do websites generate clients?

[mutley racers]

Just wondering if it is worth getting a website. Hav read some old posts but none that state if you guys pck up work from them. I guess you must if you keep them going? Are

 

[Keefy]

I get quite a bit from mine so yes. Having knowledge of how SEO works helps though.

 

[plumber0808]

IMO I think in this day and age its a must. Since I done it it provides me with a new customer base to work and grow from.

 

[Derek Hardman]

All our work comes from 3 sources, recommendation, Worcester Bosch website, and my website, it is absolutely vital, it is also vital to know that the website is compatible with smartphones, ipads etc, that SEO (search engine optimization) is included in any package, when you purchase a domain name (web address) get the right one, because the more the domain name, website name and company name match up, the better it will show in searches, it can take 3 months to get a website to even show on google too, but dont go paying these SEO companies who 'guarantee page one on google' they only do what you or your web designer can do by yourself.

 

[Scott_D]

would need to advertise more to get the web site name out there though?

 

[stevetheplumber]

i had mine up 6 months and didnt get a call so i cancelled it

 

[Howsie]

Word of mouth and builders are where the majority of our decent work comes from.

 

[kay-jay]

my website works well.
designed and run by my mate, he also does a few other members sites.
i am on first page of google for a whole load of search terms and it brings in the work.

my mate also did steve the plumber's who cancelled. the thing with seo is you need to be patient, if done correctly it will take time. it took my site 4 months. steve is in london which is a much more populous and competetive area and to leapfrog his competitors to get on first page would have taken a bit longer.

so to the op results can be good, if you live in a town you will get the results quicker than if you live in a big city. but you can get them.

my mate charges £55 per month. no contracts, no other fees, stop when you like.
the sites are 100% original not from a template and have 5 pages.

 

[erpkid]

I think it is more of a case that they are so cheap why wouldn't you? We get the odd bit of business from ours but we keep it updated because some of our customers expect you to have one and can be suspicious if you don't I think it is the equivalent of the sign written van with a land line number. Ours has been up for years and linked to and from some others that have been there over 10 years so Google is nice to it without us doing anything. If I was starting out now I would have at least a what we do and a few examples of work done.

 

[Derek Hardman]

would need to advertise more to get the web site name out there though?

Web searches are not dependant on advertising, most people use google when they want to find a 'butcher, baker or candlestick maker' these days, its works like the yellow pages used to, but quicker, talking of which, Yell.com is the new yellow pages, but in the same way, be very careful what you agree to spend with them, the salespeople are very clever at getting you into different categories which you dont need to be in.

 

[Derek Hardman]

i had mine up 6 months and didnt get a call so i cancelled it

You did right to cancel Steve, if it didnt work in that time the 'hosts' were not working hard enough to get results, website designers are in abundance now, but it is fairly easy to do it yourself...providing you have time, it is very time consuming sometimes.

 

[erpkid]

The other thing about a website and therefore domain is your e-mail address. When I see a sign written van with [email protected] or freewebprovider.co.uk or similar I feel they are missing a trick and looking cheap. Your e-mail can say a lot about what you do and should be zero additional cost on your package. If you grab a good domain then the e-mail can work for you too.

 

[vern]

Had a domain for 5 years lol, when I set off it was tough, but word of mouth, friends, family and eventually WB website, saw me through, I always meant to get a site, I booked a date to sit down with the web guy.......then cancelled lol as 2 leads from the WB site came in, I got both, never looked back, cannot cope with the work I have so, never bothered with the site.....I should though just for presence.....

 

[stevetheplumber]

my website works well.
designed and run by my mate, he also does a few other members sites.
i am on first page of google for a whole load of search terms and it brings in the work.

my mate also did steve the plumber's who cancelled. the thing with seo is you need to be patient, if done correctly it will take time. it took my site 4 months. steve is in london which is a much more populous and competetive area and to leapfrog his competitors to get on first page would have taken a bit longer.

so to the op results can be good, if you live in a town you will get the results quicker than if you live in a big city. but you can get them.

my mate charges £55 per month. no contracts, no other fees, stop when you like.
the sites are 100% original not from a template and have 5 pages.

i gave it 6 months and it did nothing

 

[vern]

i gave it 6 months and it did nothing

Bloody hell Steve nothing? Did'nt same guy do Bods? Wonder how his is going?