What’s Actually Working for Marketing in 2026? 🚜📈
Trying to figure out what actually works for marketing a small service business in 2026 feels like throwing darts blindfolded sometimes. 😅 Facebook boosts? Marketplace? Reels? Before & after photos? Community groups? Google Business? Word of mouth? Door hangers? I run a veteran-owned rural property management company in New Brunswick, Canada, and I’m curious what’s genuinely bringing people, real customers lately — not just likes and views. For the people actually getting calls and booked jobs: • What’s been your most successful marketing approach? • What gives the best ROI for a small budget? • What completely flopped for you? • Are you finding people respond more to personality/branding or straight-up service ads and pricing? Would love to hear real experiences from other small business owners and operators. 🚜🔥
Does your website focus on SEO keywords or a compelling hero message?
Hi all, I'm curious to hear from other business owners about the copy on their website. Are you strictly focused on having headers and titles on your webpages that are SEO strong/that relate to what people would be searching? For example, "Best plumber in Miami" Or are do you use hero messages about what you're actually solving / the outcome / trust For example, "Plumbing problems are stressful. We make fixing them easy." Has anyone A/B tested headlines like these? Which are more successful? My website is set up like the first bullet point, but I feel like I should lean more into the hero messages. Thoughts? Thanks in advance! Sarah
How to market a well known product for a not-so-well-known use?
We have a ceramic coating company and we are branching into Home Services, a relatively untapped market, but ceramic coating has been so well known for vehicles we're trying to change the popular opinion that it's actually fantastic for home care as well. Windows, pool glass, shower glass -- it performs SO WELL! How can we showcase this?
What are the best marketing strategies beyond Thumbtack and Yelp?
Good day everyone, I am looking for feedback on better marketing ideas for my HVACR company. I tried the useless thumbtack, and am using Yelp with Google currently but not getting much for results on closures. Any suggestions would be welcomed.Google Ads vs LSA — how is everyone actually using these?
Here's where I'm at: I run both Google Ads and Local Services Ads (LSA) for my business. On paper, that sounds like I've got it figured out. In practice, it feels a bit like throwing money at two different machines and hoping one of them spits out jobs. I don't always know which one a new customer came from, and I'm honestly not confident my settings on either are dialed in the way they should be. Obviously the LSA is something I pay for on an individual basis. I just feel like I never get any jobs out of these. Does this hurt me to kill these ads all together? Then google ads I have no idea. I feel like I get a lot of leads from google in general but I don't know how much of that is my website vs the ads. How do you guys approach these?Building My Cultural High Tea / High Coffee Business — What Lead Tactics Work Best
Hi everyone, I’m Desiree — I’m currently building Desire Treats, a mobile High Tea & High Coffee fusion service inspired by African, Caribbean, and Latin culture. I’m based in Edmonton and still in the early stages, but a recent win for me was finalizing my Passport Menu and getting my mobile setup ready for private events and office bookings, with plans to expand into yacht‑style experiences and warm‑climate markets in the future. One thing that really shaped my business direction is my Passport Menu concept — offering destination‑inspired desserts paired with curated tea and coffee flights. Customers can explore different cultural flavors and collect digital stamps to unlock rewards. I’ll be expanding the Passport Menu with dishes as the business grows, and I’m also exploring partnerships with existing commercial kitchens to help me get started operationally. Long‑term, my goal is to take Desire Treats into Florida and eventually expand across warmer countries like Mexico, Central America, and South America, where cultural fusion and outdoor experiences thrive. As I prepare to launch, I’d love to learn from others here: What lead tactics have brought you the highest‑quality clients for mobile or event‑based services (including higher‑end markets like corporate events or yachts)? Referrals, partnerships, ads, community groups, or something else? I’m also shaping my business model to stay accessible. Long‑term, I want to create options that support people facing financial barriers while still maintaining consistent pricing and a sustainable service. My goal is to build a business that grows while helping others grow too. Appreciate any insights as I get ready to roll things out.
