Ashley Stevens
Founder & Lead SEO Strategist
Founder of SEO For The Trade. 12+ years building SEO and PPC campaigns exclusively for UK tradespeople.
Ashley founded SEO For The Trade after a decade running search marketing for general agencies and seeing first-hand how badly UK tradespeople were served by generalist marketers who didn't understand local intent, emergency call-outs or the economics of a one-van plumbing business.
Today he leads strategy across every client account – from sole-trader electricians in Norwich to multi-branch building firms in London. He has personally optimised more than 600 Google Business Profiles and runs Google Ads campaigns spending in excess of £150,000 per month across the UK trade sector.
Ashley writes every cornerstone guide on SEO For The Trade and is the lead voice on the agency's content. He lives in Norwich, supports Norwich City FC, and spends his weekends restoring a 1973 Land Rover Series III with – inevitably – the help of several friendly tradespeople.
Areas of expertise
- →Local SEO for UK tradespeople
- →Google Business Profile optimisation
- →Google Ads for emergency-callout trades
- →Trade-specific website conversion
- →UK local search ranking factors
Get in touch
Recent articles by Ashley
How Much Does SEO Cost for Tradespeople in the UK? (2026 Pricing Guide)
A no-nonsense breakdown of what UK tradespeople should expect to pay for SEO in 2026 – monthly retainers, one-off projects and DIY costs compared.
PPCGoogle Ads vs Checkatrade: Which Generates Better Leads for UK Tradespeople?
We compare cost per lead, lead quality and long-term ROI between Google Ads and Checkatrade for UK plumbers, electricians and builders.
Local SEOHow to Rank #1 on Google as a Plumber in the UK (Step-by-Step)
A field-tested local SEO playbook to get a UK plumbing business onto page one of Google for 'plumber near me' and high-intent service searches.
Lead GenerationBest Lead Generation Sites for UK Tradespeople Compared (2026)
Checkatrade, MyBuilder, Rated People, Bark and TrustATrader weighed up on price, lead quality and conversion rate – plus when to ditch them entirely.
SEO StrategySEO for Electricians: The Complete UK Guide to Ranking #1 in Your Area
Keyword research, on-page tactics, Google Business Profile tuning and link building specifically for UK electrical contractors who want phone-ringing leads.
Local SEOThe 2026 Google Business Profile Checklist for UK Tradespeople
A 25-point GBP audit to push your trade business into the Local 3-Pack – categories, services, posts, photos, Q&A and review velocity all covered.
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