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Codex

Practical Website Notes
For Trades Businesses.

Three rules every contractor in Peel Region and the GTA needs to follow online. Local search, mobile performance, and conversion clarity.

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The Rules

Three Things Every
Trades Site Must Get Right.

01

Local Search Comes First

Most trades customers search with a city or neighbourhood in mind. If your website does not mention where you work, Google has no reason to show you.

  • Google Business Profile is the most valuable free listing a trades business has — fill it out completely
  • Your website needs to name the cities and neighbourhoods you actually service
  • NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone) across your site, GBP, and directory listings matters
  • Local reviews on Google are a direct ranking factor — ask for them after every job
  • Service-area pages for your top cities outperform a single homepage trying to rank everywhere
02

Your Website Needs to Work on a Phone

Over 70% of local service searches happen on mobile. If your site is slow, hard to tap, or buries the phone number, you are losing jobs before anyone reads a word.

  • Phone number and contact button must be visible without scrolling on mobile
  • Buttons need to be large enough to tap with a thumb — at minimum 44px height
  • Page load time under 3 seconds on a phone connection
  • Text that is readable without zooming in
  • No horizontal scrolling, no elements that break the layout on small screens
03

Conversion Clarity Beats Design Impressiveness

Trades customers are not browsing — they have a problem and need it solved. Your site should answer three questions in the first screen: who you are, where you work, and how to reach you.

  • Your headline should say what you do and where, not a vague tagline
  • Show real service steps, not just bullet lists of what you offer
  • Testimonials from local customers with first names and cities build more trust than generic reviews
  • Keep the contact path short: one tap to call, one short form to fill
  • Explain your process so customers know what to expect — uncertainty kills conversions

Self-Assessment

Does Your Website
Pass the Test?

Run through this checklist against your current site. Green means you are in good shape. Red means a customer is probably leaving before they call you.

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Website Checklist

Business name, phone, and city visible in the header
Each service has its own dedicated page or section
Google Business Profile is fully filled out and verified
Site loads in under 3 seconds on mobile
Schema markup tells Google your business category and location
Still using a template built for a generic business type
Phone number only in the footer
No mention of the cities or regions you serve
No reviews or testimonials anywhere on the site
Contact form buried on a separate page with no visible CTA

Common Mistakes

What Most Trades
Websites Get Wrong.

No Local Targeting

A site that says 'serving the Greater Toronto Area' is too vague. Google needs specific city names, neighbourhoods, and service areas to rank you for local searches.

Generic Template Copy

Copy like 'We are a leading provider of quality services' tells customers nothing. Real trades customers want to know your trade, your area, and why you specifically.

Hard-to-Find Contact Info

If a customer has to scroll, click, or search to find your phone number, most will leave. Phone number and a clear CTA button belong above the fold.

No Social Proof

Trades work is trust-based. Without reviews, customer names, or photos of real jobs, visitors have no reason to choose you over the next result on Google.

Free Written Audit

Apply the Codex to
Your Business.

Send me your current website or Google Business Profile link. I will send back a written audit with exactly what is costing you jobs online.

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