What Lockruf | Kommunikationsmacher does

Lockruf Kommunikationsmacher is a sole proprietorship web design and digital marketing agency founded in 1998 by Thomas Ulbricht and headquartered in Kassel, Germany. The company provides custom WordPress-based website design and development, search engine optimization (including Generative Engine Optimization for AI-driven search systems), search engine advertising (SEA/Google Ads), social media consulting, web hosting management, and ongoing WordPress maintenance marketed as "Nestpflege." It explicitly avoids template or "Baukasten" solutions and positions itself as a craftsman-style boutique alternative to larger agency structures, with Thomas Ulbricht serving as the sole client contact for all engagements.

The underlying technology stack is centered on WordPress CMS with PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and supporting SEO/SEA tooling; the firm has built a comprehensive proprietary German-language WordPress reference resource (the WordPress-Lexikon) covering categories from Users & Roles through Security and Theme & Design. Service delivery is project-based and consultative, with multi-year maintenance relationships (Nestpflege) creating recurring revenue alongside one-off web builds. Distribution is exclusively direct: clients engage via website inquiry, phone, email, or in-person consultation, with no intermediaries, resellers, or marketplace presence.

The business is bootstrapped and self-funded with no venture or institutional investment. Since August 2023 the co-founders separated professionally, and following the death of co-founder Andreas Bollerhey in May 2024, Thomas Ulbricht operates the business alone. The customer base spans SMBs, freelancers, nonprofits and trade associations, cultural organizations, and public/educational institutions across the Kassel and Nordhessen region of Germany, with several client relationships spanning 10–20+ years.

Name

Lockruf | Kommunikationsmacher

Legal name

Lockruf Kommunikationsmacher

Website

https://lockruf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lockruf Kommunikationsmacher is a sole-proprietor WordPress web design, SEO, SEA, hosting and website maintenance agency in Kassel, Germany, serving SMBs, freelancers, nonprofits, and public institutions across the Nordhessen region through direct, project-based consulting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kassel

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Web Design & Development: Custom website development services using WordPress. No ready-made templates or Baukasten solutions offered. Services include planning, design, development, and implementation.
2. Digital Marketing Services: SEO (Search Engine Optimization), GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), SEA (Search Engine Advertising), Google Ads management, and Social Media consulting and management.
3. Hosting & Maintenance: Web hosting consulting, management, and WordPress maintenance services (called 'Nestpflege') including updates, security, backups, and ongoing website care.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lockruf Kommunikationsmacher is a Kassel-based boutique web design and digital marketing agency that builds custom WordPress websites for businesses and organizations, and provides complementary digital services including SEO, GEO (AI search optimization), SEA/Google Ads, social media management, hosting consulting, and ongoing WordPress maintenance branded as 'Nestpflege'. The agency operates without template solutions, emphasizing direct personal service, clean craftsmanship, and clear communication for clients across the Kassel and Nordhessen region.

Product overview

Lockruf Kommunikationsmacher is a web design and digital marketing agency based in Kassel, Germany, operated by Thomas Ulbricht. The company offers a comprehensive suite of digital services centered around WordPress-based web design and development as the core product. Their service portfolio includes Webdesign & Webentwicklung as the primary offering, supplemented by SEO und GEO, SEA & Google Ads, Social Media management, Hosting consulting, and Nestpflege (WordPress maintenance) as modular add-on services. The agency also provides content creation, copywriting, and strategic consulting services. They maintain a WordPress Lexikon as an educational resource and publish the Lockbuch blog for industry insights. The company emphasizes personal service with direct communication, positioning itself as a boutique alternative to larger agency structures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful long-term client relationships spanning 20+ years with clients like Sänger & Partner and TOMS
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability1 record

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• dkd Internet Service GmbH: Frankfurt-based German digital agency providing web design, content, SEO, and digital marketing. Overlaps directly with Lockruf's service portfolio and SMB/mid-market customer base.
• 247GRAD GmbH: Mid-sized German digital agency offering web design, development, SEO, and online marketing services. Comparable scope of services and target SMB/mid-market customers, though at a larger scale than Lockruf.
• Hauer + Dörfler GmbH: Boutique German communications and web agency focused on brand, web design, and digital marketing for regional SMBs and cultural/nonprofit clients — a strong analogue in mission-driven customer mix and craftsmanship positioning.
• TOWA Digital GmbH: German boutique digital agency specializing in web design, SEO, and WordPress-based solutions for SMBs. Comparable in size, WordPress-centric delivery model, and SMB/nonprofit customer mix to Lockruf.

Others

• SiteGround: Global web hosting provider with strong WordPress focus. Ecosystem enabler competing for hosting spend that Lockruf resells/advises on, rather than a competing boutique agency.
• Mittwald CM Service GmbH & Co. KG: German managed WordPress hosting provider and Lockruf's existing infrastructure partner. Comparable in WordPress ecosystem positioning but operates as a hosting/technology supplier rather than a competing agency.
• WP Engine: Global managed WordPress hosting and platform provider. Adjacent ecosystem player — powers many of the same WordPress builds Lockruf delivers, but is a hosting/technology vendor rather than a competing agency.
• Yoast BV: Dutch WordPress SEO plugin and education company. Adjacent enabler in the WordPress SEO stack Lockruf specializes in, though not a competing agency.

Broad incumbents

• DotSource GmbH: Large German digital commerce and marketing agency. Comparable in digital marketing and web services but addresses enterprise/commerce clients with a much wider portfolio than Lockruf's boutique focus.
• nexum GmbH: Larger Cologne-based full-service digital agency with web, marketing, and communications offerings. Overlaps with Lockruf across digital strategy and web delivery but operates at significantly greater scale and with broader service breadth.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/werbeagentur-lockruf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Lockruf | Kommunikationsmacher