What are the five things that get a tradie found on Google?
Five things carry most of the weight for a local trade. Nobody can promise you first place, and anyone who does should put it in writing. But these are the ones in your hands.
- A complete Google Business Profile
- A website that names your services and suburbs
- Reviews, asked for on every job
- The same details everywhere
- Real photos, kept fresh
1. How do I set up my Google Business Profile properly?
This is the listing on the map. Claim it, pick the right main category for your trade, add your service area and hours, and add your website link. Upload real photos of real jobs. Fill in every field Google gives you, including your services and the suburbs you cover. Keep the phone number the same as the one on your website. A listing with no Website button loses people at the exact moment they were ready to ring, which I explain in your Google listing says no website.
2. Why does a tradie need a website to be found?
The listing shows a name and a rating. A website is where you can write the sentence that says "electrician, Toowoomba, switchboard upgrades, these suburbs". Google and AI tools read that sentence to decide who to show. Name the suburbs you cover and the services you want more of, in plain words, and put your number on every page. Give each service a clear heading, so a customer in a hurry can find the job they need in a few seconds. Upload photos of finished jobs to the Projects page with a line on where and what.
That is exactly what the $990 five-page site does. See the examples for how a trade page reads.
3. How many reviews do I need?
There is no magic number, but more recent reviews beat a pile of old ones. Ask at the end of every job while the customer is happy: send the review link by text before you drive away. Reply to every review, good or bad, in a sentence. Never buy reviews or write your own. Customers can spot it, and it can get your listing penalised.
4. Does it matter if my details differ between sites?
Yes. Your business name, phone number and suburbs should match on Google, your website, Facebook and any directories you are on. Mismatches confuse both people and search engines. Do a quick pass: search your business name, open every listing that comes up, and fix old numbers and addresses.
5. How do photos and updates help?
Photos of finished work prove you are real and show what you do. Add a few new ones to your Google profile every month, and add your best to your website's Projects page. A listing and a site with nothing new for two years look abandoned.
What does not help?
Keyword-stuffed pages, buying reviews, and paying for a monthly "SEO package" on a site that has no suburb names in it. Get the basics right first. A clear page that says what you do and where, a complete profile and a steady flow of real reviews beat tricks.
Where does Facebook fit into getting found?
It helps people who already know you and gives you somewhere to show new jobs. It does not do the work of a site that you own. If you are weighing the two, this post compares them.
How long does it take to show up?
Weeks to months, not days. Google needs time to find and trust a new site, and local competition varies a lot by trade and town. A site written for your trade and suburbs is the foundation. Reviews and photos then build on it over time. The Facebook question comes up a lot too, so see do tradies need a website if they have Facebook.
What should I do first?
Search your trade and town on your phone and tap your own listing. If there is no Website button, start there. If the listing is complete, check your reviews. Then see what a site for your business would look like: I build the homepage free, before you pay, and the full site is $990 once, live in 7 business days.