Introduction
Most tradespeople we work with say the same thing about social media. “I know I should be posting more. I just never know what to put.”
The trick is to stop thinking of it as marketing. Think of it as a window into your work. Anything that gives a homeowner a glimpse of how you do things, what you finished today, or what you know about your trade is worth posting.
Below are ten post ideas you can use straight away. None of them need a fancy camera, a clever caption, or any marketing background. Just your phone, two minutes, and a willingness to press post.
- The Finished Job Photo
The simplest, most reliable post. Photograph a job the moment you finish. Tools away, area cleared, work shown off in good light.
Caption it in a sentence:
“Bathroom refit finished today in [town]. Thrilled with how this one came out, couple of details we are particularly pleased with shown above.”
That is it. Done. No overthinking.
If you do nothing else from this list, do this one. A finished-job post a week, every week, is more effective than any clever campaign.
- The Before and After
A finished kitchen is impressive. The same kitchen six months earlier, looking tired and dated, sat next to the finished version, is gold.
Get into the habit of taking a quick “before” photo on every job. They will pile up. Each pair you post tells a small story.
Caption it lightly:
“Same kitchen, six weeks apart. Sometimes a refresh is all a room needs.”
Side-by-side images work especially well on Instagram and Facebook.
- The Process Shot
The middle of the job is more interesting than people think. Joists going in. A fuse board half rewired. A flat roof at the felt stage. A garden mid-dig.
Customers love seeing the bit they never normally get to see. It shows you know what you are doing and gives them a sense of the work involved.
Two lines of caption is plenty:
“Halfway through this rewire today. Always satisfying to get to this stage and know the messy bit is behind us.”
- The Tip of the Week
Pick one small thing you know that homeowners do not. Share it.
Things like:
- The right way to bleed a radiator
- How to tell if your roof is older than you think
- The one cheap thing every garden owner should do every spring
- The most common reason an extractor fan stops working
Two or three sentences is plenty. Position it as a public service, not a sales pitch.
This kind of post quietly builds the perception that you are an expert, which makes everything else easier to sell.
- The Customer Quote
Even a single line from a happy customer makes a great post. You do not need a designer to make it look fancy. A photo of the work, with a customer quote written underneath in plain text, is enough.
“Sean and the team turned up when they said, did exactly what they quoted, and left the place spotless. Could not recommend more highly.” , Mr and Mrs J, [town]
Use the testimonials you already have. Spread them out so the same one does not appear twice in the same fortnight.
- The Behind-the-Scenes Photo
A photo of the van loaded for the day. A tea on the dashboard. The team mid-job. Tools laid out. A finished day’s invoice ready to send.
The point is to remind customers there are real people behind the business. Trade businesses are people businesses, and faces sell faster than logos.
A quick caption:
“Big morning. Three jobs across town today before the weather turns.”
That is it.
- The Question Post
Ask your audience something. Anything genuine.
- “Spring or autumn, which is your favourite time for outdoor work?”
- “What is the one thing you wish someone had told you before your last home renovation?”
- “Mid-week or weekend, when do you prefer trades visiting?”
Question posts trigger comments. Comments trigger the algorithm. The algorithm rewards you with reach.
You are not selling. You are starting a conversation. That conversation does the selling for you.
- The Local Shout-Out
Every now and then, post about something local. A great cafe round the corner from a job. A community project you spotted. A fellow local business you respect.
This does two useful things. It positions you as part of the local fabric, which builds trust. And it sometimes earns you a return shout-out from the place you mentioned, which puts you in front of a fresh audience.
“Stopped in at [cafe] between jobs in [town] today. If you are ever down that way, the bacon roll is a thing of beauty.”
- The “We Are Available” Post
Once a month is plenty. Quiet week coming up? Slot opening up between bigger jobs? Post about it.
“Bit of availability week after next if anyone has been thinking about getting [type of job] sorted before summer. Drop us a message and we will pop round for a no-pressure quote.”
The first time you do this, you will be surprised how many enquiries it pulls in. Customers often need a nudge to act.
Just do not make every post one of these. Save it for genuine availability, not as a constant sales push.
- The Mistake You See All the Time
Pick something you regularly fix because someone else got it wrong. The wrong sealant. The wrong type of insulation. A fence post in the ground without a proper base.
Show the mistake. Explain what should have happened instead. Position it gently, you are educating, not slagging anyone off.
“Saw this one again today. The reason this fence is rotting at the base is…”
These posts get shared a lot. They also quietly tell potential customers that you actually know what you are doing.
How to Make This a Routine
Pick three of the ten that feel most natural to you. Set aside 15 minutes once a week. Post one per day for three days.
Within a couple of months, you will have a small library of content, a steadier flow of enquiries, and a much more confident relationship with your business’s social media.
You do not need to post every day. You need to post consistently. Three good posts a week beats one a month every time.
The Bigger Picture
The trade businesses that win on social media are not the ones with the best photos or the cleverest captions. They are the ones who post regularly without overthinking.
Pick three of these ideas. Use them this week. Repeat next week. Over time, your phone will start ringing for reasons you can trace straight back to a single post.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should a tradesperson post on social media?
Three times a week is the sweet spot. Enough to stay visible without burning out. Pick three of the ten ideas in this article that feel most natural to you. Set aside 15 minutes once a week. Post one per day for three days. Repeat the next week. Within two months the routine starts paying off in enquiries.
What is the best social media platform for a trade business?
For most UK trades, Facebook still wins. Most homeowners aged 35 and over are there. Instagram is strong for visual trades like landscaping, kitchens and bathrooms, particularly Reels. TikTok is a growing opportunity, especially for trades willing to be slightly more entertaining. Start with one and get consistent before adding another.
How do I take good photos for trade social posts?
Use natural daylight where possible. Frame the work as the star, not yourself. Take a before photo on every job, even when you do not think you will need it. And resist the urge to post messy in-progress shots without a caption explaining what is happening. A photo plus a single sentence almost always beats a photo on its own.
Should tradespeople post the same thing on every platform?
Yes for the content, no for the format. The job photo, the tip, the testimonial, all of it can go to Facebook, Instagram and your Google Business Profile. But the way you write the caption should fit each platform: shorter on Instagram, slightly longer on Facebook, more local-focused on Google Business Profile. A scheduling tool makes this a 10-minute job.
Want Help Turning Posts Into Bookings?
The Brightr Growth Engine includes a social planner that schedules posts across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Google Business Profile from one place, and ties every enquiry back to your CRM. A free Marketing Flight Check shows you where social fits into your wider marketing.