Disclosure: the editor of this site, Edris Nazari, runs Ampliia AI, a web design business for trades. Treat what follows as advice you can check, and read the rest of the site's standards on the About page.
The short answer
Not always. A good Google Business Profile and a few strong reviews can carry a small trade business. A website pays off when you want to show your work, cover more suburbs and get quote requests without playing phone tag.
When you can get by without one
If your work comes by word of mouth, you have a complete Google Business Profile and reviews, and you are already booked out, a website is a nice extra, not a must. Google's own help says a complete profile and good reviews help local ranking.
When a website earns its keep
A website starts to pay off when you want to:
- show photos of finished jobs, so customers can judge your standard before they ring
- cover the suburbs you work in, in words a customer would search
- make it easy to ask for a quote at any hour
- show your licence, insurance and reviews in one place
- own something you control, instead of a profile on someone else's platform
What a tradie website needs
Keep it simple, and make it fast on a phone:
- your business name, trade, suburbs and a tap to call number on every page
- real photos of your own work, not stock photos
- your licence or registration number where it applies, and your insurance
- a short quote request form that tells you the suburb and the job
- reviews from real customers, with names or initials where they agree
- plain language, no jargon, one clear next step on each page
Questions to ask before you buy
Who owns the domain and the site? What happens if you stop paying? What do you pay each month, and for what? Can you edit it yourself? A fair web designer answers these in writing.
Common questions
Is a Facebook page enough for a tradie?
It can be for a small business. A website gives you a place you own, with your suburbs, photos and a quote form.
What should I check before paying for a website?
Ask who owns the domain and the site, what the monthly cost covers and what happens if you leave.
Do I need a website to show up on Google?
Not always. Google says a complete Business Profile with reviews can help local ranking. A website adds links and detail.
Sources
- Google Business Profile help: improve your local ranking, checked 11 November 2026
- Consumer Affairs Victoria: protecting homeowners from dodgy builders and tradespeople, checked 11 November 2026