Making your phone number easy to tap
4 min read · Updated
For tradies, clinics and most local services, a phone call is the best kind of enquiry. So it’s surprising how many websites make calling hard. The number is buried in the footer, or it’s part of an image, or tapping it does nothing and people have to copy it out by hand.
On a phone, every extra step loses people. Here’s how to fix it.
Make it a tap-to-call link
A tap-to-call link opens the phone’s dialler with your number ready to go. One tap, and they’re calling you. Without it, visitors have to remember or copy the number, switch to the phone app and type it in. Many won’t bother.
The link uses tel: followed by your number. Use the international format with no spaces, so it works for everyone:
- Mobile 0412 345 678 becomes
tel:+61412345678 - Landline (02) 9876 5432 becomes
tel:+61298765432
In most website builders you don’t need to know this. Add a link to your number and choose “phone” as the link type. Your web person can do it in a couple of minutes.
Never put your number in an image
If your phone number is part of your logo or a banner image, phones can’t tap it, screen readers can’t read it, and Google can’t see it. Always use real text.
Put it where people look
- In the header, on every page. On mobile, a “Call now” button at the top is often the single most effective change a trade website can make.
- Next to every call to action. If you say “Call us for a free quote”, the number should be right there.
- On your contact page, alongside your hours, so people know when you’ll answer.
Make it big enough to tap
Small links are hard to hit with a thumb, especially when people are in a hurry or on the move. Buttons should be at least 48 pixels tall with some space around them, so people don’t tap the wrong thing.
Keep it consistent
Use the same phone number on your website, your Google Business Profile and your listings. Different numbers in different places confuse customers, and they confuse Google and AI tools trying to work out whether all those listings are the same business.
Other quick mobile wins
While you’re thinking about phone visitors:
- Check your text is readable without zooming. Body text should be at least 16 pixels on mobile.
- Make sure your site fits the screen, with no sideways scrolling.
- Keep forms short. Name, phone and a message is often enough for a first enquiry.
- Show your hours, so people know whether they’ll get through.
Check your site
A free scan checks whether your phone number is tappable, along with text size, tap target size and whether your site fits phone screens. It takes about a minute. See our website audit for tradies, or read local SEO for tradies for how to get more people finding your number in the first place.
Common questions
How do I make a phone number clickable?
Link it with tel followed by your number in international format, like tel:+61412345678. Most website builders have a phone or "call" link option that does this for you.
Should my phone number be in the header?
For businesses that get work by phone, yes. A tap-to-call number or button at the top of every page, especially on mobile, is one of the most effective changes you can make.
Will a click-to-call link work on computers?
On a computer, clicking it may open a calling app, or do nothing. That's fine. Show the number as text too, so desktop visitors can read it.