canberra” is a different person with a different intent than someone searching “hot water system installation Canberra.” Google needs separate pages to rank you for both.

Each service page answers the question your potential customer is asking: What does this service involve? How long does it take? What does it cost roughly? Why should I choose you? Do you have examples?

3. Location Pages (If You Service Multiple Areas)

If you service multiple suburbs or cities, you need location-specific pages. Especially if you’re a service business that travels to the customer.

A plumber who covers Western Sydney should have pages for Penrith, Parramatta, Blacktown, and the other major areas they cover. A kitchen renovator who travels across regional NSW should have location pages too.

These pages don’t need to be long. But they need to show that you understand that location. You mention local things. You explain why you serve that area. You might mention local suppliers or local projects you’ve completed there. It signals to Google that you’re local and serious about that area.

4. About Page

People buy from people. Your about page is where you explain who you are, how long you’ve been in business, what experience you bring, and why you’re worth hiring.

This isn’t a corporate essay. It’s a story. You started this business because X. You’ve completed Y number of jobs. You believe in Z. Your customers trust you because of this specific thing you do.

Keep it short. Keep it real. Tell the story that separates you from competitors who offer the same service.

5. Contact Page

A contact page is where people call or fill out a form to get in touch. But here’s what most tradies miss: the contact page should also be where you build trust.

Include your phone number prominently (not just in the form). Include a form, yes, but also an email address. Include your physical location if you have one. Include your qualifications or licenses if they’re relevant.

People want to know they can reach you. Make it obvious.

The Trust Signals That Actually Convert

Having pages isn’t enough. You need elements on those pages that tell your visitor you’re legitimate and worth calling.

Reviews and Testimonials

Google reviews are both a ranking factor and a conversion factor. They appear in your Google Business Profile, they affect your search rankings, and they directly influence whether someone calls you.

New websites especially need reviews. If someone lands on your site and sees zero reviews, they’re immediately sceptical. If they see 4.8 stars with 40 reviews, you’ve just solved a huge trust problem.

Commit to collecting reviews regularly. It’s one of the highest-impact things you can do for your website’s ability to convert traffic.

Portfolio or Project Gallery

Tradies sell with photos. A well-built kitchen is worth a thousand words about what you do.

Include before and after photos of your best work. Include photos of your team. Include photos of you at job sites or in your workshop.

Stock photos are easy to spot and they undermine trust. Real photos of real work give your site credibility that nothing else can.

Credentials, Licenses, or Qualifications

If you’re qualified in something relevant, show it. Licenses, certifications, memberships in industry bodies, awards.

A licensed electrician should mention it. A pool builder with specific training should mention it. This isn’t bragging. This is addressing a legitimate question your customer has: is this person qualified to do this work?

Clear Service Area

Tell people where you work. If you cover the inner west of Sydney, say it. If you’re only in a specific suburb, say it. If you service regional Queensland, show it on a map.

Too many websites are vague about this. “We service the greater Melbourne area.” Vague. Instead: “We service the suburbs from Footscray to the Docklands, Northcote to Yarraville.”

Specific is credible. Specific is also better for SEO.

Pricing or Cost Estimates

Not every tradie can publish fixed pricing. Kitchen renovations vary wildly. But every tradie should give some indication of cost.

“Typically $30,000 to $60,000 depending on scope” is better than nothing. “I provide free on-site quotes” is a clear next step for the customer. Even “pricing on request” is something.

Nothing signals “stay away” to a potential customer like a website that completely avoids the cost question.

The Technical Requirements

Your site can have perfect pages and still fail if the technical foundation is broken. Google ranks broken sites lower. More importantly, slow sites and sites that don’t work on phones lose sales.

Mobile Responsive

Over 60% of local searches happen on mobile. Your site must display correctly and load fast on phones.

This isn’t optional. Google won’t rank your site well if the mobile experience is poor. And a visitor on their phone will bounce off instantly if your site is broken.

Test your site on your phone. Try it on someone else’s phone on their mobile data, not on wifi. If it takes more than three seconds to load, it needs work.

Fast Page Load Speed

Google uses page speed as a ranking factor. Aim for pages that load in under three seconds on mobile.

Test your site’s speed free at Google PageSpeed Insights. A score under 50 on mobile needs attention. A score over 80 is good. Over 90 is excellent.

Clear On-Page Structure

Google needs to understand what your pages are about. This means proper headings, proper paragraph structure, and clear language.

Use one H1 heading per page (usually your main title). Use H2 and H3 headings for sections. Break up long paragraphs. Use bullet points where they make sense.

This isn’t just for Google. This is for the human reading your page too. Clear structure makes your site easier to read.

Built on WordPress

If you’re building a new site or evaluating your current one, WordPress is the choice for a trade business serious about ranking on Google.

WordPress gives you full control over SEO. It’s supported by thousands of developers. It integrates with every tool you need. It’s not proprietary. You own it.

Wix and Squarespace look fine but lock you into their ecosystem and give you limited SEO control. See our guide: WordPress vs Wix vs Squarespace for Tradie Websites.

Proper Schema Markup

Schema markup is code that tells Google exactly what’s on your page. Reviews, your business address, your phone number, your services, your pricing.

A professionally built website has schema markup baked in from the start. This helps Google understand your site and show your information properly in search results.

You don’t need to worry about implementing this yourself. Your web builder should handle it. But make sure it’s there.

Google Business Profile Connected

Your website should be clearly connected to your Google Business Profile. The address should match. The phone number should match. The location should be consistent.

This consistency signals to Google that your business is legitimate. And it makes it easier for Google to rank you for local searches.

The SEO Essentials Built Into Every Page

These aren’t separate from the pages above. They’re built into them.

Proper Page Titles

Your page titles should be descriptive and include relevant keywords. Not “Home.” Not “Services.” Instead: “Kitchen Renovations Melbourne” or “Emergency Plumber Blacktown.”

Page titles appear at the top of the browser tab and in search results. They need to tell Google and your visitor what the page is about.

Meta Descriptions

Your meta description is the short text that appears under your page title in Google search results. It should summarise what’s on the page and include a call to action.

Limit it to about 155 characters. Use conversational language. Make it an invitation to click.

Targeted Keywords

Each page should target one main keyword and a few related ones. Not a dozen. One focus.

The kitchen renovation page targets “kitchen renovations Melbourne.” The plumber emergency repairs page targets “emergency plumber Melbourne.”

This focus helps Google understand what the page is about and helps you rank for searches you can actually win.

Unique, Original Content

Use your own words. Describe your services in the way you’d explain them to a customer. Don’t copy competitors. Don’t use thin, generic content.

Google favours unique content. More importantly, original content that reflects your voice builds trust with readers.

Nice-To-Haves That Add Up

These aren’t essential for day one. But they’re worth building over time.

Blog

A blog lets you publish answers to questions your customers are searching for. “How much does a kitchen renovation cost?” “How do I maintain my pool?” “What’s involved in a bathroom renovation?”

You don’t need a blog from day one. But over 12 months, 12 to 24 blog posts build authority and bring in organic traffic for long-tail keywords your service pages don’t target.

Our professional website packages include 12 months of blog content written and scheduled before launch. It compounds over time.

FAQ Section

An FAQ page addresses common questions potential customers ask. It also gives Google more content to index and rank for question-based searches.

“How long does a kitchen renovation take?” “What’s included in the price?” “Do you offer a warranty?”

These questions drive real searches. Answering them on your site means showing up for those searches.

Video or Process Explanation

A short video of you explaining what you do, or a visual walkthrough of your process, builds trust and breaks up text-heavy pages.

This doesn’t need to be professionally produced. A phone video of you explaining your process works. Authenticity beats production value.

Testimonial Videos

Similar to written reviews, testimonial videos from past customers are powerful. But video adds another element of credibility that text can’t match.

You don’t need dozens. Three or four solid testimonial videos on your site are worth far more than 20 written reviews.

The Full Checklist

Use this table to audit your existing site or review quotes from web builders.

Element	Essential	Status	Notes
Pages
Homepage with clear value prop	Yes	[ ] Done
Service page for each core service	Yes	[ ] Done
Location pages (if multiple areas)	Yes	[ ] Done
About page	Yes	[ ] Done
Contact page	Yes	[ ] Done
Trust Elements
Google reviews integrated	Yes	[ ] Done	Aim for 20+ to start
Portfolio/project gallery	Yes	[ ] Done	Real before/afters preferred
Credentials/licenses visible	Yes	[ ] Done	Only if relevant
Service area clearly stated	Yes	[ ] Done	Specific is better than vague
Pricing or cost guidance	Yes	[ ] Done	Even a rough range helps
Technical
Mobile responsive	Yes	[ ] Done	Test on actual phone
Loads in under 3 seconds (mobile)	Yes	[ ] Done	Check at PageSpeed Insights
Clear on-page structure	Yes	[ ] Done	Proper H1, H2, H3 tags
Built on WordPress	Yes	[ ] Done	If rebuilding, recommend this
Schema markup implemented	Yes	[ ] Done	Reviews, business info, services
Google Business Profile linked	Yes	[ ] Done	Address, phone, location match
SEO Essentials
Proper page titles	Yes	[ ] Done	Include service + location
Meta descriptions	Yes	[ ] Done	Unique per page
Targeted keywords per page	Yes	[ ] Done	One focus keyword per page
Original content	Yes	[ ] Done	Your words, not generic
Nice-To-Haves
Blog with 12+ posts	No	[ ] Done	Adds authority over time
FAQ section	No	[ ] Done	Answers common questions
Video or process explanation	No	[ ] Done	Builds trust, humanises you
Testimonial videos	No	[ ] Done	More powerful than text

What Happens After Launch

A website doesn’t stop working after it’s built. The most important thing you can do is add content over time. Publish blog posts. Collect reviews. Update photos. Refresh service descriptions.

A living website that changes regularly ranks better than a static one. Google sees updates as a signal that your business is active.

The Frequently Asked Questions

Does my website need a blog from day one?

No. Launch with the core pages. Add a blog in month two or three. But if your site is going live with zero blog content, ask your builder to include 12 months of posts scheduled to go live after launch. It compounds over time.

What if I can’t get professional photos?

Use your phone. A real photo of real work beats a stock photo every time. Real before-and-afters are more credible than polished professional photos that could be anyone’s work. You can always hire a photographer later.

Should I include pricing on my website?

Yes, in some form. Even “typically $X to $Y depending on scope” gives potential customers an idea. “Pricing on request” is better than saying nothing. Avoiding the cost question makes people suspicious.

Do I need a Google Business Profile if I have a website?

Yes. They serve different purposes. Your website ranks in Google search results. Your Google Business Profile ranks in the local map pack. Both are essential for local visibility. See our guide: How to Set Up a Google Business Profile for a Trade Business.

How often should I update my website?

At minimum, monthly. Add a blog post, update a project photo, refresh a service description, add a new review. Regular updates signal to Google that your site is active. Websites that don’t change in six months start to lose rankings.

Should my website be on my own domain?

Absolutely. You should own your domain and your hosting. This is non-negotiable. If a web designer builds you a site on their domain or their hosting, you don’t own it. If you ever want to leave, you lose everything.

The Bottom Line

Your tradie website needs clear pages that answer your customer’s questions, trust signals that build credibility, a technical foundation that works on phones, and keyword-focused content that Google can understand and rank.

It doesn’t need to be complicated. It does need to be clear, fast, mobile-friendly, and built with SEO as the starting point, not an afterthought.

If you’re unsure whether your current site has these elements, get a free website mockup to see what a properly built site looks like. No cost, no obligation, and you’ll know exactly what you’re comparing.

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