Presentation: What Your Website Is Really Saying About Your Woodshop

Once someone hears about your business — from a builder, a designer, a past client, or a Google search — almost everyone does the same thing next.

They look you up.
They click through to your website.

And within a few seconds, they’ve already formed an opinion.

Not about the quality of your craftsmanship.
Not about how skilled your team is.

But about whether your business feels professional, established, and trustworthy.

That judgement happens fast, and usually without much conscious thought.

Why Website Presentation Carries So Much Weight

There’s been a lot of research over the years into how people judge businesses online, and it all points in the same direction.

One well-known study from Stanford University found that around three-quarters of people judge a company’s credibility based largely on its website design. Other research shows that people form first impressions in fractions of a second — before they’ve read a single paragraph properly.

In other words, most visitors aren’t sitting there analysing your site. They’re reacting to it.

They get a feeling.

“This looks sharp.”
“This feels dated.”
“This looks like the kind of shop we’d trust.”

Once that feeling sets in, it’s hard to reverse. And that’s why presentation matters so much, even if the work itself is excellent.

What Your Website Is Really For

A lot of woodshop owners think of their website as a box they have to tick. Something that exists because “every business needs one”.

In reality, it plays a very specific role.

Your website is there to quietly reassure the right people and gently put off the wrong ones. It doesn’t need to persuade everyone. It just needs to make the people who are a good fit feel comfortable taking the next step.

The easiest way to think about it is as a digital version of a small showroom.

If someone walked into a physical space and saw poor lighting, old samples, clutter, and no clear sense of what you specialise in, they’d probably leave without asking many questions. Online, the same thing happens — just faster and more quietly.

Photos: The First Thing People Really Look At

If there’s one thing that consistently makes or breaks woodworking websites, it’s photography.

Before most people read your text, they look at your images. They’re scanning for reassurance. They want to see whether your work matches what they have in mind.

Good photos answer a lot of questions instantly. Poor ones raise doubts just as fast.

What often lets sites down isn’t a lack of projects, but how those projects are shown. Old images, dark install shots, or galleries filled with everything you’ve ever done don’t help people understand what you’re actually best at.

A smaller number of recent, well-chosen photos usually does a much better job. The aim isn’t to impress with volume, but to clearly represent the kind of work you want more of.

Why Your Website Needs to Feel Current

If a website hasn’t been updated in more than 5  years, people usually sense it straight away — even if they couldn’t explain exactly why.

Something about it just feels dated or less trustworthy compared to what they’re used to seeing elsewhere online.

That doesn’t mean you need to chase trends or rebuild your site every couple of years. It simply means your website should feel current and cared for.

A dated website doesn’t say anything about the quality of your work — but some visitors will quietly make that connection anyway. And that judgement tends to happen very quickly.

Simple Beats Fancy Almost Every Time

One of the biggest misconceptions around websites is that they need to be clever or flashy to work.

In practice, the opposite is usually true.

The most effective woodworking websites tend to be calm and straightforward. Clear structure. Plenty of space. No distractions. Nothing competing with the work itself.

Visitors shouldn’t feel like they’re being sold to. They should feel like they’re being shown around.

When a site is easy to navigate, easy to read, and focused on the projects, people stay longer. And when people stay longer, they’re more likely to get in touch.

Clarity Is More Important Than Coverage

Another common issue is trying to appeal to everyone.

If you specialise, say so. If you focus on high-end residential work, built-ins, or designer collaborations, make that clear on the homepage. This isn’t about turning people away — it’s about helping the right clients recognise that they’re in the right place.

Ambiguity creates hesitation. Clarity builds confidence.

The moment someone understands what you do, who it’s for, and whether it matches their situation, the next step becomes much easier.

The Quiet Cost of a Weak Website

Referrals still matter, and reputation still counts for a lot. But today, nearly every referral is followed by a quick online check.

“Let’s have a look at them.”

If your website quietly undermines confidence — even a little — some of those opportunities disappear without you ever knowing they existed.

Your site doesn’t need to convince people to buy. It just needs to confirm that you’re as professional online as you are in the workshop.

In the next article, we’ll look at what happens once someone does reach out — and why speed of response now plays such a big role in who actually wins the job.

👉 Next: Why Speed to Lead Wins More Cabinet & millwork Jobs

And if you’d like help bringing your website up to the same standard as your work, you can learn more at  https://woodworkhero.com