Marketing for Tradies: What Works and What's a Waste of Money
Where a trades business should spend its marketing time and money first, second and last.
Most tradies don't have a marketing problem so much as a spending-order problem. There's a clear sequence that works: own the free stuff first, then the cheap stuff, then paid. Skipping straight to ads or lead-buying sites is how people conclude "marketing doesn't work".
Tier 1: free and highest return
- Google Business Profile. Complete it properly, post job photos, keep hours accurate. This is where most local enquiries begin.
- Reviews. Ask every customer, every time. Nothing else you do converts as well for as little money.
- Repeat and referral. A quick message six months after a job — service reminders, "how's it holding up" — brings work back cheaply.
Tier 2: cheap and compounding
- Your website. Service pages, area pages, real photos. It keeps working after it's paid for, unlike ads.
- Local SEO. Steady monthly work, results that hold. See the SEO for tradies guide.
- Vehicle and site signage. Cheap per impression, and it makes you look established.
Tier 3: paid, once the basics are in
Google Ads works for urgent trades — blocked drains, no hot water, electrical faults — because intent is high. It's less effective for planned work where people shop around for weeks. Set a small budget, track calls, and don't run ads to a website that doesn't convert; you'll just pay to lose people faster.
Facebook and Instagram are better for showing off finished work and staying visible locally than for direct enquiries. Treat them as proof, not a lead source.
Usually a waste
- Lead-buying platforms where five tradies get the same lead. Fine as a gap-filler, terrible as a foundation.
- Letterbox drops at scale without a clear offer or a local hook.
- Cheap "SEO packages" that send a report and change nothing.
- Printed directories. Almost nobody looks anymore.
Track something, even roughly
You don't need a dashboard. Ask every caller how they found you and write it on the job sheet. After thirty jobs you'll know exactly where your work comes from — and that answer is usually different from where the money is going.
Marketing order of operations
- Google Business Profile complete, with photos added monthly
- A review request sent after every job
- Website with service pages and area pages
- Follow-up message to past customers a few times a year
- Vehicle and site signage with a phone number
- Small tracked Google Ads budget for urgent services
- Ask every enquiry how they found you
If you want the website and SEO side handled together, that's what marketing for tradies and my tradie website service are built for.
Want to Improve Your Google Visibility?
SEO varies enormously depending on your website, your market and who you're competing against, so there's no fixed package. Tell me what you do and where you work, and I'll tell you honestly what's realistic.
Talk to Mike About SEOCommon questions
- How much should a tradie spend on marketing?
- A common range is 3–8% of revenue, but the first few hundred dollars a month spent on a decent website and local SEO usually outperforms much larger ad budgets.
- Are Google Ads worth it for tradies?
- For emergency and urgent work, often yes. For planned jobs like renovations, organic search and referrals usually cost less per job won.
Written by Mike — Web Guy Mike
I build and look after websites for Australian tradies and small service businesses. Every site is built by me — no outsourcing, no account managers. More about Mike.