Trades Advertising - Tips to Land Steady Work and Less Hassle
Plenty of trades business owners didn't pick up a tool to waste hours chasing leads. You got into it because you're bloody good at your trade — not because you enjoy chasing people for work.
The reality is: being great at your trade doesn't guarantee a full calendar. Word of mouth is still gold, but it comes in waves - mostly when work drops off after a busy run.
What are the busy tradies doing differently? Here are the practical moves that get results - no massive budgets or marketing degrees.
Sort Out Your Web Profile
When someone Googles "local builder" - can they find you? Too many owner-operators are running without any real web presence.
Nobody's saying you need anything over the top. A straightforward page that displays what you actually do, lists where you work, and has a clear way to get in touch - that's the baseline.
A one-page setup showing your work and how to reach you already beats most of your competition.
Google Business Profile - Still the Easiest Win
If you're not on your Google Business Profile, you're missing the easiest free leads going. Zero dollars to set up.
Those three local results that pops up before everything else when people look for local
services - that's prime real estate. Showing up there is mostly about filling out your listing properly.
- Upload real photos - not some generic handshake pic
- Ask satisfied customers for reviews - reviews are everything for local
search
- Engage with what people write - it shows you're active and approachable
- Update your info when anything changes
All of this compounds over time. Tradies who stay on top of their profile review beat out the ones who set and forget.
Facebook and Instagram - Keep It Simple
Nobody's asking you to be some social media expert. The ones actually winning work from Facebook and Insta aren't doing anything fancy.
Take a quick pic of a completed project. Side-by-side comparisons perform better than anything. A new deck or pergola - that's all you need.
Add where the job was and what you did and move on with your day. You don't need to post every day. Every photo you share shows potential customers you're the real deal.
Customers believe what they can see with their own eyes. Real work on display outperforms any amount of fancy marketing - because there's no faking it.
Google Ads - Worth It If Done Right
Paid advertising can absolutely work for tradies - but it's not a set-and-forget situation. Where most people waste their budget is boosting random Facebook posts.
If you're going to invest in ads: ensure there's a clear way for people to contact you when they click through. All the clicks in the world won't help if people can't find your phone number.
Test with a modest spend. Measure results, not just impressions. Double down on the winners and pull the plug on anything that's just burning cash.
Reviews and Reputation - The Stuff That Actually Sells
Here's something that doesn't get talked about enough: nearly every potential customer looks at what other people have said about you first. A tradie with 50 genuine reviews will win the job over a tradie with none - regardless of price.
Build it into your process to follow up with a review request. Most customers are happy to help - they just need a nudge. Make it as easy as possible and most will do it on the spot.
If you get a bad review, reply calmly and factually - how you handle criticism says more about your business than you'd think.
The Bottom Line
Growing a trade business doesn't have to be overwhelming. The busy ones aren't marketing geniuses - they got the fundamentals right and stuck with it.
Get your online profile in order. Let your jobs do the talking. Ask happy customers to back you up online. When you put money into advertising, be strategic about where the budget goes.
The quality of your work speaks for itself - the growth stuff just needs a bit of attention to start working for you.