How to present yourself online so people take you seriously.

People decide whether to trust you in about three seconds. To pass that test, show your face, say what you do in one line, and put your proof at the top. Then make sure Google can find you.

1. Should I put my photo on my website?

Yes. A real one. People buy from people, and a stock photo of a smiling stranger tells them nothing. It doesn’t need to be a studio shoot — a good phone photo of you doing the work, in decent light, beats anything from a picture library.

2. What should go at the top of my homepage?

One line that says what you do, who for, and where. In your customer’s words, not yours.

• Not this: “Delivering innovative solutions for a changing world.”
• This: “Electrician in Cardiff. Rewires, EV chargers and safety checks.”

3. Where should my reviews and qualifications go?

Where the doubt is: near the top. If someone is hunting for a reason to say no, don’t make them scroll past it to find your reasons for yes. Qualifications, insurance, a couple of short reviews with real first names.

4. How do I show up on Google Maps?

Claim your free Google Business Profile. It’s what puts you in the map results when someone nearby searches for what you do. If you work from home, you can hide your address and just show the areas you cover. Then ask your last five happy customers for a review.

5. Does my website need to work on a phone?

It’s the main event. Most people will find you on a phone, often standing up, often in a hurry. Open your own site on your phone, on mobile data, and time it. If you’re drumming your fingers, so are they.

6. How easy is it to contact me?

Test it today. Tap your phone number — does it dial? Send yourself a message through your contact form — does it arrive? A surprising number of forms have quietly been going nowhere for months.

7. What should I write about?

The questions customers ask you every week. How much does it cost? How long does it take? What happens first? Answer them plainly on your site. It saves you time, it builds trust, and it’s exactly what Google and AI assistants look for when they decide who to recommend.

Got that something? Good. Don’t sand it off to look like everyone else. The point of all this isn’t to look corporate. It’s to make sure the real you comes across before anyone has the chance to doubt it.