You're running ads, posting on socials, trying a bit of everything — and none of it's really working. That's because you're spread across too many channels doing all of them badly. The fix is simple: pick three and do them properly. Google, email/SMS follow-up, and one social platform. We've set this up for dozens of trades businesses across Melbourne's Bayside area, and three channels done right will outperform seven done half-heartedly every time.
Here's how each one works.
Google is where people go when they already need what you sell. Someone types "plumber near me" or "dog groomer Bayside" — they want to hire someone today. That's the most valuable attention a local business can get.
Three layers work together:
Intent. The person searching has already decided they need what you sell. You're not convincing anyone they have a problem — you're putting your hand up at the moment they're ready to hire.
We built a Google Ads campaign for an electrician in Cheltenham who'd been spending $600/month on local paper ads with zero tracking. We moved that budget to Google Ads targeting "electrician" + suburb keywords across Bayside. Within three weeks he'd booked $4,200 in jobs he could trace directly to the ads.
You show up in the map pack. You've got 40+ reviews at 4.5+ stars. You know which search terms bring paying customers, not just clicks. Our Local SEO Checklist: 10 Things to Fix This Week covers the foundational work.
46% of all Google searches have local intent — the person is looking for a business or service nearby. — Search Engine Roundtable / Google, 2024. At Bare Bayside Labs, this is why we tell every client to get Google right before spending a cent on social media. Half of Google's traffic is people looking for someone like you, right now, in your area.
Google catches people when they're searching. Email and SMS keep the conversation going afterwards. Most local businesses get a lead, respond once, and forget about them. A good email and SMS system does the follow-up for you.
When someone enquires but doesn't book, your system follows up automatically. A thank-you email within minutes. A follow-up a few days later. A gentle nudge a week after that.
For past customers, it keeps you top of mind. When they need you again — or their mate asks for a recommendation — you're the first name that comes up.
Most tradies reply when they remember, which is usually too late. An automated sequence means every lead gets fast, consistent follow-up — even when you're on a job site all day.
It also turns one-time customers into repeat buyers. One of our clients — a pest control business in Mentone — added a simple quarterly email: "Time for your annual termite check?" That one automated email brought back 23 repeat bookings in its first year. Cost them nothing to send.
Every lead gets a response within 60 seconds — even at midnight. Past customers hear from you 3-4 times a year with useful reminders. Your repeat booking rate climbs because people don't forget about you.
Businesses that follow up with leads within 5 minutes are 21 times more likely to convert them into customers. — InsideSales.com Lead Response Management Study. At Bare Bayside Labs, we configure automated responses in Zoho CRM so every enquiry gets a personalised reply in under a minute — the business owner doesn't lift a finger.
Not five. Not three. One. Pick the platform where your customers spend time and do it properly. For most tradies and service businesses, that's Facebook. For visual businesses — hairdressers, florists, landscapers — Instagram.
Social media doesn't generate leads the way Google does. Nobody opens Facebook to find a plumber. What it does is build familiarity and trust over time.
When someone sees your posts regularly and then needs your service, you're not a stranger. You're "that sparky who's always posting helpful stuff."
In a suburb, word-of-mouth runs the show. Social media is digital word-of-mouth. Before-and-after photos, customer reviews, quick tips, behind-the-scenes moments — these build trust that makes someone call you instead of picking the cheapest option on Google.
We helped a landscaper in Hampton set up a Facebook page with just before-and-after photos of local jobs. No fancy graphics, no paid ads. Within four months he was getting 2-3 enquiries a week from people who said "I've been seeing your work on Facebook."
You post 3-4 times per week. Local people recognise your name. You get tagged by happy customers. Enquiries trickle in through your social page — not as your main lead source, but as a trust-builder that supports everything else.
TikTok — Unless you're in a visual niche where short video shines (landscaping transformations, cake decorating), skip it. The content demands are enormous and most local businesses won't see a return.
LinkedIn — Great if you sell to other businesses. Useless if you're a plumber trying to reach homeowners.
Twitter / X — Too broad and too global. Barely relevant for Australian local businesses.
Print ads — Cost per lead is dramatically higher than digital, and you can't track what's working. Our Cheltenham electrician was spending $600/month on paper ads and couldn't name a single customer who came from them. Don't make the same mistake.
The discipline is saying no. Every hour you spend making a TikTok is an hour you didn't spend getting Google reviews or posting in a local Facebook group.
Here's how to split your spend across the three channels at two common budget levels.
| Channel | Spend | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Google (SEO + Business Profile) | $0 (your time) | Optimise your Profile, build reviews, fix NAP consistency |
| Email/SMS automation | $50-80 | Zoho Marketing Automation or similar. Set up 2-3 automated sequences |
| Google Ads | $300-350 | ~$10-12/day targeting your highest-value service + suburb |
| Social media | $0 (your time) | 3-4 organic posts per week on one platform |
At this level, it's mostly sweat equity. Your ad budget is modest but enough to test what works. Email automation runs itself once built.
| Channel | Spend | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Google (SEO + Ads) | $500-600 | 2-3 ad campaigns plus monthly SEO tweaks |
| Email/SMS automation | $80-150 | Platform + SMS credits. Seasonal offers, re-engagement for cold leads |
| Social media (organic + boosted) | $150-200 | 3-4 posts/week plus $5-7/day boosting top posts locally |
Now you're layering paid social on top of organic and running multiple ad campaigns. Every dollar is trackable because your CRM connects the whole chain. If you can't trace ads to revenue, read Why Your Ads Aren't Working (And What to Fix First) before spending another dollar.
Google Ads, almost every time. Google catches people already searching for what you do — that's the highest-intent traffic you can get. Social ads work for retargeting and brand building, but if you can only afford one, Google Ads will produce paying customers faster.
You can try, but you won't do it consistently. When you're on a job site all day, emails pile up and leads go cold. An automated system sends a personalised reply within 60 seconds, 24/7. You can't match that. Even a simple two-email sequence outperforms manual follow-up because it never forgets and never takes a day off.
You need a CRM tracking leads from first touch to sale. When someone enquires, your CRM records where they came from. Without this, you're guessing. With it, you run a monthly report: Channel A produced 12 leads and 4 customers worth $6,000. Channel B produced 20 leads and 1 customer worth $800. That tells you exactly where to spend more and where to cut.
Google Ads can produce leads within days. Email automation works as soon as leads flow in. Organic social and SEO are slower — 2-3 months for social traction, 3-6 months for SEO. Run all three so you have short-term leads (ads) and long-term growth (SEO, social, email).
Book a free strategy call. We'll audit your current channels and show you exactly where to focus for the biggest return.
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