Why does a tradesperson need a website?
The answer is simple: because your customers look for you on Google before they call you. “Plombier urgence Paris 11” (emergency plumber, Paris 11th), “électricien certifié Bordeaux” (certified electrician, Bordeaux), “menuisier cuisine sur mesure Lyon” (bespoke kitchen joiner, Lyon)… These searches are run in huge numbers every day. Without a website, you do not appear. And if you do not appear, it is your competitor who lands the customer.
According to an LSA Conso study (2025), 68% of French consumers look for a tradesperson on the internet before making contact, even when a friend has already recommended one. Online reputation completes word of mouth (and sometimes drowns it out).
What your trade website absolutely must contain
1. Your contact details, clear and visible
Phone number at the top of every page, ideally tap-to-call on mobile. Email address, geographic coverage area. Do not hide where you are based: it is a selling point for local SEO.
2. Your specialisms and services
Do not just say “plumber”. List them precisely: emergency callouts, water heater installation, bathroom renovation, drain clearing… Every specialism is a potential keyword on Google.
3. Your finished work in photographs
This is your strongest sales argument. Before and after, jobs completed, close-ups of the good detail… Photographs of your work show your craft better than any text can. Take the time to photograph the jobs you finish.
4. Your certifications and qualifications
Qualibat, RGE, Qualipac, the Artisan de France label… Display them proudly. These are decisive signals of trust, for your customers and for Google.
5. Customer reviews
Google reviews are one of the first things your prospects see. Ask every satisfied customer to leave one, without exception. A tradesperson with 4.8 stars and 40 reviews almost always beats one with none at all.
Local SEO: your secret weapon
As a tradesperson, your customer base is local. Your SEO strategy has to be local too. That means optimizing your site for searches shaped like “[your trade] + [your town]”. Create a complete Google Business Profile listing, keep it in step with your site, and collect reviews regularly.
Target the neighboring communes as well: if you work in Lyon and across its metropolitan area, build dedicated pages for Villeurbanne, Bron, Vénissieux… Google rewards geographic relevance.
What budget should a tradesperson plan for a website?
Prices vary enormously depending on the approach you choose:
To get a feel for the orders of magnitude, look at our website subscriptions: everything is on display there, setup fee included, with no quotation to negotiate.
- A site builder such as Wix or Jimdo: simple, but limited for SEO
- A bespoke WordPress site through an agency: professional, but costly in one go
- An all-inclusive website on a monthly subscription: no upfront investment, professional, maintained and secured
For most tradespeople the monthly subscription is the most fitting arrangement: professional, maintained, secured, without taking on debt at the start.
The mistakes tradespeople make most often on the web
- A site nobody has updated since 2018
- No tap-to-call phone number on mobile
- Blurred photographs, or none at all
- No geographic coverage area mentioned
- No Google Business Profile
A tradesperson who sells finished products can go further than a brochure site: see building an e-commerce site in Pau.
Conclusion
A well made website is the most profitable investment a tradesperson can make. It works 24 hours a day, answers your prospects’ questions while you are out on a job, and sets you apart from the competition. In 2026 it is a necessity, not a luxury.
Would you rather hand it over than run the risk of those mistakes? Ask for a quotation for your trade website, with the timeline and the budget stated in the first conversation.
