What videos should a tradesman post on social media?
Post videos that show finished work and how you work. Five simple formats cover almost every trade, and none of them need you to talk to camera unless you want to.
| Format | What to film | Works well for |
|---|---|---|
| Before and after | The same view before you start and when you finish | Landscapers, painters, driveway and roofing firms |
| Time-lapse | A phone on a tripod running through the job | Fencing, clearances, kitchen installs |
| Walkthrough | A slow walk around the finished job | Bathrooms, kitchens, extensions, lofts |
| Quick FAQ | You answering one common question in under a minute | Electricians, plumbers, heating engineers |
| Customer review | A happy customer saying a few words, with permission | Any trade |
A good mix might be one before-and-after and one other format each week. Consistency matters more than polish.
How do you film before and after videos on your phone?
Film both clips from exactly the same spot, at the same height, in vertical format. That’s what makes the change jump out when you put them side by side.
- Wipe the lens. Dust and grease are the main reason site videos look soft.
- Hold the phone upright for vertical 9:16 video.
- Pick a spot you can find again, such as a gatepost or doorway, and take a photo of where you stood.
- Record 10 to 15 seconds of steady footage, moving slowly or not at all.
- Film with the light behind you, not shining into the lens.
- Come back to the same spot when the job is done and repeat the shot.
- Ask the customer before filming, and keep house numbers, car number plates and faces out of shot.
For example, a fencing contractor in Coventry could film a broken panel run on day one, then the new fence from the same gatepost on day three. Two clips, under a minute of filming, and you have a reel.
No time to edit your site videos?
Send us your raw phone clips and we’ll turn them into reels, Shorts and profile videos for your trade.
How do you edit job clips into a reel?
Keep editing simple: trim the clips, put them in order, add captions and a clear last frame. A free app like CapCut or the editor inside Instagram is enough to start.
- Cut the dead time at the start and end of every clip.
- Add on-screen text saying what the job was and where, such as “New patio, Brighton”.
- Add captions, as many people watch with the sound off.
- End with your business name and how to get in touch.
- Export without another app’s logo or watermark on the video.
Length and originality matter on Instagram. Its Reels feature page says reels over 3 minutes won’t be recommended to new audiences. Instagram’s creator tips on reach also say reels with noticeable watermarks are less likely to be recommended. Most trade reels work best far shorter than the limit, often under a minute.
Where should you post each video?
Post the same edited video in several places. One clean vertical file can go almost everywhere with only small changes.
- Instagram and Facebook: post as a reel. These are also the videos you can use in Facebook ads for tradesmen.
- YouTube Shorts: YouTube says Shorts can be up to three minutes long with a square or vertical aspect ratio.
- TikTok: upload the same file, without a watermark from another platform.
- Google Business Profile: Google says profile videos can be up to 30 seconds, up to 75 MB and 720p or higher. Trim a short version for this.
- Your website: add your best clips to service pages and your portfolio.
Videos on your Google profile help people choose you from the map. Our Google Maps business listing guide covers the rest of your profile. A website with real job videos also gives people more reason to trust you before they call.
Is TikTok worth it for tradesmen?
It can be, if you’re happy to post often and enjoy it. TikTok can show videos to people who don’t follow you, but you can’t easily control whether they live near you.
That makes it better for building a name than for filling next week’s diary. A roofer who posts satisfying ridge tile jobs might get big views from all over the UK, which builds trust but doesn’t always bring local jobs. The good news is you don’t have to choose. If you’re already making reels, posting the same video to TikTok costs you a minute. Judge it after a few months by enquiries, not views.
When is it worth paying someone to edit your videos?
Pay for editing when filming is easy for you but editing keeps slipping to the bottom of the list. Most trades can film on site; finding an hour each evening to edit is the hard part.
A simple set-up works well: you film short clips at each job and drop them in a shared folder, and an editor turns them into finished reels each week. Our video editing service does exactly that, and our social media marketing team can post them for you. We work with trades across the UK, including Brighton.
FAQs
What videos should a tradesman post on social media?
Before-and-after clips, time-lapses of a job, slow walkthroughs of finished work, short answers to common customer questions, and customer reviews filmed with permission. Before-and-after videos are the easiest place to start for most trades.
How do I film before and after videos on my phone?
Clean the lens, hold the phone upright and film 10 to 15 seconds from a spot you can find again, such as a gatepost. When the job is finished, stand in exactly the same place and film again. Keep faces, house numbers and number plates out of shot.
Is TikTok worth it for tradesmen?
It can help build your name, but views often come from outside your area. If you already make reels for Instagram, uploading the same video to TikTok takes little extra time. Judge it on enquiries after a few months.
Can I add videos to my Google Business Profile?
Yes. Google says Business Profile videos can be up to 30 seconds long, up to 75 MB and 720p or higher. Trim a short version of your best job video and upload it alongside your photos.
How long should a reel be for a trade business?
Instagram won’t recommend reels over 3 minutes to new audiences, and YouTube Shorts can be up to three minutes. For most trade videos, under a minute works well because it shows the job and the result without padding.
