Social media for Corpus Christi contractors

When an AC quits in August or a roof starts leaking after a storm, people grab their phone. They search, ask in a neighborhood group, or check the page of a company a friend mentioned. Your social media won't replace word of mouth, but it's often where people go to check you out before they call. The goal isn't to go viral. It's to look real, local, licensed where that applies, and easy to reach.

1. Get the basics right first

• Google Business Profile. Correct phone, hours, service area, and the services you actually offer. If you work out of a truck instead of a storefront, set it up as a service-area business rather than listing a home address.
• Same name and number everywhere. Your trucks, your Facebook page, your Google listing, and your invoices should all match.
• Reply to reviews, calmly and briefly, including the unhappy ones. Never offer discounts or freebies in exchange for reviews; that's against Google's rules.

2. Know the advertising rules for your trade

This one matters, and a lot of social posts get it wrong. Texas has specific rules about license numbers in advertising for some trades:

• AC and refrigeration: TDLR rules (16 TAC §75.71) say advertising meant to bring in AC or refrigeration business must include the company's affiliated license number, with a few listed exceptions.
• Plumbing: Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners rules (22 TAC §367.10) say ads meant to bring in plumbing business must show the Responsible Master Plumber's license number, regardless of the type of media, with a few listed exceptions.
• Roofing: Texas doesn't have a statewide roofing contractor license, but cities can have their own registration and permit rules. Check the city's rules for the areas you work in.

Simple habit: put your license number in your page bio and on every promotional graphic. Read the current rule for your trade yourself, or ask your licensing board, because rules change. This isn't legal advice.

3. Post what builds trust

• Before and after. A clean before/after photo of a real job is the most convincing post a contractor can make. Get the homeowner's OK, and leave out house numbers and street signs.
• Your crew and your trucks. People are letting you onto their roof or into their home. Faces and names help.
• Short explainers. "What that noise from your outdoor unit might mean," "how to shut off your water in an emergency," "what to look for on your roof after a storm (from the ground)." Helpful posts get shared.
• Seasonal reminders. AC tune-ups before summer, a heating check before the first cold front, a gutter or roof check before storm season.
• Honest scheduling updates. "Booked through Thursday, emergency calls still answered" sets expectations and shows you're busy.

4. Plan around storm season

NOAA's Atlantic hurricane season officially runs June 1 to November 30, and the Coastal Bend is in the path. That shapes what people need from you:

• Before: prep posts in late spring, like roof checks, securing outdoor AC units, and knowing where your water shutoff is.
• During a storm threat: keep it short and useful. Post your hours, how to reach you, and when you'll be back out. Don't use a storm to sell.
• After: explain how scheduling works, what to photograph for an insurance claim, and how to spot a legitimate contractor. Being calm and clear is what people remember.

For storm information, point people to official sources like the National Hurricane Center and local emergency management, not to your own page.

5. A routine that fits a busy week

• Take two or three photos on every job: before, during, after. It takes a minute while you're there anyway.
• Post two or three times a week: one job photo, one helpful tip, one team or truck post.
• Mention the neighborhoods you serve (Flour Bluff, Calallen, Southside, Padre Island, Portland, Robstown) so people see you work near them.
• Answer messages the same day. In this business, a slow reply usually means the job went to someone else.

6. When to get help

Most contractors I talk to have the photos on their phone and no time to post them. That's what Padre Post Co. does: you text me job photos, I write and schedule the posts (license number included), and you approve everything before it goes live. I'm local, based in Flour Bluff, and I focus on Corpus Christi and Coastal Bend businesses.

Right now I'm taking on my first 3 local clients at a founding rate. See the Founding Client offer and pricing, or browse the spec sample posts, including a fictional roofing company.

More local guides: Restaurant social media guide · Salon & barber social media guide