TradeHub — Local Trades Directory

What Is This?

TradeHub is a local trades directory platform that lists vetted tradespeople (plumbers, electricians, builders, roofers, landscapers etc.) across the West Midlands. It serves as:

1. A central hub for all clients whose websites we build
2. An SEO engine — backlinks from the directory boost each client's site, while the directory itself ranks for high-value local search terms like "plumber in Solihull" or "electrician Birmingham"
3. A lead generation platform — homeowners find tradespeople, we capture and route the leads
4. A sales tool — proves credibility when pitching website builds to new tradespeople

Why It Exists

Austin is building a business selling websites to tradespeople. The directory creates a flywheel:

Build site → List on directory → Directory ranks → Leads flow → Referrals happen → More clients sign up

Think a better, modern Checkatrade — but one we own, with AI-powered SEO, no extortionate monthly fees, and genuine value for both tradespeople and homeowners.

Business Model

• Website builds: £200–1,000 one-off (tiered)
• Hosting: £30/mo recurring
• Directory listings: £10–20/mo for non-website clients
• Featured listings: £50/mo premium placement
• Lead generation: £30–50/lead for high-value trades
• Google Ads management: £150–300/mo

See BUSINESS-MODEL.md for full breakdown.

Tech Stack

• Next.js 14 (App Router, static generation with ISR)
• Tailwind CSS for styling
• Vercel for deployment
• JSON/Markdown data files (no database needed initially)
• Full SEO: JSON-LD schema, llms.txt, sitemap, OpenGraph, semantic HTML

Project Structure

TradeHub/
├── README.md              ← You are here
├── BUSINESS-MODEL.md      ← Revenue, unit economics, projections
├── PRD.md                 ← Product requirements
├── ROADMAP.md             ← Phased delivery plan
├── PITCH.md               ← Sales scripts and objection handling
└── site/                  ← Next.js project

Getting Started

cd site
npm install
npm run dev

Open http://localhost:3000.