Locksmith Advertising: 17 Online & Offline Tactics

Why Do Locksmith Businesses Need Advertising?

Locksmith businesses need advertising to reach a broader audience and grow their business and customer base. 

But how does advertising help locksmiths achieve this more specifically?

Here’s how:

• Increases visibility: Locksmith businesses that exist in the online world are more visible to a broad range of potential customers.  

If people are unaware of your local locksmith services because they can’t find you where they are searching the most (online), how are you going to reach them?

• Builds trust: Both online and offline advertising showcase your expertise and reliability. When you consistently post ads, you reinforce your business reputation and build credibility. 

• Helps you stay competitive: You need to stand out from the crowd, and ads can help you differentiate your services. 

However, to fully reap these benefits, you need to use the right advertising types for your locksmith business. 

What Types of Advertising Do Locksmith Businesses Use?

The following advertising types help local locksmith businesses like yours connect with new customers, increase brand awareness, and boost revenue:

• Digital advertising: As the name suggests, this type of advertising happens in the digital world. It includes methods like Google Ads, social media ads, and search engine optimization (SEO). 

These digital advertising strategies target customers searching for locksmith services online. 

For example, if you use Google Ads, your services can appear when people search on Google for keywords like “locksmith near me.”

With social media advertising, you can target specific demographics, like age, location, or interests, to ensure you reach the right audience. 

In today’s highly digital world, you have to meet people where they spend most of their time: online. 

• Print advertising: The more traditional method of advertising is through printed ads, like flyers, business cards, or banners. 

Your competitors are very likely to use digital marketing since everybody does so nowadays, but they might not use print ads. 

Print advertising gives you a good chance to stand out and create lasting impressions. 

• Car advertising: This form of advertising transforms your car into a mobile billboard. By placing your business name, logo, and contact information on your company car, you expose your business constantly as you drive around. 

• Event advertising: If you like participating in local events or trade shows related to your business, you can leverage event advertising. 

For example, setting up a booth at a home improvement exposition can help you engage directly with potential customers. You can also hand out promotional materials at these events to build brand recognition. 

Next, we’ll look at the most popular advertising method: online advertising. 

How Can I Advertise My Locksmith Business Online?

To advertise your locksmith business online, you need the right platform and strategies. 

Below, we explore seven advertising types that can be a good fit for locksmith businesses. Here’s a quick overview:

Now, let’s look at each type in detail. 

1. Google Ads

One of the most popular online advertising platforms is Google Ads. When locksmith businesses advertise their services on Google, these ads appear on Google’s search engine results pages. 

A great benefit of Google Ads is that it targets customers actively searching for locksmith services. 

Unlike social media ads, for example, Google Ads appear to people who need your services immediately, translating into a higher chance of conversions. 

With ServiceTitan’s Home Services Marketing Software, you can maximize your Google Ads by tracking ROI for each campaign. 

The Marketing Scorecard ranks campaigns by revenue so you can see which ads generate the most profit. 

The heat map feature shows where your ads are most effective to help you allocate your budget efficiently.

ServiceTitan’s marketing software also creates unique, trackable phone numbers for each ad and tracks the revenue generated in real time.

2. Local Services Ads

This is a type of advertising offered by Google that makes it easy for service providers to connect directly with customers in their area. 

Google Local Services Ads typically charge on a per-lead basis, which means you only pay when a customer contacts you through the ad.

However, Google also offers a bidding option that allows you to set a limit on what you pay for your ad to appear. This can help control costs and adjust your spending based on competition and demand. 

Like Google Ads, local search ads target local customers who need services immediately and they appear at the top of search results. 

ServiceTitan’s Local Services Ads integrates instant booking features directly from Google Search. 

When customers search for locksmith services, they can book a job immediately through Google, with bookings populating directly into ServiceTitan.

This seamless integration improves the customer experience by offering one-click booking convenience. 

ServiceTitan also tracks ROI and measures the marketing performance of each Local Services Ads campaign, so you know what’s working and what’s not. 

3. Social media ads

You might think locksmith businesses have no place on social media platforms because those places are solely for memes and entertainment.

Not so. 

With more than half of the world now using social media (62.6 percent), it’s definitely somewhere you want your locksmith business to be. 

Social media advertising on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn can effectively reach potential clients, boost brand awareness, and strengthen your online presence. 

Social media ads allow you to target specific audiences based on age, location, interests, and behaviors. Highly targeted campaigns generate better leads, bringing you quality locksmith leads who actually need your services. 

Some examples of social media ads are:

• Facebook Ads: Advertise on Facebook to reach local businesses or homeowners needing locksmith services. Advertising content can include images, videos, and carousel ads showcasing your services, like emergency lockout solutions or new lock installations. 

• Instagram Ads: Visual ads work best on Instagram to attract potential customers. Stories ads can also engage users with time-sensitive offers or behind-the-scenes content. 

4. Advertorials

Advertorials are advertisements presented as editorial content. By blending seamlessly with regular articles, they give readers valuable information while subtly promoting a business. 

This type of online marketing is more about positioning yourself as an expert in the field and offering helpful advice that resonates with readers. 

For example, you can build trust and authority while also advertising your services with the following approaches:

• Online local newspapers and magazines: Write articles about home security tips or the benefits of high-security locks, subtly mentioning your relevant services.

• Blog and online news sites: Publish articles on popular local websites about common locksmith issues and how your services can solve them. 

5. Video ads

In the competitive locksmith industry, video ads allow you to differentiate your services from competitors. 

They are highly engaging and help you promote your business in a visual storytelling way. 

Examples of video ads are:

• YouTube Ads: You can create tutorials on how to maintain locks and quick videos on what to do in a lockout situation and present your services as one solution. 

• Facebook and Instagram video ads: Do you have a new service or deal you want to promote? Add them to video ads on Facebook and Instagram to reach the right audience 

6. Banner ads

Another visual online advertising method is a banner ad. This display ad is typically placed on a prominent web page to draw visitors’ attention. 

For example, Google banner ads are image-based ads that can appear on the 35 million apps and websites on Google Display Network. 

These ads have advanced targeting capabilities, like audience affinities, in-market segments, and custom-intent keywords. 

Banner ads bring more online visibility and traffic to the company’s locksmith website and keep your services top of mind. 

7. Email advertising

Eighty-eight percent of people use email every day. 

Like social media, email inboxes are another place where locksmith businesses should be. 

You can reach a targeted audience through email advertising with tailored messages that engage customers and drive more job bookings. 

Even better, you can easily automate your email campaigns and let the system do the work for you. 

With ServiceTitan’s Marketing Pro – Email, for example, you can elevate your email marketing campaigns with the following features:

• Automated campaigns: In ServiceTitan, you can set up automated email campaigns that follow up with customers without manual intervention. With just a few clicks, you can save much time and effort. 

• Audience builder: With ServiceTitan, you can create hyper-targeted audiences based on customer data like unsold estimates or expiring memberships.

• A/B testing: This feature lets you test different email versions to see which performs better. You can optimize your email content by comparing open rates and conversion rates.

• Email templates: ServiceTitan offers customizable email templates to speed up email campaign creation.

• Email sequence builder: This tool helps you build a series of emails that are sent automatically based on customer actions or time intervals.

These are the basic things you should know about online locksmith advertising. Prioritize Local Services Ads and Google Ads to reach clients actively looking for locksmith services in your area. 

Now, let’s move to offline advertising methods.

How Can I Advertise My Locksmith Business Offline?

Although online business advertising is very popular today, there is still much to be gained from offline methods. 

We’re going to show you how to advertise your locksmith business offline with the following traditional marketing methods:

1. Flyers

The first offline advertising tactic on our list is distributing flyers. 

Flyers are a cost-effective way to advertise your locksmith business, and you can choose where to distribute them. 

Flyers typically include your business name, contact information, services offered, and special promotions. 

The best way to catch people’s attention with flyers is to invest in high-quality designs with bold headlines and appealing visuals. 

Where to distribute them? You can post flyers on bulletin boards at community centers or send them directly to homes in your service area. 

2. Business cards

Business cards date back to 15th-century China when they were called “Visiting Cards.”

Today, they still serve as a compact, professional introduction to businesses in various industries. 

Due to their small, portable nature, they can be easily distributed and typically include the business's name, logo, contact information, and brief description of services. 

3. Events and trade shows

Participating in events and trade shows is an opportunity for a locksmith contractor or small business owner to showcase services, network, and build industry connections. 

Events and trade shows are organized gatherings where businesses display their products and services to attendees. 

You can leverage this offline advertising method by creating booth setups with your locksmith services. You can also take it a step further and offer live demonstrations of your services, such as lock picking, installation, or security assessments. 

4. Car wrap advertising

This offline advertising method uses vinyl decals to cover parts of your car with text and images related to your locksmith business. 

Car wrap advertising promotes your business wherever you go and reaches a broad audience. You’ll enhance local visibility and brand recognition while performing everyday tasks and jobs. 

5. Radio ads

Another offline way of advertising your locksmith business is to create audio ads that are broadcast on local radio stations. 

Radio ads are short, usually 30- to 60-second audio clips that promote products or services. 

Use catchy jingles, clear messages, and calls to action to make them engaging. 

Radio ads can help locksmith businesses reach a broad audience, including people who may not be active online. 

6. Television ads

These video advertisements, broadcast on local or national TV channels, reach a broad audience and boost brand awareness. 

TV ads, however, are quite expensive, with prices reaching as much as $30,000 for a 30-second nationwide slot during peak hours. 

7. Outdoor banners

Whether they’re advertising special promotions or highlighting key services, outdoor banners are a powerful way to increase local visibility. 

These offline ads are large, eye-catching banners usually displayed in high-traffic outdoor locations, such as busy streets, intersections, or in front of your business. 

8. Branded merchandise

These are everyday items branded with your business details, which you can give away as promotional locksmith tools. 

Branded merchandise aims to keep your locksmith business at the forefront of customers’ minds. Customers are reminded of your services whenever they use the item (e.g., pen, keychain, t-shirt, or mug). 

This exposure to your brand increases the likelihood of referrals and repeat business. 

9. Direct mail

Direct mail involves sending physical marketing materials like postcards, brochures, or letters to potential customers’ homes or businesses. 

However, creating and selecting the right audience to send them to might take time. 

Fortunately, a tool like ServiceTitan can streamline these steps. More exactly, through its Direct Mail feature, ServiceTitan lets you:

• Automate direct mail campaigns to existing customers and prospects.

• Create targeted postcard campaigns quickly using Direct Mail Templates.

• Build hyper-targeted mailing lists based on customer data with Audience Builder.

10. Stickers

Customers, partners, and the general public can place these stickers on their laptops, vehicles, or notebooks. They serve as a constant reminder of your business whenever someone sees them.

Another benefit is that stickers are a low-cost way to keep your brand in front of potential customers. 

Now that you have learned the most common online and offline marketing tactics for your locksmith business, you might feel overwhelmed. 

Where to start? Which method to pick? 

Don’t worry. Below, we share some tips to help you choose the right offline or digital marketing strategy for your business.

How Do I Choose How to Advertise my Locksmith Business?

Choosing how you advertise your business is a business decision based on many factors. 

However, there are some general tips to keep in mind that we think might help you make the right decision:

• Research your competitors: To gain inspiration and insight into what type of advertising might work best for your business, look at what competitors do. What platforms do they use? What types of ads do they run? 

You can understand what works well in your industry by researching your competitors. 

• Go where your audience is: You want to be wherever your target audience spends their time. 

Are they more likely to be on social media or listening to local radio? Which platforms do they spend most of their time on? 

That’s where you need to target your locksmith marketing efforts to maximize your reach and engagement. 

• Access your budget: Some types of advertising cost more than others, so you need to determine how much you can spend on advertising. 

With a budget in place, it’s much easier to pick your advertising methods. 

• Consult a marketing agency: If you’re unsure where to start and can afford it, get help from a marketing company. 

This will be an upfront investment, but with expert marketing services, you can ensure the best return on your investment.

Considering these questions and marketing strategies, equips you to choose the advertising methods that will most benefit your locksmith business. 

Over to You

Although, as a locksmith professional, you’re not a marketing specialist, these insights are enough to get you started. 

Whether you choose online or offline advertising, the most important thing is to do what feels right for your business. 

Consider taking a trusted partner like ServiceTitan along on your journey, to streamline and maximize your advertising efforts. 

ServiceTitan is cloud-based software that helps locksmith companies automate their daily operations, deliver quality customer service, and grow their business. The world's top locksmith service contractors use ServiceTitan's tools to succeed.