Most tradies didn't get into the game to waste hours doing marketing. You started your business because you're skilled at your craft — not because you enjoy marketing yourself online.
Here's what nobody mentions though: being great at your trade isn't enough to keep the phone ringing. Mates recommending you is still gold, but it comes in waves - mostly when the market slows.
So what actually works? Below are the no-BS strategies that get results - and none of them need thousands of dollars.
Sort Out Your Web Footprint
If a potential customer Googles "local roofer" - are you anywhere to be seen? Heaps of owner-operators are running without even a basic website.
Nobody's saying you need a $10k custom site. A simple page that has real job photos, lists where you work, and doesn't make people hunt for your number - that's the baseline.
A basic landing page showing your work and how to reach you outperforms most of your competition.
Your Google Listing - Still the Easiest Win
If you've been sleeping on your GBP, you're invisible to local searchers. It's completely free.
That map pack that pops up before everything else when a homeowner needs a tradie - those spots get the most calls. And getting there is mostly about filling out your listing properly.
- Add pictures from actual jobs - real before-and-afters from site
- Build up your review count with genuine feedback - reviews are everything for local
search
- Reply to every review - it shows you're active and approachable
- Update your info when anything changes
All of this builds up quietly. Blokes who put 20 minutes a month into this end up above the competition that ignores it.
Posting Your Work Online - Keep It Simple
You don't need to become a content creator. The tradies who get results from social media aren't doing anything fancy.
Take a quick pic when you finish a job. Before and afters are absolute gold. A fresh switchboard - 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 is another piece of proof.
People trust what they can see with their own eyes. Real work on display does more for your business than a professionally designed ad campaign - because it's real.
Online Advertising - When They Make Sense
Running Google Ads is effective for trades businesses - but you can't just throw money at it. The tradies who get burnt is paying for clicks that go to a dodgy website with no clear call to action.
Before putting budget behind anything: make sure your website actually converts. Paying for eyeballs is pointless to a site that doesn't load properly.
Test with a modest spend. Measure results, not just impressions. Scale the campaigns that convert and cut what doesn't.
Your Online Reputation - What People Check Before They Call
A fact a lot of tradies underestimate: most people checks reviews before making contact. A trades business with strong reviews will win the job over someone with zero social proof - every single time.
Make it a habit to send a quick message asking for feedback. Satisfied clients will do it - you just have to ask. Send them a direct link and most will do it on the spot.
Don't ignore or argue with bad feedback - the way you deal with a negative review is just as important as the positive ones.
The Bottom Line
Marketing your trades business isn't complicated. Blokes with full schedules aren't marketing geniuses - they set up a few things properly and keep showing up.
Sort out your web presence. Share what you do. Collect reviews. And if you go the paid route, be strategic about where the budget goes.
You're already great at what you do - the marketing side just needs a bit of attention to start working for visit you.