Checkatrade or your own website? An honest guide for trades

If you're a plumber, electrician or builder, you've probably asked this in the van at some point. Do I pay for a lead site, or get my own website sorted? It's a fair question, and tradespeople argue both ways.

Short answer: they do different jobs. Many busy trades end up with both, plus a free Google Business Profile. The real question is which one is earning its money for you.

We build websites, so we have a side. We'll give you both.

What lead sites do well

Sites like Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People and Bark put you in front of people who are already looking for a tradesperson. Each charges trades in its own way: some a membership, some per lead, some a mix. Check the current terms on each site before you sign.

What they're good for:

Getting started. New business, new area, no reviews yet. A lead site can bring work in while you build a name.
A name people know. Some homeowners search these sites first.
Vetting and reviews in one place, which can reassure a nervous customer.

Tradespeople who use them report mixed results, and it often depends on trade and area. On one electricians' forum, a member wrote that people "bemoan" one of these sites but it had brought in "nearly 5k of completed or agreed work since March" for him (Electricians Forums, 2019). Others in the same thread pointed to other routes: their own website, reviews and leaflets. Try one, measure it, and decide on your own numbers.

What your own website does that a lead site can't

It's yours

Your profile on a lead site belongs to their platform. If you stop paying, or their rules change, your page stays with them, and your reviews may too. Your website, your domain and your Google reviews stay with you.

The customer is only looking at you

On a lead site, the customer usually sees you next to other traders, and may contact several. When someone lands on your own site, usually from Google or a van sign, they're looking at you and nobody else.

It backs up everything else

People check. Someone recommended by a neighbour, who saw your van, or who found you on a lead site, will often Google your business name before they ring. A clear website with your work, your area and an easy way to get in touch helps that person pick up the phone.

No cost per job

A website has a monthly or yearly cost, but it doesn't charge you more because you got busy.

What a website won't do on its own

To be fair: a website on its own doesn't bring visitors. If nobody can find it, it won't ring. For local trades, the free Google Business Profile often does more for getting found than the website itself. Set that up first, and link it to your site.

A website also needs to do its job when people arrive: show what you do and where, have your number one tap away on a phone, and have an enquiry form that actually reaches you.

How to decide: count it

You don't need to guess. For the next three months:

Ask every new customer, "How did you find us?" Write it down.
Note what each job was worth, and which source it came from.
Add up what each source cost you in that time, including your time chasing leads that went nowhere.
Compare. If a lead site brings in good jobs for less than they cost, keep it. If most of your work comes from Google and word of mouth, put the money into those.

Many trades find a mix works. Use a lead site while it pays its way, and build your own website and Google reviews alongside it, so you're not starting from nothing if you stop.

Using both together

Make sure details match. Same business name, phone number and area on your website, Google profile and any lead site.
Link your website from your profiles where the site allows it.
Ask happy customers for a Google review too. Those stay with you whatever you pay for.
Reply fast to every enquiry, wherever it comes from.

How Support Labs can help

We build websites for UK trades, with an enquiry form that's tested and reaches you. If you want them, automatic replies give every enquiry an answer straight away (£150 setup and £50 a month, or part of our packages). Websites start from £395 setup and £29 a month, and you keep the website if you stop. Full prices are on our pricing section.

If you'd like to see what yours could look like, we'll make you a free mock-up of your home page, with a fixed price, before you pay anything.

FAQ

Do I need a website if I'm on Checkatrade or a similar site? Not strictly. But customers often Google you before they ring, and a website is something you own if you ever stop paying for a lead site.

Is a lead site worth it for a new tradesperson? It can be, while you build up reviews and word of mouth. Track where every job comes from so you know if it's paying for itself.

Will my reviews move with me if I leave a lead site? Usually not. Check the site's terms. Google reviews on your own Business Profile stay with you.

What's the cheapest way to get found locally? A free Google Business Profile, with your area, photos and reviews, linked to a simple website.

Want one for your business?

Answer 5 short questions on our home page, or call. We reply within 1 working day. Then we make you a free mock-up of your new home page and give you a fixed price, all before you pay anything.

Get a free mock-up Call 07725 521854