here’s no denying it..... posting a photo of a freshly tiled bathroom or a restored sash window and watching the likes roll in feels good. It’s a quick hit of validation. But here’s the hard truth: likes don’t pay the bills. You can’t use them to buy materials, fuel the van, or keep the lights on.
A recent Statista survey found that less than 1% of people who engage with a social media post actually go on to make a purchase or booking. In other words, that heart emoji on your decking photo is probably from your cousin, not from a homeowner ready to hire you.
Aimee Lycett, website and SEO expert at Local Trade Websites, explains it bluntly: “We’ve seen brilliant tradespeople with thousands of likes on a Facebook post and zero new enquiries. Visibility without conversions is just noise.”
What most trades don’t realise is that social media platforms are built to keep people scrolling, not to push them towards your business. Likes are vanity metrics, they make you feel good, but they don’t guarantee a single lead. The real measure of success isn’t engagement, it’s the ringing of your phone with paying customers on the other end.
Social media is designed to be fast-moving. Your beautifully crafted post about a sash window restoration might get seen for a few hours, maybe a day if you’re lucky, before it vanishes into the algorithm’s black hole. HubSpot reports the average lifespan of a Facebook post is just 5 hours, and a tweet lasts only 18 minutes source.
SEO, however, works differently. A blog post about “loft conversions in Canterbury” or a landing page for “bathroom renovations in Sittingbourne” doesn’t disappear. It gets indexed by Google and, if optimised properly, can sit on page one for months or even years. That means it keeps pulling in customers long after you’ve forgotten about it.
Rob Gould, SEO strategist and trades marketing expert, puts it clearly: “A Facebook like lasts a moment. A Google ranking can last for years. That’s why trades who invest in SEO always outpace those who rely on social media alone.”
Think of it like this: social media is a sparkler at a party, bright, fun, but gone in seconds. SEO is the log burner in the corner, steady, reliable, and still warming the room long after the sparklers have fizzled out.
When people need a tradesperson, they don’t head to Instagram Reels or TikTok. They go to Google. A leaking roof, a stuck sash window, or a faulty boiler isn’t solved by double-tapping a photo — it’s solved by finding a reliable professional quickly.
BrightLocal’s 2023 Local Consumer Review Survey showed that 87% of consumers used Google to evaluate local businesses source. Compare that to only 4% who said they relied primarily on social media to choose a trade service.
Let’s face it, nobody is on TikTok at 11 pm thinking: “I should really get my fascia boards replaced.” They’re Googling “fascia repair near me” or “emergency plumber Sittingbourne”.
As Aimee notes: “Social media builds awareness, but search builds intent. People don’t like their way into a new boiler, they Google it.”
That’s the difference: social media is a nice reminder you exist, but SEO puts you directly in front of customers when they’re actively ready to buy.
So if likes don’t matter, what does? The answer is trust signals and local relevance. That’s where reviews, case studies, and location-based SEO come in.
Rob often tells clients: “It’s not about being internet famous, it’s about being found by the right people in the right place. Ten leads beat a thousand likes every time.”
And the proof is in the data: trades who publish case studies and collect reviews consistently rank higher, build more trust, and win more jobs than those who focus on chasing likes.
Now, this doesn’t mean you should delete your Facebook page tomorrow. Social media has a role to play, just not the starring role. Think of it as the sidekick to SEO’s superhero.
When used strategically, social media can amplify your SEO efforts:
HubSpot research shows that SEO-driven leads have a 14.6% close rate, compared to only 1.7% for outbound methods like social ads source. Social works best when it directs people into the ecosystem you control — your website.
As Aimee puts it: “Social media works best as a shop window. SEO is the shop itself. Without the shop, you’re just pointing at glass.”
Chasing likes is fun, but it’s not a business strategy. If you want to grow sustainably, you need the foundation of SEO: reviews that build trust, content that ranks, and local landing pages that match what people are actually searching for. Social media should be the amplifier, not the engine.
Paid ads vanish the moment you stop funding them. Social media posts fade within hours. But a well-written blog post or a five-star Google review? Those can generate leads for years to come.
At Local Trade Websites, we specialise in helping tradespeople transform everyday jobs into long-term digital assets. From SEO-optimised landing pages to case study blogs, review integration, and photo galleries that actually rank, we build the kind of online presence that keeps enquiries flowing.
Book your free consultation today and let’s make your website work harder than social media ever will.
