The website content checklist: what to gather before you build

Write out every service you offer, in plain words customers use. "Hot water repairs" not "thermal systems servicing".

Group them if it helps — for a sparky that might be "Repairs", "New installs", "Switchboards", "Safety inspections".

Note anything you don't do, too. It saves you fielding calls for jobs you'll only turn down.

List the suburbs and regions you actually travel to. Be honest about the edges of your range.

This does two jobs: it tells customers whether you cover them, and it helps your site show up when people search for a trade in their suburb.

If you charge a call-out fee outside a certain zone, note that too.

Real photos of your own jobs beat stock images every time. Customers can tell the difference and they trust the real thing.

Your phone is fine. You don't need a camera.

What makes a good job photo: good light (shoot during the day or with a light on), a clean and tidy area, and the work clearly in frame. A before-and-after pair is gold.

Hold the phone steady, get close enough to see the detail, and take a few angles so you have options. Avoid clutter, mess, and anything with a customer's personal details in shot.

Aim for ten to twenty decent photos to start. You can add more over time.

If your trade requires a licence, have the number ready and display it where it's expected. In Queensland, for example, electrical and plumbing work is licensed and customers look for the number.

Have your ABN handy as well — it can sit in the footer and on your contact page.

If you carry public liability insurance, you can mention that you're insured. Don't overstate anything you can't back up.

Decide your hours and write them down clearly, including whether you do after-hours or emergency call-outs.

Pin down the best phone number, the email address customers should use, and whether you take messages via a form or text.

Keep these identical to what's on your Google Business Profile. Mismatched hours are a common, avoidable annoyance.

Before they book, most people want the same handful of things answered. Write a short, honest answer to each:

Do you cover my area?

How much does it cost, or how do you quote?

Are you licensed and insured?

How soon can you come out?

How do I pay, and do you give a written quote?

Put these answers on the site and you'll cut down on time-wasting calls and win trust before the phone even rings.

Work through this list and tick each item before you start building.

Trading name (exactly as it appears on your van and invoices)

ABN

Licence number(s), if your trade needs one

Full list of services in plain words

List of services you don't offer

Service areas and any call-out zones or fees

Phone number for tap-to-call

Contact email and preferred contact method

Opening hours, including after-hours policy

10 to 20 real job photos (good light, tidy, clear)

A logo, if you have one (any decent quality file)

Short answers to the five questions above

A link to your Google Business Profile

Any existing reviews you're proud of

Don't wait until everything is perfect. A site with a clear phone number, your services and your areas beats a fancy site that never goes live.

Gather what you can, get the basics up, and add photos and detail as you go.