Tips of the trade: social media advice for tradespeople
Tradespeople need more than just great skills to stand out.
Good marketing is key to winning new clients and even keeping the attention of the old ones.
But if the thought of content and social media leaves you feeling confused and concerned, don’t worry… we’re here to help. This guide gives you some practical tips and advice, on how you can better use social media to boost your business.
What kit do you need?
This is where most people get hung up on the idea that they need a lot of special kit for social media.
All you need is a phone. That’s it.
You don’t need a two-grand camera, studio lights, mics and an editing suite. You can make great social content for any channel, with just your phone right there on the job site.
If you want to go ‘full YouTuber’ in time you can invest in some bigger and better bits of kit. But you don’t really need those things.
Sure, there are a few little extras you could invest in along the way. Little things like mini mics to increase sound quality, or a simple phone gimbal to stop camera shake can go a long way.
But you don’t 100% need them. Everything you need to make social content, is right there in your phone. Don’t get sidetracked with fancy gadgets and kit, keep it simple.
Just be yourself
The most important thing that you can be on social media, is authentic.
Be yourself, showcase your work in an honest and open way. This is more important than what kit you have, or how often you post.
What you post needs to be an authentic representation of you, your business and your work.
What to post
What kind of content should you be posting?
Generally speaking, video outperforms all other types of content across pretty much every channel. So, if you want to start getting cut-through, you’re going to have to play the algorithm’s game to a certain extent.
Images are still great too, particularly before-and-after and carousels (that’s multiple images on one post).
If you’re going to post images, try and do carousels as often as you can – they tend to perform better than single image posts. In terms of what that content is, you can:
Go behind the scenes: share photos and videos of your process, your favourite tools, or even your daily routine to make your business more personable.
Processes: share videos of your process, how you approach problems and offer solutions. Someone watching might just be looking for that same thing,
Showcase customer wins: feature positive customer feedback and testimonials, or even short videos of clients explaining their experience.
Show, don't just tell: post high-quality photos and videos of your work, especially before-and-after shots to highlight project transformations.
Where to post
You might be wondering, where should I post? Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube? There’s a lot of channels out there, it can get a little overwhelming.
The best thing to do, is to post to the channels that best suit your customers and your goals… the right tool for the job.
Facebook and Instagram are must haves. They’re going to allow you to reach broad demographics. Instagram for the 18-34 age range and Facebook for the 30-49 and 55+ age ranges.
Chances are, you’re probably already using both. But what about TikTok, or YouTube?
These are big platforms and being on them can have big impacts.
For example, if you’re a bigger company and you want to start attracting young talent, TikTok and YouTube can be good ways to do this. Show off your brand and your culture and let them see that this could be a good career path for them.
YouTube is also becoming increasingly important for search engines. Google is putting more video content into search results, so having videos that answer common questions – like how to fix a leaking pipe or where to find a stop cock – can be really good ways of featuring in these results.
How to engage and respond on social
Respond to comments in a timely, professional and courteous manner. If it’s a positive comment, praising you for a good job, then respond in kind – thank them for their kind words and tell them what a pleasure it was.
If someone is genuinely asking you about how or why you’ve done something, answer them.
It’s great for engagement algorithms.
Don’t just leave negative comments hanging. Get back to them with honesty and authenticity. An unanswered negative comment about you and your business will likely put a new customer off. But if that customer sees you engaging with the negative feedback positively and constructively, they’ll be more likely to look past the initial comment and use your services.
Don’t let yourself get pulled into the comments too much – there’s always going to be someone out there who doesn’t like the way you sweat copper, or how you took an olive off a pipe – don’t get drawn into arguments, it doesn’t look great for your brand.
Be consistent and be helpful
Regular posts keep your business top-of-mind and demonstrate reliability.
But it’s all about striking a balance; try not to post just for the sake of posting. You want to ensure that you’re posting frequently enough, without reducing or impacting the quality of what you're sharing.
Quick tips
- Show, don't just tell:post quality photos and videos of your work, especially before-and-after shots to highlight project transformations.
- Share helpful advice:offer quick tips, maintenance advice, and safety information to educate your audience and establish yourself as an expert.
- Authenticity above all: more so than anything else, your social needs to be real.
Final quickfire tips
- Link your business and website:always include a link to your professional website on your social media pages. This will help you get seen more in Google.
- Links on Instagram: never put web links in the copy of Instagram posts. They’re pointless and don’t work. Instead, use the ‘link in bio’ to drive traffic.
- Use business pages:create a dedicated Facebook for Business page rather than using a personal account. This will help you get seen in Google as well.
- Creator or Business: on Instagram there are two types of accounts, Creator and Business. Creator accounts are good if you want to build up a personal brand, and it offers you more creative options – like access to stock music. Business accounts limit those creative options, but integrates with your Facebook Business page. So the choice is yours.
- Google x Social: make sure all your contact information is up-to-date and consistent across all your social channels, as well as your Google Business profile. This is going to make you much easier to find.
- Postcode groups: find local Facebook groups for areas and postcodes you serve. Chances are, the moderators might be strict with soliciting business – so always ask before you post. But most importantly, look out for people who are seeking service and get in there with a quick and clear response.
- Always Tag: always tag businesses and brands into your social posts. Whether it’s tool brands, manufacturers or retailers. Tagging brands into your content is often called ego-baiting and it’s a great way to increase the visibility of your content, they’re more likely to reshare it if they’re tagged
For more business advice, sign up to Mira Showers’ InstallerPRO platform: https://auth.mira-installerpro.co.uk/Account/Login