5 ways to take your skilled trade digital marketing to the next level
Eager to amp up your skilled trade digital marketing campaign but don’t know where to start? Hire Barfly Copywriting - but not before reading my guide below. I list five guaranteed ways to take your business to the next level.
The skilled trade sector is one of the most competitive and fast-moving industries out there. Every day, new businesses offering in-demand services pop up in every city and town across the world. If you’re still relying on The Yellow Pages, local paper or word of mouth to market your business, well… you’re already behind. It’s 2024, and any trade business needs much more than that to survive and to thrive.
Standing out online is everything today. Prospective clientele, whether they are looking for an emergency plumber or a trusted builder, look to the Internet when making their final decision on their trade provider.
This means that you need a complete, all-encompassing digital marketing strategy in place that will keep up with the competition.
This includes a dynamic website with top notch copywriting, an engaging social media presence, a regularly-updated business blog and a well-honed SEO strategy.
Don’t know what any of that means? That’s okay. That’s what I’m here for. I offer full service digital marketing for tradies, which includes either website design, copywriting, blogs, Ads or social media management, or all of the above.
If you’re an Australian tradie who is too pressed for time and too confused by the ever-evolving world of digital marketing to do it yourself, hire a copywriter who knows their stuff.
But first, let’s look at 5 surefire ways to take your skilled trade digital marketing to the next level.
1) Prioritise great website copywriting
I’m not just a copywriter. I’m also a consumer. I’ve needed to hire a tradie many times in my life, and without a trustworthy, informative and easy-to-navigate website, I’ll likely overlook you and keep searching for someone else. It’s harsh, but it’s true.
Tradies are busy, and it’s also the industry where websites and their copywriting are seriously lacking. I know, because I’ve looked at thousands. Your prospective customers are likely to look for the aforementioned positive elements too.
Not only is it a way to build trust and rapport with new and existing customers, but targeted website copywriting is how you even get found on search engines to begin with. No matter where you are located, there are bound to be hundreds, if not thousands, of trade providers offering the exact same service as you do. If they have all of the above, have targeted the local market in terms of SEO and keywords and have an informative blog that drives traffic to their website, you’ll be left in the dust.
Prioritising compelling skilled trade copywriting is an absolute must for any trade business.
2) Hire a social media manager
Tradies are busy, in one of the most fast-moving and demanding industries out there, and it’s understandable that they often don’t have time to maintain, or even set up, a social media presence.
Hiring a social media manager takes that pressure off, and you can toil away knowing that an expert is handling your social media platforms.
My social media management services can be tailored to your own requirements and budget, and include dynamic social media graphics, informative captions and also posting. Whether you’re only in the market for one post per week on Facebook in order to maintain your rapport with your followers, or multiple posts per week across Twitter and Instagram, Barfly Copywriting has your back.
3) Build a solid SEO strategy
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is a complex thing, but in short, it’s the online process of ensuring that your website and online presence is noticed by search engines like Google, and is prioritised in ranking when prospective customers search for your services. This is particularly important for skilled trades as it’s such a highly-competitive industry. Without an all-encompassing SEO strategy, you’ll find yourself lost in the online weeds and lagging behind the competition.
Great SEO comes in the form of targeted copywriting, regular blogs and an optimised website that includes relevant keywords, information, links and imagery. SEO isn’t something beginners can fully understand, and it isn’t an instant process. Result take time and dedication, and that’s why I can do all of the above for you and why you should start the process if you’re already behind the eight ball with your digital marketing.
4) Harness the value of five star reviews
Upon the completion of each and every project, you should already be asking your customer - whether by text, email or in-person, for a written review of your work. Testimonials are invaluable to trade providers, and most prospective customers will peruse yours online before choosing you for their next project.
Reviews are also extremely valuable additions to your website, lead to far more leads, and can be utilised for engaging social media posts. Many customers who are thrilled with your work will add theirs directly to Google Reviews, which you can then republish on your website or social media platforms in the form of posts.
5) Know your competition inside out
Knowing - and keeping up with - your competition is mandatory for any skilled trade provider. Whether you’re a one-man show or a large business with many contractors, understanding where you’re competitors may be surpassing you in terms of their digital marketing strategy is a non-negotiable.
As part of my service, I always ask about a new customer’s competitors. Who are they up against in their local area? What do they like about their competitor’s campaigns or their website? Do they utilise Google Ads? Where do they think they themselves fall short? The answers to these questions give me a firm idea of their local competition, and how to pip them at the post.
If you are a small business plumber, and all of your local competitors in the areas you service have great websites, a regular social media presence and targeted blogs and you don’t… well…. it’s time to get the ball rolling on those digital marketing elements - pronto! And I’m here to help.
Are you ready to give your trade biz the buzz it deserves? Hire a copywriter that knows their stuff at Barfly Copywriting. Contact me today.
I work with trade providers across Australia, particularly in Melbourne and the Latrobe Valley, where I am located.