A lot of tradespeople didn't pick up a tool to spend half the day chasing leads. You went solo because you're skilled at your craft — not because you wanted a career in digital advertising.
Here's what nobody mentions though: being great at your trade isn't enough to keep the phone ringing. Referrals still matters, but it's unpredictable - particularly when the market slows.
What are the busy tradies doing differently? Here are the practical strategies that shift the needle - without a fancy agency.
Sort Out Your Web Footprint
If a homeowner Googles "electrician around your area" - are you anywhere to be seen? Heaps of tradies haven't set up even a basic website.
It doesn't need to be something complicated. A straightforward site that shows photos of your work, mentions the suburbs you operate in, and makes it dead easy to call or message - that's your minimum.
Even a single-page site showing your work and how to reach you already beats the tradies who have nothing.
Your Google Listing - Still the Easiest Win
If you're not on your GBP, you're invisible to local searchers. Zero dollars to set up.
That map pack that appears first when people look for local
services - that's prime real estate. And getting there starts with filling out your listing properly.
- Add pictures from actual jobs - real before-and-afters from site
- Build up your review count with genuine feedback - this is massive for trust
- Reply to every review - Google notices and so do customers
- Make sure your phone number and service area are correct
This stuff builds up quietly. The ones who keep it updated end up above those who filled it out once and walked away.
Facebook and Instagram - Don't Overthink It
You don't need to become an influencer. The tradies who get results from social media is a lot more basic than you'd think.
Snap a photo before you pack up and leave site. Side-by-side comparisons are absolute gold. A freshly painted room - that's all you need.
Add where the job was and what you did and you're sorted. Even once or twice a week is plenty. Each post shows potential customers you're the real deal.
People trust photos of real work. Real work on display outperforms paid ads nine times out of ten - because there's no faking it.
Google Ads - Not a Magic Bullet
Running Google Ads can absolutely work for tradies - but it's not a set-and-forget situation. The tradies who get burnt is running ads with no clear target.
Before putting budget behind anything: have a landing page that works. All the clicks in the world won't help if your site looks like it was built in 2005.
Don't go all-in on day one. Pay attention to what generates real enquiries. Put more behind what works and pull the plug on anything that's just burning cash.
Your Online Reputation - What People Check Before They Call
One thing worth paying attention to: most people looks at what other people have said about you first. Someone with a stack of real feedback will win the job over a tradie with none - every single time.
Build it into your article process to ask for a review after every job. People generally don't mind - they just don't think of it. Text them the Google review link and most will do it on the spot.
Respond to negative reviews professionally - how you handle criticism is just as important as the positive ones.
The Bottom Line
Growing a trade business shouldn't be overwhelming. Blokes with full schedules haven't cracked some secret code - they got the fundamentals right and stuck with it.
Lock in your Google listing and a basic site. Let your jobs do the talking. Build your reputation with real feedback. When you put money into advertising, be strategic about where the budget goes.
Your skills aren't the problem - the marketing side just needs a bit of attention to start working for you.