Good painters and decorators are always in demand — but demand doesn't help if customers can't find you. If you're relying on word of mouth alone, you're missing out on a steady stream of people already searching for a decorator in your area. Here's how to reach them.
Why Are Some Painters and Decorators Always Booked Up?
The decorators who stay fully booked aren't necessarily more talented — they're just easier to find. When someone needs their living room painted or their house redecorated, they search Google. The first three results in Google Maps get the majority of calls. If you're not one of them, someone else is picking up your work.
Word of mouth is brilliant, but it's unreliable. You might get four referrals one month and nothing the next. The decorators who never go quiet have built an online presence that brings in enquiries consistently, topping up the gaps between recommendations.
Most painters and decorators have done almost nothing online. That's actually good news for you — it means the bar is low, and a small effort puts you well ahead of the competition.
How Do I Get Found on Google as a Painter and Decorator?
Set up a Google Business Profile — it's free — and complete every single section. This is the listing that appears in Google Maps when someone searches "painter and decorator near me."
Claim your profile at business.google.com. Use your real business name, add your phone number, service areas, and working hours. Pick "Painter" as your primary category and add "Decorator" as a secondary. Google uses these categories to decide when to show your listing.
Add a proper description mentioning the types of work you do — interior painting, exterior painting, wallpapering, feature walls, commercial decorating — and the areas you cover. Upload photos of your finished work. Clean, well-lit shots of freshly painted rooms and neat cut-in lines show people the quality of your work before they even call. Our guide on showing up on Google Maps for free walks through this step by step.
Do Google Reviews Really Make a Difference for Decorators?
Absolutely — reviews are the single biggest factor in whether someone calls you or scrolls past. A decorator with 30 genuine reviews looks established and trustworthy. One with no reviews looks risky, no matter how good they are.
Ask for a review after every job. The perfect moment is when you've just finished and the room looks fantastic. Send a text with a direct link to your Google review page: "Thanks for having me in — if you've got a minute, a quick Google review would really help." Most customers are happy to leave one when it's easy.
Reviews do more than build trust — they directly affect where you appear in search results. Google ranks businesses with more recent, positive reviews higher in Maps. So every review you collect is making it more likely the next customer finds you first. There's a reason Google reviews beat Checkatrade for long-term lead generation.
Do I Need a Website as a Painter and Decorator?
A simple website converts browsers into callers. Your Google Business Profile gets you noticed, but many homeowners want to see more about you before they commit to ringing. A website gives them that extra confidence.
Focus on what matters: a gallery of completed work, a clear list of services, your phone number at the top of every page, and a way to request a quote. Before and after photos of transformations — tired rooms turned fresh, dated wallpaper replaced with modern finishes — are incredibly persuasive.
Make sure it works on mobile. Most people searching for a decorator are on their phone, probably standing in the room they want redecorated. If your site is slow or clunky on a small screen, they'll leave and call the next result. If you're not sure whether you need one, this post covers why every trade business needs a website.
Should I Pay for Leads on Checkatrade or MyBuilder?
Lead platforms can bring in work, but you're sharing every lead with multiple decorators and paying regardless of whether you win the job. They're a useful supplement, not a strategy.
The bigger issue is that everything you build on those platforms — your reviews, your reputation, your profile — belongs to them. Walk away and it all disappears. Compare that to your Google profile and website, which you own permanently and which get stronger over time.
Invest in your own online presence first. A painter with 50 Google reviews and a clean website with project photos will attract more work than someone paying hundreds a month for shared leads on a platform.
How Can Photos Help Me Get More Decorating Work?
For painters and decorators, photos are your best sales tool. Clean lines, smooth finishes, and fresh colour schemes speak louder than any advert. People want to see what their home could look like — show them.
Take photos of every completed job. Shoot in natural daylight, tidy the room first, and capture the details that show your skill — neat coving, crisp edges around windows, smooth feature walls. Before and after shots are particularly powerful because they show the transformation.
Post these to your Google Business Profile, your website, and social media. Each one reaches different people. But prioritise Google — that's where serious buyers are actively searching. Social media builds awareness over time, but Google catches people at the exact moment they need a decorator.
Can Google Ads Work for Painters and Decorators?
Google Ads puts you at the top of search results immediately. For decorators, this works well during busy seasons when lots of homeowners are looking to freshen up their homes — spring and summer especially.
Target specific searches rather than broad ones. "Painter and decorator Manchester" is better than just "decorator." "Kitchen painter Leeds" or "wallpaper hanger Sheffield" are even better because the person searching knows exactly what they want.
Start with a small daily budget — ten to fifteen pounds — and track which searches lead to actual phone calls. A single room repaint might cover a week of ad spend, and a full house redecoration covers months. The numbers work well for decorators because the cost per click tends to be lower than for emergency trades.
How Do I Win More of the Quotes I Give?
Getting found online is only half the battle — you also need to convert enquiries into booked jobs. The decorators who win the most quotes are the ones who respond fastest, show up on time, and follow up professionally.
Reply to every enquiry within the hour if you can. Homeowners often contact two or three decorators at once, and the first one to respond professionally gets a massive advantage. A quick text back saying "Thanks for getting in touch — I can pop round Thursday morning for a look, does that work?" sets the right tone.
After quoting, follow up once if you haven't heard back. A simple "Just checking if you had any questions about the quote" shows you're keen without being pushy. Many decorators lose jobs simply by not following up.
The Bottom Line
Getting a steady flow of painting and decorating work comes down to being visible when people search, having reviews that build trust, and making it easy to get in touch. Most of your competitors haven't bothered with any of this, which means a small investment of time puts you well ahead.
If you want help getting more leads online, SwiftLead can sort your website, Google Maps, reviews, and ads — so your phone actually rings.
Explore by Area
Painters & Decorators: London | Manchester | Birmingham | Leeds | Bristol | Glasgow | Liverpool | Sheffield | Edinburgh | Nottingham
Browse all trades: Painters & Decorators