Do you need a website and Google ads as a tradie?
Plenty of tradies have built a solid business on word of mouth alone. So it’s fair to ask whether you need a website, Google ads or social media at all. The answer depends on where you want the business to go.
Word of mouth has limits
Referrals are the best leads you’ll get. But they’re unpredictable, they dry up in slow patches, and they rarely bring in bigger or better-paying work on their own. And even referred clients usually look you up online before they call.
If they find nothing, or a page that looks ten years old, some of them will call the next name instead.
What your website needs to do
- Show clearly what you do and where you work
- Show real photos of real jobs
- Make it easy to call or ask for a quote, especially on a phone
- Look like a proper, trustworthy business
- Load fast
It doesn’t need to be fancy. It needs to make a stranger feel confident enough to pick up the phone.
Google Business Profile comes first
For most local trades, a free Google Business Profile with good photos and genuine reviews brings in more enquiries than anything else. Set it up properly before you spend a dollar on ads.
Google Ads vs Meta ads
Google Ads put you in front of people who are searching for a tradie right now. Meta ads (Facebook and Instagram) put you in front of people who aren’t searching yet, which is better for building your name and promoting particular services. Both can work. Both can burn money fast if they’re not set up and watched properly.
Fix the profit before you spend on marketing
More leads into a business with thin margins just means more underpriced work. Get your pricing and profit right first, then spend on marketing to bring in the right jobs. That’s the order we work in: we fix your profit, then we build your brand.
When you’re ready, we can help with your website, Google, Meta ads and print, as part of the same plan.
General information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Speak to your accountant or adviser about your own situation.