Let’s get down to it! The days of relying solely on van signage and word-of-mouth referrals are well behind us. When a customer needs a window repaired or a bespoke staircase built, they are not walking around the high street with binoculars looking for a joiner. No, they’re pulling out their phone or tablet, opening Google and typing something like “trusted joiner near me” or “glazier in Croydon with good reviews.”
Now here’s the problem. If your business doesn’t show up in the first few search results on page 1, you might as well be invisible. According to Backlinko, the top three results on Google get over 54 percent of all clicks. That means if you’re sitting pretty in position six or lower, you’re basically clinging to the back bumper of the jobs bus while your competitors are driving it, stealing all your potential customers.
So what can you do about it? That’s where SEO, short for Search Engine Optimisation, steps in and saves the day. Over time proper SEO helps your website climb the rankings so more people can find you. It helps turn window shoppers into buyers, clicks into calls and browsers into actual trade customers.
According to Click-Through Rates (2025):
If you're not near the top of Page 1, you're nowhere.
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Whether you’re fixing sash cords, fitting kitchens, rewiring lofts, patching roofs or plastering hallways, one thing remains true; when people need a tradesperson, they don’t sit around waiting for inspiration to strike. They do not head to Facebook Marketplace. They’re not reading the side of a van driving past and they most definitely aren’t leafing through the Yellow Pages from 1999.
So what do they do? They grab their phone, tap in something like “plumber near me” or “emergency joiner in [ x town ]” and boom, the first few names they see are the ones who get the call, everytime
This is where Local SEO becomes the most powerful tool that you never knew you needed. It puts your business in front of real people in your area, right at the moment they are looking to book someone. Not tomorrow. Not next week. BUT NOW.
And the numbers back it up. According to Google’s own data, an incredible 88 percent of consumers who search for a local service on their phone either visit or contact a business within twenty-four hours. Let that sink in for a minute. Almost nine out of ten people are calling the first tradesperson they see, assuming you are there to be seen.
It gets even better. Around 78 percent of all location-based searches result in a sale or booking, according to research from Think With Google. That includes things like “Carpenter in Canterbury,” “electrician in Perth,” or even “painter and decorator near me.”
Now, you might think, “I’ve got a website already, what more do I need?” But here’s the catch, if you’re not updating it regularly, Google thinks you’ve packed up shop. Research from HubSpot shows that companies who update their site at least once a week receive three times more leads than those that let things gather dust. So yes... uploading those fresh project photos or writing a quick blog post about your latest job fitting timber doors does actually matter, a lot!.
Getting on page one of Google is not about showing off. It is about showing up, for the customers in your area who are ready to book and looking for someone they can trust. The truth is that most of your competitors are still relying on outdated tactics, which means if you get your SEO right now, you’ll leap ahead of them faster than a carpenter can unpack a mitre saw.
So whether you’re a glazier, plasterer, roofer, decorator, builder or tiler, SEO works for your trade. It gets you seen by the people who are already looking. Remember, being seen is the first step to getting hired!
At Local Trade Websites We have reviewed more websites than we have had cups of tea and that’s saying something. We’re talking plasterers, joiners, electricians, roofers, glaziers, tilers and the occasional handyman with a half-finished Wix site.
And here is what we keep seeing:
A homepage with a logo that might have been designed on Paint.
A “gallery” with five blurry images from 2016.
A contact form that may or may not work.
And… that’s it.
No individual pages for your services. No area-specific landing pages. No blog content that shows what you have been up to. No schema mark-up to help Google understand what you do and where you do it. Often the site loads slower than your nan’s WiFi and hasn’t been updated since way before lockdown.
Now compare that with your average national franchise or mid-sized SEO-savvy company. Their websites might not look any fancier, but they’re stacked with local service pages, keyword-optimised content, fast load times, and enough schema mark-up to make Google do a happy little dance. Because of this, they rank higher, get more clicks, and scoop up all the work.
Here’s the real issue. Your work is probably better than theirs. You care more, show up on time and don’t cut corners. But if you are stuck on page two of Google, customers never get to find that out. They go with the company that is visible, not necessarily the one that is best.
It is frustrating and we get it. But the good news is that this is all fixable. With the right SEO approach, you can flip the script and start overtaking those higher-ranked, lower-quality competitors.
👉 If you want a no-strings-attached website audit, click here to message us. We will send you a personalised PDF report showing exactly where your website is falling short and how to improve it. No spam, no mailing lists, no “just checking in” follow-up emails. Just a helpful, honest review that tells you the truth about your site.
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Let’s clear something up straight away. Proper SEO is not about chucking the word “plumber” or “joiner” onto every page like it’s seasoning. It is not about buying dodgy backlinks from forums that also sell crypto coins and fake Rolexes IT's also definitely not about uploading a single photo of a window from 2009 and calling it a portfolio.
Real SEO, the kind that makes your phone buzz with enquiries while you are knee-deep in sawdust or halfway up a scaffold, is strategic. It is structured. It is based on how people actually search for services in your area and how search engines decide who shows up first.
So what does proper SEO for local trades look like?
First, it means building out dedicated landing pages for each and every town or area you serve. If you are a window fitter in Kent, for example, you should have a page for Canterbury, one for Maidstone, another for Whitstable and so on. Each page should be tailored with local landmarks, relevant services and keywords. Not just copy and paste with a town name swapped in. You can learn more about local landing page best practice from Moz’s local SEO guide.
Next, it means writing proper service pages and no, “We do plumbing” or “Call us for wood work” does not count. If you install bifold doors, repair sash windows, or offer timber porch restorations, say so. Also explain how it works, what materials you use and what makes you different. The more detail, the better. Your future customer wants to trust you before they even pick up the phone.
It also means keeping your content fresh. Publishing blog posts once a month is better than nothing, but weekly updates with real projects, keyword-rich advice and tips will show Google that you’re active and trustworthy. According to HubSpot, websites that publish content consistently get three times more traffic and leads than those that don’t.
Then there is the technical stuff but don’t panic. It is not rocket science, just tedious. We are talking things like:
And most importantly? Tracking it all using Google Search Console and Google Analytics. If you cannot see how many people are visiting your site, which pages they like, and what is converting, you are flying blind.
Now here’s the real reason most SEO agencies get it wrong for trades like yours.
They do not understand your work. They write about “design-led interiors” when you build box sashes. They waffle on about “elevated living environments” when you fix swollen front doors in Swale. They think “Accoya” is a tech start up. They have never heard of horns, sashes, muntins, glazing bars or draught seals. And it shows.
Proper SEO is not just about keywords. It is about knowing your trade, your tools, your materials, and your customers. If the person writing your content can’t tell the difference between a mortise lock and a biscuit jointer, then maybe, just maybe, they shouldn’t be writing your website.
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Let’s be honest. SEO is not something you pick up from the shelf at B&Q, whack in the basket and forget about. It's an ongoing investment. But like any proper tool in your van, when you use it right, it more than pays for itself.
Now, how much you pay depends on who you hire, what they actually do for that money and whether they know their Accoya from their elbow. Here is a general breakdown based on what we have seen in the wild:
Around £500 to £750 per month gets you the basics. Think of it like the DIY pack. You’ll likely get someone managing your Google Business Profile, making small tweaks to your website and doing a bit of content. Perfect for smaller, local-only businesses that want to dip a toe in without belly flopping into the deep end.
Between £1,000 and £1,500 per month gets you something more serious. This is where the proper SEO kicks in, tailored content for your services, area-specific landing pages, backlinks from real websites, and regular performance reports. This is where the phone starts ringing more than your mum on a Sunday.
At the £2,000 to £5,000 per month end, you’re into agency territory. These are the big boys handling multi-location campaigns or national firms trying to dominate across several counties. It is not always worth it for local trades, unless you are looking to scale aggressively or open multiple branches.
Now, here’s the bit that stings: a lot of trades are already paying those prices and getting absolute rubbish in return. We’ve seen businesses spend thousands on monthly SEO and get nothing but AI-generated blog posts like “5 Tips to Enhance Your Living Space” written by someone who clearly thinks a mitre saw is an app. And those blogs? Completely useless for you.
That’s because most B2C trades do not need general blog content. You are not running a lifestyle magazine. You are not trying to rank for “types of wood.” What you need are targeted landing pages that focus on your actual services, in your actual towns, using the exact terms your actual customers are searching for.
Search engine optimisation should drive potential customers to your site. That means if someone types “sash window repair in Tunbridge Wells” or “plasterer near Whitstable,” your site shows up, ready to convert. Not some article about “how windows affect your mood.”
And yes, Google has started cracking down on low-quality AI written content, so if your current agency is relying on cheap auto-written fluff, not only is it not helping, it might actually be hurting your rankings so you dont show on Google at all.
This is exactly where we step in. We don’t churn out recycled blog posts written by bots. We build your website the way a customer would want to find it; with clear, useful, location-specific pages, fast loading times and all the right keywords in the right places. Everything written by humans, checked by professionals, and targeted like a laser tape measure on your patch.
Look, there are plenty of people out there who claim to “do SEO,” but if they don’t know their facias from their soffits, or think a box gutter is something you order on Amazon, then chances are they are not the right fit for your trade business.
Now here’s the difference: I have worked in traditional joinery, I have done my time on-site, and I have also worked in SEO and web development. That means I am not just throwing buzzwords around, I know exactly what your potential customers are typing into Google when something goes wrong with their windows, doors, floors or frames.
Whether it is “draft proof Victorian box sashes” or “curved timber window replacement Kent,” I use real-world knowledge of the trade to build websites and SEO content that actually gets results.
Here is what we offer. Everything is designed with local trades in mind, no fluff, no waffle, and definitely no recycled lifestyle blog posts about Scandinavian minimalism.
Here's a breakdown of our packages:
Ideal for new businesses wanting a solid online presence.
Best for local trades who want to grow steadily without spending a fortune.
This is the perfect package for trades like plasterers, glaziers, roofers or joiners who are booking work here and there, but want to see more enquiries coming in, more regularly.
For trades who want to dominate their area online and stop relying on word of mouth.
This is the sweet spot for businesses that want to grow fast without the faff. Whether you’re a team of window fitters, electricians, joiners or multi-trade company, this is the plan that gets you ahead and keeps you there.
Up to 1500-page website - ideal for growing trade businesses who are ready to take over their region
If you’ve ever thought, “How is that competitor showing up on every search when my work’s better?” – this is your plan. It’s not just about a tidy homepage and a few keywords, it’s about covering your entire service area with pages that rank, convert, and keep the phone ringing.
This package is for joiners, sash window experts, and tradespeople who are ready to stop playing small and start dominating search results. You’ll be the name popping up in every town and on every screen, without spending a penny on ads.
At £1000/month, this is the full-fat version of SEO. Built specifically for tradespeople who are tired of watching less capable competitors get all the leads.
SEO is no longer a bonus, it’s the backbone of growth for trade businesses. With customers turning to Google first and competition heating up online, getting found on Page 1 is essential to all businesses. Whether you specialise in historic sash window restoration or custom-built hardwood doors, your skills deserve to be seen.
Investing in SEO is an investment in consistent leads, better clients and long-term success. If you want a steady stream of high-quality enquiries and you’d rather beat your competition than lose to them, it’s time to take your website seriously.
And when you're ready to rank higher without paying agency-level fees, We can help yoi.
You’ll get top-tier SEO plus the insight of someone who understands small trade busineeses from the ground up.
Thinking about it? Drop us a message for a free audit. No spam. No pushy sales. Just a clear PDF and a few ideas that might change the game for your business.
