Most tradies didn't pick up a tool to sit around chasing leads. You got into it because you're bloody good at your trade — not because you wanted a career in marketing yourself online.
The reality is: top-shelf workmanship isn't enough to keep the phone ringing. Mates recommending you hasn't died, but it comes in waves - particularly when things get quiet.
So what actually works? Here are a few straightforward things that get results - and none of them need a fancy agency.
Get Your Digital Profile
When someone searches for "plumber near me" - can they find you? Too many tradies still don't have any real web presence.
You don't need a $10k custom site. A simple website that shows photos of your work, covers your service area, and doesn't make people hunt for your number - that's where you start.
Even a single-page site showing your work and how to reach you outperforms most of your competition.
Google Maps - Costs Nothing, Does a Lot
If you're not on your GBP, you're missing the easiest free leads going. It's completely free.
That map pack that shows up at the top when a homeowner needs a tradie - that's where you want to be. Showing up there comes down to filling out your listing properly.
- Put up photos of your work - real before-and-afters from site
- Ask satisfied customers for reviews - people read these before they call
- Engage with what people write - it shows you're active and approachable
- Make sure your phone number and service area are correct
These small things compounds over time. Tradies who stay on top of their profile beat out the competition that ignores it.
Posting Your Work Online - It's Not Rocket Science
You don't need to become some social media expert. The tradies who get results from social media is a lot more basic than you'd think.
Snap a photo of a completed project. Before and afters perform better than anything. A fresh switchboard - that tells the story on its own.
Add where the job was and what you did and move on with your day. You don't need to post every day. All of it builds your credibility.
People trust photos of real work. A genuine job photo beats any amount of fancy marketing - because it's real.
Google Ads - Not a Magic Bullet
Spending money on online ads gets results when it's set up properly - but you can't just throw money at it. Where most people waste their budget is paying for clicks that go to a dodgy website with no clear call to action.
Before you spend a dollar: ensure there's a clear way for people to contact you when they click through. All the clicks in the world won't help to a site that doesn't load properly.
Test with a modest spend. Measure results, not just impressions. Scale the campaigns that convert and kill the duds quickly.
Your Online Reputation - More Powerful Than Any Ad
Here's something that doesn't get talked about enough: the majority of homeowners will read your reviews before they pick up the phone. A trades business with strong reviews beats the competition over the bloke with no online presence - regardless of price.
Build it into news your process to ask for a review after every job. People generally don't mind - they just need a nudge. Send them a direct link and you'll be surprised how many follow through.
Don't ignore or argue with bad feedback - how you handle criticism is just as important as the positive ones.
Wrapping It Up
Getting more work as a tradie shouldn't be overwhelming. The tradies who stay booked haven't cracked some secret code - they set up a few things properly and keep showing up.
Lock in your Google listing and a basic site. Let your jobs do the talking. Ask happy customers to back you up online. And if you go the paid route, do it with a plan, not a prayer.
Your skills aren't the problem - the growth stuff is easier than most tradies think.