The web has replaced word-of-mouth as the way homeowners choose tradespeople for essential jobs around the house. However, over 330,000 (35%) of tradesmen and women in the UK still haven’t set up a website to promote their business.
According to the .uk domain, which is run by Nominet, most tradespeople avoid the move from ‘on site’ to ‘website’ because they don’t know where to start.
Nearly a quarter (24%) say this is why they’re yet to set up a digital home for their business and a further 12% worry about something going wrong. Another concern is money, with one in ten anxious about the expected expense.
To bust the myth that setting up a website is difficult and takes ages, the .uk domain set a bricklayer the challenge of building a wall faster than a web designer could build a website. It was a tough contest with both men confident doing their day job was the easier task.
In the end, the Techie triumphed and to find out how he pipped the Brickie to the post, check out the video of “The .uk domain’s Clicks vs Bricks challenge” below.
Earlier this year, the .uk domain revealed as many as 334,600 British tradespeople are missing out on 21 extra jobs a year by staying offline, worth on average £16,5003.
For those who want to grab a slice of the online pie, the .uk domain has created tradebetteronline.uk, a site giving tradespeople simple tips and advice to help them quickly and cost effectively get online.
Russell Haworth, CEO of Nominet, which runs the .uk domain said: “Most people will research online before deciding which tradesperson to hire – it’s an easy way to view samples of work and find references.
“And the .uk domain Clicks vs Bricks challenge has shown a simple business website can be up and running in just a few hours; those who don’t take make the move online risk missing out.”