Thumbtack for Contractors: How to Generate Leads and Grow Your Business

Brittany Foster

Jul 17, 2024 8 min read

What is Thumbtack?

Thumbtack is a lead generation platform focused on home improvement services and small businesses.

Contractors can use it to advertise their services and bring in new business, while homeowners can use it to find local contractors for the home projects they need help with, such as handymen, electricians, or plumbers.

Along with Angi Ads (formerly HomeAdvisor), Angi Ads (formerly Angi), and TaskRabbit, it’s one of the most popular lead generation platforms for service business owners.

How does Thumbtack work for contractors?

Thumbtack’s goal is to connect homeowners in need of services with the right contractors for the job. Here’s how they typically connect leads to service providers:

A client enters information about a service they would like done, such as a plumbing repair, yard maintenance, or a new deck.
Based on the information they provide, the client is given a list of qualified contractors within their city or town, which they can filter by adding additional job details.
From there, clients review the contractor profiles and decide which pros they would like to contact for a quote.
Once a client and contractor come to an agreement, their working relationship moves from Thumbtack to the contractor’s CRM, such as Jobber.

Without a dedicated CRM, it’s up to contractors to create and send invoices, remind clients about upcoming appointments, and collect payments.

Using Jobber’s Thumbtack integration, seamlessly transition from one platform to another, managing everything from quotes and invoices to credit card payments and expense tracking to stay organized and provide a stellar customer experience.

Which contractors should use Thumbtack?

Thumbtack can be used by a variety of home service providers, such as:

Painters
Electricians
Plumbers
Carpenters
Flooring installation technicians
HVAC professionals
General contractors
Landscapers
House cleaners
Pressure washers
Junk removal professionals
Local roofers
Appliance repair professionals
Handymen

While Thumbtack can be used for commercial jobs, it’s mostly geared towards residential projects.

Benefits of using Thumbtack as a contractor

Yes, Thumbtack generates leads, but what exactly does that mean for you? As a contractor, you can expect the following benefits from the lead generation platform:

It creates brand awareness. Even though not every lead will turn into a job, the advertising you get on Thumbtack builds brand awareness, getting your name out there and placing you next to competitors.
It brings in new leads. On the other hand, some of the potential customers who see your name will turn into jobs, winning you more business and boosting profit.
It’s another way to market your services. Some potential clients only use platforms like Thumbtack to search for contractors. Having a business profile increases visibility and helps you to connect with customers who wouldn’t hear about you otherwise.

How to use Thumbtack as a contractor

To get set up on Thumbtack, you need to create a business profile. Here’s how to get started:

1. Sign up for Thumbtack

To start working as a Thumbtack contractor, visit the Thumbtack Pro sign-up page.

From there, enter your business details, including what services you provide and where you work. Then follow the prompts to finish your registration.

Pro Tip: Respond to new leads on the go by downloading the Thumbtack Pro mobile app for iOS and Android.

2. Build your Thumbtack profile

As a service business owner, your Thumbtack profile is your first opportunity to impress potential customers. And, the better your profile, the more work you’ll get.

Service pros can make the right impression by including the following information:

A summary of yourself or your business
Details about the type of services you provide
Customer reviews
How long you’ve been in business
Whether or not you’ve completed a background check
Links to your website and social media profiles
Before-and-after pictures and videos of completed jobs
Which payment methods you accept
What your business hours are
Which cities, towns, or areas you service

This information helps Thumbtack—and the clients who use it—determine which contractor is the best fit for a job.

3. Get a background check

Background checks are a great way to demonstrate your trustworthiness to new customers.

The best part? Getting a background check done through Thumbtack is free for contractors.

To complete your background check, you’ll need to provide your Social Security number (SSN) or a valid photo ID. After that, you’ll receive the results in about five to seven business days.

Contractors with a clear background check are rewarded with a badge on their profiles, showing potential customers they’re safe to hire.

4. Update your targeting preferences

By adjusting your target preferences, you help Thumbtack to know which leads to send your way. The more specific your settings, the more likely you are to get leads that are a fit for your business, saving you from wasting your budget on bad leads.
To set up filters based on your targeting preferences, go to your services page and update your job types, travel areas, and work availability.

5. Get a customer review

Reviews go a long way. Before a customer hires you, they want to know they can trust you to get the job done, and knowing someone else was satisfied with your work is often enough to tip the scales.

In fact, nearly 70% of consumers become confident in a business after reading fewer than 7 reviews.

Thumbtack lets you share positive reviews from Thumbtack customers, Facebook, and Google.
To add your first review to your Thumbtack profile, either share your review link with past customers, or import Google reviews.

How to become a Thumbtack Top Pro

While you can stick with a standard Thumbtack business profile, attracting leads and standing out from the competition is a lot easier with Thumbtack’s Top Pro status. And while it’s a challenge—only 4% of pros qualify—it’s worth it to get the Top Pro badge on your profile because it shows prospective clients you’re highly skilled and experienced.

Top Pros also have access to other Thumbtack perks, such as VIP treatment for customer support as well as access to exclusive programs, new features, and events.

To become a Top Pro on Thumbtack, contractors must:

Respond quickly: Reply to leads within 4 hours at least 75% of the time
Provide great services: Hold a minimum rating of 4.8 based on verified reviews
Ask for reviews: Get at least 5 verified reviews within 12 months
Pass a background check: Get a clear background check through Thumbtack

Pro Tip: Improve your customer’s experience by using Jobber’s Thumbtack integration to provide professional invoices, send appointment reminders, and facilitate payments and boost your chances of getting positive reviews.

How much does Thumbtack cost for contractors?

Although listing your service on Thumbtack is free, collecting leads through the platform costs money.

Every lead has a monetary value and the lead fee for each one varies based on factors such as region, industry, job type, job size, and job competition.

The bigger the lead is, the more you pay for it.

If you aren’t careful, generating leads through Thumbtack can become a major expense for your service business, so it’s important to have a budget in mind and to keep track of your spending.

Pro Tip: Stay in control of your lead spending by setting a monthly budget on your Thumbtack account. To set your budget, go to your services tab and select edit weekly targeting budget.

What is the Thumbtack Pro Rewards program?

Thumbtack Pro Rewards is made up of 3 tiers: silver, gold, and platinum.

To reach each level, contractors must earn points by responding to new leads and accepting jobs.

Only contractors with completed background checks qualify for the Thumbtack Pro Rewards.

Reaching each Pro Rewards tier unlocks new rewards contractors, including:

Expedited phone support
Success workshops
Marketing support
Thumbtack swag
A “Top Pro” badge on your profile once you reach platinum status

Is Thumbtack Pro worth it?

Thumbtack’s value as a lead generation tool depends on what you put into it.

If you have a complete profile, price your services competitively, respond to leads quickly, and provide high-quality services, your experience with Thumbtack is going to be a success.

To help you make the most out of their platform, Thumbtack will send you weekly updates on competitor jobs and pricing. This will help you see what’s working for others and how you can make more strategic decisions for your business.

Thumbtack reviews

For many contractors, Thumbtack has been a great source for collecting new leads. But don’t take our word for it. Here are some reviews from happy contractors on Thumbtack:

Thumbtack for contractors: Positive online review

However, while some service providers have been impressed with the business Thumbtack has helped them drum up, paying for leads seems to be a sore spot for others.

Thumbtack for Contractors Negative Review

As with any lead generation platform, your experience with Thumbtack may vary.

However, by improving your presence on the site—with a strong profile and plenty of positive reviews—you may just find the benefits outweigh any downsides.

Originally published in December 2021. Last updated on July 17, 2024.

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