Key points at a glance
- Customers decide within seconds whether to call a business.
- Most important are clear services, a named service area, real project photos and a simple enquiry.
- Dedicated pages per service bring enquiries for exactly the jobs you want.
- In Austria and Switzerland, the regionally common terms also count.
Many trade business websites look tidy and still bring hardly any enquiries. Usually it isn’t the design that’s missing but the content: customers can’t find out whether the business solves their problem, whether it comes to their area and how to get in touch fastest. These ten elements make the difference.
1. A clear intro
At the top of the home page, one sentence should state what you do and where: “Plumbing and heating for Bielefeld and the surrounding area”. Next to it, the phone number and an enquiry button. Anyone who has to scroll to understand this is often already gone.
2. One page per service
Heat pumps, bathroom renovation, heating maintenance, emergency service: every important service needs its own page with the process, typical questions and examples. These pages are found specifically on Google, while a general list of services hardly is.
3. Name the service area concretely
“Within 30 km” helps nobody. Name the towns where you work, ideally on a dedicated service area page. In Switzerland municipalities and cantons are common, in Austria districts and federal states.
4. Real project photos
Before-and-after pictures of your own sites convince more than any stock photo. Short project descriptions with location, service and duration help customers and Google alike.
5. Reviews and trust signals
Google reviews, master craftsman certificate, guild or association membership and manufacturer certificates belong visibly on the website. In Germany, master craftsman status and the chamber of crafts count; in Austria, the trade licence and WKO; in Switzerland, associations such as suissetec.
6. The people behind the business
Customers only let people they trust into their home. Real photos of the boss and team and a few sentences about the history of the business and the way you work have a stronger effect than advertising promises.
7. Enquiry in a few clicks
Click-to-call, WhatsApp and a short form with photo upload so customers can, for example, send a picture of the old boiler. In Switzerland, the button should say “Offerte anfragen”.
8. Answers to frequently asked questions
Roughly what does a bathroom renovation cost? How long does a heating replacement take? Are there subsidies? An FAQ answers the questions you otherwise answer on the phone and is increasingly quoted by AI assistants.
9. A careers page
Skilled workers are often the real bottleneck. A careers page with real team photos, working hours, vehicles and further training brings applicants you can’t reach via job portals.
10. Proper mandatory information
A legal notice and privacy policy are mandatory. In Germany, the responsible chamber of crafts belongs in the legal notice for licensed trades; in Austria, the details under the E-Commerce Act and the Trade Regulation Act. Have the texts reviewed by a specialist.
Terminology in Austria and Switzerland
If you work in several countries, use the regionally common terms. In Austria customers search for “Installateur” instead of “Sanitär” and for “Tischler” instead of “Schreiner”. In Switzerland people request an “Offerte”, not a cost estimate. Details like these help decide which searches you get found for.
Our guide Local SEO for trades explains how to also become visible in Google Maps. Read what such a website costs in How much does a trade business website cost?.
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