# GHL Website Cloning/Migration for Tradie Sites

**Date**: 2026-02-18
**Purpose**: Practical guide for recreating tradie websites inside GoHighLevel

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## 1. Can GHL Clone an External (Non-GHL) Website?

**Short answer: No direct one-click import for arbitrary external sites.**

GHL has no built-in tool that scrapes a Wix/Squarespace/custom HTML site and converts it automatically. The options are:

| Scenario | Method | Effort |
|----------|--------|--------|
| WordPress site | **LeadConnector Migrator Plugin** -- near one-click migration into GHL WordPress hosting | Low (minutes) |
| Another GHL account | **Share Link / Clone** -- native, instant | Trivial |
| Any external site | **Manual rebuild** using GHL drag-and-drop builder + copy content | Medium (1-4 hours) |
| GHL funnel/page visible publicly | **Third-party Chrome extensions** (GHL Cloner, SmartCloner, SuperCloner) -- extracts page data | Low-Medium |

### WordPress Migration (Best Case)

GHL offers **WordPress hosting** with a dedicated migration path:

1. Install the **LeadConnector Migrator Plugin** on the existing WP site.
2. Sign into your HighLevel account from within the plugin.
3. Select the destination site in the dropdown.
4. Click **Start Migration** -- the original site stays live during migration (zero downtime).
5. All content, themes, plugins, and configurations transfer over.

Alternative: Use the **All-in-One WP Migration** plugin to export a `.wpress` file, then upload it to GHL's WordPress dashboard.

**Roles required**: Agency Owner, Agency User, or Account User.

### Non-WordPress External Sites (Most Tradie Sites)

Most tradie sites are built on Wix, Squarespace, or custom HTML/WordPress themes. For these:

1. **Screenshot/audit** the existing site (structure, pages, content, images).
2. **Select a GHL tradie template** (see Section 6) as the starting base.
3. **Manually rebuild** each page using GHL's drag-and-drop builder.
4. **Copy over** text, images, phone numbers, service descriptions.
5. **Recreate forms** (contact, quote request) using GHL native forms.
6. **Point the domain** to GHL via DNS (CNAME/A record).

This is a rebuild, not a clone. But with a good template, it takes 1-4 hours per site.

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## 2. Step-by-Step: Rebuild a Tradie Site in GHL

**Workflow for a typical 5-page plumber/electrician site:**

1. **Audit the existing site** -- note pages (Home, About, Services, Gallery, Contact), colour scheme, logo, phone number, service area.
2. **Create a sub-account** in GHL for the tradie client.
3. **Select a trades template** from GHL's library (~60 home services templates available).
4. **Customise the template**:
   - Replace logo, brand colours, fonts.
   - Update business name, phone, email, address, ABN.
   - Rewrite service descriptions (or copy from original site).
   - Upload photos from original site (re-compress as WebP for speed).
   - Set up click-to-call buttons with the tradie's number.
5. **Recreate forms** -- quote request, contact form, booking form (GHL native).
6. **Add integrations** -- Google Maps embed, Google Reviews widget, Facebook pixel.
7. **Mobile check** -- preview and adjust mobile layout (GHL's mobile editor).
8. **Connect domain** -- update DNS to point to GHL (auto-SSL provisioned).
9. **Test** -- all links, forms, phone numbers, speed.
10. **Go live** -- switch DNS, verify SSL, confirm indexed by Google.

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## 3. GHL Website Import/Migration Tools Summary

| Tool | What It Does | Works For |
|------|-------------|-----------|
| **LeadConnector Migrator Plugin** | One-click WP migration into GHL WP hosting | WordPress only |
| **All-in-One WP Migration** | Export/import WP sites as files | WordPress only |
| **GHL Native Clone** | Duplicate sites between GHL sub-accounts | GHL-to-GHL only |
| **GHL Share Link** | Share a funnel/website via link for import | GHL-to-GHL only |
| **GHL Cloner (Chrome extension)** | Extracts GHL page data from any public GHL page | Public GHL pages only |
| **SmartCloner / SuperCloner** | Similar Chrome extensions for GHL page cloning | Public GHL pages only |
| **Manual Rebuild** | Drag-and-drop recreation using templates | Any external site |

**Key limitation**: No tool exists that converts a Wix/Squarespace/raw HTML site into GHL automatically. The Chrome extensions only work on existing GHL-hosted pages.

---

## 4. GHL PageSpeed Performance -- Honest Assessment

### Typical Scores

| Device | Typical Range | Optimised Range | Notes |
|--------|--------------|-----------------|-------|
| Desktop | 75-95 | 85-98 | Generally acceptable |
| Mobile | 35-62 | 60-75 | **Known weakness** |

### Known Issues

- **Mobile PageSpeed is GHL's biggest weakness.** Users report scores as low as 35/100.
- LeadConnector/HighLevel tracking scripts block the main thread (~1,300ms).
- Pages with forms, chat widgets, and tracking pixels degrade significantly.
- GHL's own JavaScript framework adds baseline overhead that cannot be removed.
- Community feature request for mobile speed fixes has 1,000+ upvotes.

### Optimisation Checklist for Tradie Sites

1. **Images**: Resize before upload. Use WebP format. Minimise total image count.
2. **Videos**: Use thumbnail placeholders, lazy-load video embeds.
3. **Forms**: Use GHL native forms only (no third-party embeds).
4. **Scripts**: Minimise tracking pixels. Enable "Optimise Javascript" in funnel settings.
5. **Enable image optimisation** in site settings.
6. **Remove unused sections** and hidden content blocks.
7. **Keep above-the-fold lightweight** -- hero image + headline + CTA only.
8. **Custom CSS**: Keep minimal or zero.
9. **Test with PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix** on both desktop and mobile.

### Realistic Expectation

A well-optimised GHL tradie site should hit **85+ desktop, 55-70 mobile**. This is lower than a hand-coded static site but acceptable for a no-code drag-and-drop builder. Most tradie sites currently score 40-60 mobile anyway, so GHL is typically on par or slightly better when optimised.

---

## 5. Free Hosting + SSL

**Yes. Both included at no extra cost.**

- GHL provides **unlimited website hosting** on all plans (Starter $97/mo, Unlimited $297/mo, Agency Pro $497/mo).
- **Free SSL certificates** auto-provisioned when you connect a custom domain.
- No separate hosting fees, no cPanel, no server management.
- Fully managed infrastructure -- updates, security, backups handled by GHL.
- Custom domains connected via CNAME record pointing to GHL's servers.

This is a strong selling point for tradies: "We'll host your website for free, forever, as part of our service."

---

## 6. Tradie/Trades Templates Available

GHL has **~60 home services templates** including:

| Trade | Templates Available | Key Features |
|-------|-------------------|--------------|
| Plumbing | Multiple (dedicated) | Emergency CTA, service pages, booking forms |
| Electrical | Multiple (dedicated) | Service categories, quote forms, portfolio |
| HVAC | Yes | Seasonal promotions, maintenance plans |
| Roofing | Yes | Before/after gallery, free estimate forms |
| Construction | Yes (5-page responsive) | Project portfolio, team pages |
| Solar | Yes | ROI calculators, consultation booking |
| General Home Services | Yes | Adaptable to any trade |
| Landscaping | Yes | Gallery-heavy, seasonal booking |

**Third-party template marketplaces** (Etsy, Agency Armory, GHL VA Service) sell additional premium tradie templates for $15-$50 each with more polish.

**Template strategy for scale**: Build ONE master tradie template internally, then clone it per client, swapping logo/colours/content. This drops per-site build time to under 1 hour.

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## 7. Turnaround Time Estimates

| Site Complexity | Pages | Time (First Build) | Time (Cloned Template) |
|----------------|-------|--------------------|-----------------------|
| Simple brochure | 3-5 | 2-4 hours | 30-60 minutes |
| Standard trades site | 5-8 | 4-8 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Complex with gallery/blog | 8-15 | 1-2 days | 2-4 hours |
| WordPress migration | Any | 15-30 minutes | N/A (automated) |

**At scale with a master template**: A team can produce 5-10 tradie sites per day.

---

## Practical Recommendation for Our Use Case

**The optimal workflow for taking tradie websites and recreating them in GHL:**

1. **Build a master tradie template** in GHL (plumber variant, electrician variant, general trades variant). Invest 4-6 hours once.
2. **For each new client**: Clone the master template into their sub-account (30 seconds).
3. **Customise**: Swap logo, colours, content, photos, phone number (30-60 minutes).
4. **Point their domain** to GHL (5 minutes DNS change, auto-SSL).
5. **Run PageSpeed audit** and optimise images/scripts (15 minutes).
6. **Go live**: Total turnaround = ~1-2 hours per site.

**For WordPress clients specifically**: Use the LeadConnector Migrator Plugin for near-instant migration, then optimise within GHL.

**Cost to the client**: $0 hosting, $0 SSL. Bundled into our monthly service fee.

**PageSpeed caveat**: Set expectations that mobile scores will be 55-70, not 90+. Most tradie sites are in the same range already. Desktop will be 85+.

---

## Sources

- [GHL Support: Import and Cloning Funnels & Websites](https://help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/48001076117-import-and-or-cloning-funnels-websites)
- [GHL Support: Cloning WordPress Websites](https://help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/155000004189-cloning-wordpress-websites-in-highlevel)
- [GHL Support: Improve Funnel & Website Page Speed](https://help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/155000006268-how-to-improve-funnel-website-page-speed)
- [GHL Support: WordPress Migration Guide](https://help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/155000005010-wordpress-hosting-step-by-step-migration-guide)
- [GHL Focus: Clone a Website to Funnel (6-Step Guide)](https://ghlfocus.com/clone-a-website-to-a-funnel-in-gohighlevel/)
- [GHL Support: Create Sites Using Cloning](https://help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/155000003908-create-sites-using-cloning-functionality)
- [GHL Ideas: Fix Mobile Page Speed](https://ideas.gohighlevel.com/website/p/fix-mobile-page-speed)
- [GHL Blog: 177 New Website Templates](https://blog.gohighlevel.com/177-new-website-templates-live/)
- [FunnelsFlex: Import a Website into GHL](https://funnelsflex.io/is-there-a-way-to-import-a-website-into-gohighlevel/)
- [VK Review: Does GHL Offer Website Hosting](https://vkreview.com/does-gohighlevel-offer-website-hosting)
- [GHL Cloner Chrome Extension](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/ghl-cloner/ibnkfeekkcfadfmhmgoddppejlencnfc)
- [Website Speedy: GHL Speed Optimization](https://websitespeedy.com/gohighlevel-speed-optimization)
