Key takeaways
- Insist on month-to-month contracts – the industry standard in 2026.
- Ask for 3 trade-specific case studies with verifiable contact details.
- Phone-call tracking should be included as standard.
- If they guarantee #1 rankings, walk away – Google forbids guarantees.
The UK SEO industry is full of generalists who treat tradespeople like e-commerce stores. This guide will help you spot the genuine trade specialists – and walk away from anyone trying to lock you into a 12-month contract.
12 Questions to Ask Every Agency
Use this list on every discovery call. The good agencies welcome the questions; the bad ones get evasive.
- →How many tradespeople have you currently got as clients?
- →Can I speak to two of them as references?
- →What's your average client tenure?
- →Is there a minimum contract length?
- →Do you include phone-call tracking?
- →Who will write my content – in-house, freelance or AI?
- →How often will I get a report and a strategy call?
- →What happens to the work if I leave?
- →What's your link-building approach?
- →How do you handle Google algorithm updates?
- →Do you white-label any work to other agencies?
- →What guarantees, if any, do you offer?
Red Flags That Mean Walk Away
If you spot any of these, end the conversation:
- →Guaranteed #1 rankings.
- →12-month minimum contracts with cancellation fees.
- →Refusing to give references.
- →Pressure to sign on the first call.
- →No specific deliverables in writing.
- →Discounts conditional on signing 'today'.
- →Generic 'audits' that look templated.
- →No experience with your trade.
What Good Agencies Look Like
The right agency for a UK tradesperson tends to share these traits:
- →Specialises in trades or local service businesses.
- →Offers month-to-month rolling contracts.
- →Sends real, named case studies you can verify.
- →Provides a single named account manager, not a ticket portal.
- →Includes call tracking, GBP management and content as standard.
- →Talks about leads and revenue, not just rankings.
Frequently asked questions
Continue learning
More cornerstone guides for UK tradespeople – pick the one closest to your goal.
SEO for Plumbers
How UK plumbers rank on Google, get more emergency call-outs, and turn local search into booked jobs.
Read guide 13 min readLocal SEO for Trades
The complete UK local SEO playbook for trades – Google Business Profile, citations, reviews and local landing pages that win the 3-pack.
Read guide 11 min readGoogle Ads for Builders
How UK builders run profitable Google Ads campaigns – keywords, budgets, landing pages, and the mistakes to avoid.
Read guide