Marketing · Tradies · Leads
Lead Generation for Tradies, Every Channel by Cost per Job
Executive Summary
Key takeaways: what you'll get from this guide
- Six lead channels ranked for New Zealand tradies, with typical cost per booked job, not vague "brand awareness"
- Which channels you own (referrals, Google Business Profile, website) vs rent (marketplaces, ads)
- The default stack most tradies should run before paying for shared leads
- When Builderscrack-style platforms make sense, and when they bleed money (full maths in the dedicated guide)
- A simple rule to keep acquisition under 20% of average job value
Lead generation for tradies means every way a paying customer finds you and books work: mates, Google Maps, your website, paid marketplaces, social posts, and ads. The question is not "which one magic channel?" It is which mix fits your trade, suburbs, and margins, and what each booked job actually costs once you add subscriptions, lead fees, and your time.
This guide is the channel map. It does not replace the deep dives on is Builderscrack worth it, Google Business Profile setup, or what to put on your website. It tells you where to start, what to add next, and how to compare apples with apples using cost per booked job. If you would rather have the whole stack done for you, see our marketing for tradies service.
A few numbers that frame the decision:
93% of consumers search online for local businesses at least weekly 1.
More than half of people under 35 use a search engine first to find a tradie 2.
Referral-only pipelines can look healthy until one builder goes quiet; channel diversity is insurance, not disloyalty to mates 3.
How Should You Compare Lead Channels?
Use one metric: cost per booked job = (everything you spent on that channel in a month) ÷ (jobs you actually won from it).
Include:
- Subscriptions and per-lead fees
- Ad spend
- Your time at a rough hourly rate if the channel eats hours (DIY social, chasing bad leads)
Then ask: is that number under 20% of your average job value? Under 20% is a workable band for most trades. Over 20% and you are buying busy, not profit, unless the job is strategic (new suburb, new service line).
Also ask who owns the asset:
| Own it | Rent it |
|---|---|
| Referrals and reputation | Builderscrack / NoCowboys / Trade Me leads |
| Google Business Profile (you control the listing) | Google Ads (stop paying, traffic drops) |
| Website on your domain | Facebook page reach (algorithm decides) |
Action: Pick your top two channels for the next 90 days. Measure cost per booked job monthly. Add a third only when the maths works.
Channel Comparison at a Glance
Typical planning bands for 2026 New Zealand. Confirm fees before you sign; marketplaces vary by trade, city, and tier.
| Channel | Typical monthly cost | Typical cost per booked job* | You own it? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Referrals / word of mouth | NZ$0 cash (relationship time) | Lowest when pipeline is strong | Yes | Everyone; foundation |
| Google Business Profile | NZ$0 | Low once listing is complete | Mostly** | "Near me" and name searches |
| Owned website + local SEO | NZ$0–NZ$59/mo optional maintenance | Low over 12+ months (build amortised) | Yes | Trades that want Google beyond mates |
| Lead marketplaces | ~NZ$200–NZ$600/mo + ~NZ$25–NZ$80 per lead | ~NZ$167–NZ$375+ per booked job at typical conversion | No | Gap filling, high job values |
| Facebook / Instagram organic | NZ$0–your time | Unpredictable | Partial | Brand, community, referrals |
| Facebook / Instagram ads | NZ$300–NZ$1,500+/mo typical tests | Varies widely | No | Retargeting, offers, when creative is strong |
| Google Ads | NZ$500–NZ$3,000+/mo competitive trades | Varies; often NZ$80–NZ$200+ per lead before you win the job | No | When site + listing convert and you can fund tests |
*Booked job = customer who paid you, not just a quote request. Marketplace maths assumes roughly 1 win per 3–5 leads unless you are exceptional on speed and sales.
**Google hosts the listing; you control the content, reviews, and photos.
For Builderscrack-only break-even tables, see is Builderscrack worth it for tradies. Do not duplicate those tables here.
Referrals and Word of Mouth
Still the highest-trust work for most New Zealand tradies. No platform fee. The "cost" is relationship maintenance: showing up on time, leaving sites clean, asking for Google reviews after referral jobs so strangers see proof.
When it is enough: one strong referrer keeps you booked, one suburb, moderate competition. See when word of mouth is not enough.
When to add channels: going solo (first customers guide), multi-suburb expansion, or hiring and needing a second pipeline.
Action: After every good job, ask for a Google review and a referral. Referrals feed your online proof loop.
Google Business Profile
Free listing on Maps and local search. Captures people who heard your name and people searching "[trade] near me." Non-negotiable even when referrals are strong.
Setup walkthrough: Google Business Profile guide. Ranking playbook: Google Maps top 3.
Cost per booked job: hard to isolate because it works with reviews and your website, but cash cost is NZ$0 and time is a one-off setup plus weekly photos and review replies.
Action: Complete every service, 10+ photos, registration, accurate hours. Verify the listing this week if you have not.
Owned Website and Local SEO
Your website is the asset you control: click-to-call, service pages, suburb pages, reviews, structured data. It turns Google searches into calls 24/7 and backs up your Google Business Profile.
Upfront: tradie-focused builds typically NZ$999–NZ$2,999 at Made 4 Tradies (pricing). Ongoing: optional NZ$59/month maintenance or DIY with Tina at /admin. See what NZ$59/month maintenance covers.
Cost per booked job: spread the build over 12–24 months in your head. A NZ$1,399 multi-service build that wins two extra NZ$800 jobs a year is already ahead of many marketplace months.
Page map before you build: what to put on a tradie website. Quality bar: what a good tradie website looks like. SEO timing: how long SEO takes for tradies.
Action: Match site scope to how you actually quote (single page vs page per service vs suburbs). Do not buy suburb spam pages you will not maintain.
Lead Marketplaces (Builderscrack, NoCowboys, Trade Me)
Paid platforms match homeowners to tradies. You pay subscription plus per-lead fees. Leads are often shared with competitors. Speed to call wins.
Builderscrack is New Zealand's main tradie job marketplace: homeowners post a job free, tradies "chase" the leads they want and pay via subscription or per-lead plans.
NoCowboys is a review and ratings directory, useful for reputation and discovery even where it is not the primary lead-generation engine.
Trade Me (Trades & Services, under Trade Me Jobs) is worth a look for some trades, though it sits in the jobs vertical rather than being a dedicated homeowner-hires-tradie marketplace.
Same bucket: rented demand. Useful when the diary has gaps and your average job value supports ~NZ$250+ cost per booked job at typical conversion. Painful for low-ticket work unless you close fast.
Directory context (free vs paid listings): top NZ directories for tradies.
Action: Run marketplace spend alongside Google Business Profile and your site, not instead. Test 90 days, track cost per booked job, kill it if maths fails.
Facebook and Instagram
Many tradies get referral reinforcement from a Facebook page: job photos, community groups, mates tagging you. Organic reach is unpredictable; the platform owns the audience.
Paid social can work for offers, retargeting site visitors, or promoting a strong before/after reel. Budget NZ$300–NZ$1,500+/month is a common test band; cost per booked job varies by creative, offer, and trade.
Action: Post real job photos weekly if your customers use Facebook. Do not rely on a Facebook page as your only "website." See do tradies really need a website in 2026.
Google Ads
Search ads put you at the top of Google for chosen keywords. You pay per click. Works best when:
- You have a fast mobile landing page with click-to-call
- You know your margins and can fund NZ$500–NZ$3,000+/month tests in competitive categories
- Someone monitors search terms and negative keywords (wasted spend adds up fast)
Neutral on who runs ads for you: agency, specialist, or in-house. The landing experience matters more than the button colour.
Action: Only add ads after Google Business Profile and a converting site are live. Sending paid traffic to a weak page burns cash.
What Stack Should Most Tradies Run?
Default order:
- Referrals + reviews (behaviour, not a platform)
- Google Business Profile (free, Maps visibility)
- Owned mobile-first website (conversion + SEO foundation)
- Marketplaces or ads only when steps 1–3 are working and the maths clears your 20% rule
Going out on your own? Start with first customers in 90 days. Visibility gaps? Why local customers cannot find you.
Owned leads start with the right site
- Single Page$1,099
one page, conversion sections, Call + Get a quote
- Multi-Page$2,199$1,899Founding Offer
Home, About, Reviews, Contact + page per service
- Multi-Page + Extras$3,299
above + ~10 suburb pages + Google Business Profile optimisation
Maintenance: optional $50/month for edits on existing pages (what maintenance covers)
A 20-minute call and a plan for more leads. No sales pitch.
Not Sure Which Channels Fit Your Trade?
Tell us your trade, average job value, and suburbs. We will recommend a stack without selling you channels you do not need.
- Book a call with Made 4 Tradies: straight channel advice for your situation.
- Free website audit: see if your site converts before you spend on ads or marketplaces.
- Free Google Business Profile audit: Maps visibility, reviews, photos. PDF in 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best lead source for tradies?
Referrals plus a complete Google Business Profile plus an owned website beat any single paid channel for most trades long term. Marketplaces and ads can fill gaps when cost per booked job stays under roughly 20% of average job value.
How much does Builderscrack cost per job?
Planning bands are roughly NZ$200–NZ$600 per month subscription plus NZ$25–NZ$80 per lead, often landing around NZ$167–NZ$375 cost per booked job at typical conversion. Confirm your category and region with the platform. Full maths: is Builderscrack worth it for tradies.
Is Google Ads worth it for tradies?
It can be when you have a fast landing page, known margins, and budget to test and optimise. It is rarely step one. Google Business Profile and an owned site come first.
Do tradies need Facebook for leads?
Helpful for social proof and community visibility, not a substitute for a website or Google listing. Treat it as support, not your only online presence.
What is cost per booked job?
Total channel spend in a month divided by jobs you actually won from that channel. Include subscriptions, lead fees, ad spend, and reasonable value for your time.
Should I use NoCowboys or Trade Me instead of Builderscrack?
Different models: Builderscrack is a job marketplace with shared leads and subscription plus per-lead fees, NoCowboys is mainly a reviews and ratings directory, and Trade Me sits in the jobs vertical. Compare cost per booked job in your trade; do not assume one brand is cheaper without checking your own region.
How long until my website generates leads?
Google Business Profile can send calls within weeks. Organic website SEO usually takes months. See how long SEO takes for tradies.
Can Made 4 Tradies help me choose channels?
Yes. We build the owned-asset stack (site, Google alignment, conversion layout) and advise honestly on marketplaces and ads. Book a call or start with a free audit.
References:
- [1] BrightLocal: Local Consumer Review Survey
- [2] Think with Google: local search behaviour
- [3] Made 4 Tradies: when word of mouth is not enough
Published by Made 4 Tradies. Kiwi-owned, run by a Hawke's Bay local. Serving Hawke's Bay, Hastings, Napier, and nationwide.
Talk To A Real Person
Want us to look at your site and tell you straight?
Book a quick call and we'll tell you what's working, what's costing you calls, and what to fix first. No pitch, no obligation.
A straight read on your website from people who build them for tradies every day.
Book a quick call →Prefer it in writing? Free website audit →