Do I need a website if I’m on Checkatrade or Facebook?

If you already get work from Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People or Facebook, it is fair to ask whether a website is worth it. The short answer for most tradespeople is yes, and they work best together.

What directories and Facebook do well

• They bring you customers who are already looking for a trade.
• Reviews on a trusted platform build confidence.
• Facebook is good for showing recent jobs and staying in touch with past customers.

Where they fall short

• You are one of many. A customer sees you next to several competitors on the same page.
• The platform makes the rules. Fees, ranking and features can change at any time.
• You don’t own it. If you stop paying or the platform changes, your listing goes.
• Facebook is hard to search. Many people searching Google for a local trade never see your Facebook page.

What a website adds

• Your own place on Google, especially with a Google Business Profile, so customers find you directly.
• Trust. Many customers check for a proper website before they call, even after finding you on a directory.
• No competitors on the page. When someone is on your website, they are only looking at you.
• Something you own that keeps working whatever happens to other platforms.

Making them work together

Link your website from your directory profiles and Facebook page, and show your directory reviews or rating on your website. Use Facebook for recent job photos and your website for the full picture: services, areas, accreditations and an easy way to get a quote.