About Thickrope Marketing SEO Agency: SEO that’s honest, careful and built to last
Thickrope Marketing is a High Wycombe SEO agency for small businesses. We help businesses that rely on local customers get found online, and we do it the careful way: fixing the basics, building things that last, and telling you honestly where you stand.
Thickrope Marketing was founded in 2021. Our founder, Thys du Plooy, has been building SEO and digital marketing systems since 2001. A lot has changed since then. What hasn’t is the idea that good work, done properly, wins in the end.
Our story
A note from Thys
Thickrope started in 2021 because we wanted to get our own version of our work off the ground. We’d been doing it for years for others, and we wanted to bring quality work to people directly.
I’ve spent more than 25 years learning what works online and what doesn’t. My early career took me through online gaming, banking and agency work, across dozens of industries. Every one taught me the same thing: quality and consistency win. That’s true whether the budget is small or huge, and whether you’re a local one-person service business or a multinational.
I’ve also made some of the shortcut mistakes myself, and I’d rather you didn’t have to.
Things keep evolving, and the shortcuts keep getting harder. That’s as it should be. It leaves room for businesses that do things properly.
The team has changed along the way, too. People have left, returned, and found new careers, and I’m proud to say that when I think of them, I smile. They shaped how we work, and some are still part of what we do today.
Thickrope exists to do the work the slower, steadier way: fewer tricks, more of what lasts.
Why “Thickrope”?
The name comes from the ropes used in harbours. Take many thin strands and weave them together, and you get a thick, strong rope. That’s how we see online marketing: your website, Google Business Profile, listings, content and reviews, woven together into something strong that anchors your business and weathers the storms for years.
Thickrope Marketing has only been around since 2021. Over the years we’ve been exceptionally fortunate to work in multiple industries and help clients globally. We thought it was high time to step up and carve out our own path, for ourselves and our clients, and we’re enjoying it massively!
What we believe
| What we believe | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Quality beats quantity | Fewer, better pages and listings. No spam, no padding |
| Consistency wins | Steady work every month beats a burst of activity and then silence |
| Honesty first | No guaranteed rankings. We tell you where you stand, even when it’s not what you hoped |
| Basics before extras | We fix the things that move the needle before we reach for anything flashy |
| People and tools together | We use AI openly where it helps. A person edits every page, and your own expertise goes in |
| Nothing hidden | Prices up front, a weekly update, a monthly report and a plan every 90 days |
| Lasting results | The listings and content we build for you are yours to keep |
How we work
- We start with a conversation. A free discovery call, and an audit of your site within 48 hours.
- We get to know your business. We record our conversations with you and use what you tell us to shape the work.
- We do the groundwork first. Contact paths, your Google Business Profile, your website and a few quality listings.
- We build from there. Helpful pages, written with your expertise and edited by a person.
- We keep you informed. Weekly quick updates, a monthly report and a call, and a fresh plan every 90 days.
No jargon, and no mystery.
Who we work with
Small and medium-sized businesses that rely on local customers: trades, clinics, professional firms, salons and similar services. We’re based in High Wycombe and work with businesses across the UK.
The team
Behind Thickrope is a small team who care about the work.
Thys du Plooy, founder. Building SEO and digital marketing systems since 2001, with a background in online gaming, banking and agency work across dozens of industries.
Where we are
We’re based in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and work with businesses across the UK.
Phone: +44 7837 373919
Email: info@thickropemarketing.co.uk
Address: 20 Princes St, Piddington, High Wycombe HP14 3BN
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday
We also have an office in Centurion, South Africa, which serves clients there through thickropemarketing.co.za.
Come and say hello
Not sure where your business stands? Book a free discovery call. Within 48 hours we’ll send you an audit of your site, and then tell you honestly whether and how we can help.