Free resource library

Straight answers.
No sales pitch.

Plain-English guides for tradespeople — whether you're thinking about getting a website or you've already got one.

Thinking about getting a website?

Before you decide

Eleven guides covering cost, content, Google, and whether you need one at all.

Start here
New to all this? Start here.
Eleven guides on whether you need a website, what it should do, and what it should cost — written for people who'd rather be doing the trade than reading about websites.
Facebook app icon next to a browser window representing the choice between social media and a website
Getting started 5 min read
Do I Actually Need a Website, or Is Facebook Enough?
A fair look at both — so you can decide for yourself, without a sales pitch either way.
Read guide → Coins or a simple cost breakdown representing ongoing website running costs
Cost & value 4 min read
What Does a Website Actually Cost to Keep Running?
Domain, hosting, security, and updates — the honest numbers, including what the care plan covers.
Read guide → Five items on a checklist representing the key elements of a trade website
Content 5 min read
The 5 Things Customers Check Before Calling a Tradesperson
What runs through someone's head in the 30 seconds between Googling you and deciding whether to ring. Get those five things right and the rest looks after itself.
Read guide → Map pin or search results representing local Google search for tradespeople
Google & search 5 min read
How to Appear When Someone in Your Town Searches for Your Trade
Google Business, reviews, and local search — explained without jargon.
Read guide → Smartphone photographing a completed trade job on a workbench
Photography 3 min read
How to Take Decent Work Photos on Your Phone
Better photos mean more enquiries. Here's all it takes with a modern smartphone.
Read guide → Grid of identical coloured squares — representing the sameness of template trade websites
Getting started 4 min read
Why Most Trade Websites Look the Same (And Why It Matters)
Most trade sites come from the same handful of templates. Customers can tell — even if they can't say why.
Read guide → Three different channels side by side representing Checkatrade, Google, and a website
Getting found 5 min read
Checkatrade, Google, or Your Own Website — What's the Difference?
Three places customers find local trades online — and the very different jobs each one does.
Read guide → DIY builder blocks next to a custom-built structure representing website platform choices
Getting started 5 min read
Wix, Squarespace, or a Built-From-Scratch Site — Which Suits a Trade?
An honest look at when the DIY builders are the right call — and when they quietly let you down.
Read guide → Stopwatch or timeline illustration representing the website build process duration
Process 3 min read
How Long Does It Take to Get a Website Built?
About a fortnight from first message to going live, with roughly two hours of your time.
Read guide → Web address in a browser bar representing domain name choices for tradespeople
Getting started 3 min read
Do I Need a .co.uk or a .com? Web Addresses Explained
A small decision people overthink. Here's what actually matters — and why .uk and .co.uk are both fine.
Read guide → Phone showing unsolicited calls representing the cold calls tradespeople receive after launching a website
What to expect 4 min read
Why You'll Get Cold Calls After Launching a Site
A new website triggers a wave of sales calls — unless your builder switches one setting on at registration.
Read guide →
Already a NeoBookworm client?

After you launch

Guides for clients who've gone live. Pick the one that matches your setup, then explore the rest.

Start with your setup

Two handover packs — read the one that matches your plan first. Both cover how to request changes for your setup.

Hands tending to something carefully representing the monthly website care plan service
Start here 5 min read
Your Website Is Live — Your Care Plan Guide
On the £9.99/month plan? Everything in one place: what's covered, how to request changes, and what's yours to keep.
Read guide → Key in a lock representing a client taking ownership of their own website
Start here 5 min read
Your Website Is Live — Running It Yourself
Managing your own hosting? Running costs, domain renewal, and how to ask for changes when you need them.
Read guide →

For everyone

Eight guides that apply whether you're on the care plan or running things yourself.

Laptop showing a live website representing a newly launched trade site
Post-launch 4 min read
Your Site Is Live — What to Do Next
A simple checklist for the first week — sharing the link, Google Business, and getting your first reviews.
Read guide → Search results list on a screen representing appearing higher in Google search
Google & search 6 min read
Getting Found on Google — What NeoBookworm Does for Your SEO
What's built into every site at launch — and the optional extras worth considering.
Read guide → Speed gauge or performance indicator representing website loading speed
Speed & mobile 4 min read
How Fast Is My Website? Two Free Google Tests Worth Running
Run Google’s free speed and mobile tests — and understand what the results mean.
Read guide → Phone with a crossed-out symbol representing cold call protection
Protection 4 min read
Protecting You From Cold Calls — What NeoBookworm Does at Launch
Why cold calls happen after a new site goes live — and what we do to prevent them.
Read guide → Five gold stars representing a Google review rating for a trade business
Reviews 4 min read
How to Get Your First 10 Google Reviews
Ten reviews is the threshold where "unproven" turns into "established." Here's the simple way to get there.
Read guide → One-star review rating illustration representing handling negative customer feedback
Reviews 4 min read
What to Do If a Customer Leaves a Bad Review
The calm, public-facing way to respond — and the mistakes to avoid in the first 24 hours.
Read guide → Tradesperson's van with a website address on the side
Going live 3 min read
Putting Your Website on Your Van, Quotes and Invoices
Most visits to a trade website come from offline. Here's where the web address actually earns its keep.
Read guide → Calendar or checklist representing an annual website maintenance rhythm
Keeping it fresh 4 min read
When Should I Update My Website? A Yearly Checklist
A simple monthly, quarterly and yearly rhythm — without spending more than an afternoon a year on it.
Read guide → Tradesperson walking away with a toolbox, waving goodbye
Transparency 3 min read
What Happens If I Want to Cancel?
A month's notice, no exit fees, your site files and web address come with you. The straight version.
Read guide →

If you're managing your own site

Two extras for clients who've taken over their own hosting after handover.

Keys being handed over representing the transfer of a website to a client
Self-manage 6 min read
Taking Over Your Website — Customer Handover Guide
Step-by-step instructions if you want to manage your own hosting after the build.
Read guide → Tradesperson writing notes on a notepad representing how to request website changes
Self-manage 3 min read
Requesting Changes After Handover
For clients managing their own site: how to ask for an update, what it costs, and how the process works.
Read guide →
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Not sure which guide you need? Drop me an email and I'll point you in the right direction — no obligation. nick@neobookworm.uk