When a Birmingham homeowner needs a tradesperson, they call whoever's top of Google Maps.
That call should be coming to you. We get Birmingham tradespeople into Google's local pack — with a fully optimised Google Business Profile, a review system that fills itself, and local SEO built around the searches your customers actually make.
More calls. Direct from Google. No per-lead fees.
One fixed price covers your Google Business Profile, local citations, review system, and a website that converts. Done once, done properly — you own everything and pay nothing per call.
Most Birmingham tradespeople get their work through word of mouth, Checkatrade, or MyBuilder. Word of mouth is great until it slows down. Checkatrade is fine until they change what they charge or how their algorithm works. Neither of them is something you control. Google Maps is different — once you're in the top three results for searches in your area, those calls come to you directly, cost you nothing per enquiry, and keep coming as long as your profile stays active.
We set that up. One-off, no monthly subscription, and everything we build belongs to you.
How trades searches actually work
When a Birmingham homeowner searches "emergency plumber near me" at 9pm, they are not comparing websites or reading reviews carefully. They're looking at the first three results on Google Maps and calling the one that looks most established. The decision takes about fifteen seconds.
That's the mechanic. It applies to almost every trades search — plumbers, electricians, roofers, heating engineers, locksmiths. The searches are short, the intent is urgent, and the person who ranks first gets the call. The business ranked fourth gets nothing, even if they're better, cheaper, and closer.
This is why local SEO has a higher return on investment for trades than almost any other type of business. A restaurant might get 30 covers a week from Google. A plumber in the top three for their area might field 20–40 extra calls a month — at £150–£400 per job, that's significant additional revenue from a one-off investment.
The problem with Checkatrade and MyBuilder
We're not against Checkatrade — plenty of Birmingham tradespeople use it and get work from it. The issue is dependency. Every lead you get from Checkatrade comes through their platform, at their price, on their terms. They can increase their fees, change how profiles are ranked, or decide tomorrow that they're expanding into your service category. You have no control over any of that.
The specific thing most Birmingham tradespeople don't realise: when someone searches "plumber Birmingham" on Google, the results they see are Google Maps listings — not Checkatrade profiles. Checkatrade appears as a website result below the map pack, which most people don't scroll to once they've seen the map. Your Google Business Profile is the asset that captures those top-of-page positions. Checkatrade doesn't give you one of those.
Local SEO builds something you own. When we optimise your Google Business Profile and build your local citation presence, those assets belong to you outright. They keep working whether or not you're paying anyone. The calls they generate cost you nothing per enquiry. That's a fundamentally different economics from any lead generation platform.
What we actually do
Everything focused on the specific signals that determine where you appear in Google's local pack for trades searches in Birmingham.
- Google Business Profile setup and full optimisation — correct primary category for your trade, service area covering the Birmingham postcodes you work in, description written with the search terms your customers actually use, photos, Q&A seeded with the questions homeowners ask
- Review generation system — a simple process for requesting Google reviews after every job, using a direct link that takes customers straight to your review form. Most tradespeople never ask; those who do consistently outrank those who don't
- Local citation building — your business listed consistently across 30+ UK directories and trade-specific platforms, with identical name, phone number, and service area everywhere
- On-page SEO — your website structured around the specific searches Birmingham homeowners make when they need your trade, including emergency variants and area-specific terms
- Competitor gap analysis — we look at the top 3 ranking tradespeople in your area and identify exactly what signals they have that you currently don't
- Conversion-focused website — click-to-call prominent on every page, mobile-first layout, fast loading. Someone who finds you on Google at 9pm should be able to call you in two taps
- Google Analytics and Search Console setup — so you can see the calls and enquiries coming in and know exactly what's working
Want to know where you stand right now?
We'll search your trade in your area, check your Google Business Profile against the top three results, and send you a plain-English report showing exactly what's holding you back. Takes 24 hours. Costs nothing.
Working across multiple Birmingham postcodes
Most Birmingham tradespeople don't work from a single address — they cover a patch. A plumber might cover Harborne, Edgbaston, Moseley, and Kings Heath. An electrician might service the whole south side of the city. This is something we factor into every setup from the start.
Your Google Business Profile gets configured as a service area business covering the specific postcodes you actually work in, rather than a single map pin that only ranks in the immediate vicinity of your home address.
Reviews — the thing that actually moves your ranking
Of all the signals Google uses to rank trades businesses in the local pack, reviews are the most visible, the most controllable, and the most neglected. A Birmingham plumber with 80 five-star reviews and a 4.8 rating is essentially in a different category to one with 12 reviews and a 4.3 — they rank differently, they convert differently, and they attract different quality work.
The problem isn't that tradespeople don't do good work. It's that nobody ever asks for the review at the right moment. We build a simple system — a text message sent after each job with a direct link to your Google review page — that makes asking effortless and consistent.
The businesses at the top of Google Maps for "plumber Birmingham", "electrician Birmingham", and similar searches typically have 60–200+ reviews. The businesses that currently rank there got there primarily by accumulating reviews consistently over 12–24 months — not through any technical trick. We build the foundation and the system; the reviews accumulate as you work.
Related:
Local SEO for Trades FAQ
How long until I start getting more calls from Google?
Your Google Business Profile goes live fully optimised within a week. Most Birmingham tradespeople start seeing increased profile views and calls within 30–60 days. Rankings in the local pack for competitive terms typically build over 90–120 days as reviews accumulate.
Do I need a website for this to work?
A website helps significantly, but your Google Business Profile alone can generate real call volume if it's optimised correctly. All our packages include both — because together they produce far better results than either alone.
I'm already on Checkatrade. Why do I need local SEO as well?
Checkatrade controls who sees your profile, what you pay per lead, and can change their terms at any time. Local SEO puts you directly on Google Maps — when someone searches "plumber near me" they call you, not Checkatrade. You own the lead relationship and pay nothing per enquiry.
I cover several Birmingham postcodes — does that affect anything?
It's very common for trades and something we build around from the start. We configure your Google Business Profile as a service area business covering your actual working patch, not just a single address pin.
Is this a monthly subscription?
No. Our core packages are a one-off fixed price — you pay once and own everything we build. Optional monthly add-ons from £99/month are available after launch if you want ongoing support.
Find out how many calls you're missing.
We'll check where you currently rank for your trade in your part of Birmingham, review your Google Business Profile, and tell you exactly what's between you and the top three. Free, plain English, within 24 hours.