In trades, only views within 50 miles of your shop matter. Reverse the platform strategy from "where are people" to "where are people in my service area."
Runtime · 30 minutes
07.02
The math nobody likes hearing
A view from 600 miles away can't buy a roof.
800,000 views there. 10,000 in your town. Only one rings the phone.
Module 07 · Local first distribution
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07.03
The rule
Only views within 50 miles matter.
Anyone outside your service radius can't buy from you. The algorithm doesn't care; your bank account does.
Module 07 · Local first distribution
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07.04
Where local actually lives
01
NextDoor
The most under used platform for trades. Search "roofer" or "solar" weekly. Answer with a useful reply, never a pitch. This is where local trades demand surfaces in the clearest, most actionable form I see anywhere.
02
Town Facebook
Every NJ town has a "Westfield Residents" or "Cherry Hill Neighbors" group. Join 10 to 20. Answer roof questions slowly.
"Edison, NJ." "Bergen County, NJ." Specific town. The algorithm uses it for local serving. Skip the hashtag stack, mostly dead.
TIKTOK
Tag the city
If you tag the city in the caption, TikTok serves your neighbors before strangers. Underrated by operators who dismiss it as kid stuff.
YOUTUBE
Local SEO play
"How much does a roof cost in Morris County" ranks in Google for that search. For three years.
Module 07 · Local first distribution
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07.06
What to skip
X. Threads. LinkedIn for residential. National reach platforms.
If you do commercial roofing, LinkedIn is fine. For residential, the cost per actually useful view is too high. Use that time on NextDoor instead.
Module 07 · Local first distribution
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07.07
If you're not in the Northeast
SUN BELT
TX / FL
Hail and hurricane patterns replace the noreaster cycle. Year round install season. NextDoor is weaker in some markets, lean harder on town Facebook groups and city subreddits.
WEST
CA / AZ
Solar mandate changes the economics. Clay tile is common, asphalt less so. Wildfire risk has reshaped homeowner insurance, that's now a doorway.
RURAL
Anywhere low density
Service radius expands to 100+ miles. NextDoor density drops. Local Facebook, county specific YouTube searches, and church / civic networks do more work.
Same principle, only views within your service radius matter. The platforms that serve "local" shift by region.
Module 07 · Local first distribution
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07.08
Where to start (90 day sequence)
DAYS 1 to 30: Pick one platform. Daily presence.
DAYS 31 to 60: Add NextDoor + one local Facebook group.
DAYS 61 to 90: Add YouTube long form. One video weekly.
Module 07 · Local first distribution
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07.09
Honest hedge
There's one exception: brand building content for recruiting & investor optics.
If you're trying to attract a key hire or raise capital, national reach helps. For lead generation, it doesn't. Know which game you're playing.
Module 07 · Local first distribution
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07.10
This week's work
Make a NextDoor account in your business name.
Join 10 town Facebook groups in your service area.
Add a geo tag to every post you publish this week.
Module 07 · Local first distribution
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07.11 · END
Next · Module Eight
Cold paid ads in trades should never pitch the job. They buy trust impressions.