• Half of tradespeople say social media gets them more work , but most don ’ t know how to maximise its potential

• A quarter say that Facebook and Google reviews help get them more customers

• Builders get the most work from social media , plasterers the least

• Experts reveal how to get the most out of your social media trade platforms

Social media has transformed businesses in all industries , but despite helping many tradespeople get more work , a staggering 85 % say they don ’ t know how to use it effectively . New research [ 1 ] by IronmongeryDirect , the UK ’ s largest supplier of specialist ironmongery , has explored how trade businesses currently use social media and how many are currently missing out on its benefits .

Almost half ( 47 %) of tradespeople say that having a social media presence helps them get more work , with Facebook being the main platform ( 22 %). This is for several reasons , including the ability to build stronger client relationships ( 15 %), get ahead of competitors ( 15 %) and interact with community groups ( 22 %). Such is the power of social media , one in six ( 16 %) tradespeople believe it is now just as important , if not more , than traditional word of mouth . Because of this , 45 % now actively advertise on at least one social platform and more than one in ten ( 12 %) use social media as their only form of marketing .

However , despite recognising its importance , the vast majority of tradespeople say they are not using social media effectively . Nearly nine in ten ( 85 %) don ’ t know how to get the most out of it , with plumbers the least likely to maximise its potential ( 90 %). Joiners are the most social savvy of all the trades , yet 79 % still don ’ t know how best to use their channels to help their business .

While social media helps all trades bring in more work , builders are the most likely to attract new customers with it . Two thirds ( 66 %) of builders say their social channels help bring in business , followed by bricklayers ( 53 %) and landscapers ( 51 %). Plasterers are the least likely to see an increase in work ( 25 %).

The trades most likely to get more work by using social media are :

1 ) Builders – 66 % 2 ) Bricklayers – 53 % 3 ) Landscapers – 51 % 4 ) Painter / Decorators – 46 % 5 ) Electricians – 45 % 6 ) Plumbers – 45 % 7 ) Building Surveyors – 37 % 8 ) Carpenters – 33 % 9 ) Joiners – 33 % 10 ) Plasterers – 25 %

One business that has directly seen the benefits of social media is The Brighton Loft Co , a loft conversion company in East Sussex .

Gilles Buxton , Director , said : “ When the pandemic hit this year , we started sharing our projects on social media and since we ’ ve started doing that , we ’ ve seen an increase in business and enquiries .

“ In 2019 , we had 40 enquiries , but we ’ ve already had 72 this year – so we are already up 80 % yearon-year , which is fantastic news .”

On average , female tradespeople dedicate the most time to social media promotion , with over half ( 51 %) pursuing leads online , compared to just 41 % of men . They are also more likely to ask customers to leave reviews online ( 28 % vs 23 %) and such digital feedback is growing in significance .

Over 20 million business reviews are posted on Google every day [ 2 ] and they can have a huge impact on a company ’ s performance . A recent study found that businesses with positive scores on review sites can earn up to 58 % more revenue [ 3 ].

Overall , a quarter ( 25 %) of trade businesses ask for reviews and a similar amount ( 26 %) believe that positive comments can directly lead to more custom . However , more than a fifth ( 21 %) of tradespeople worry about receiving negative reviews and the impact that might have .

IronmongeryDirect has been supplying architectural ironmongery to tradespeople for over 50 years and now has the UK ’ s biggest range with over 18,000 products , including top trade brands . All ironmongery products have a minimum five-year guarantee so customers can be sure of quality and monitoring of competitor prices means customers always get the best deal . Customers also benefit from the easy free returns promise and can send items back free of charge for a full refund . If customers need any advice or technical support , IronmongeryDirect ’ s skilled and highly knowledgeable team of GAI ( Guild of Architectural Ironmongers ) qualified specialists is available 7 days a week .

Charlie Carlton , Head of Digital at IronmongeryDirect , said : “ Whether you ’ re a start-up looking to increase brand awareness , or a larger firm trying to expand , most trade businesses can benefit from being on social media , so it ’ s definitely worth creating accounts if you don ’ t already have some .

“ For those who already have social channels , our research has shown that the majority aren ’ t currently getting the most out of them . However , it doesn ’ t take that much time or effort to create a basic profile that can start to pick up work .”

For expert advice on how to get the most out of social media for your trade business , visit : https :// www . ironmongerydirect . co . uk / blog / six-tips-forboosting-your-trade-businessusing-social