Most tradies didn't pick up a tool to sit around chasing leads. You went solo because you're bloody good at your trade — not because you wanted a career in digital advertising.
Here's what nobody mentions though: doing quality work doesn't guarantee a full calendar. Referrals is still gold, but it comes in waves - especially when work drops off after a busy run.
What are the busy tradies doing differently? Here are a few straightforward moves that shift the needle - without massive budgets or marketing degrees.
Sort Out Your Web Footprint
If a potential customer Googles "local builder" - do you show up? Too many trades businesses haven't set up any real web presence.
It doesn't need to be anything over the top. A simple page that displays what you actually do, lists where you work, and doesn't make people hunt for your number - that's where you start.
A basic landing page with your services, contact details, and a few photos puts you ahead of most of your competition.
Google Business Profile - Still the Easiest Win
If you haven't claimed your GBP, you're missing the easiest free leads going. Zero dollars to set up.
That map pack that pops up before everything else when someone searches for a trade - that's prime real estate. And getting there is mostly about filling out your listing properly.
- Add pictures from actual jobs - not stock images
- 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
- Make sure your phone number and service area are correct
All of this compounds over time. Blokes who put 20 minutes a month into this consistently outrank those who filled it out once and walked away.
Facebook and Instagram - Keep It Simple
Forget about being some social media expert. The ones actually winning work from Facebook and Insta is a lot more basic than you'd think.
Grab a shot before you pack up and leave site. Transformation shots are absolute gold. A new deck or pergola - that tells the story on its own.
Add where the job was and what you did and that's it, done. You don't need to post every day. Each post builds your credibility.
Homeowners respond to actual results over polished ads. A genuine job photo outperforms paid ads nine times out of ten - because there's no faking it.
Google Ads - Worth It If Done Right
Spending money on online ads gets results when it's set up properly - but it's not a set-and-forget situation. The common mistake is paying for clicks that go to a dodgy website with no clear call to action.
Before you spend a dollar: have a landing page that works. Paying for eyeballs is pointless if people can't find your phone number.
Test with a modest spend. Track which ads bring actual calls. Put more behind what works and cut what doesn't.
Customer Reviews - The Stuff That Actually Sells
Here's something a lot of tradies underestimate: the majority of homeowners checks reviews before making contact. A tradie with 50 genuine reviews will win the job over someone with zero social proof - every single time.
Build it into your process to follow up with a review request. People generally don't mind - you just have to ask. Text them the Google review link and the reviews will stack up faster than you'd expect.
Respond to negative reviews professionally - the way you deal with a negative review tells potential customers as much about you as view source the good reviews do.
What It All Comes Down To
Marketing your trades business shouldn't be overwhelming. Blokes with full schedules aren't marketing geniuses - they set up a few things properly and keep showing up.
Sort out your web presence. Let your jobs do the talking. Collect reviews. When you put money into advertising, do it with a plan, not a prayer.
You're already great at what you do - getting found online doesn't take as much as you'd expect once you get the ball rolling.