Do Web Sites Work

[justlead1]

Do web sites bring in work for small plumbing/heating/gas fitting type business? Or are they just a necessary expense to join others? What are your thoughts?

 

[dontknowitall]

Mine definitely works and is profitable but on a small scale. I designed and built my own (saving around £300?) and pay under £7 a month and probably get one or two jobs a month. I also think it serves as a confirmation for potential customers when they look in the phone book.

Apart from my van it's my only regular form of advertising (the rest of the jobs coming from recommendation).

 

[Bernie2]

Don't know really!

It does help but as don'tknowitall says on a small scale. Lets be honest the likes of Screwfix must spend millions on advertising we can't compete at that level.

Must admit I like websites, but then I am a Plumber looking at Plumbing websites because I am interested in Plumbing. A potential customer is not usually a Plumber so you have to attract them somehow and don't forget many of the people looking for Plumbers are probably women and they don't usually like techie stuff whereas men sometimes do.

Women usually want fit and forget at a decent price when it comes to repair and choice when it comes to the likes of bathrooms, showers, rads and kitchen stuff. They don't usually want a high tech boiler just a simple reliable one with a very easy to use programmer.

 

[johnmcginty]

mine costs £3 a month from create , easily brings in more the most revenue per month .

 

[GreenArmy]

Mine costs nothing....made my own using iWeb on my macbook.....easy. Doesn't bring in much work but being on Google maps and FreeIndex (both free) does, both giving click through to my website.

 

[Blake]

It gives me a presence on the web, helps custards find me when googling plumbers in my area etc but I think the work it brings in is minimal but I do think it's good to have one.

I built mine and it costs me £2.99 a month to host it. It has been running 3 years and has had something like 3500 views since creation.

EDIT: cripes just checked and it has had 7477 visits, I'm surprised.

 

[Avatar]

My God guys, you are a bit behind the times. We have had this conversation before - ever heard of search engine optimisation? You cant expect to knock up a website yourself, and for it to be profitable.

I have a backgrpound in web design, and have done quite a few myself. In this day and age it is the only place you need to advertise - and most of it is free, aside from getting an expert to design it for you!

 

[moony]

i think its good to have a website mine was designed by a friend of the family - i would never design my own (as i couldnt get it as professional looking as the one ive got.

how much work i get from that is questionable but i think it looks more professional to have a well designed website and something for new customers to refer to...

not a massive expense - costs 50 a year to host, nearly 300 to design and whatever to register the www. names.

 

[GQuigley67]

My God guys, you are a bit behind the times. We have had this conversation before - ever heard of search engine optimisation? You cant expect to knock up a website yourself, and for it to be profitable.

I have a backgrpound in web design, and have done quite a few myself. In this day and age it is the only place you need to advertise - and most of it is free, aside from getting an expert to design it for you!

SEO is what I'm going for, think all go with a cheap website to start with though guys making me a domain name n website for £70.

 

[mike_s]

OUr website brings in most of our new customers and has made a significant percentage of our profit for us. I built it myself with bt web hosting for 4.99 a month, researched seo and did it myself. I nearly paid 500 quid to have it done professionally but I'm so glad I didn't as they would've rushed me into something that they wanted rather than what I wanted.

I only built it in the summer and now we are on the first page of google for all our relevant local searches such as southport plumber, southport gas engineer, southport heating etc and in some cases we are top. Best thing I ever did! www.ainsdalegas.co.uk if u want to have a look.