In the past, the best way to get your business in front of people would be with some good old fashioned newspaper advertising. Remember the Yellow Pages? Or, for those with deeper pockets, a billboard? Since then, things have progressed significantly, particularly the internet and online advertising.
These days, the game of marketing has significantly changed. 88% of people will research a brand or product online before making a purchase decision, whether online or in-store. (Source: Retail Times) The same numbers apply to tradespeople. Figures suggest some 3.5 million people search for a tradesperson in the UK each month. (Source: GetWork) A further survey found that 71% of people use social media to find a tradesperson, with only 16% using word-of-mouth recommendations. (Source: Simply Business)
So it’s clear that online advertising can be beneficial to any business, small or large, or any tradesperson. It can seem a bit daunting, but with our handy guide, you’ll be able to get your name in front of thousands of people in your area in no time at all!
Advertise On Google Ads
With over 8 million people searching for a registered tradesperson online, it’s fair to say there’d be quite a bit of interest in anyone advertising their services. Advertising on Google might seem a bit intimidating at first, but it’s straightforward and designed with beginners in mind. When advertising with Google, you need to keep the following things in mind:
Relevance
Are the keywords you’re bidding on relevant to your business? For example, if you’re a plumber in Peterborough, you’ll want to use things like “plumbers near me”, “emergency plumbers”, “plumbers in Peterborough”. This will ensure that your advertisements appear to people searching for your services.
Targeting
Make sure you’re not overstretching yourself! With Google’s location targeting options, you can set it so that your advertisements only show in the areas you want to be working. For example, you can set it to a radius around your base location or a selection of towns, regions or even postcodes. This will all help to make sure your local business stays local!
Make It Unique
When writing your ads, make sure you’re striving to stand out in a crowd! Why should people pick you? Tell them! Discount for repeat boiler services? 24-hour callout? Free consultation? Aiming to get to them within 30 minutes? These are all great ways to let people know why they should be picking you over anybody else.
Budget
Set a reasonable amount of how much you’d like to spend daily, weekly, or monthly. Always make sure you’re keeping an eye on how much you spend too. If you see a good return on your investment, you can increase your budget! If Google Ads aren’t working for you, you can pause your campaigns and return to them at any time. There’s no contract or commitment to spend.
Facebook Advertising
With 71% of people saying they research a tradesperson on social media, Facebook’s a fantastic way to bring attention to your business. You can advertise on Facebook similarly to Google Ads, but there are plenty of free & cost-effective ways of marketing your business on Facebook.
Community Facebook Page
Find out your local community pages on Facebook and post on them. Let people in your local area know that you’re ready & available for work. Remember to offer the same unique selling points as you would on Google Ads. Let them know why they should be choosing you over everybody else!
Sharing Your Business Page
Create a page for your business on Facebook, invite your friends to like it, share it, and post on it. Have you done a job recently? Take photos and share them on your page, letting people see what services you offer. Rave reviews from a happy customer! Share it on your Facebook page and kindly ask them to share it on theirs, if appropriate. Getting friends, family and clients to share your business post puts your business in the right places, at the right times, when people need you most.
Call In The Pros!
Managing your online presence can be a chore when you’re stuck halfway up a ladder or covered in plaster. And, it often becomes a second thought when customer service comes first.
Thankfully, there are numerous marketers out there who can help. For a fee, they can maintain and keep your website running, improve your SEO, help with blogging and paid advertising and manage your social media channels.
You can let them take care of that side of the business so you can focus on doing what you do best.
Other Ways To Advertise
There are many other avenues to explore for online advertising, and there’s no reason you shouldn’t be making the most of each one.
Social media is a great way to engage with others in your industry and reach new customers. With Facebook and Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, you can share a whole host of content in different formats. If social media sounds like something you’d be interested in, find out more about how social media is good for business.
Would you prefer a more traditional style of online advertising? Directories are the new yellow pages, but there are also specific ones for those in the trade. Find out more about how trade directories can be worth using for your local business.
Are you looking to take things even further than just online advertising? We’ve put together a list of ten ways tradespeople can attract customers, helping you boost business.
