You've probably been told a hundred times that you need to be on social media. Post every day. Make reels. Use hashtags. Dance on TikTok. But when you're up at 6am and knackered by 5pm, the last thing you want to do is create content. So is it actually worth the effort?
The honest answer
Social media can help, but it's not essential and it's definitely not the most important thing for your business. If you had to choose between spending an hour setting up a Google Business Profile or posting on Instagram, Google wins every time. It's where people actually search for tradespeople.
That said, social media has its place. It's just about knowing which platforms matter and not wasting time on the ones that don't.
What actually works for tradesmen
Facebook is still the best social platform for most trades businesses. Local community groups are where people ask "Anyone know a good plumber?" If you're active in those groups (not spamming, just being helpful and visible), you'll get referrals. A Facebook business page also gives you somewhere for customers to leave reviews and tag you in recommendations.
Instagram works if your trade is visual. Bathroom fitters, kitchen installers, landscapers, decorators. Your before and after photos do the selling for you. But if you're a gas engineer or an electrician, Instagram is less useful unless you're specifically trying to build a personal brand.
TikTok can work but it's a time commitment. Some tradesmen have built massive followings with job videos, but for most, the effort-to-return ratio isn't worth it when you could be spending that time on things that directly bring in local customers.
What's a waste of time
- Posting for the sake of posting. Three good posts a week beats daily posts with nothing to say.
- LinkedIn. Unless you're doing commercial or B2B work, your customers aren't on LinkedIn.
- Paying for followers. Fake followers don't become customers. Ever.
- Obsessing over likes. A post with 10 likes that leads to an enquiry is worth more than a viral post that leads to nothing.
The minimum that works
If you want to do social media without it taking over your life, here's the bare minimum:
- Set up a Facebook business page and keep it updated.
- Join 3-4 local community groups and be genuinely helpful when trade questions come up.
- Post a photo of finished work once or twice a week. Caption doesn't need to be clever. Just say what you did and where.
- Share any Google reviews you get.
That's it. 15 minutes a week maximum. The rest of your marketing energy should go into your website and Google presence. That's where 80% of your leads will come from.