Why isn’t my trades business showing up on Google? | Wellington

Most Wellington trades businesses aren’t showing up well because of three things: a missing or incomplete Google Business Profile, a website that doesn’t clearly state their services and service areas, and a lack of credibility signals AI Search tools look for.

At Aztera Marketing in Wellington we specialise in providing an affordable digital marketing and website design and build services for trades businesses. This includes builders, plumbers, electricians, and much more.

Please see below some key questions that highlight and explain our service and how we can support your trades business with your website and / or digital marketing.

Where are the key places I should be showing up on Google?

Firstly, you should be showing up in the Google Maps, as this is key for those looking for a trades person situated close to the home or business. This is one of the key places that can make a significant difference for your business. Keep in mind that customers often put in a general search term like ‘electrician Wellington’, or ‘plumber Porirua’, or ‘home builder Lower Hutt’.
Secondly, you want a website that clearly communicates (1) what your trades business is, (2) the region’s you service, (3) some information about your team, expertise, and (3) how long you have been in business. This helps build your credibility both with the emerging AI tools and for standard SEO.
AI Search Visibility – this is one of the latest new developments that extends beyond traditional SEO. With the emergence of AI, there is often an AI Overview that shows in position #1 above the organic search results. By providing sufficient and credible information on your website, this assists your business being mentioned within the AI Search results.

How Important is it to be shown in Google Maps?

For a trades business I would consider this one of the key placements that you need. As a trades business owner, need to ensure that your Google Business Profile listing is fully set up, showing your range of services, business hours, and also includes the Reviews feature.
With having the Reviews feature, it lets prospective clients see reviews placed by previous persons who were engaged your services. This builds both social proof and credibility with your prospective customers, as well as supporting AI Search Visibility and SEO.
As the quantity of your reviews progress over time, you can then add a plug-in feature that shows your Reviews (ratings and text) on your website, so they can see this level of feedback direct from your website.
When setting up your Google Maps listing, look at even including in the Services and Description text the aspect of whether you are available on call as an emergency service or not.
For many trades businesses, depending on their style of business, being available for emergency work, can make a significant impact on attracting calls from prospective clients.

Can clearly listing the types of services you offer make a difference?

In the trades business, it certainly does.
Like many trades businesses, you probably have a range of types of services, which may range from new build/installation work, specific project-based work, maintenance and repairs, and then emergency call outs.
If you offer an emergency call outs service as part of the business, make it very clear on your website, as customers in an ‘immediate need’ would be looking for this specific service.
This specific type of work, which I refer to as ‘break/fix’ based work can often make up a large proportion of new client calls over a month. I would suggest even going as far as having a dedicated page titled ‘Emergency Plumber’ etc.
For AI Search Visibility, having that detail on your website, helps the AI tools to know exactly what type of services you offer.

For a trades business what key web pages should I have?

For many trades businesses you can easily operate with a smaller sized website. The key pages I would recommend, for helping SEO, AI Search Visibility, and prospective clients, would include:

A good Home Page, which provides on the main page a clear and succinct overview of the services you provide.
A clear Services page, which goes into greater detail specifically about your services, your expertise, and with more in-depth information regarding your approach / service.
A page of About Us/Meet the Team – as customers who are considering engaging your services generally like to have an impression of the tradesperson that is likely to turn up at their home. Even better, if under the individual profiles you can provide information regarding their qualifications and certified level of training.
A Gallery page – where you can display photos of completed work, which further builds social proof and that you do have expertise in the skill. A Gallery page is appropriate to those in the trade that can show a finished product, e.g. builders, plumbers, lighting specialists etc.

What key factors influence the costs of a new website build?

With many trades businesses looking at creating the very first website or upgrading from their existing more aged looking website, you have options with regards to managing the cost of your new website design and build.

Factors that influence your website cost:

The number of pages, so an 8-page standard kind of website obviously costs less than a larger 15-page website.
The degree of customisation in the design and build versus simply using a template format.
If the content is to be created as part of the build, or not. From my experience I would always encourage the trades business to have the content built as part of the build. That way the page layout and design or more correctly match the content for placement.
If the content is to be developed with SEO, or not. From my experience I would also always encourage the trades business to have content developed with SEO as part of the service. There is no point having a well-developed website that does not get found and rank well on Google. Trades businesses build a website to get leads and conversions. They don’t want a website…they really want the leads.
Website hosting – nowadays there are many good options for getting your website hosting at a realistic and affordable price, and we also offer the same. Ideally, hosting within the country, i.e. New Zealand, is better for SEO than hosting abroad.

What is the likely costs for a small website?

At Aztera Marketing for small sized websites that include SEO and full content writing, these can be designed and developed in the range of $1800 – $3000 (excl GST). This is often for a 6 – 8 page website.

What are the common pitfalls we see?

Over the years of working with trades businesses, we often see the folowing:

The content of their current website does not reflect and communicate their current service offerings. Often, it may have been written some time ago, and is quite out of date for how their industry, market, and competitor activity has grown around them.
They haven’t incorporated quality SEO, so the website is ranking poorly compared to their competitors.
Across the options of digital marketing, they have put more focus on their Facebook posts and other social media, not keeping top of mind that their website is their key sales tool.
That their website is looking aged or too junior and does not actually reflect how their team and expertise has grown over time.
That the use of imagery and photos on their existing website is making their business look aged and dated.
That their website doesn’t work optimally for smartphones with easy single clicks on phone numbers in the top header space.
That other call to actions, enquiry forms, and click to book buttons are absent.

How can Aztera Marketing help my trades business?

Normally, when we are first approached by a trades business we take the time to understand your current trades business, how it is currently performing, what kind of work you are trying to acquire, and what issues you are currently facing as a business.
From that initial conversation, we can then determine if your existing website is accurately reflecting your service offering, or if there is an absence of information that is creating part of the problem.
If, you are trades business that does not have a very well-developed website, we would talk to you about your website design and build options, budget, preferred approach from your end etc.
We would also be discussing with you, the other key aspects relating to your Google rankings profile, e.g. your Google Business Profile and presence on Google Maps, your level and optimal use of Google Business Reviews, how to incorporate better content to assist with your Google Rankings, etc.

Our Trades Marketing Services | Wellington

We help a range of trades businesses with their website, online, and digital marketing activities. We provide full wraparound marketing and website support. Our services are tailored to each of our individual client’s requirements. Contact Us or Request a Free Consultation to discuss how we can help your trades business. Learn more about our Digital Marketing Services.