The first screen
Most visitors decide in a few seconds whether to stay. Before they scroll, they should know three things.
- What you do, in plain words. “Emergency plumber in the Inner West” beats “Excellence in every drop”.
- Where you work. Your suburb, city or service area, so locals know you're for them.
- What to do next. One clear button: call, book, or get a quote.
Tip: Show the first screen to a friend for five seconds, then ask what you do. If they can't say, the headline needs work.
Contact that takes seconds
- A phone number that dials when tapped on a phone.
- A short enquiry form. Name, email and a message is plenty to start the conversation.
- Your contact details in the footer of every page, not just on a Contact page.
Every extra form field is one more reason to give up. Ask for the rest when you reply.
Trust before they ask
- Real photos of your work, your team or your space. Stock photos are fine for backgrounds, but customers can tell.
- Prices, or at least a starting price. “From A$X” answers the biggest question and filters out people who were never going to buy.
- Proof you're real: your ABN, licence number if your trade needs one, years in business, or genuine reviews with names.
Never invent reviews or numbers. Customers notice, and so does the ACCC.
The technical basics
- It works properly on a phone. Most visits to a local business site come from phones, so check yours on one, not just on a laptop.
- It loads quickly, even on a weak signal. Big uncompressed photos are the usual culprit.
- Each page has its own title and description, so Google can show it properly in search results.
What to do with this list
Go through your site and tick off what you already have. Fix the ones that are missing, starting from the top: the first screen and contact matter most.
If you'd like a second pair of eyes, I'll check your website for free and send you the three changes I'd make first.