Creating a website for your service business is key to attracting new customers and growing your brand online.
With an engaging design and user-friendly experience, you can showcase your services, connect with potential customers, and generate new leads more effectively.
This guide will walk you through how to create a service website for your business, making it easier to reach customers online and fill up your appointment schedule.
Looking to get your business online fast? Use Jobber to create a simple, professional website, you can set up in minutes.
Simply provide Jobber with details on your business and services, and we’ll create a website that highlights what sets you apart from the competition.
To help you convert website visitors into leads, your website automatically comes with a quote request form. And when you connect your Google Business Profile to your website, visitors will see exactly why you’re the business that they should be working with.
You can even measure your website’s success by tracking how many visitors your site is getting and how many requests are coming from it.
1. Define your website’s purpose
Deciding what you’re trying to accomplish with your website will help you make important decisions about your design and other technical details.
Are you trying to attract new clients, share information about your services, or get online bookings? If you set your goals first, you can build an experience around them to ensure you’re focused on the right target.
You’re the guide and your customer is the hero that has a problem, and you’re the guide that’s going to help facilitate that process.
So you really want to talk to the customer’s problem set that you can solve.
2. Register a domain name
A custom domain adds authenticity and professionalism to your website and makes it easy for customers to find you online.
You can register a domain with a domain registrar like GoDaddy, or you can register a new domain as part of the setup process with website builders like Wix and WordPress.
You can use other services with your domain name, too. For example, you can create a personalized email through Google’s G Suite or Microsoft Office 365 using your domain name to add a layer of professionalism to your business communications.
The price of a domain depends on:
- The type of domain (.com, .net, .tech)
- The domain registrar and their fees
- The popularity and demand for the domain name
- The age and history of the domain
- The inclusion of additional services (privacy protection, email hosting)
- Renewal fees after the initial registration period
- Whether the domain is considered a premium domain
- Market demand and competition for the domain
- The negotiation with the current owner (for pre-owned domains)
When going through a domain registrar, you can purchase your domain at any time and connect it to your website when you’re ready.
3. Choose your website platform
There are a lot of website builders that can help you reach potential customers and earn new business, but some will be more suited to your goals than others. With unique interfaces and features from one platform to another, it’s important to choose a website builder that matches your technical skills, budget, and specific needs.
Here are some popular options.
READ MORE: How to create a professional website without a website builder
Wix
Wix is one of the pioneers of drag-and-drop website building. Its code-optional approach makes it easy for beginners to create a website without prior coding knowledge. With a range of customizable templates, it is flexible for a variety of businesses.
It also comes with tools for search engine optimization, mobile-friendly development, and built-in apps to improve your website’s functionality.
You can get started for free, but you’ll need to sign up for a paid package in order to register a domain, remove Wix branding, increase site storage, and access a range of additional features.
WordPress
WordPress offers many customization options through website themes and plugins, but building a site properly requires more technical knowledge.
The platform can scale based on your needs as our business grows. It’s also free to use to start, but you’ll need to pay for many of the same features offered with Wix—including domain hosting, removal of WordPress branding, and premium themes and plugins.
Squarespace
Squarespace is known for more modern and dynamic templates to bring out the visual appeal of your business. The platform is a combination of drag-and-drop features with advanced coding capabilities to truly customize your experience.
It comes packed with a variety of features to enhance your messaging, such as blogging tools and e-commerce portals. All plans are paid, with the more expensive options unlocking additional tools and features.
For most home service companies, these website builders will handle everything you need—especially when you use it alongside an app like Jobber.
4. Choose a site template design
Choose a template that emphasizes your business’s branding, such as the colors, fonts, and style of your uniforms, business cards, etc.
Look for something that fits the tone of your business. What do you want people to feel? What are their expectations?
You also want a template that leads your user to your objective, whether it’s service pages, contact information, or booking appointments.
For home services, your clients are on a mission. Finding information and contacting you are their top priorities. Your site design shouldn’t get in the way of that.
5. Add your pages and content
There are five essential pages that work for every type of business website:
- Home page – An overview that tells people everything they need to know about your business. Think of it as a one-page executive summary. It’s not as detailed as the other pages on your site, but it gives enough information to make a quick judgment call.
- About page – Your story. It’s all about you and your business. If your business is more than one person, this is also the page where you can introduce the visitor to the rest of your team.
- Services page – What you do, how you do it, how much it costs, and what happy clients have said about your work. If you have any credentials, this is a good place to mention them. Certifications, licenses, and awards set you apart from your competition.
- FAQs page – Where you answer all the other potential questions your clients might have. What’s your cancellation policy? What products do you use? What is your service area? Include questions and answers for both your potential and existing clients here.
- Contact Us page – All the ways to get in touch with you. Include a contact form so clients can send you a message without opening their email app. Have a physical location? Include the address, a link to Google Maps, and a photo of your storefront so clients have everything they need to find you.
What each page should include
People have come to expect certain things when they’re using a website. By meeting those expectations with consistent page layouts, we make it easier for them to find the information they need.
This is important to remember because your website is an extension of your business. If it’s hard to use your website, is it hard to work with you, too?
Think of a page layout as a set of blocks. We have the Header, Navigation, Body, Footer, and Call-To-Action.
Header – The top of your site. It usually includes your company name, logo, a tagline, and your site’s navigation. The Header should be the same across every page of your site.
Navigation – Part of the Header. The navigation menu is how people find their way around your site. It includes links to your most important pages.
Body – The main content area. The information contained here depends on the page. It’s usually a mix of text and images.
Footer – The bottom of your site. It usually includes extra information and links. As with your Header, the Footer should be the same across every page.
For home services, it’s important to include your Name, Address, and Phone Number (NAP). This is critical information that Google uses for local search rankings.
Call-To-Action – A Call-To-Action (CTA) tells site visitors to do something. Each page should have a prominent CTA. For Jobber users, that CTA should link to a Work Request form.
READ MORE: How to attract more customers with Google reviews
6. Add photos
Adding photographs that show you in action creates a positive first impression for your website visitors.. It helps capture the visitor’s attention, earns trust, and can even help to create a connection with your audience.
Add photos of all the services you offer, completed projects, and your team to break up big blocks of text and keep visitors engaged.
READ MORE:Before and after image maker
7. Link to your online booking form
Your Call-To-Actions should point to an online booking form so that potential and existing clients can easily book new work directly through your website.
Jobber’s online booking feature was built specifically for home service businesses and easily plugs into your website and social media pages.
The form is customizable, so you decide what information you’d like to collect. You can collect your customers’ names, addresses, the services they want, and their preferred dates and times.
Plus, Your bookable services and availability are based entirely on the preferences you set. When a booking is made, Jobber will automatically schedule the job, assign an available team member, and notify you.
“You need to have a ‘get an estimate’ button and you’ve got to ask some qualifying questions inside of that get estimate,” Risher says. “The other one you want to do is ‘get service’ … an opportunity for people that are ready to actually schedule, they can get some service.”
8. Set up Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a free tool for monitoring how people use your site. It shows you how many people are visiting your site, what they’re doing on your site, and where they’re coming from.
While all this data might feel overwhelming, don’t worry – you don’t need to understand everything. The major reports give you what you need.
Even if you don’t plan on using Google Analytics now, you should still set it up. If you decide to invest in digital marketing down the road, the historic data from the early days of your website will be an asset to whoever handles your marketing.
Sign up for Google Analytics and follow the prompts.
After you’ve created your Google Analytics account, you’ll need to add the tracking code to your website. The steps differ from platform to platform.
9. Set up Google Search Console
Search Console is another free tool that can help you understand your website’s performance. It reports on your Google search performance, flags issues, and offers tips for improvement.
As with Google Analytics, Search Console might feel overwhelming at first. But by getting it up and running from the start, you’ll have a valuable asset of historic data for the future.
Sign up for Google Search Console and follow the prompts. Google can verify your site ownership by verifying your domain. Follow the prompts in Search Console to verify ownership.
10. Go live
Congrats – you’ve created your site! Now it’s time to flip the switch and make it live to the world.
Depending on the platform you’ve chosen, you may have different steps to follow from here. Refer to their help documentation for specific instructions.
- When your site is live, it’s time to tell your customers. Here’s how:Share a link to your site on social media.
- If you have an email newsletter, put out an announcement.
- Add the URL to your business cards.
- Add a link to your email signature.
Don’t forget to tell your business partners, too. Let them know about your new site. Invite them to offer feedback or suggestions on how to improve it.
11. Link to your site
Links from other websites pointing to your website will help people find you when they search in Google. After you’ve shared your new site with your existing network, you need to start getting links.
Start by updating your Google Business Profile listing. This helps potential clients find you in Google Maps and Google’s local search results.
If you already have a Google Business Profile listing, update it with a link to your new site. If you don’t have a Google Business listing, now’s the time to get one.
Next are your social media profiles. Update your Facebook, Instagram, and other profiles with a link back to your website.
Now you need to take care of your local business listings. This includes the big players like Yelp, Angie’s List, and Thumbtack.
You can look for links from local organizations. Check with local economic development corps, chambers of commerce, and other business associations. You may be a member of a group that can link to your site from theirs.
You could even team up with complementary businesses in your area. You could all add a “Partners” section to your site and link to each other.
Service website examples
Here are a variety of service websites that stand out in their industry:
- Avanti Landscaping is a perfect combination between photos of their work and helping customers understand the services they offer. A clean and clear navigation helps users find the section they are looking for while beautiful galleries give the user a sneak peek of finished products.
All their services live on separate pages and are linked to each other across the website. Each page also has a form to request a quote for services.
- Pristine House Cleaning offers a detailed look at their service process so customers know how to work with them and what to expect. Their website features “Get an Instant Quote” buttons in many prominent positions, making it easy for potential clients to get pricing information.
Another feather in their cap is a robust FAQ section to answer all common customer questions and positive customer testimonials to showcase the quality of their work.
- Guin Services showcases a very consistent brand in their website design. The colors pop and the message is clear. Services are listed prominently and every section has a call to action to allow users to get a quote, book an appointment, learn more about a product or service, review payment options, etc.
The site also features a review section for customer feedback and a call to action for clients to share their experience.
- Everyday Handyman is another masterclass in branding, setting the tone of their site with consistent colors and call to actions for scheduling an appointment and contacting the business.
Their services are listed in a uniform manner making it very easy to understand their offerings and get a free estimate. They also have a client portal to cater to the needs of new and existing customers.
Your home services business needs a website
A website is your most powerful tool for online marketing. You can use it for sales, support, and so much more.
It gives you more control than a social media profile or business listing. You have more space to tell clients who you are, what you do, and why you’re the right choice.
Connect your site to Jobber and you’ll make it even easier for your clients to work with you.
Originally published in June 2019. Last updated on September 25, 2024.