Disclaimer: SiteKiln gives you plain-English information, not marketing advice. Platform prices and features change - check current terms before signing anything.
# 13.4 - Your Online Presence: Website, Google Business Profile, Checkatrade, MyBuilder
For a UK trade in 2026, your online setup wants to look like this:
- Google Business Profile - your main shopfront. Non-negotiable.
- One or two directory platforms at most - used with your eyes open.
- Either a simple one-page website or, at minimum, a solid Facebook page backing it all up.
You don't need to be everywhere. You do need to look legit wherever people actually check.
How the main UK platforms work
Checkatrade
How it works: You pay a monthly or annual subscription for a profile and visibility in their directory. Homeowners find you via postcode and category search and contact you directly - you're not bidding on individual jobs.
Costs: Fixed subscription. Trades report prices from roughly £150-200/month up to £300-400+ on renewals, depending on area and package. You pay whether or not the phone rings.
What tradespeople say:
- Positives: strong brand with homeowners, can keep a decent pipeline busy if you're in the right area and respond fast.
- Negatives: rising fees, feeling locked in, more competition in each area so the same lead gets chased by several firms.
MyBuilder
How it works: Customers post jobs, trades express interest. You only pay if the customer shortlists you - that's when you get their contact details.
Costs: No joining or monthly membership fees. You pay a shortlisting fee per job - under £2 for tiny jobs, up to £20-35+ for larger ones. You might still not win the job after paying.
What tradespeople say:
- Positives: no monthly subscription, some cheap leads can turn into big runs of work if you handle them well.
- Negatives: race-to-the-bottom pricing, penny-pinching clients, paying for leads where the customer ghosts or shortlists everyone.
Rated People
How it works: Customers post jobs, Rated People sells the lead to multiple trades. You buy the right to contact the customer, usually along with 2-3 other trades.
Costs: Small account setup plus monthly membership (around £15/month reported), which converts into credit for leads. Per-lead fees from a few quid up to £30+ based on job size.
What tradespeople say:
- Positives: volume of jobs, handy if you're new or filling gaps.
- Negatives: paying £10-30 a lead to compete with 3-4 others, mixed client quality, lots of tyre-kickers.
Bark
Pure lead-selling platform - you buy contact details for each enquiry. Same core issues as Rated People: cost per lead, variable quality, lots of competition.
TrustATrader
More of a directory listing and vetting model - you pay for a profile and appear in search when customers look for vetted traders. Homeowners like the idea of vetted trades, but reviews show a mix of great matches and serious complaints about both traders and the platform's review handling.
Yell
Modern Yell is basically an online directory plus upsells - ads, websites, "SEO packages." Can help with local search if they build things properly, but a lot of trades complain about long contracts, hard sells and weak value.
The reality across all of them
- Expect a cost per lead of around £10-30 on most paid platforms, even if it's in subscriptions and credits.
- You're often one of 3-4 trades chasing the same homeowner.
- Quality varies wildly - some great, some total time-wasters.
For most self-employed trades, these platforms are a top-up, not your only tap. Useful when you're quiet. Risky if you're relying on them for all your work.
Google Business Profile - your main asset
Google Business Profile is your free listing on Google Maps and in "near me" search results. It's more important than any paid directory.
Why it's so valuable
- Shows you when people search "plumber near me" or "builder in [your town]" at the exact moment they want someone.
- Displays your reviews, photos, phone button, website link and service area.
- It's free - no monthly fee - and you're not bidding against three other trades for the same lead.
How to set it up
- Go to business.google.com and sign in.
- Add or claim your business. Pick the right category (e.g. Plumber, Electrician, Builder).
- Use your real business name - not keyword stuffing like "Best Cheap Plumber London."
Add:
- Phone number
- Website or Facebook page
- Opening hours (even if it's "by appointment")
- Description of what you actually do
Address and service area:
- Verify with your real base address (often your home), then choose to hide it and set a service area if you travel to jobs.
- List real towns and postcodes you cover - don't put "entire UK."
Photos and posts:
- Upload real photos: before/after jobs, vans, finished work. Google favours active listings.
- Post updates once a week or fortnight: "New kitchen in [town]", "We're now taking bookings for [month] in [area]."
Reviews and Q&A:
- Use the "Ask for reviews" button to get your direct link - text that to customers after jobs (see 13.1 for the system).
- Reply to every review, good and bad, in a calm, professional way.
- Fill in common questions via the Q&A section: "Do you do small jobs?", "Do you charge a call-out fee?"
A strong GBP with regular photos and reviews will beat most paid directory listings for local, high-intent customers.
Do you need your own website in 2026?
Short answer: it really helps, but it doesn't need to be fancy.
Why a site still matters
- It's something you own. Platforms can change prices or rules overnight. Your own site is yours.
- It makes you look like a real firm when people Google you from a word-of-mouth recommendation.
- It gives you a decent place to send people from social media, Google, and any ads.
When GBP + social media might be enough
If you're very local, work mostly off word of mouth, and your Google profile plus Facebook/Instagram already show clear photos, reviews and contact info - you might get away without a website. But even then, a simple one-page site is cheap insurance.
What a simple one-page site should contain
Think of it as a tidy online brochure:
Top: Who you are and where you work.
"Smith Electrical - Domestic & Small Commercial Electrician in [areas]."
Services: Bulleted list. Rewires, fuseboard upgrades, EV chargers, fault finding, etc.
Areas covered: List your main towns and villages.
Proof: A handful of good project photos. A few short written testimonials or embedded Google reviews.
Contact: Big click-to-call number, email, simple contact form, links to your Google profile and socials.
You can build this with Wix, Squarespace or a WordPress template for low monthly cost, or get a basic brochure site from a sensible developer for a fixed flat fee.
The SEO / web design trap - red flags
This is where a lot of trades get rinsed. If someone approaches you selling "digital marketing" or SEO, watch for these:
Long contracts
12-36 month contracts where you can't get out. Promises of Page 1 rankings but vague on what they'll actually do.
Guaranteed ranking claims
"We guarantee you'll be number 1 on Google for 'builder [big city].'" No one can guarantee that honestly.
Bundled directory + "SEO"
Selling you a directory listing plus a templated website and calling it SEO. Often you're stuck with them for edits.
High fees for simple work
Hundreds a month for "managing" a brochure site and changing a couple of photos. Charging big money for setting up a Google Business Profile that you could do in an hour.
Pressure tactics
"We've only got a couple of slots left in your postcode." "This price is only valid if you sign today."
What sensible help looks like
- Clear one-off fee for a simple site build.
- Maybe a light monthly charge if they're actively updating content and providing reports.
- No wild promises - just "we'll make you look solid when people search for you."
If someone's trying to sell you complex SEO jargon and lock-in contracts when you don't even have your Google profile sorted, walk away.
Where homeowners actually look
The stats jump around, but the patterns are steady:
- Most homeowners still lean heavily on recommendations and previous experience when choosing trades, then check online to confirm.
- Directories like Checkatrade, MyBuilder and TrustATrader are well-known, but many customers now mix them with Google search and Facebook groups.
- Your name + town in Google, your Google Business Profile, and your reviews are the common thread that shows up whether they heard of you by word of mouth or a directory.
Platforms can feed you leads, but your own footprint - Google profile, site, socials - is what follows you from year to year.
A sane online setup for a self-employed trade
If you're on the tools 10 hours a day, here's the realistic approach:
Non-negotiables
- Get your Google Business Profile fully set up and start collecting reviews.
- Have at least a basic online home - one-page site or a solid, public Facebook page with photos, services and contact info.
Optional directory platforms
- Test one or two (e.g. MyBuilder + Checkatrade, or Rated People).
- Track: how many leads you get, cost per enquiry, how many turn into real jobs.
- If the maths isn't right after a few months, cancel and move on.
Nice-to-haves
- Keep your Facebook/Instagram ticking with job photos (see 13.2).
- Consider basic Google or Facebook ads only after the above is solid (see 13.2 for ad guidance).
The goal is to own your reputation and not be at the mercy of any one platform or sales rep.
Quick rule of thumb
Google Business Profile first. One-page website or solid Facebook page second. One paid directory if you want to test it. Track everything. Don't sign long contracts. Don't pay for what you can do yourself in an hour.
What to do next
- Set up or claim your Google Business Profile right now - it takes an hour
- Upload 5 photos of recent work to your profile
- Ask your last 3 customers for a Google review - text them the link
- If you're considering a paid directory, trial one for 3 months and track cost per real job
- Read 13.1 for building referrals that feed into your online presence
- Read 13.2 for making social media work without losing your evenings
- Read 13.3 for handling bad reviews when they land
Sources
- Checkatrade, Rated People, MyBuilder, TrustATrader, Bark - platform terms and pricing, 2025-2026
- BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey, 2024
- Google, Google Business Profile help documentation, 2025
- FMB, How homeowners choose a builder, 2024
- TrustMark, Consumer advice on finding a tradesperson, 2025
- Which?, How to find a good tradesperson, 2024
Know someone who needs this?
This topic is sponsored by TrustKiln.
Founding Sponsor
The only review platform that refuses to let you hide bad feedback. TrustKiln helps tradespeople collect verified reviews across Google, Checkatrade, Which? Trusted Traders, MyGarage and more — all managed from one dashboard. No review gating, no cherry-picking, no paying to look better than you are. Every review is checked for human voice and verified as authentic. Built for tradespeople who back their work and want their reputation to prove it.
trustkiln.co.uk →SiteKiln's editorial team writes every guide independently. Sponsors do not review, edit or sign off on content. See our editorial standards.
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