Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out. Happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance regarding your advertising.
We'll need to look at Google My Business...
First off, since you're focusing on local services, I'd say absolutely nail your Google My Business (GMB) profile. It's completely free and gets you bang in the maps listings, which is prime real estate for local businesses. Think of it as your digital shop front. It's also a strong signal to Google for geo-targeting, which is exactly what you need.
I'd say it's worth spending a decent amount of time on this as it's a free way to get traffic. It's not just about claiming your listing, you need to optimise it. Get some proper photos of your work up there, clear and inviting so people want to get in touch with you. Make sure your opening hours are spot on so people know when they can reach you. And absolutely respond to reviews, both good and bad. Acknowledge the positives and politely address any negatives, it shows you care about your customers and prospective customers.
Make sure your website is linked and that you've got a phone number in there - easy for people to find and call. The more complete and engaging your GMB profile is, the better it will perform in local search results. We've seen some of our local services clients get a huge boost just from getting this right, so it's well worth your time.
I'd say you run a competition on Facebook...
Since you're having trouble with Meta restrictions, a good alternative to running ads directly is to focus on organic engagement. One strong tactic is to run competitions on Facebook. They can be a fantastic way to get more engagement and followers without directly paying for ads (and dealing with the restrictions). People love free stuff and a competition can be a really effective way to get them involved with your page. Plus, if you're boosting the posts about the competition, you might be able to avoid the Meta restrictions as these aren't direct ads.
Consider what would be an appealing prize for your target audience. Maybe a free consultation, a discount on your services, or even a full service package giveaway. Make it something relevant and valuable to them.
To enter, you could ask people to like your page, share the post, tag a friend, or all of the above. The more people involved, the wider your reach will be. We find that running a targeted compettition works best. It's better to get lots of people really engaged than a few just signing up for the prize. Make sure you read Facebook's rules on running competitions, as you don't want to get your page into trouble. It's worth the effort though, as a well-run competition can really give your Facebook page a boost.
You probably should get involved on Nextdoor...
Another local platform to think about is Nextdoor. Loads of local people looking for recommendations for all sorts of services. It's a digital version of the local noticeboard, and it can be a great place to pick up some leads.
Keep an eye out for relevant threads where people are asking for recommendations for services like yours. Don't just spam your business, though, as that won't go down well. Instead, offer helpful advice and subtly mention your services if appropriate. If someone is asking for an electrician, for example, you could offer some general tips and then mention that you're a local electrician who's happy to help.
It's worth sticking your oar in on relevant threads. Think about what you'd want in the same position. People are more inclined to use a business recommended by someone else, and getting a recommendation from a real person rather than an ad really makes it seem more trustworthy. If you build up a good reputation on Nextdoor, you could see a steady stream of leads coming your way. Tbh I'd say it's worth spending some time building up a good reputation on there.
You'll need actionable overview for your local service business...
I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:
| Recommendation | Action | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Optimise Google My Business | Complete profile, add photos, respond to reviews, link website and phone number. | Improved visibility in local search results, drives free traffic to website, builds customer trust. |
| Run Facebook Competitions | Create engaging competitions with relevant prizes, encourage likes, shares, and tags. | Increases Facebook page engagement and followers, generates leads, bypasses Meta ad restrictions. |
| Engage on Nextdoor | Monitor relevant threads, offer helpful advice, subtly mention services where appropriate. | Builds a good reputation in the community, attracts leads through recommendations, increases trust. |
These strategies are quite good to implement yourself, but it can take a fair amount of time and effort to get them right. You also might not have the experience to know what works best for local businesses. That's where we come in.
We help local businesses like yours to get more leads and customers through effective marketing. We've got years of experience in paid advertising and know how to make your ads perform. If you're interested in finding out more, we offer a free initial consultation where we review your current strategy and account together. This is usually super helpful and gives potential clients a taste of the expertise they'll see going into their project if they decide to work with us.
It's an opportunity for you to ask us any questions you have and for us to get a better understanding of your business and your goals. If we think we can help you, we'll put together a custom proposal outlining our recommended strategy and costs. There's no obligation to go ahead, so you've got nothing to lose.
Hope this helps!
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
