Social media marketing for tradesmen, UK
Social media marketing for tradesmen: content and ads that bring in enquiries
By Andrew Heppinstall, founder of Unavoidable Marketing, Leeds. Last updated 9 October 2026.
Unavoidable Marketing is a Leeds-based agency that manages social media for UK trades and local service businesses: content created and posted for you every week on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok, plus Facebook and Instagram ads for high-value jobs. We tell you honestly where social helps your trade and where Google will do more.
Where social media works for trades, and where it does not
| Type of work | Best first channel | Role of social media |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency jobs (burst pipes, power cuts, lockouts) | Google Ads, Local Services Ads, Google profile | Trust: customers check you look active and real before calling |
| High-value planned work (kitchens, bathrooms, extensions, landscaping, roofs) | Social ads plus Google | Strong: Facebook and Instagram ads can create demand with photos and video of finished jobs |
| Repeat and referral work | Social media plus email | Strong: keeps you front of mind with past customers and their friends |
| Commercial and B2B work | LinkedIn plus direct outreach | Useful: LinkedIn builds credibility with property managers and contractors |
An inactive Facebook page can cost you work: when a customer finds a page last updated in 2023, they wonder if you are still trading. Consistent, real content fixes that, even if most of your enquiries come from Google.
What we post for trade businesses
Before and after jobs
Real photos and short videos from your own jobs. Nothing beats them for trust, and they cost nothing to make.
Reviews and thank-yous
Turning your Google reviews into posts, so new customers see what past ones said.
Tips and warnings
Short, useful posts (how to spot a slipped tile, what to do when the boiler loses pressure) that get shared locally.
Your team and your van
People buy from people. Showing who will turn up builds trust before the first call.
Facebook and Instagram ads for trades
For planned, higher-value work, paid social can bring in enquiries that Google cannot, because it reaches homeowners before they start searching. We build ads from your best job photos and videos, target the postcodes you cover, use instant enquiry forms or calls, and report on cost per enquiry and booked job, not likes.
Pricing
Every account is different, so we quote after a free 30-minute call. Fees are flat and monthly, never a percentage of your ad spend, and there is no contract: everything runs on rolling 30-day terms. Ad spend is paid by you directly to the ad platform and never marked up.
Results
Mr Reactive, Leeds boiler installer (Google Ads): over £22,000 of revenue in the first month from £1,200 of ad spend (18 times the spend), and £10,000 or more a month from Google Ads since. Read the case study.
Our strongest trade results so far come from Google Ads and search, like the one above. We pair social media with search because for most trades the two work best together: search catches people ready to book, social keeps you visible and trusted in between. See all our case studies.
How to choose a social media agency for your trade
- Ask what they will post. Stock images and generic quotes do not win trade work. Real jobs do.
- Ask how they measure success. Enquiries and booked jobs, not followers.
- Check who owns the pages and ad accounts. They should be yours.
- Check the contract length.
- Ask whether social is right for your trade at all. An honest agency will tell you if Google should come first.
Frequently asked questions
Is social media worth it for tradesmen?
For planned, higher-value work and repeat business, yes. For emergency trades it mainly builds trust, and Google usually brings in more of the actual calls. We will tell you which applies to you.
Which platforms should a trade business use?
Usually Facebook and Instagram for homeowners, plus LinkedIn for commercial work. TikTok can work for trades happy to film short videos. We focus on the one or two that suit your customers.
Do you create the content?
Yes. We plan, write, design and schedule it. The best results come when you send us real photos and short clips from your jobs, and we turn them into posts.
Can social media bring in real leads?
Yes, especially Facebook and Instagram ads for kitchens, bathrooms, extensions, landscaping and roofing. We report on enquiries and booked jobs, not likes.
How much does social media management cost?
Facebook and Instagram ads management is a flat monthly fee, quoted after a free call, plus your ad spend. Organic posting is quoted after a free call, based on platforms and posting frequency.
Do you post in local Facebook groups for us?
No. Facebook does not allow groups to be automated, and posting there from your own profile works best. We can give you ready-written posts to share yourself.
Want your social media to bring in work?
Book a free 30-minute call. We will look at your pages and tell you honestly whether social, Google or both will win you more jobs.
Book a free 30-minute strategy callGet a free Google check
Or call Andrew on 07749 941111.