📋 Best Practices Guide

Better Input.
Better Output.

TradesSnap does the heavy lifting — but great results start with you. Here's exactly how to record a voice memo and shoot your photos to get content that sounds like you and converts like crazy.

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60 sec is all the AI needs
3 marketing assets per job
2 min total time per job, start to finish

Talk like you're texting
a buddy about the job.

You don't need to be a storyteller. You just need to answer a few simple questions in your own words — the AI handles the rest.

📍

Always say the neighborhood

Start with where you were. "Out in Westerville" or "a house in the North Linden area" — the local name is what makes your SEO post rank and your social post feel real to nearby homeowners.

🔧

Say what was wrong, then what you did

Two sentences is all you need: the problem the homeowner had, and what you did to fix it. "Old 40-gallon heater finally gave out. We put in a new Rheem high-efficiency unit and ran fresh PEX lines." Done.

🕐

Mention the time or scope

"Knocked it out in about 3 hours" or "full-day job" gives the AI something to build urgency and authority around. It also helps homeowners understand what a fair job looks like.

🏷️

Name the brand or product if you can

Brand names like "GAF Timberline," "Rheem," or "Square D panel" add credibility and help with niche SEO. Don't force it — but if it comes to mind, say it.

😤

Include the homeowner's situation

"They'd been without hot water since last night" or "called us in a panic" — that human detail is what makes the AI output feel emotional and relatable, not like a boring service report.

⏱️

Keep it between 30 and 90 seconds

Shorter than 30 seconds and there isn't enough to work with. Longer than 90 and you're overthinking it. A comfortable truck-cab pace with 5–6 sentences is the sweet spot.

What to say — and what to skip

You don't need to script it. But these habits make a real difference in your output quality.

✓ Say this
  • The neighborhood or part of town
  • What the problem actually was (in plain English)
  • What you installed, fixed, or replaced
  • A brand or model name if you have one handy
  • How long the job took or how big it was
  • One line about the homeowner's situation or reaction
✗ Skip this
  • Industry codes or technical jargon homeowners won't understand
  • Pricing or quotes (keep that off the web)
  • Vague filler — "Did a job today, went pretty good"
  • Complaints about the customer or other contractors
  • Anything you wouldn't want a customer to screenshot and share

Hear the difference
a few details make.

Both of these take less than a minute to say. The AI output quality is night and day.

✗ Weak memo
"Did a water heater job today. The old one was leaking and wasn't working right. We put in a new one and everything is good now. The customer was happy."
⚠ Result: Generic output. No local SEO value. Reads like every other contractor's post.
✓ Strong memo
"Just wrapped up a water heater replacement out in Dublin — Muirfield area. Family called us this morning, woke up to no hot water. Old 40-gallon had been leaking from the bottom for who knows how long. We pulled it out, put in a new Rheem 50-gallon high-efficiency unit, ran fresh PEX supply lines, and brought the pressure relief valve up to code. Whole job took about 3 hours. They were thrilled."
✓ Result: Local neighborhood name, brand callout, scope, emotion. AI has everything it needs to write content that ranks and converts.

Noise happens.
Here's how to handle it.

You're recording from job sites and truck cabs — not a studio. These are the most common issues and how to avoid them.

Problem

Background noise from tools or equipment

Running saws, compressors, or other crew working in the background can confuse the AI transcription and lead to garbled words or dropped sentences.

✓ Fix it Step away from active work before you record. 20 feet of distance or a closed truck door makes a big difference.
Problem

Recording while driving

Wind noise, road noise, and HVAC fans can muddy your recording — especially if your windows are down or you're on the highway.

✓ Fix it Pull over or record in the driveway before you leave the job. It only takes 60 seconds. Or use your vehicle's Bluetooth mic if it's good quality.
Problem

Phone too far from your face

If your phone is sitting on the seat or dash while you talk, the mic picks up a lot of room noise and your voice comes through thin and hard to transcribe accurately.

✓ Fix it Hold the phone naturally like a phone call — about 6–12 inches from your mouth. You don't need to shout or whisper.
Problem

Trailing off or mumbling at the end

Contractors often start strong and then trail off or mutter as they wrap up. The last few sentences usually have the best detail — the result, the reaction, the timeframe.

✓ Fix it End with one strong closing line: "Customer was happy, job took about 3 hours, and we're already getting calls from the neighbors." Then hit stop.
Problem

Too many "ums" and long pauses

The AI handles filler words fine — but long dead-air pauses can sometimes break the transcription into separate thoughts and confuse the context.

✓ Fix it Don't worry about "ums" — they get cleaned up. If you go blank, just say "and also…" to keep the flow going rather than sitting silent.
Problem

Accents and regional pronunciations

Modern AI handles accents well, but very strong regional dialect combined with background noise can cause issues with specific trade terms or product names.

✓ Fix it Slow down slightly when saying brand names or technical terms. Everything else — just talk naturally. The AI is trained on real speech, not newsreader voices.

Your phone camera is
already good enough.

You're not shooting for a magazine. You're shooting for homeowners who are scrolling Instagram at 9pm looking for someone they can trust. These tips make your photos stop the scroll.

1

Always shoot a before AND after

The transformation is the story. A clean after shot with no before is just a product photo. A before/after pair is a narrative — and that's what gets saved and shared.

2

Shoot from the same angle

Before and after photos hit harder when shot from the same position. Walk back to the same spot, same distance, same height. The visual comparison does all the work.

3

Use natural light when you can

Turn off interior fluorescent lights and open doors or windows instead. Natural light makes colors accurate and removes the orange/green cast from job-site lighting.

4

Get close enough to show the work

Don't just shoot from across the room. Get in there. A close shot of a clean weld, a new fitting, or fresh caulking tells a skilled story that homeowners notice even if they don't know what they're looking at.

5

Clean up before you shoot

Wipe down the surface. Pick up drop cloths. Move your toolbag out of frame. A tidy after photo signals professionalism without you saying a word about it.

6

Include your truck or van when possible

A photo of your branded vehicle in the driveway is free local advertising every time it gets posted. Homeowners recognize vehicles from their neighborhood — it builds instant familiarity.

7

Horizontal photos for blog posts

Landscape orientation works best for blog headers and Google Business posts. Portrait (vertical) works well for Instagram. Take both on important jobs — it takes 5 extra seconds.

8

Don't over-filter or over-edit

Authentic beats perfect. Lightly boosted brightness and contrast is fine. Heavy filters, HDR effects, or AI-enhanced edits can make your work look fake. Homeowners trust real.

✓ Photo checklist
  • Before photo taken before you start work
  • After photo from the same spot and angle
  • At least one close-up of the finished work
  • Natural or neutral lighting (not orange fluorescent)
  • Work area cleaned up before the after shot
  • Truck or van in frame on at least one shot
✗ What to avoid
  • Blurry or shaky photos — retake if unsure
  • Finger partially covering the lens
  • After shot only — always shoot before too
  • Photos with visible homeowner faces (get permission or crop)
  • Cluttered frame with tools, trash, or drop cloths still out
  • Extreme filters that make colors look fake

Before you hit submit —
run through this.

This takes 10 seconds and will make sure your output is as strong as possible every time.

🎙️ Your Voice Memo

I mentioned the neighborhood or town
I described what was wrong before I fixed it
I said what I installed, replaced, or repaired
I mentioned a brand name if I had one
I included something about the homeowner's situation
I recorded somewhere reasonably quiet
Memo is at least 30 seconds long

📸 Your Photos

I have at least one before photo
I have at least one after photo
Before and after are from the same angle
Photos are in focus and well-lit
Work area is tidied in the after shot
No homeowner faces visible (or permission given)
I have a close-up detail shot if the work warrants it

You've got the tips.
Now put them to work.

Join the waitlist and be among the first contractors to turn every job into a lead-generating machine — in under 2 minutes.