How to Get More Painting & Decorating Customers in 2026

If you're a painter or decorator waiting for the phone to ring, you already know the frustration. Some weeks you're turning down work, other weeks it's dead quiet. The feast-or-famine cycle is real — but it doesn't have to be.

The painters and decorators who stay consistently busy in 2026 aren't just better at the job. They're better at being found. Here's how to make that happen.

1. Get Your Google Business Profile Sorted

When a homeowner searches "painter near me" or "decorator in [your town]," Google shows a map with three local businesses. If you're not one of them, you're invisible.

Your Google Business Profile is free, and it's the most important thing you can set up:

• Complete every section — services, service area, business hours, business description
• Choose the right categories — "Painter" as primary, then "Decorator," "House painter," or "Commercial painter" as secondary
• Add photos regularly — completed rooms, feature walls, exterior transformations. Google rewards profiles that get regular photo uploads
• Post updates — share a completed project every week or two. It takes five minutes and signals to Google that your business is active

A fully optimised profile with plenty of photos dramatically increases your chances of appearing in that top-three map pack.

2. Collect Reviews With Before-and-After Photos

Reviews are the number one trust signal for homeowners choosing a painter. But for painters and decorators, there's an extra trick: transformation photos.

A review that says "Great job, very tidy" is good. A review that says "Great job, very tidy" with a photo showing a dated lounge transformed into a beautifully finished space is ten times more powerful.

How to get more reviews:

• Ask at the end of every job — "If you're pleased with the finish, a Google review with a photo would be a massive help"
• Text them a direct link to your Google review page that same evening while the paint is still drying and they're admiring the result
• Respond to every review — thank positive reviewers, address any negatives calmly and professionally
• Make it routine — every single job should end with a review request. No exceptions

3. Build a Website With a Strong Gallery

Painting and decorating is all about the visual result. Customers want to see what you can do before they pick up the phone. A website gives you the space to show them properly.

Your website needs:

• A before-and-after gallery — organised by room type or project (kitchens, bedrooms, exteriors, wallpapering, feature walls)
• Clear service descriptions — interior painting, exterior painting, wallpapering, decorating, commercial painting. Don't assume people know you do everything
• Your service area — "Covering Birmingham, Solihull, and the West Midlands" tells Google and customers exactly where you work
• Contact details everywhere — phone number visible on every page, plus a simple enquiry form

A hand-coded painter website built with SEO in mind loads faster, ranks better, and looks more professional than a template builder site. For a visual trade like painting, presentation matters — your website should reflect the quality of your finish.

4. Optimise Your Checkatrade Profile

If you're already paying for Checkatrade, make sure it's working as hard as possible:

• Add a link to your website — it boosts credibility and gives customers a reason to click through
• Upload your best transformation photos — aim for 20+ images showing different types of work
• List your services specifically — "Interior house painting," "Exterior painting and weatherproofing," "Wallpaper hanging," "Feature wall specialist"
• Respond to every review — keeps your profile active and professional

Checkatrade works best as part of a wider strategy. Pair it with your own website for maximum impact.

5. Focus on Local SEO

Local SEO gets your website showing up when people in your area search for painting and decorating services. Here's how:

• Create location pages — "Painter in Solihull," "Decorator in Edgbaston," "House painter in Sutton Coldfield." Each targets a different area you cover
• Target the right search terms — "painter near me," "decorator near me," "house painter [town]," "wallpaper hanger [area]"
• Get listed in directories — Yell, Thomson Local, FreeIndex, Bark. Keep your name, address, and phone number identical everywhere
• Write helpful blog posts — "How to choose the right paint finish for your kitchen" or "Wallpaper vs paint: which is better for feature walls?" Each post targets a search term and shows your expertise

The more content you create targeting local searches, the more Google understands what you do and where.

6. Use Social Media to Show Transformations

Painting and decorating gets brilliant engagement on social media because the transformations are so dramatic. A dated, dingy room turned into something beautiful — people love seeing that.

What to post:

• Before-and-after photos — side by side comparisons. These get shared, saved, and commented on more than any other type of content
• Time-lapse videos — set up your phone to film a feature wall going from bare plaster to finished. These perform incredibly well on Instagram and TikTok
• Colour inspiration posts — "This is Farrow & Ball Hague Blue and it completely transformed this living room." Homeowners eat this up
• Tips and advice — "How to prep walls before painting" or "Why you should never skip primer." It positions you as the expert

Where to post:

• Instagram — perfect for visual work. Use local hashtags and post three to five times a week
• Facebook — join local community groups. When someone asks for a painter recommendation, you want your name in the conversation
• TikTok — transformation videos can go viral. Even one popular video can fill your diary for months

7. Run Google Ads for Quick Wins

If you want leads now rather than waiting for SEO to build, Google Ads puts you at the top of search results immediately.

For painters and decorators:

• Target high-intent keywords — "painter near me," "house painter quotes," "decorator for hire"
• Set a geographic radius — only pay for clicks from people within your service area
• Send traffic to your website — a proper painter website with a gallery and contact form converts ad traffic far better than a Checkatrade profile where competitors are one click away

The cost per click varies by area, but a single interior painting job typically pays for weeks of ad spend.

8. Referrals and Offline Marketing

Digital marketing is powerful, but don't neglect the basics:

• Leave business cards at every job — on the kitchen counter, in the hall
• Branded van signage — your van is a mobile billboard. Make sure it has your name, trade, phone number, and website. Keep it clean — a filthy van doesn't inspire confidence in your paintwork
• Door-to-door leaflets — when you're working on a street, drop leaflets to the neighbours. "We're painting at number 42 this week — fancy a free quote?"
• Referral incentives — offer existing customers £25 off their next job for every referral
• Follow up after completion — a quick text a week later asking if they're happy keeps you front of mind

The Bottom Line

Getting more painting and decorating customers comes down to being visible and being impressive. Your work speaks for itself — you just need to make sure people can see it.

A strong Google Business Profile, plenty of reviews with photos, a website with a stunning gallery, active social media, and good local SEO will keep your diary full. The painters who invest in their online presence don't have quiet weeks.

Axel

Full-stack developer specializing in Shopify and Django. Building automated e-commerce solutions.