A good trade website does three things: it loads quickly on a phone, it convinces a stranger you're the right company, and it makes calling, texting or emailing effortless. In Ottawa there's a fourth: when a French-speaking customer arrives, they find a page that was written for them.
Who this is for
This suits Ottawa trades whose current site is slow, buries the phone number, has no real job photos, or offers French as one translated page tucked in the footer. It also suits companies starting bilingual campaigns, because a French ad that lands on an English page wastes most of the click.
With 14.1% of Ottawa residents listing French as their first official language in the 2021 Census, a bilingual site is not decoration here. It's a practical way to stand out from competitors who never bothered.
What's included
- A clear page structure. Home, one page per core service, a service-area page, an about page with your real story, and contact details on every screen.
- Real French pages. Separate French pages for your core services, with their own addresses and a visible language switch. We write the brief; we recommend a professional French copywriter or a member of the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario writes or reviews the copy.
- Mobile-first speed. Light pages, compressed images and no heavy add-ons, because most trade searches happen on phones.
- Proof that's actually yours. Job photos, licences and memberships you genuinely hold, the areas you serve, and how quickly you respond. No stock photos posing as your crew.
- One obvious next step. Call, text and email buttons on every page, sized for thumbs.
- Tracking. Separate phone tracking for English and French pages so you can see which language converts.
- Search basics done right. Titles, descriptions and headings that match what Ottawa customers search, ready for local SEO.
Timeline
| Period | What happens |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Structure, page list and copy briefs (English and French) |
| Weeks 2–3 | English copy, design and photos; French copy commissioned |
| Weeks 3–5 | Build, French pages added, speed and tracking tested |
| Launch week | Redirects from your old site, search setup, final checks in both languages |
Timing depends mostly on content. The French copy and your photos are usually the slowest parts, so we start them first.
How results are measured
We compare the share of visitors who call, text or email before and after launch, by language and by device. We also watch which service pages bring in work, so the next round of effort goes where it pays.
What makes an Ottawa trade site convert
Visitors decide quickly whether to call. The pages that work best for Ottawa trades tend to answer four questions within the first screen on a phone: what you do, which parts of Ottawa you serve, how fast you respond, and how to reach you. Below that, real job photos, review snippets you're entitled to show, and a short note on how you price work help a cautious customer pick up the phone.
For French pages, the same rules apply, plus one more: say clearly whether service is available in French. A visitor who reads a French page and then reaches an English-only voicemail feels misled. If French service has limits, such as certain hours, put that on the page.
Mistakes to avoid
- A "Français" button that leads to the home page in English. It's more common than you'd think, and it annoys exactly the customers you wanted.
- Machine-translated service pages. Trade terms are where translation tools stumble most.
- A phone number only in the footer. Put it at the top, in the middle, and in a sticky bar on phones.
- Generic stock imagery. A real photo of your van in front of a real Ottawa house beats any stock image.
- Forgetting the old site. Without redirects, you can lose the search visibility you've built over years.
Plans that include websites are on the pricing page. To see how websites, SEO and ads fit together, start at the services hub.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need a French version of every page?
No. Start with French versions of your home page and your three to five most profitable services. Blog posts and minor pages can stay English until the French pages prove they bring in work.
Who owns the website?
You do, including the domain and content. If you ever leave, the site goes with you.
Can you use automatic translation to save money?
We recommend against it for customer-facing copy. A professional French copywriter or certified translator costs money once; a clumsy page costs you trust every day it's live.
How long does a new site take?
A focused trade site with English and French core pages typically takes several weeks, depending mostly on how quickly the French copy and your job photos arrive.