Over 72% of small businesses have a website. That’s a lot of people. And yet, that number is only going to grow as more and more customers look to promote their trade services online.
If you haven’t yet joined that number and you do not have a website for your company, you may ask yourself what is all the fuss about? Why are so many business websites appearing and do you really need one for your small service business to succeed?
Read on and we’ll give you the inside scoop on why so many companies are going online to grow their business and how you can easily create a website to get in on the benefits that so many other businesses are enjoying.
If you own a small service business - perhaps you’re a plumber, electrician or landscaper - you may have got by for a longtime website free. In fact, you may even have had a lot of success.
So, understandably, you may question the need for a website of your own. If you’re already doing well without one, why would you want to invest in something that might be expensive and unhelpful? And doesn’t running a website take up a lot of time?
There are plenty of people in the trade industry who are happy just sticking with social media but a full website may feel like a bridge too far. In fact, 27% of small businesses still do not have a website.
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However, this is just a small part of the picture. Of that 27%, over 85% of small businesses plan on building a website over the next few years. In fact, over the next five years, over 90% of small businesses will be using a website of their own.
The truth is, in 2022, having a digital presence is essential and despite any misgivings you may have, a website is actually very easy to implement and even easier to run.
Let's start by looking at the stats:
Your customers are looking for you online and based on what they find - or do not find - will determine whether or not they use your service. Even if your company is successful, the opportunities to grow your business and further establish your company are massive.
It’s important to remember that customers make assumptions based on your website presence. Over 38% of users judge a business based on how a company's website looks, and if they are unable to find one, then they are less likely to trust that business or employ its services. In fact, as many as 77% of users believe that a website makes a business appear more credible.
This stresses how important a website is. Without one, you are needlessly putting off customers and setting yourself behind the competition.
But all this information shouldn’t spell trouble for your company, in fact, the opposite is true. If you haven’t yet implemented a website or you think yours could benefit from more attention, then there is so much untapped potential ready for you to capitalise on.
By establishing your presence online, you establish yourself as a local leader and reassure your customers that you are a reputable business in the service industry. With that increased presence, you will be able to reach new customers and convert many more potential leads into paying customers, massively increasing your revenue.
So how do you set up a website and is it really as cheap and easy as we’re saying it is?
When it comes to setting up a website in 2022, the issue isn’t about how you get started, but what service you choose to use to deliver your website.
In the modern market, there are many different website providers out there, all offering awesome tools designed to make building a website simple. However, not all of them are designed solely for trade businesses.
Providers such as Squarespace, Wix and GoDaddy, are popular general solutions that allow you to build a website very quickly using ready-to-go templates and editing tools. You don’t need to know how to code or have any tech knowledge. All you need to know is how to use a mouse and a keyboard.
These providers offer free plans that allow you to easily get up and running, meaning you can get used to running your website before you consider upgrading to a paid plan.
If you then upgrade to the subscription-based option, you can access further customisation, ad-free. The ability to try out a website for free is a great way to get comfortable with managing your site before committing to a monthly subscription.
All these options are great, however, you may find that you want something better tailored to the service industry. As an electrician, plumber or other service business owner, building a website using a provider that understands your industry, can really make a difference when you first set out.
The great news is, there is a company offering that support.
BUILT is a website-building platform designed specifically for tradies. Unlike alternative website builders such as those listed above, BUILT guides and supports you through the whole process of designing, implementing and managing your website, offering full support with promoting your site and building your internet presence.
This additional level of support is highly valuable as it allows you to not just build a website, but create one that will thrive. BUILT understand that when working in the service industry, you don’t have much time to spare. As experts in the field, they manage all the work for you and allow you to succeed, without taking up your time online.
With an option like BUILT, you can have a website up and running incredibly quickly, meaning you will see the benefits of your increased internet presence in a small amount of time. You will create more customers, record more sales and increase your revenue all in one go.
As we've sort to explain, there are many benefits that come with setting up your own business website. The end goal is to direct more customers to your service, meaning you generate more revenue and grow your business. But within that, there are many other associated benefits for your trade business.
This is a benefit we touched on earlier in this blog. By creating a website that looks good and shows off the great work you’ve been doing, you’re able to let your potential customers know that you are a high-quality service, meaning they’re more likely to return and recommend your company.
Having an online presence is beneficial on multiple levels. Most importantly, with a website that ranks well, it’s easier for new customers to discover you via search engines, meaning you can reach a wider market than you would otherwise be able to.
Secondly, having a web presence makes you more discoverable in person. Many potential customers perform their service searches via google maps, checking to see what businesses are available in their area. By linking your website to maps, it makes it far easier for customers to find your company and access your service.
If you want to to get your business to the top of Google Maps read our article on how to rank your plumbing business number 1 on Maps.
People will view your website, and wherever there are eyes, there’s an opportunity to promote yourself. When used to its full potential you can really show off your company and promote yourself online. For example, a website is a great place to add testimonials and positive customer reviews.
Furthermore, when used with an effective SEO strategy such as the one BUILT provides, you can promote yourself and your website through google rankings. Just by creating relevant blog posts and related content, you can become an industry leader and further promote your company.
As a service business, it’s important that your contact details are simple to find and that customers are able to easily get hold of you. With a website, you can provide your customers with all your contact information all in one place.
What's more, a website provides your customers with multiple methods to contact you, including via email and even by using online chatbots.
If you take advantage of the full possibilities, a website can even be used to create automated communications which makes managing customer interactions much easier and far less time-consuming.
One of the greatest advantages of using a website is that it unlocks far more tools and resources that can be used to make your business more efficient, allowing you to improve how you manage your interactions with your customers.
A great example of this is the ability to use lead capture forms integrated into your website. These forms provide a simple route for customers to book your services and can allow you to take on new customers without you even needing to speak to them.
One of the biggest benefits of having a business website for your service company is the ability to implement lead conversion pages. This is a specific type of technology that is used in conjunction with your website, to help you turn more website visitors into paying customers.
Lead capture pages work by embedding or linking to a form on your website that customers can fill out. Within the form, customers enter their details, which are instantly transferred into your calendar.
For the best results, these forms are implemented in conjunction with full CRM software, which allows you to manage the whole customer journey. For more information on CRMs and how they can help you, read our article on what is a CRM.
The good news is, like with building a website, there is already a software solution out there that has done all the hard work for you. Payaca are a job management software that offer customised lead capture forms that can very easily be added to your website. Their forms are easy to integrate even if you have no tech experience and Payaca provide full support throughout the whole process.
Once set, up you will be able to convert far more customers, making life easier for those booking your services, and for you.
Even better still, Payaca and BUILT have set up a partnership to make it even easier for you to get your website set up and integrated with lead pages. Rather than paying the full price, you get money off all of Payaca’s features (including quoting and invoicing, job management field service management and integrated lead capture pages) when you sign up for a BUILT site.
With BUILT and Payaca you can save money while making money.
After making it all the way to the bottom of this blog post, you probably have a fair idea of our opinion. A well-designed website brings numerous benefits not just for your trade business but for your customers too.
We can throw all the numbers at you and tell you why a website is something you need, but ultimately it comes down to your decision. Today more and more service businesses are growing their business online and many are reaping the rewards. As we’ve sort to show you, setting up a website and making your presence felt online, is not difficult to do.
There are some really great resources out there, like BUILT and Payaca, who have made it their mission to make you successful. Complexity is no longer a barrier to getting started. Ultimately you stand nothing to lose and everything to gain, so why not give it a go and see how your business can grow.
We offer a free trial of all our features, no credit card required. Setting up takes just 30 seconds.
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