Marketing is the thing every tradie knows they should be doing more of - and the thing that gets pushed to the end of the to-do list every week. You're on the tools all day, quoting jobs in the evening, and by the time the weekend comes around the last thing you want to do is think about your Google profile.
The good news: you don't need to spend hours on marketing every week to stay visible and grow your enquiries. Here's a simple monthly routine that takes about an hour total - broken into small chunks - and keeps your Google presence working while you're focused on the work.
Week 1 - Add Two or Three Photos (10 Minutes)
The single most low-effort, high-impact thing you can do for your Google Business Profile is add photos regularly. Google rewards active profiles, and photos are one of the clearest signals of recent activity.
Each week, take one or two photos from jobs you complete. Before and after is ideal. Finished work looks great. Branded van on site works too. Upload them directly to your GBP - you can do it from your phone in under two minutes. By the end of the month you've added eight to twelve photos with almost no effort. The rule is simple: phone out at end of job, take a photo, upload it.
Week 2 - Follow Up on Reviews (15 Minutes)
Reviews are the highest-leverage marketing activity for most Sunshine Coast tradies. One new 5-star review can do more for your Google ranking than hours of other work. Set aside 15 minutes mid-month to review your recent jobs. For every customer you haven't asked yet, send a short text: "Hey [name], really glad the job went well. If you have a moment, a Google review means a lot to us - here's the link: [your review link]. Thanks."
If you ask ten customers, two or three will leave a review. Do that consistently and your review count builds steadily every month. The compounding effect over six months is significant.
Week 3 - Publish One Google Post (10 Minutes)
Most tradies have never used Google Posts - which means it's a genuine opportunity to stand out. Google Posts appear directly on your GBP listing and signal to Google that your profile is actively managed. For more detail on what to post and how often, read our guide on using Google Posts for local businesses.
Once a month, write a short post. It can be as simple as: "Available for hot water system replacements across Caloundra and Maroochydore this month. Book via our profile or call directly." Or highlight a seasonal service. A few sentences and a photo - done. It takes 10 minutes if you have a job photo ready.
Week 4 - Check Your Profile for Accuracy (5 Minutes)
Once a month, open your Google Business Profile and spend five minutes checking the basics: are your hours correct including any upcoming public holidays? Is your phone number right? Did any customer questions come in that need answering? Are your services list and description still accurate?
This takes minutes but prevents the kind of profile decay that silently hurts your ranking - outdated hours, unanswered questions, stale information that makes your business look inactive.
The Cumulative Effect
One photo upload, one review follow-up, one Google Post, and a quick profile check - done consistently, every month. Over six months, that routine produces a dramatically more active, trusted, and competitive Google profile than doing nothing.
The businesses winning on Sunshine Coast Google Maps aren't necessarily spending hours on marketing every week. They're doing the basics consistently, month after month, while their competitors do nothing. That gap compounds quickly. The same principle applies across trade types - our guide to marketing for landscapers shows how this routine translates to a trade with a strong visual portfolio and seasonal demand.
Quick Win: Set four recurring reminders in your phone right now. One per week, on a day and time you'll actually see them. Label them: "GBP photos," "Review follow-ups," "Google Post," "Profile check." That reminder system is the real secret - not the tasks themselves. The routine only works if it's triggered.
You don't need to become a marketer to get more calls from Google. You need a simple, repeatable routine that keeps your profile active and your reviews building. An hour a month, done consistently, makes a real difference. Haylo’s marketing for tradies service does all of this for you if you’d rather not manage it yourself. And our guide on why Google rankings stop updating explains exactly what happens when this routine is neglected.
If you'd like help getting your Google Business Profile set up correctly before the routine kicks in, get a free audit from Haylo. We'll make sure the foundation is right so your monthly effort actually compounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be included in a weekly marketing routine for a tradie?
A practical weekly marketing routine for a tradie doesn't need to be complicated. At minimum, it should include sending review requests to recent customers, posting one update or job photo to your Google Business Profile, and responding to any new reviews or messages. Spending 30 minutes per week on these three activities consistently will outperform most tradies who do nothing for months and then scramble to catch up. The goal is to build momentum gradually, not to create a full marketing campaign each week.
How do tradies get more Google reviews without it feeling awkward?
The most effective approach is to ask at the end of a job when the customer is happy with the work - it's the moment when they're most likely to say yes. A simple, direct request works best: "Would you mind leaving us a quick Google review? It really helps our business." Following up with a text message containing a direct link to your review page makes it easy for customers to act immediately. Businesses that ask consistently and make the process simple generate significantly more reviews than those who wait and hope.
How can a tradie stay visible on Google without spending money on ads?
The most effective free strategy is consistently managing your Google Business Profile - posting regularly, collecting reviews, updating your photos, and keeping your business hours and services accurate. These activities directly influence how often your business appears in Google Maps results for local searches. It also helps to ensure your business name, address, and phone number are identical everywhere they appear online, including directories like Yellow Pages and True Local. Over time, these free activities compound and can get you into the top three Google Maps results without paying for ads.
Is social media worth it for tradies, or should they focus on Google?
For most tradies, Google should be the priority because it captures people who are actively searching for a service right now. Social media is better for building awareness and staying top of mind with people who already know you. That said, a basic Facebook presence with regular job posts can generate referrals and keep existing customers engaged. The ideal approach is to master Google first - profile, reviews, and photos - and then add Facebook once that's running consistently.
