Facebook ad agencies for locksmiths compared
Nobody scrolls Facebook looking for a locksmith at midnight with a snapped key. They search. That makes Meta a secondary channel for lockouts and a primary one for the planned work: lock upgrades, smart locks, insurance-grade cylinders, commercial master key systems. We judged five agencies on whether they understand that split, and on the one thing every locksmith needs, which is never missing a call.
Two kinds of locksmith marketing
Emergency work is a Google problem. Planned security work is where Facebook earns its keep: a video of a cheap cylinder being snapped in ten seconds sells upgrades to every homeowner in the targeting radius. An agency that pitches Meta for lockouts is selling you the wrong channel; see our piece on Meta agencies versus Google Ads agencies.
Our criteria, in order of weight: missed-call handling, because a locksmith on a job cannot answer and the caller rings the next listing; experience with locksmiths or at least emergency trades; whether the fee makes sense for a one-van business; and the usual checks on proof, contract and account ownership.
One agency in our original shortlist, a glazing-group retainer firm starting at £8,000 a month, was replaced with one that actually names locksmiths.
1. We Build Trades
Best for: Multi-van locksmith and security firms wanting an AI-driven all-in-one platform
We Build Trades, listed at Halesowen in the West Midlands, sells an AI-powered growth system that connects a website, paid media across Google, Meta, TikTok and Bing, AI lead follow-up and a CRM pipeline with reporting, with area exclusivity. It serves trade and home service businesses generally and names heating, electrical, roofing and solar.
The AI follow-up is relevant to locksmiths, since an unanswered emergency call is a lost job. The multi-platform media mix means Google and Meta can be run together, which is the right shape for this trade.
Against that, locksmiths are not named, no pricing is published, no case studies exist and the company claims 300-plus trade clients with a system refined since 2017 without showing evidence. A one-van locksmith is unlikely to be the target.
2. Riley Marketing
Best for: One- and two-van locksmiths who need calls caught, reviews built and upgrades sold
Riley Marketing's system was designed around the way local service trades lose work, and locksmiths lose it faster than anyone. Its foundational growth system at a fixed £149 a month includes missed call text back, which sends an automatic text the moment a call goes unanswered, so the customer locked out on the doorstep gets a reply before they dial the next result. That alone addresses the single biggest leak in the trade.
The rest of the system fits too. An SEO-focused website with service and location pages covers 'locksmith Stockton' and 'uPVC lock repair Yarm' for the emergency search side. Google Business Profile optimisation and review automation, including reactivating past customers, build the rating that emergency callers check in the three seconds before they ring. A CRM with lead status tracking and branded quote pages on your own domain handles the planned work: cylinder upgrades, smart locks and commercial jobs that need a proper written quote.
Facebook and Instagram ads are an add-on, as are Google Ads and local SEO. For a locksmith that means Google can be the first paid channel and Meta can be layered on for security upgrade campaigns in the autumn, when break-in anxiety rises. Everything is built before you pay, with unlimited revisions, no setup fee and the option to cancel at any time.
Founder Tom Riley brings ten years in search and lead generation, previously led organic growth at an insurtech and runs his own lead generation websites. Clients deal with him directly. Locksmiths are not on his published trade list, but electricians, plumbers and heating engineers are, and they share the emergency-call economics.
3. Lead Wave
Best for: Locksmiths who want to test local Meta leads quickly with an instant text reply
Lead Wave in Lowestoft and Norwich runs area-exclusive Facebook ads with one business per trade per area and an automatic text to every enquiry within seconds. Campaigns are typically live within an hour, it says, with first leads inside 24 hours. Pricing is quoted via WhatsApp, month to month, no lock-in.
Its trades are roofers, driveway installers, landscapers, tree surgeons and carpet cleaners, and its published results are in those trades. Locksmiths are not mentioned, and the model is tuned for visual, discretionary work rather than emergencies.
For a security upgrade campaign, the instant text and fast launch are useful. For lockouts, it is the wrong tool, and Lead Wave does not claim otherwise.
4. Rated Media (Premilead)
Best for: Security firms selling high-value installations such as commercial access control
Rated Media, trading as Premilead, runs paid social lead generation for roofing, HVAC, solar, remodelling and other high-ticket home improvement, with smart forms, AI voice agents, automated booking and post-estimate follow-up. It prioritises qualified appointments over volume and says leads are exclusive.
The AI voice agent is the interesting part for locksmiths, since it could in principle answer out of hours. But the agency's market is high-ticket jobs with ad spend typically £1,000 to £3,000 or more a month paid direct, which only fits a locksmith selling commercial systems or whole-house security packages. The fee is not published, there are no case studies and the testimonials are generic, although Trustpilot reviews exist under Premilead.
5. Agass Marketing Solutions
Best for: South West locksmiths wanting an owned website at a fixed price before any ads
Agass Marketing Solutions in the Weston-super-Mare, Bristol and Somerset area names locksmiths among its trades and publishes a case study for a locksmith and glazing client. Joseph Agass offers a free website draft in 48 hours, paid for only if you like it: £499 one-off or £699 on WordPress, optional £30 a month hosting and changes, no contract, client owns site and domain.
Google and Meta paid ads and local SEO are quoted separately. There is no text back or CRM, so the emergency-call problem is yours to solve.
For a locksmith starting from nothing in the South West, it is a low-risk first step.
Locksmith scorecard
Missed-call handling is the heaviest-weighted column. 'Names locksmiths' records whether the trade appears on the agency's own site.
| Agency | Missed-call handling | Names locksmiths | Google + Meta | Fee | Case studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| We Build Trades | AI follow-up | No | Yes | Not published | None |
| Riley Marketing | Text back included | No (electricians, plumbers listed) | Both as add-ons | £149/mo core | Two trade sites |
| Lead Wave | Auto text in seconds | No | Meta and Google | Quoted | Roofing, tree surgery |
| Rated Media | AI voice agent | No | Paid social | Not published | None |
| Agass Marketing Solutions | None | Yes (case study) | Both, quoted | £499 site | Locksmith and glazing |
What a locksmith should actually do
Fix the missed-call problem before spending a penny on ads. Riley Marketing includes text back in its fixed fee; Lead Wave texts enquiries that come through its ads but not your general calls; We Build Trades and Rated Media describe AI follow-up without pricing it.
Then run Google for emergencies and Meta for upgrades. Riley Marketing offers both as add-ons on one system; We Build Trades runs both inside its platform for larger firms.
If you are in the South West with no website, Agass gets you a site you own for £499 and quotes the ads afterwards. Whoever you choose, insist the ad account is in your name; our guide to ad account ownership explains why, and running Meta ads yourself is a realistic option for a one-van locksmith with a steady hand.
Frequently asked questions
Are Facebook ads worth it for a locksmith?
For emergency lockouts, rarely; that is a Google search. For lock upgrades, smart locks and security packages, yes, because the work can be sold visually to a local audience.
What matters most in a locksmith's marketing system?
Never missing a call. Riley Marketing builds missed call text back into its £149 fee; without something similar, ad spend leaks to the next listing.
Which agency names locksmiths as a trade?
Of the five here, only Agass Marketing Solutions, which publishes a locksmith and glazing case study. Riley Marketing lists electricians and plumbers, which share the emergency-call model.
How much should a locksmith spend on Meta?
Small and seasonal. As a worked example, £200 to £400 a month on a security upgrade video in autumn, with Google carrying the emergency budget year round.