What Climbing Trees does

Climbing Trees (legal entity: Climbing Trees Online Marketing Limited) is a privately held, founder-owned digital marketing agency founded in 2010 by Alex Holliman and headquartered in Essex, United Kingdom. The firm operates as a remote-first team of 18 senior practitioners delivering paid search (PPC) and organic search (SEO) services to purpose-driven enterprises, e-commerce brands, B2B companies, and registered charities across more than 15 industry verticals. Its core offerings span Google Ads, Microsoft Advertising, LinkedIn Ads, Meta Ads, Amazon Ads, TikTok Ads, programmatic display, and Google Ad Grants management, structured on project-based and retainer fee models with custom quotes.

The agency positions its technology stack around AI-enhanced campaign optimization — including AI-driven bidding, audience targeting, and real-time performance insights — and has begun offering Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to help clients achieve visibility in large language models such as ChatGPT, Google SGE, and Perplexity. It underpins GEO capability with a proprietary SearchGPT ranking study (November 2024) covering 100 keywords across 19 sectors. Its go-to-market is sales-led and consultative, with senior practitioners engaging enterprise and mid-market clients directly; distribution also includes specialized charity services for Google Ad Grants and B2B LinkedIn advertising.

Climbing Trees differentiates itself through an ethical client-screening framework that excludes harmful industries (gambling, tobacco, adult, high-carbon, animal testing), supported by B Corp certification (impact score 111.1 in 2025, up from 87.9 in 2022) and the King's Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development (2024). The firm maintains strategic partnerships with Google (Premier Partner status), Ecologi, Tree Nation, and Small99, and has committed to a Million Tree Pledge and net-zero by 2030. Reported client outcomes include 800% average ROI on Google ad campaigns for e-commerce clients and £100m in cumulative client revenue growth in the past year.

Name

Climbing Trees

Legal name

Climbing Trees Online Marketing Limited

Website

https://climbingtrees.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Climbing Trees is a UK-based, B Corp-certified ethical digital marketing agency that delivers PPC, SEO, and GEO services to purpose-driven enterprises, e-commerce brands, B2B firms, and registered charities across 15+ industries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Colchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Digital Marketing Services: Full-service ethical digital marketing agency providing PPC (paid search, paid social) and SEO services to B2B and B2C clients. Services include Google Ads, Bing Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Amazon Ads, affiliate marketing, and programmatic advertising. Works on project-based and retainer fee structures.
2. Google Ad Grants Management: Specialized service for charities to set up and manage free Google Ads grants worth up to £7,000/month. Includes eligibility checking, application support, ongoing management, and compliance maintenance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Climbing Trees is a B Corp certified ethical digital marketing agency providing paid search (PPC), paid social, and organic search (SEO) services to purpose-driven businesses and charities. The agency manages multi-channel advertising campaigns across Google Ads, Bing Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Meta, Amazon, TikTok, X, and programmatic platforms, with specialized Google Ad Grants management for registered charities and emerging Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) services for LLM visibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paid Search (PPC) Management
• Paid Social Advertising
• Organic Search (SEO and GEO)
• Google Ad Grants Management
• Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

Quantifiable outcome

• Grew clients' revenue by £100m last year
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EcologicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTree planting partnership through Ecologi. Over 265,000 trees planted to date. Part of commitment to net zero by 2030 and environmental sustainability.
• Tree NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTree planting partnership through Tree Nation. Combined with Ecologi partnership for over 265,000 trees planted. Part of Million Tree Pledge commitment.
• Small99minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSustainability strategy partner helping stress test strategy and initiatives. Used to ensure living up to stated sustainability commitments.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationPremier Google Partner with access to latest innovations and beta features. Manages Google Ads, Shopping, Display, and Ad Grants for clients.
• Million Tree PledgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommitment to planting one million trees by 2030 as part of environmental sustainability goals.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Croud: UK-founded digital marketing agency offering PPC, SEO, programmatic, and content services. Directly comparable in service portfolio and enterprise client focus, with a similar award-winning profile (UK Search Awards, Drum Awards). Represents a scaled version of what Climbing Trees could become.
• Impression: UK-based digital performance agency specializing in PPC and SEO. Comparable to Climbing Trees in service mix (paid search, paid social, organic), enterprise/mid-market focus, and similar team scale. Closest head-to-head competitor in the UK ethical/performance agency segment.
• Brainlabs: Globally operating digital marketing agency with strong UK roots, offering paid media, SEO, programmatic, and analytics. Highly comparable in service mix and enterprise focus; represents a scaled alternative for clients evaluating Climbing Trees.
• Greenlight Digital: UK-based digital marketing agency focused on SEO, PPC, and content marketing. Comparable in scale, service offering, and UK enterprise/mid-market positioning. Often appears alongside Climbing Trees in UK Search Awards shortlists.
• Semetrical: UK-based digital marketing agency offering SEO, PPC, and content services. Comparable in scale and service mix; targets similar enterprise and growth-stage clients and is a recognized UK Search Awards competitor.
• Builtvisible: UK SEO specialist agency with strong technical and content SEO credentials. Highly comparable to Climbing Trees' organic search practice and frequently appears in the same UK Search Awards categories. Operates at similar team scale.
• Receptional: Long-established UK digital marketing agency offering SEO, PPC, and content services. Similar enterprise/mid-market positioning and team scale; comparable in the B2B and purpose-driven client segments Climbing Trees targets.

Broad incumbents

• Jellyfish (Brandtech Group): Global digital marketing agency offering paid media, SEO, content, and creative across Google, Meta, and Amazon platforms. Broader incumbent competing for the same enterprise clients but at significantly larger scale; represents the consolidation path Climbing Trees could face as a buyer or competitor.

Emerging players

• Forster Communications: UK sustainability and purpose-driven communications agency with strong charity and ESG client base. Comparable to Climbing Trees' nonprofit/charity segment focus (similar to Greenpeace UK and Alcohol Change UK clients) and purpose-led positioning.
• B-Reel: Creative and digital agency with sustainability positioning and award-winning campaigns. Comparable in the ethical/purpose-driven brand space and overlaps with Climbing Trees' nonprofit and sustainability-focused client roster.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdrS_Co0WucJLcFwUv3JwPA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/climbing-trees-online-marketing
• Instagraminstagram.com/climbingtrees10
• Xx.com/climbingtrees10
• Facebookfacebook.com/climbingtrees

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Climbing Trees