Where to Advertise a Trade Business in Sussex: Free and Paid Options Compared

Stop looking for one magic website.

There is no single advertising platform that will fill every Sussex trade business’s diary, build its reputation, improve its local visibility and produce profitable work forever.

The strongest local trade businesses normally use several channels together.

A homeowner might:

1. See the company van in Worthing.
2. Notice a TradeKind leaflet at home.
3. Ask for recommendations in a local Facebook group.
4. Search the company name on Google.
5. Open its TradeKind profile.
6. Look through its work photographs and services.
7. Visit its website.
8. Send a request.
9. Arrange a quotation.
10. Recommend the business to somebody else.

That is how local trade marketing often works.

One channel creates awareness. Another supplies reassurance. Another creates the contact.

The important question is therefore not only where to advertise a trade business in Sussex.

It is:

Which advertising channels should perform which jobs within your Sussex trade marketing strategy?

For most independent tradespeople, the best starting point is TradeKind.

An approved TradeKind business currently receives a complete Sussex trade profile, services, photographs, FAQs, reviews, coverage areas, a website link, Team and Partner-trade information, private homeowner requests and exposure through regular TradeKind leaflet drops across Sussex.

There is currently no setup fee, subscription, commission or ordinary enquiry charge.

Create your free Sussex trade profile.

The best places to advertise a trade business in Sussex

The main free and paid advertising options for Sussex tradespeople include:

1. TradeKind
2. Google Business Profile
3. The business’s own website
4. Local Facebook groups
5. Facebook and Instagram Pages
6. Nextdoor
7. Friday-Ad
8. Yell
9. Sussex business directories
10. Gumtree
11. Bark
12. Checkatrade
13. MyBuilder
14. Rated People
15. TrustATrader
16. Local magazine advertising
17. Leaflet and door-drop campaigns
18. Van graphics and site boards
19. Customer recommendations
20. Partnerships with other local trades

Not every business needs all 20.

The right mix depends on:

• The type of work
• Average job value
• Current workload
• Working area
• Marketing budget
• Speed of response
• Existing reputation
• Whether the business wants leads now or visibility over time

Sussex trade advertising comparison chart

Advertising channel	Typical cost	Main strength	Main limitation	Best use
TradeKind	Currently free	Complete Sussex trade profile plus direct requests and leaflet promotion	Newer platform still growing its audience	Core Sussex trade profile
Google Business Profile	Free	Visibility on Google Search and Maps	Competitive and subject to Google’s systems	Essential local search presence
Business website	Hosting and build costs	Full ownership and detailed service pages	Requires maintenance and promotion	Long-term brand and search asset
Local Facebook groups	Usually free	Recommendations and immediate local conversations	Posts disappear and rules vary	Community discovery
Facebook Page	Free, with optional ads	Updates, photographs and social proof	Organic reach can be inconsistent	Business personality and activity
Nextdoor Business Page	Free, with optional ads	Neighbourhood recommendations and local posts	Audience activity varies by area	Hyper-local awareness
Friday-Ad	Free in most categories; paid boosts available	Established classified audience with Sussex roots	Adverts compete in busy listings	Specific services and availability
Yell	Free listing; paid marketing available	Established business directory and reviews	Paid products can become costly	Additional directory presence
Sussex directories	Free or paid	Local citation and town-specific visibility	Features and audiences vary widely	Supporting local listings
Gumtree	Paid and package-based options	Large local marketplace audience	Adverts are temporary and competitive	Short-term service promotion
Bark	Pay to contact through credits	Access to active customer requests	Paying does not guarantee winning the job	Selective paid lead generation
Checkatrade	Paid membership options	Major consumer brand and existing audience	Recurring cost and commitment	Established paid trade presence
MyBuilder	Pay when customer details are shared	Homeowners have already posted jobs	Contact charge does not guarantee the work	Filling diary gaps
Rated People	Subscription, credit or plan-based	Access to posted homeowner work	Credit rules and lead costs require tracking	Active job pursuit
TrustATrader	Paid annual membership	Vetting, directory exposure and reviews	Annual commitment and undisclosed standard pricing	Established reputation-led presence
Local magazines	From small directory adverts to larger display bookings	Physical household distribution	Repeated cost and booking commitments	Targeted town exposure
Own leaflet campaign	Design, printing and distribution	Full control over service, area and timing	Cost, delivery work and difficult attribution	Seasonal or highly targeted campaigns
Van signage	One-off design and fitting cost	Continuous local visibility while working	Limited information and measurement	Awareness and neighbourhood work
Customer referrals	Usually free	High trust and strong conversion potential	Difficult to scale predictably	Best long-term source of work
Partner trades	Usually relationship-based	Warm referrals from trusted professionals	Depends on genuine relationships	Relevant project referrals

Start with the free Sussex trade advertising channels

A new trade business does not need to spend heavily before it has built the basics.

The first objective should be to create a professional and consistent online presence.

The best free advertising options for Sussex tradespeople are:

• TradeKind
• Google Business Profile
• Facebook Page
• Relevant local Facebook groups
• Nextdoor Business Page
• Friday-Ad
• Yell
• Selected Sussex business directories
• Customer recommendations
• Partner-trade referrals

These channels still require time.

Free advertising does not mean effortless advertising.

Profiles need to be completed. Photographs need to be selected. Reviews need to be requested honestly. Enquiries need to be answered. Business details need to remain accurate.

1. TradeKind: the best free starting point for Sussex tradespeople

TradeKind is built specifically for trades operating across East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton & Hove.

It is not a generic UK directory that happens to include Sussex.

The entire platform is organised around:

• Sussex trades
• Sussex towns
• Local homeowner requests
• Trade-specific services
• Local working relationships
• Public business profiles
• Trade and town search pages

An approved TradeKind profile can include:

• Business name and description
• Logo
• Cover image
• Work-gallery photographs
• Individual services
• Sussex towns and areas covered
• Frequently asked questions
• Reviews
• Business website link
• Team members
• Independent Partner trades
• Private Request This Trade contact
• A shareable public profile link

TradeKind currently charges:

• No setup fee
• No monthly subscription
• No annual membership fee
• No commission
• No ordinary homeowner request fee

Approved TradeKind members also benefit from regular TradeKind leaflet drops across Sussex at no extra charge.

That means TradeKind combines:

• Free online advertising for Sussex tradespeople
• Local trade-profile visibility
• Search and AI-ready business information
• Direct homeowner requests
• Offline print promotion
• A route back to the business’s own website

Few free trade advertising options provide that complete combination.

TradeKind is still new and cannot guarantee enquiries, rankings or immediate results.

Its strongest value is that a Sussex business can establish the profile now, give it time to develop and use it across every other advertising channel.

2. Google Business Profile: essential for local trade searches

A verified Google Business Profile is one of the most important free assets for an eligible local trade business.

Google allows qualifying businesses to create and manage profiles on Search and Maps at no charge.

For tradespeople who visit customers at their properties, a profile can help show:

• Business name
• Trade category
• Service area
• Telephone number
• Website
• Opening hours
• Photographs
• Customer reviews
• Updates

A homeowner may search phrases such as:

• Plumber near me
• Roofer in Worthing
• Electrician Eastbourne
• Painter and decorator Brighton
• Builder near Crawley
• Garden maintenance Horsham

Google Business Profile can help the business appear in relevant map and local results.

However, creating the profile does not guarantee a top position.

Local visibility may be influenced by:

• Relevance
• Distance
• Prominence
• Competition
• Reviews
• Profile completeness
• Website quality
• Search context

TradeKind should work alongside Google Business Profile.

Google helps the customer discover the company through Search and Maps.

TradeKind gives them another Sussex-specific profile where they can examine services, photographs, FAQs, coverage, reviews, Fleet information and a private request route.

3. Build a business website you control

Third-party platforms can change:

• Prices
• Rules
• Algorithms
• Profile features
• Visibility
• Contact routes
• Membership terms

The company website remains the central asset the business controls.

A useful trade website should include:

• Homepage
• About page
• Individual service pages
• Locations covered
• Work gallery
• Reviews
• Contact page
• Frequently asked questions
• Insurance and qualification information where appropriate
• Clear quotation process

For stronger Sussex trade SEO, avoid placing every service and town on one thin page.

Create genuinely useful pages where the business has enough experience and information to justify them.

Examples include:

• Roof repairs in Worthing
• Interior decorating in Brighton
• Boiler servicing in Eastbourne
• House rewiring in Crawley
• Garden landscaping in Horsham
• Bathroom fitting in Hastings

A TradeKind profile can link directly to the business website.

That makes TradeKind particularly valuable for tradespeople who want another local route towards an asset they own.

4. Local Facebook groups: powerful recommendations, temporary visibility

Local Facebook groups can be excellent for finding trade work in Sussex.

Homeowners regularly ask:

• Can anyone recommend a local roofer?
• Who is a reliable plumber near me?
• Does anyone know a decorator in Worthing?
• Can somebody recommend a builder around Eastbourne?
• Who does small electrical jobs in Brighton?
• Is there a gardener available in Horsham?

These posts can generate immediate and trusted recommendations.

The weaknesses are:

• Group rules vary
• Some groups prohibit business advertising
• Some do not allow Pages to participate
• Recommendation posts move down the feed
• Private-group content is restricted to members
• Repetitive promotion can be treated as spam
• The business does not control visibility

The best Facebook-group strategy is not to copy the same advert everywhere.

Reply only when the job and area are relevant.

Then give the homeowner somewhere useful to check the business.

A TradeKind profile is ideal for that purpose.

Instead of posting only a telephone number, share the profile containing services, photographs, reviews, FAQs, coverage areas and the private request button.

Read the full comparison:

TradeKind vs Local Facebook Groups: Which Works Better for Sussex Tradespeople?

5. Facebook and Instagram business pages

A Facebook Page or Instagram account can give the business personality.

They are useful for posting:

• Recent projects
• Before-and-after photographs
• Team updates
• Availability
• Local community activity
• Seasonal advice
• Short videos
• Customer feedback
• Business announcements

Social pages are especially useful for visual trades such as:

• Painting and decorating
• Landscaping
• Roofing
• Carpentry
• Kitchens and bathrooms
• Tiling
• Plastering
• Driveways
• Property renovation

The limitation is structure.

A potential customer may need to scroll through months of posts to understand the business.

Use social media for activity and conversation.

Use TradeKind and the company website for permanent organised information.

6. Nextdoor: neighbourhood advertising and recommendations

Nextdoor is built around neighbourhood communities.

Businesses can currently create a free Business Page, collect recommendations, add photographs, receive messages and publish free local posts.

That makes Nextdoor relevant for trades that rely on neighbourhood work.

Examples include:

• Window cleaners
• Gardeners
• Decorators
• Handymen
• Plumbers
• Electricians
• Roofers
• Fencing contractors
• Property-maintenance businesses

A good Nextdoor post should be locally specific.

Weak:

Builder available. All work undertaken. Message me.

Stronger:

We have availability for small brickwork and garden-wall repairs around Lancing, Shoreham and Worthing this month. Recent examples and our full service details are available on our TradeKind profile.

Nextdoor can create neighbourhood awareness.

TradeKind can provide the fuller profile behind that awareness.

7. Friday-Ad: free classified advertising with Sussex roots

Friday-Ad remains especially relevant to Sussex.

Business advertisers can currently place free adverts in most categories and receive a free business profile. Optional upgrades begin from a low weekly price.

Friday-Ad can be useful for promoting:

• A particular service
• Immediate availability
• Seasonal work
• A limited local area
• A short-term offer
• A newly launched service

Examples of effective advert titles include:

• Painter and decorator covering Worthing and Shoreham
• Roof repairs in Eastbourne and Hailsham
• Garden maintenance around Horsham
• Bathroom fitting in Crawley
• Local handyman in Hastings

A Friday-Ad advert is more time-sensitive and promotional.

A TradeKind profile is more complete and permanent.

The two work well together.

Read:

TradeKind vs Friday-Ad: Where Should Sussex Tradespeople Advertise?

8. Yell: a free directory listing with paid upgrades

Yell currently offers a free business listing that can include business information, photographs, reviews and contact options.

That makes it worth claiming as a supporting local citation and discovery route.

Yell also sells managed advertising, SEO and lead-generation services.

A Sussex trade should separate the free listing from the paid products.

The free profile may be worth maintaining because it provides:

• Another accurate business mention
• A recognised directory page
• Customer reviews
• Photographs
• Additional contact opportunities

Paid Yell services should be judged separately.

Before purchasing, ask:

• What is the monthly cost?
• Is there a minimum term?
• Which services are included?
• What counts as a lead?
• What happens if lead targets are missed?
• Does the business keep any website or content created?
• How is performance reported?
• What happens after cancellation?

Do not assume that a paid digital-marketing package is worthwhile simply because the free directory profile is useful.

9. Sussex business directories

Sussex contains a mixture of:

• County directories
• Town directories
• Community websites
• Chamber directories
• Local-service directories
• Approved-trader schemes

A free directory entry may provide:

• Business name
• Trade category
• Town
• Telephone number
• Email
• Website link
• Short description

A paid listing may add:

• Better placement
• Photographs
• Longer description
• Social-media promotion
• Additional categories
• Dedicated landing page

These listings can support the wider local presence.

However, a basic directory entry is not equivalent to a complete TradeKind profile.

TradeKind gives the business a much stronger page containing services, areas, FAQs, reviews, photographs, Fleet information, website link and direct requests.

Read the complete comparison:

TradeKind vs Sussex Business Directories: What Does a Trade Listing Actually Give You?

10. Gumtree: local service adverts

Gumtree provides classified advertising for service businesses.

Its current service-advertising page promotes pay-as-you-go adverts from £8.99 including VAT, depending on service and location, with listings remaining live for a stated period.

Gumtree may suit tradespeople who want to advertise:

• Immediate availability
• Small jobs
• Property maintenance
• Handyman services
• Garden work
• Decorating
• Clearances
• Repairs
• Cleaning
• Moving services

The business should use a specific advert rather than a vague company introduction.

Include:

• Exact service
• Main location
• Real photographs
• Relevant experience
• Clear contact route
• TradeKind profile or company website where permitted

Gumtree is best treated as a campaign channel.

TradeKind should remain the fuller permanent profile.

11. Bark: pay to contact selected customers

Bark sends businesses potential customer opportunities.

Businesses can view leads, then use purchased credits to contact the customers they want to pursue.

The credit cost can vary according to:

• Service
• Estimated job value
• Local supply and demand
• Opportunity type

Bark does not charge a commission on completed work under its normal seller model.

However, paying to contact a customer does not guarantee:

• A reply
• A quotation
• A booking
• A profitable job

Bark may be worth testing when:

• The business needs more work
• Average job values are high
• The trade responds quickly
• Opportunities are selected carefully
• Every lead is tracked
• The business has a fixed testing budget

Calculate:

Total Bark credit spend ÷ completed jobs = acquisition cost per completed job

Then compare that figure with gross profit.

TradeKind carries less financial risk because ordinary homeowner requests currently create no lead fee.

12. National trade platforms

The major national platforms can provide existing homeowner audiences, recognisable brands and active job opportunities.

They also involve different costs and commercial models.

Checkatrade

Checkatrade provides an established national brand, checked membership, reviews and paid products designed to support visibility and work generation.

Read:

TradeKind vs Checkatrade: Which Is Better for Sussex Tradespeople?

MyBuilder

MyBuilder allows tradespeople to express interest in posted homeowner jobs. A shortlist fee becomes payable when the homeowner’s contact details are shared.

Read:

TradeKind vs MyBuilder: Which Is Better for Finding Work in Sussex?

Rated People

Rated People provides paid access to homeowner job opportunities through membership, lead-credit and qualifying plan structures.

Read:

TradeKind vs Rated People: Which Is Better for Sussex Trades?

TrustATrader

TrustATrader offers paid annual membership, vetting, area-limited directory exposure, reviews and customer-enquiry routes.

Read:

TradeKind vs TrustATrader: Which Platform Suits Sussex Tradespeople?

For the full national-platform comparison, read:

TradeKind vs Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People and TrustATrader Compared

13. Local magazine advertising in Sussex

Community magazines can place a trade advert directly inside local homes.

Sussex Local currently publishes several editions across West Sussex and offers classified directory boxes and display advertising.

Its published directory advertising starts from around £10 plus VAT per month per edition with a longer direct-debit commitment, or £11 plus VAT with a shorter minimum booking.

Local magazine advertising can work well when:

• The business targets one area
• The publication has reliable distribution
• The advert appears repeatedly
• The service has broad household demand
• The job value supports the cost

Potential disadvantages include:

• Minimum booking periods
• Separate charges for each edition
• Limited advert space
• Artwork restrictions
• Difficulty tracking responses
• Payment before results are known

TradeKind members already benefit from regular TradeKind leaflet drops across Sussex at no extra charge.

That makes TradeKind the logical free foundation before purchasing separate print space.

14. Your own leaflet campaign

A targeted leaflet campaign gives the business more control than shared print advertising.

The company chooses:

• Streets
• Postcodes
• Towns
• Delivery dates
• Service
• Offer
• Branding
• Quantity
• Call to action

Leaflet campaigns are particularly useful for:

• Exterior decorating
• Roofing repairs
• Gutter clearing
• Garden maintenance
• Window cleaning
• Driveway services
• Fencing
• Property maintenance
• Seasonal work

A strong leaflet should include:

• One main service
• One clear local area
• One strong photograph
• Business name
• Website or TradeKind profile
• QR code
• Simple next step

Do not try to fit the entire business onto one flyer.

Let the leaflet create awareness.

Let the TradeKind profile explain the business.

Read:

TradeKind vs Local Print Advertising: Online Profile or Door-to-Door Reach?

15. Van graphics and site boards

A trade vehicle is moving advertising space.

Clear van graphics can show:

• Business name
• Main trade
• Telephone number
• Website
• Service area
• TradeKind profile or QR code

Avoid overcrowding the design.

A homeowner should be able to understand the business while the van is moving or parked nearby.

Site boards can also create valuable neighbour enquiries.

A homeowner seeing a loft conversion, exterior decoration or roofing project nearby may already trust that the business is working locally.

Always obtain permission before placing signs on a customer’s property.

16. Customer referrals

Recommendations remain one of the strongest sources of trade work.

A satisfied customer can provide:

• High trust
• Relevant local context
• Lower acquisition cost
• Better conversion
• Repeat work
• Neighbour referrals

Do not leave referrals entirely to chance.

After completing good work:

• Thank the customer
• Provide the business details
• Share the TradeKind profile
• Explain where genuine reviews can be left
• Ask whether they are happy to recommend the business

Avoid pressuring customers or writing exaggerated reviews for them.

The best referral system makes accurate recommendation easy.

17. Partner-trade referrals

Other tradespeople can become a major source of work.

A decorator may receive referrals from:

• Plasterers
• Builders
• Carpenters
• Letting agents
• Roofers

A plumber may receive referrals from:

• Bathroom fitters
• Builders
• Electricians
• Property managers
• Kitchen installers

TradeKind’s Fleet feature supports these real local relationships.

A profile can show:

• Team members working inside the business
• Independent approved Partner trades
• Local working relationships

This helps homeowners understand the wider network behind a project.

It also gives Sussex trades another reason to recommend one another through a structured local platform.

The best advertising mix for a new Sussex trade business

A new business with a limited budget should start with this stack:

First month

1. Create a complete TradeKind profile.
2. Claim and verify Google Business Profile.
3. Create a simple business website.
4. Create a Facebook Page.
5. Claim a Nextdoor Business Page.
6. Create a free Yell listing.
7. Place a focused Friday-Ad advert.
8. Join a small number of relevant local Facebook groups.
9. Ask genuine customers for reviews.
10. Photograph every suitable completed project.

Months two and three

1. Improve weak profile sections.
2. Add individual service pages to the website.
3. Add accurate Sussex service areas.
4. Build Partner-trade relationships.
5. Track every enquiry source.
6. Test one paid channel only if more work is needed.
7. Stop any paid test that cannot be measured.

Do not buy five paid lead platforms simultaneously.

You will not know which one produced the work.

The best advertising mix for an established Sussex trade

An established business may not need more lead volume.

Its priority may be:

• Stronger local visibility
• Higher-value projects
• Better geographic targeting
• Improved reputation
• Reduced reliance on one platform
• A more professional customer journey

A suitable stack might include:

• TradeKind
• Google Business Profile
• Strong company website
• Customer referral process
• Local Facebook visibility
• Partner-trade network
• Selective print advertising
• One paid lead platform during quiet periods

TradeKind remains valuable even when the diary is full because the profile can continue building the company’s Sussex presence without creating a recurring membership bill.

Where should a plumber advertise in Sussex?

A Sussex plumbing business should prioritise:

1. TradeKind
2. Google Business Profile
3. Company website
4. Local Facebook groups
5. Nextdoor
6. Partner referrals from builders and bathroom fitters
7. Friday-Ad
8. Selective paid lead platforms

For searches such as plumber in East Sussex, plumbing jobs in West Sussex, emergency plumber near Brighton, or local plumber in Worthing, the business needs consistent service and location information across its website, Google profile and TradeKind profile.

Where should a roofer advertise in Sussex?

A Sussex roofing company should prioritise:

1. TradeKind
2. Google Business Profile
3. Roofing service pages
4. Work photographs
5. Local Facebook recommendations
6. Neighbour-focused leaflets
7. Site boards and van graphics
8. Selective national trade platforms

Roofing is highly visual.

Use genuine photographs of:

• Roof repairs
• Flat roofing
• Chimney work
• Guttering
• Re-roofing
• Storm damage

TradeKind allows the roofer to combine those images with services, coverage areas, FAQs, reviews and direct requests.

Where should a painter and decorator advertise in Sussex?

A painter and decorator should use:

1. TradeKind
2. Google Business Profile
3. Visual website portfolio
4. Facebook and Instagram
5. Friday-Ad
6. Local Facebook groups
7. Leaflets during seasonal availability
8. Property-manager and letting-agent relationships

Useful long-tail service descriptions include:

• Interior painter and decorator in Worthing
• Exterior decorating in Brighton and Hove
• Wallpaper hanging in Eastbourne
• Rental-property decorating in Crawley
• Commercial decorator in West Sussex

A complete TradeKind profile allows these services to be explained without turning every social post into a long advert.

Where should an electrician advertise in Sussex?

An electrician should prioritise:

1. TradeKind
2. Google Business Profile
3. Company website
4. Local recommendations
5. Partner referrals
6. Nextdoor
7. Relevant paid trade platforms
8. Property-management contacts

The profile should clearly separate services such as:

• Fault finding
• Consumer-unit work
• Rewiring
• Lighting
• EV chargers
• Alarms
• CCTV
• Landlord electrical work

Qualifications and scheme memberships should be stated accurately.

TradeKind approval should not be presented as electrical accreditation.

Where should a builder advertise in Sussex?

Builders generally need fewer but higher-value enquiries.

Prioritise:

1. TradeKind
2. Detailed business website
3. Google Business Profile
4. Project galleries
5. Customer recommendations
6. Architect and designer relationships
7. Partner trades
8. Site boards
9. Carefully selected paid platforms

A builder should explain individual services rather than relying on “general building”.

Examples include:

• Extensions
• Garage conversions
• Structural alterations
• Brickwork
• Refurbishments
• Property repairs
• Patios
• Renovations

TradeKind’s Fleet feature is particularly relevant because larger projects frequently involve several businesses and Team members.

How to advertise a trade business in East Sussex

For East Sussex trade advertising, combine county-wide profiles with town-specific relevance.

Important areas may include:

• Eastbourne
• Hastings
• Bexhill-on-Sea
• Lewes
• Hailsham
• Seaford
• Polegate
• Uckfield
• Newhaven
• Rye

The business should not select every East Sussex town unless it genuinely covers them.

A clear service area improves:

• Customer expectations
• Travel efficiency
• Local relevance
• Enquiry quality

TradeKind allows approved businesses to select the East Sussex areas they serve.

How to advertise a trade business in West Sussex

For West Sussex trade advertising, relevant areas may include:

• Worthing
• Crawley
• Horsham
• Chichester
• Haywards Heath
• Burgess Hill
• Shoreham-by-Sea
• Lancing
• Littlehampton
• Bognor Regis
• East Grinstead
• Steyning

A West Sussex business should combine:

• TradeKind
• Google Business Profile
• Local website pages
• Facebook recommendations
• Community print where useful
• Neighbour-focused campaigns

TradeKind’s Sussex-wide structure lets the business show a base town while selecting the wider towns it genuinely covers.

How to advertise a trade business in Brighton and Hove

Brighton and Hove is highly competitive.

A business needs clarity rather than generic claims.

The profile should explain:

• Exact services
• Property types
• Working area
• Parking or access considerations where relevant
• Availability
• Work examples
• Qualifications
• Quotation process

Useful long-tail phrases may include:

• Painter and decorator in Brighton and Hove
• Electrician covering Brighton flats
• Roofer in Hove
• Bathroom fitter in Brighton
• Carpenter in Portslade
• Property maintenance in Brighton

TradeKind includes Brighton & Hove within its Sussex coverage and allows trades to show the specific services and areas they cover.

Free advertising versus paid trade leads

Free advertising usually asks for more time.

Paid lead platforms usually ask for more money.

Neither guarantees success.

Free advertising may require:

• Profile completion
• Content creation
• Review collection
• Community participation
• Search development
• Consistent updates

Paid lead generation may require:

• Subscription fees
• Lead credits
• Contact charges
• Fast responses
• Quotation time
• Careful tracking
• Acceptance of unsuccessful opportunities

A strong business should not reject paid advertising automatically.

It should earn the right to spend by measuring the free foundation first.

When should a Sussex trade pay for advertising?

Consider paid advertising when:

• The diary has genuine gaps
• The business can answer quickly
• Average job values support acquisition costs
• Free profiles are complete
• The website is ready
• Reviews and photographs are strong
• A testing budget exists
• Results can be tracked

Avoid paid advertising when:

• The business is already fully booked
• Nobody can answer enquiries
• The profile looks unfinished
• The working area is unclear
• Job profitability is unknown
• The contract has not been read
• The business is buying from fear or sales pressure

How much should a trade business spend on advertising?

There is no universal percentage.

The correct budget depends on:

• Revenue
• Gross profit
• Capacity
• Job value
• Repeat-customer rate
• Seasonality
• Business stage
• Growth goals

Use a controlled test budget.

Track:

• Advertising spend
• Enquiries
• Suitable enquiries
• Quotations
• Jobs won
• Revenue
• Gross profit
• Repeat work
• Referrals

The key calculation is:

Total channel cost ÷ completed jobs = acquisition cost per completed job

Then ask:

Did the gross profit from those jobs justify the cost, time and risk?

Do not measure advertising by clicks, views or notifications alone

A Facebook post can receive 100 likes and no work.

A leaflet can produce one enquiry worth £10,000.

A paid lead platform can send 20 opportunities that never become jobs.

A TradeKind profile may be discovered through Google months after it was created.

Measure:

• Relevant enquiries
• Conversations
• Site visits
• Quotations
• Jobs won
• Gross profit
• Repeat customers
• Referrals
• Geographic fit
• Type of work

The purpose of trade advertising is not to create activity.

It is to produce suitable, profitable work and a stronger business reputation.

The recommended Sussex trade advertising stack

For most Sussex tradespeople, the recommended order is:

Foundation

1. TradeKind
2. Google Business Profile
3. Business website
4. Genuine reviews

Community visibility

5. Local Facebook groups
6. Facebook Page
7. Nextdoor
8. Partner trades

Additional free listings

9. Friday-Ad
10. Yell
11. Relevant Sussex directories

Offline visibility

12. TradeKind leaflet promotion
13. Van graphics
14. Site boards
15. Own leaflets where useful
16. Local magazines where justified

Paid lead generation

17. Bark
18. Gumtree promotions
19. Checkatrade
20. MyBuilder
21. Rated People
22. TrustATrader

This order is deliberate.

Build the free foundation first.

Add paid channels only when the business has capacity and can measure the outcome.

Why TradeKind should sit at the centre

TradeKind connects many of the other channels.

A TradeKind profile can be shared through:

• Google-linked website content
• Facebook groups
• Facebook Page
• Instagram bio
• Nextdoor posts
• Friday-Ad adverts
• Yell profile
• Sussex directory listings
• Gumtree adverts
• Leaflets
• Van QR codes
• Email signatures
• WhatsApp
• Quotations
• Customer recommendations

The profile gives every external mention a useful destination.

It tells the homeowner:

• Who the business is
• What it does
• Where it works
• What its work looks like
• What customers ask
• What reviews say
• Who is behind the company
• Which Sussex trades it works with
• Where the company website is
• How to send a request

That is why TradeKind should not be treated as one more optional listing.

For a Sussex trade business, it should become part of the core marketing infrastructure.

The verdict: where should a Sussex trade advertise?

The strongest Sussex trade advertising plan is not built around one expensive platform.

It is built in layers.

Start with the assets that remain useful whether the diary is quiet or full:

• TradeKind
• Google Business Profile
• Company website
• Reviews
• Customer referrals

Then add the channels that create active local attention:

• Facebook groups
• Nextdoor
• Friday-Ad
• Local directories
• Social pages
• Partner-trade recommendations

Add paid advertising only when the business genuinely needs additional work:

• Gumtree campaigns
• Bark
• Checkatrade
• MyBuilder
• Rated People
• TrustATrader
• Local magazine adverts
• Individual leaflet campaigns

TradeKind is the best place to begin because it combines a full Sussex trade profile, direct homeowner requests, website support, structured service information, local coverage, Fleet relationships and regular Sussex leaflet promotion without a current setup fee, subscription, commission or ordinary lead charge.

It will not guarantee work.

It does give the business an unusually strong free foundation.

Create the TradeKind profile first. Make it the page every recommendation, advert, leaflet and social post points towards. Then spend money only where the results justify it.

Create your free Sussex trade profile.

Explore the complete TradeKind comparison series

• TradeKind vs Checkatrade: Which Is Better for Sussex Tradespeople?
• TradeKind vs MyBuilder: Which Is Better for Finding Work in Sussex?
• TradeKind vs Rated People: Which Is Better for Sussex Trades?
• TradeKind vs TrustATrader: Which Platform Suits Sussex Tradespeople?
• TradeKind vs Friday-Ad: Where Should Sussex Tradespeople Advertise?
• TradeKind vs Local Facebook Groups: Which Works Better for Sussex Tradespeople?
• TradeKind vs Sussex Business Directories: What Does a Trade Listing Actually Give You?
• TradeKind vs Local Print Advertising: Online Profile or Door-to-Door Reach?
• TradeKind vs Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People and TrustATrader Compared

Sources and information date

This guide was checked on 25 July 2026 using current information from:

• TradeKind: Free Sussex Trade Profiles
• Google Business Profile Help
• Nextdoor Business Pages
• Friday-Ad Advert Costs
• Yell Free Business Profiles
• Bark Pricing for Professionals
• Gumtree Services Advertising
• Sussex Local Advertising
• Official platform sources used within the detailed TradeKind comparison articles linked above

Prices, products, features, algorithms and membership terms can change. Confirm current information before purchasing advertising. TradeKind is independent and is not affiliated with the third-party platforms discussed.