Web design for trade businesses and manufacturers

Guide: trades

Web design for trade businesses: more inquiries, more applications.

The essentials at a glance, in 7 chapters. Jump straight to the topic that's on your mind right now.

What a trade business website has to deliver today

Many trade businesses have full order books and still a website nobody has touched in years. That works for a long time, until two things happen: the right jobs go to the business that looks more professional online, and the applications dry up.

A good website for the trades doesn't have to be an art installation. It has to reliably do four things:

• show what you do and in which region
• prove that you do it well
• convince skilled workers and apprentices
• make the path to an inquiry as short as possible

And all of that in a way that barely takes up any of your time day to day.

Services you understand at a glance

Visitors want to know within seconds whether you take on their job. Instead of a long list on one page, every important service gets its own page with a short description, images from real projects and a clear way to get in touch. That helps customers find their way and helps Google categorize.

What that looks like for technically demanding services is shown by Heigl Blaubeuren: welding, CNC milling, bending and laser technology, plus certifications, references and careers, clearly structured in Webflow.

Attracting skilled workers and apprentices through your website

For many businesses, the website is now as much a recruiting tool as a sales tool. Anyone interested in an apprenticeship or a new job almost always checks out the business online first, usually on their smartphone.

What belongs on a good careers page

• Real insights: What does a working day look like? Who are the colleagues?
• Clear positions: What are the tasks, what do you offer, who is the contact person?
• A simple application: few fields, CV optional, callback as an alternative.

Film beats text

A short film with real employees says more than any job description. For the construction company Höbel, we produced an apprenticeship film presenting four trainee professions, plus a short cinema spot for the region. The apprentices themselves were in front of the camera, and that's exactly what makes the film credible.

Plan the careers page from the start

A careers page works best when it isn't tacked on afterwards. We plan it from the start as its own section with its own entry point on the homepage. You maintain open positions in the CMS, and film, photos and copy also pay off for your job ads and social media.

Real photos instead of stock images

In the trades, the work itself is the best sales argument. Still, many websites rely on purchased images of hands holding tools. The problem: these images prove nothing, and visitors recognize them.

Real photos from your business do three things at once. They prove your quality, they set you apart from competitors and they show the people customers will talk to later. A workshop doesn't have to look as tidy as a showroom for this. Authenticity has more impact than gloss, as long as the photos are well crafted.

Often a well-planned photo day is enough to supply your website, social media and job ads for a long time. Read more in our post on imagery and on our page about content production.

Becoming visible locally

Most trade businesses work in a clearly defined service area. That's exactly where they need to be found, on Google, in maps and increasingly in AI assistants too.

1. Google Business Profile: fully completed, with real photos, opening hours and services.
2. Service pages with local relevance: a separate page for each important service, with examples from your region.
3. Consistent contact details: name, address and phone number the same everywhere, on the website and in directories.
4. Reviews: actively ask satisfied customers for a review and don't forget to reply.

We build the technical foundation for this, meaning clean structure, meta data and structured data, into every website. We explain how local SEO works in detail in our post on local SEO. Ongoing support is available in the SEO package.

Making the inquiry as easy as possible

Anyone looking for a tradesperson usually has a specific job and little patience. Every hurdle on the way to an inquiry costs customers.

• Phone number visible on every page, tappable directly on a smartphone
• Short form with the most important questions: what, where, by when
• Photo upload, so you can assess in advance what it's about
• Clear expectations: When will you get back to them?

Why fewer fields often bring more inquiries, we show in our post on the inquiry form.

Local businesses as brands

A strong presence pays off for local businesses too: a website that makes services, style and atmosphere instantly recognizable positions you clearly as a brand in your region. This same principle works for any business that wants to win with quality rather than the lowest price.

A brand from company van to website

A trade business is visible every day: on vehicles, workwear, job site signs and invoices. When all of that fits together, the business looks bigger and more professional, and the website becomes the logical next step.

For SCS Fahrzeuglackierung, we developed an identity that shows craftsmanship precision and technical expertise. At Beck Gewürze, the brand system runs from business stationery to workwear to packaging. And PfannenFreunde combines craft, fire and community in a brand with a clear stance.

You can see how we develop brands on our page about branding.

How we work with trade businesses

1. Initial consultation: We clarify what you need: more inquiries, more applications or both.
2. Make strengths visible: We find out what makes your business special and put services, references and the workshop at the center.
3. Photos and film: If you like, we plan shoots and filming right at your business.
4. Design and build: Moodboards, first design sections, then the build in Webflow. If the design doesn't convince you, you get your deposit back.
5. Launch and training: We show you how to maintain references and jobs yourself. If you don't have time for that, we take care of it with our maintenance package.

You'll find all steps in detail on the page about our process.

How much time do I have to invest myself?

We keep your effort as low as possible. You're involved at the decisive points: briefing, approvals and final feedback. We take care of the rest.

Are there ongoing costs after launch?

Yes, for hosting and platform licenses, for example the Webflow site plan. If you want to hand off maintenance, updates and further development, there are our growth packages for maintenance, SEO, GEO and conversion.