Word of mouth still drives most trade work. But what happens when someone who doesn’t know you needs a plumber, sparky, or builder in your area? They search Google. And if you’re not showing up — or if you’re showing up badly — that job goes to someone else.
The good news: local search is one of the few areas where a small trade business can genuinely compete with larger operators, because Google weights proximity and reviews heavily. You don’t need a big ad budget. You need to be set up correctly.
Google Business Profile is your most important free tool
If you do nothing else, set up and verify your Google Business Profile. It’s free, it controls how you appear in Google Maps and local search results, and a complete profile with photos and reviews consistently outperforms a bare listing or no listing at all.
Key things to get right:
- Business name, address, and phone number — exactly as they appear everywhere else online (consistency matters for ranking)
- Categories — pick the most specific one that fits what you actually do
- Service areas — Google lets you define the suburbs you service rather than requiring a fixed address
- Photos — before/after shots, your vehicle, your team. They drive engagement and signal legitimacy
- Hours — kept current, including public holidays
Once you’re set up, the algorithm does a lot of the work. But reviews are what separate you from the next listing.
Reviews are the algorithm’s trust signal
Businesses with more than 10 Google reviews consistently outperform those with fewer in local search. Most tradies have done hundreds of jobs for happy customers who would leave a review if asked. They just never get asked.
The fix is automation. Platforms like NiceJob, Podium, and even built-in features in Jobber and ServiceM8 can send an automated review request SMS or email when a job is marked complete. Response rates from a timely, personal-feeling automated message are typically 20–30%. That’s reviews coming in without you lifting a finger.
Local SEO — the longer game
Beyond your Google Business Profile, a basic local SEO setup involves making sure your business name, address, and phone number appear consistently across directories like True Local, Yellow Pages, and HiPages. Google cross-references these to validate that your business is real and where you say it is.
A simple website that mentions your suburb and trade clearly — even a two-page site — also contributes meaningfully to local ranking over time. It doesn’t need to be elaborate.
Google Local Service Ads — worth knowing about
Google’s Local Service Ads (LSA) program lets verified trade businesses appear at the very top of search results with a “Google Guaranteed” badge. The verification process involves a background check and licence verification, but once through, you only pay per lead rather than per click. For trade businesses in competitive suburbs, it can be a high-return channel.
Where to start
- Set up or claim your Google Business Profile and complete every field
- Get your first ten reviews — ask your last ten happy customers directly
- Set up an automated review request through whatever job management platform you use
- Make sure your business details are consistent across the main directories
If you’d like help getting any of this set up — or you want someone to take a look at where you’re currently showing up — get in touch.