Branding Online: The Role of Social Media for Local Tradies in Australia

Why Social Media is Important for Tradies Today

Social media is a tipping point for most businesses especially in this growing digital age that we are all operating in. Whether you are a small local plumber or large scale builder, social media can play a big role in how you build your credibility with customers in order to increase conversions levels.  Perhaps out of the many professionals out there, this is extra crucial for tradies. Here are some insights on the use of social media for your trade business to better strengthen your brand as a trusted business choice.

Social Media’s Potential for Tradies

Just how important is online presence today? The stats below tell everything (via Bob Walters):

• 92% of people have been linked to using the Internet when searching homes
• Between 2009 and 2013, Google’s real estate and tradie-related searches went up by as much as 253%
• From those searching online, 69% are most likely to take action through a real estate or tradie website using a local term
• During the weekends, smartphones and tablets account for a good portion of real estate website page views. Sites reported around 59% from these two platforms alone. This gives tradie a unique position to reach customers better based on their websites.

In Australia, statistics for June 2015, indicate that total social media platforms account for millions of users. As indicated as follows:

•         Facebook – 13.8M
•         Twitter – 2.7M
•         LinkedIn – 3.1M
•         Tumblr – 4.8M
•         Instagram -4M

Google+, Pinterest and Stumble Upon do not cater to as many but still their reach is considerable at 60K, 355K and 50K respectively. The number of users alone tells you that consumers are engaging actively in social media platforms meaning you as a business owner probably need to as well.

Promoting Your Business Online

Given these opportunities, there are several ways the tradies in Australia can benefit from the trend. Here are additional tips and insights on using social media for your business (stats via Placester):

• 93% of marketers turn to social media to promote their business – the costs between marketing over these online platforms are cheaper as opposed to traditional forms of marketing. You can start with free social media services and resources like videos and blogs to start promoting your business.

• One of the increasingly active demographic on Twitter are those within the 55-64 age bracket – this social media platform is no longer limited to young people. The age bracket offers an ideal mix to target your audience and grow your property management portfolio.

• 52% of shared content is from Facebook – this gives you an opportunity per post. Also, remember that your current customers are your best influencers or ambassadors. Always see to it that your posts are interesting enough to draw attention – useful enough for people to think it is worth sharing. It does not always have to be a tangible item, you can offer entertainment, information or advice.

Other interesting statistics to take note:

• Every second, around two people join LinkedIn
• Social media reigns as the top web activity
• LinkedIn sees a lower number/percentage of users compared to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter and Facebook.

Where can you start today?

1. Do your research into the various social media platforms to see which ones could be a good fit for your business. If for example your trade is very visual, like building and renovations or landscaping, Facebook could be ideal for sharing before and after pictures of your work. If  however you are trying to connect with key decision makers for larger contracts, maybe LinkedIn is a preferred platform.

2. Be consistent with your social media efforts. There is nothing worst than a Facebook page looking like a ghost town with no activity, so it is important to set a frequency for regular posting. The great thing about social media is, it doesn’t need to take a lot of your time. Even 5 mins, 2 times per week can show you are well alive with activity.

3. Get onto online credible third party platforms that can help do some social media activity for you. Tradebusters Connect, for example helps elevate the profile and brand of reputable local tradies. Part of the way they do this is through social media shout-outs across various platforms like Facebook and Twitter.