10 Social Media Ideas for South African Tradespeople

In South Africa, most people use the internet—about 43.48 million of them! That means that if you’re reading this - the chances are you’re one of them.

For tradespeople, using social media is a powerful tool to grow your business.

Why do you ask? Because as of January 2023, almost 25.8 million South Africans, which is about 43% of the population, use social media.

Using social media properly will help your trade business get seen more and grow faster.

In this article, we’ll share 11 ideas for social media that you can use to promote your trade business.

Why Should Tradespeople Use Social Media in South Africa?

10 Social Media Ideas for South African Tradespeople

1. Share Tips of Your Trade

2. Share Facts of Your Trade

3. Respond to Social Media Comments

4. Show off Your Trade Work

5. Highlight Your Employees, Customers, and Suppliers

6. Give Your Followers a Reason to Laugh

7. Share Informative Articles

8. Create DIY Videos

9. Run Social Media Contests

10. Ask for Reviews

How Social Media Can Help Grow Your Trade Business

With so many South Africans using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, using social media is a great chance for tradespeople to connect with potential customers. By sharing regular posts, you can reach even more people than you could with ads.

Before you start using social media, it's useful to figure out how you want your brand to feel to people. Whether you want it to be friendly, funny, professional, serious, or something else, make sure it stays consistent. This helps people recognize and trust your trade business - and you - as an expert.

Social media is a great way for you to not only show what your trade business does but also to make meaningful connections. Talking to people by asking questions, responding to comments, and reviews is like having a two-way conversation.

As these connections grow, people start to trust your trade business more, which is the first step to them becoming loyal customers. Being quick to respond, whether it's good comments or fixing problems, shows that you really care about making customers happy.

Every person who follows your trade business on social media is a potential customer. By sharing interesting posts and showing ads to these followers, there's a good chance they might become actual paying customers. In fact,

77% of people buy things from companies they follow on social media

.

Let’s look at a few ideas for what you can post on social media to help promote your trade business.

A good idea for South African tradespeople is to give helpful trade tips to help your prospective customers.

For example, you could share advice about saving water, taking care of plumbing in rainy seasons, or how to deal with common plumbing problems that happen here.

Think about the special issues South African homeowners deal with and talk about them in your posts.

Get your audience interested by sharing interesting trade facts.

Talk about the history of your trade in South Africa, share important accomplishments, or tell fun and interesting facts to keep your followers interested and learning.

For example, let your followers know about how the standards of your trade have been updated over the years to help ensure that the quality of your trade work is in line with international standards.

This not only shows that you know a lot about your trade but also makes your social media posts more exciting.

Talking with people on social media is like having a conversation that goes both ways. Make sure to answer comments, questions, and reviews on your social media pages.

When you reply quickly and personally, it shows that you really care about making customers happy.

Whether someone says something good, asks a question, or has a concern, make sure to respond fast. Doing this not only makes your online reputation better but also makes your relationship with customers stronger.

You could also join groups focused on communities that are close to your business, like the Vredehoek Community if you service the Cape Town City Bowl.

People here often share problems they’re having with their homes and are looking for referrals to service providers, so this is a great chance for you to join the conversation.

Like the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Use photos and videos on social media to show off the work you've finished. Share photos that compare how things looked before and after your work, point out what makes your work special, and tell short stories about your successful projects.

Photos and videos work really well on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, giving you a chance to show lots of people how good you are at what you do.

Check out this example from

BrightServ’s Director Dean Cane

, a ServCraft customer, that shows the results of a concealed cistern installation.

Make your brand feel more human and friendly by talking about your employees and thanking loyal customers or trusted suppliers.

Celebrate when your team members have been working with you for a long time, on their birthdays, or when they achieve something.

Also, say thanks to customers who have stuck with your trade business.

Doing these personal things helps make your brand look good and makes people feel like they're part of a community around your brand.

Check out this post from

BrightServ’s Director Dean Cane

, a ServCraft customer, where they share why they like installing and maintaining products from Geberit, one of their suppliers.

Adding funny content to your social media can help you connect with people.

Share jokes and funny pictures related to your trade, like memes or amusing stories, that fit with the South African sense of humour.

But make sure your humour is professional and family-friendly so that you don't accidentally upset your customers.

Check out this fun post from ServCraft customer

Alligator Plumbing

wishing their followers a Happy New Year using a light-hearted photo related to their business.

Share a mix of your own posts and ones from sources you trust.

Stay updated on news about your trade, fixing homes, and other things related to South Africa.

Sharing helpful articles doesn't just show that you know a lot, but it also gives your followers useful info.

South African homeowners often appreciate practical solutions.

Make videos showing simple plumbing fixes that homeowners can do by themselves. It could be fixing a leaky faucet or unclogging a drain.

These videos not only show that you know a lot about your trade but also keep people interested and involved.

Check out this informative video shared by ServCraft customer

Alligator Plumbing

about how to lag copper pipes like a pro.

Get more people involved by having fun contests on social media about your trade. Ask your followers to join in guessing games, trivia, or challenges about your trade.

Contests not only get people talking but also give you a chance to give back to your audience, like maybe offering discounts on your services or plumbing stuff.

For example, you could have a contest where followers guess the most common trade problem in South African homes, and the winner gets a free service from you.

Ask your customers to write about their experiences with your business on social media, especially on places like Facebook.

Good reviews are like thank-you notes and can make others want to be your customers too. Quickly say thanks when you get a good review and handle any worries people might have professionally.

Doing this helps keep your online reputation positive.

Check out our article on how to get reviews for your trade business for more info.

To make social media work for your trade business, it's important to use the right approach. By trying out these 10 ideas, you can not only talk to more people online but also build strong connections with the people in your area.

Doing this will help your business be more visible online and grow in a South African trade market where most of your competitors aren’t doing this.

For an overview of how you can use other areas of digital marketing besides social media to grow your business, check out our

basics of digital marketing for tradespeople

article.