Why Trades Websites Lose Jobs (and How to Fix Them)

Published 7 November 2026

A trades website has one job: get a visitor to call or message you. Many sites look fine but quietly lose jobs because of a few simple problems. Here are the seven we see most, with a fix for each.

1. The phone number is hard to find or hard to tap

Most visitors are on a phone, often in a hurry. If they have to hunt for a number, or copy and paste it, many will go back to the search results and call the next firm. Fix: put a click-to-call button at the top of every page and keep it visible as people scroll.

2. The site is slow on mobile

Large photos and heavy design make pages crawl on a mobile connection. People do not wait. Fix: compress your images, use a fast host and test with Google PageSpeed Insights, which is free.

3. One page tries to do everything

A single page listing every service gives Google and visitors little to hold on to. Someone searching for "flat roof repair" wants a page about flat roof repair. Fix: give each main service its own page. See how this works for roofers, electricians and heating and HVAC engineers.

4. There is no proof

People are inviting a stranger into their home or business. Without photos of real jobs, genuine reviews and any accreditations you hold, they hesitate. Fix: show your own work, add real reviews (see our guide to getting more Google reviews) and display insurance or registrations clearly.

5. It is not clear where you work

If a visitor cannot tell whether you cover their town, they will assume you do not. Fix: list the areas you cover, and create a page for areas where you do plenty of work. See our approach to local pages by area.

6. The contact form asks too much

Long forms put people off, especially when they have an urgent problem. Fix: ask only for name, phone number and a short description. Offer WhatsApp as an easy alternative.

7. Nobody has told Google the site exists

A good site that Google cannot find brings no calls. Fix: add the site to Google Search Console, submit a sitemap, and keep your Google Business Profile and website details identical. Our guide to getting found on Google covers this step by step.

A five-minute self-test

• Open your site on your phone using mobile data. Can you find and tap the phone number within five seconds?
• Does the page load in under about three seconds?
• Search for your main service in your town. Does a page about that service exist on your site?
• Can a stranger see proof within a scroll: photos, reviews or accreditations?
• Is it obvious which areas you cover?

If you answered no to two or more, your site is probably losing enquiries. These are all fixable, and most do not need a full redesign. If yours does, see our website redesign service.

Want us to look at your site? Send us your address and we will tell you what we would change. You can also see real examples of sites we have redesigned.