Discover the truth behind digital marketing with our myth-busting session tailored for Tradies. We’ll clear up the common misconceptions and provide straightforward, practical advice to help you enhance your business’s online presence and increase its value.
Join us to learn how to navigate the world of marketing and ensure your efforts lead to real, measurable results.
Marketing strategies and Value [0:05:33s]
There’s a lot of confusion out there when it comes to pricing and quality in marketing services. Typically, if you want top-notch marketing, you’ll need to invest reasonably. Suspiciously low prices might indicate they’re cutting corners or outsourcing to cheaper, lower-quality sources.
On the flip side, sometimes the higher price is due to the overheads of the marketing company. They often have multiple people working on a project, like production coordinators, web designers, and developers, which can drive up costs.
It’s essential to be wary of agencies that pressure you into a bigger budget without a clear understanding of your business goals. Before diving into hefty marketing spending, take the time to figure out what you want to achieve.
Remember, it’s not just about throwing money around; it’s about having a strategic plan. Tailored strategies that align with your specific business needs tend to yield better results than one-size-fits-all approaches. And once you’ve invested, be sure to assess the return on investment to ensure it’s worth it.
SEO strategies and misconceptions [0:09:34s]
It’s not uncommon to encounter exaggerated claims of instant results when exploring SEO services. However, these promises don’t really match up with what your business actually needs.
When someone tells you they can magically boost your SEO overnight, it’s wise to take it with a grain of salt. Because in reality, there’s no guarantee you’ll shoot to the top of Google’s rankings just like that. Google’s algorithms are like a super-secret recipe that’s always changing, so nobody can promise you that top spot.
Sure, some agencies might focus on getting your site ranked for specific keywords, but they might miss the mark on what really matters to your business. Going after the wrong keywords could end up hurting your website traffic and lead generation efforts. That’s why it’s crucial to make sure your SEO strategy is tailor-made for your business.
Bottom line? Keep it real, set achievable goals, and stay in the loop with your marketing team throughout your SEO journey. That way, you’ll be on the right track to seeing some genuine results.
Algorithms and SEO [0:12:44s]
Google is always tweaking its algorithms to crack down on shady tactics that some marketing agencies use to boost rankings. Back in the day, getting backlinks from sketchy sites was a sneaky way to climb up the ranks. But now, if Google identifies that your links aren’t legit or relevant to the search terms, they will penalise your website and ranking.
Relying on these quick-fix strategies might give you a temporary boost, but in the long run, they’ll do more harm than good to your SEO game. Real success in marketing comes from ongoing optimisation, not just a one-time setup. Keep things above board, and you’ll see better results in the end.
Good SEO costs money and there's reasons for that, same with websites. If you pay $1,000 for a website the chances are someone's just going to install a template on WordPress for you and expect you to put all the content on.
Keyword Research and Targeting [0:16:08s]
Nailing down the right keywords is key to making your SEO efforts hit the mark and keep users engaged. But it’s not just about picking any old words—you’ve got to make sure they’re spot-on and won’t be misunderstood by users.
Take, for instance, the term “builder software.” We found out that some folks searching for it were actually looking to develop software, not find tools for their building business. That’s why doing thorough keyword research and reviews is so vital. It helps you pinpoint exactly what your ideal clients are searching for and ensures your website lines up perfectly with those search terms. That way, you’re not just attracting traffic—you’re attracting the right kind of traffic.
Attracting relevant website traffic [0:17:58s]
Attracting the right customers for your tradie business is more critical than increasing overall traffic volume to your website. Think quality over quantity for long term business success.
To reel in those ideal clients, make sure your marketing tactics are tailored to your target audience. You want to attract and convert the ones who are a perfect fit for your business. That means qualifying potential customers before they even inquire, to make sure they’re in line with your business goals.
And when it comes to your website, it’s all about speaking your customers’ language. Make sure your site’s design and wording reflect your company and the services you offer. Use search terms to create content for the website that will attract more of your ideal clients to your tradie business.
Increasing conversion rates [0:20:56s]
Boosting conversion rates starts with understanding how consumers think and addressing their concerns head-on.
One effective method is to customise your content to match what visitors are searching for, ensuring it meets their needs precisely. Another trick is to flip potential negatives into positives. By proactively addressing objections in your marketing messages, you can smooth the path to conversions.
Lastly, it’s crucial to keep the feedback loop between your sales and marketing teams wide open. Sharing insights from sales interactions helps marketing specialists fine-tune strategies in real-time, leading to even better results.
What you want is high numbers of relevant visitors so you don't waste time on irrelevant visitors, you want to get more of the people that you want to talk to. Sometimes that actually means the reverse, less traffic, because you want to narrow in on the location or you want to narrow in on the type of customer.
Importance of Tailored Marketing strategies [0:25:32s]
Natasha shares a couple of cautionary tales from her clients’ experiences. One spent a hefty $70,000 on a website that didn’t reflect what the company did until she stepped in and revamped it with clear, effective content, leading to an instant uptick in leads.
She also recounts the story of a solo plumber who fell victim to a common pitfall—a one-size-fits-all marketing approach. His marketing was targeting the entire city of Sydney which only resulted in logistical challenges and stiff competition. Natasha pivoted to a more tailored, hyper-local strategy, resulting in more bookings, less travel time and better marketing ROI for the plumber.
These stories underscore the importance of ditching generic marketing tactics and opting for personalised strategies and Local SEO that are customised to your business.
Marketing Agency Pitfalls [0:31:17s]
We often come across stories of businesses investing a lot of money in marketing agencies, only to see minimal returns on their investment. When you’re on the hunt for an agency to hire, it’s essential to look past the impressive logos they showcase on their websites.
Just because they’ve worked with big-name companies doesn’t necessarily mean they were responsible for all aspects of their marketing success. Those logos are often used strategically to grab attention, so take the time to find out about their specific work for each company before making a call about who is best to partner with.
Social Media Platform Selection and content strategy [0:35:13s]
It’s crucial to understand which social media platforms your customers are actively using, and then determine if those platforms are the right ones to promote your services on.
Tailoring your content to fit each platform is key. For instance, Instagram is perfect for businesses with visually appealing work, like landscapers or decorators who can share stunning before-and-after shots. However, for trades where the work is less visually striking, like plumbing, getting creative with content is necessary, for example there is a plumber that shares videos of weird things they find in blocked pipes.
To produce engaging content for your business, set aside time to capture photos and videos of your work for authenticity. And remember, while social media can be a valuable tool for promoting your business, it’s essential to balance your time investment with its potential impact on sales and business growth.
You want that digital presence so that you actually show up because there's nothing worse than having a sign on your car that you're a business and they can't find a website for you so they start to question is this a legitimate business?
Business Websites [0:39:01s]
Think of a website as your digital storefront—a professional online presence that boosts credibility and effectively showcases your services. When people are searching for tradie services, they’re more likely to stumble upon them through paid advertising or SEO efforts, rather than social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook.
Having an SEO optimized website is key. It helps you rank for your business name and services, ensuring visibility even during slower times. Starting with a basic landing page lays the groundwork for future website growth, giving you flexibility and cost-effectiveness as your business expands.
Why you need a Digital Presence [0:45:28s]
Simply building a website won’t automatically land you at the top of Google’s rankings. It takes time for Google Bots to crawl and assess your site, gradually ranking it over time. If you’re in a rush to boost visibility, especially when potential customers are searching for your business by name, paid ads might be necessary while waiting for organic ranking to kick in.
Starting a business on a tight budget is all about laying down a solid online foundation that can grow with your business.Think of a basic landing page and a Google Maps listing as your digital business cards—they show you’re business is legitimacy and professional.
These days, people rely on online research to find the services they need. That’s why it’s crucial to keep your digital presence active and engaging. It’s not just about being seen; it’s about building trust with your customers.
Marketing health checks and scoping sessions [0:51:09s]
A marketing health check is like a checkup for your business—it helps you see where you’re at and make smart decisions for the future.
During this checkup, we chat about your business goals, what services you offer, and what you hope to achieve. We’ll also look at where you’re currently at and figure out what’s missing to reach those goals. We dive deep into your past strategies to see what worked and what didn’t, and we’ll scope out the competition to see where you stand in the market.
We’ll also take a good look at your website’s SEO to see how it’s performing compared to others in your field. Depending on what we find, we might suggest some tweaks or maybe even a bit more investment to keep up with the competition. Lastly, we’ll peek at what your competitors are up to and figure out how you can stay one step ahead. Whether it’s by making some strategic changes or adding in some new marketing ideas, we’ll help you come out on top.
If your business is new to marketing, we’ve got you covered with our scoping sessions. During these sessions, we’ll chat with you to get a handle on your short-term goals (like getting regular work) and your long-term aspirations (such as growing your team). From there, we’ll whip up some personalised recommendations tailored specifically to your business.
Getting the right marketing advice from the get-go can make a world of difference for your business. That’s where TradiePad marketing services come in. We’re here to take the stress out of marketing for tradies by really getting to know your needs. We’ll handle creating website content for you, so you don’t have to worry about coming up with everything on your own. All you’ll need to do is give our work a once-over and share your feedback—we’ll take care of the rest. With us by your side, you can focus on what you do best while we handle the marketing side of things.
Want some help hitting your marketing goals? Let’s chat!
TradiePad Marketing experts can help with websites, logos, SEO and more!
MEET THE SPEAKERS
Natasha is the marketing manager and digital marketing guru at TradiePad. She is passionate about helping businesses maximise their marketing spend to achieve a professional brand and strong online presence.
Scott is a driving force behind our vision for change in the industry and is committed to helping tradies adopt technology to transform their business processes.
