Businesses in Greater Manchester
Websites, Shopify stores & marketing for businesses in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is ten boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan. From MediaCityUK at Salford Quays to the town centres, each borough has its own customers and its own searches. Greater Manchester has 108,685 registered businesses and 3,017,590 residents.
There are fewer businesses for every resident in Greater Manchester than the UK average: 360 for every 10,000 people, against 401 across the UK. That can mean less competition for the same customers, which can make it easier for a well-built, well-optimised site to be seen.
89% of businesses in Greater Manchester have fewer than 10 employees (UK: 89%), and 10% are sole proprietors (UK: 14%). A higher share than average are limited companies, which tend to need a site that backs up their credibility: case studies, team details and a clear process.
The number of registered businesses in Greater Manchester rose 1.9% between 2021 and 2026 (UK: +0.8%). Among the larger sectors, property grew fastest, +32.0% over the same period (UK: +23.4%).
Marketing in Greater Manchester: local tips
- Target the borough, then the town. People search for Bury, Bolton or Stockport, not Greater Manchester. Name the places you actually serve.
- Digital and creative businesses. With MediaCityUK in Salford, digital and media firms compete on portfolios and case studies; show your work.
- Commuter search habits. Many people research on their phones during the commute or in the evening; fast mobile pages win those enquiries.
Meeting you in Greater Manchester
We’re based in Clitheroe. By car, Bury is around 40 minutes, Wigan and Bolton are both around 50 minutes and Manchester is around 55 minutes from us, depending on traffic. We’re happy to meet you in person, or to talk on the phone or a video call if that suits you better.
What businesses in Greater Manchester do
| Sector | Businesses | Share | UK share | vs UK (pts) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional and consulting services | 16,105 | 14.8% | 15.2% | -0.4 |
| Construction and trades | 13,665 | 12.6% | 14.1% | -1.5 |
| Retail | 11,380 | 10.5% | 7.7% | +2.7 |
| Wholesale, transport and logistics | 10,110 | 9.3% | 7.9% | +1.4 |
| Business support, cleaning and landscaping | 8,815 | 8.1% | 7.8% | +0.3 |
| Hospitality (food, drink and accommodation) | 7,385 | 6.8% | 6.5% | +0.3 |
| IT, media and digital | 6,565 | 6.0% | 6.8% | -0.8 |
Source: ONS UK Business Counts 2026 (enterprises), grouped by us from 2-digit SIC divisions. Counts are rounded by ONS, so figures are approximate.
Where Greater Manchester stands out
Retail
Retail makes up 10.5% of businesses in Greater Manchester (11,380 businesses), against 7.7% across the UK. Over five years the number has fallen 1.5% here (UK: -2.2%).
Across Greater Manchester’s ten boroughs, shoppers can choose between town centres, the Trafford Centre and online. Independents win by being specific about where they are and what makes them different, and by making it easy to buy online or reserve and collect.
What the website should do
- Reviews shown on your site and Google profile
- A simple way to reserve an item before visiting
- A fast online shop or click-and-collect that works smoothly on a phone
Services that fit: Shopify e-commerce stores, Email automation and Meta and Google ads.
Guides by trade: Online Retailers.
Wholesale, transport and logistics
Wholesale, transport and logistics makes up 9.3% of businesses in Greater Manchester (10,110 businesses), against 7.9% across the UK. Over five years the number has fallen 17.6% here (UK: -10.2%).
Greater Manchester is one of the busiest distribution areas in the North, with the M60, M62 and M6 all close at hand. Buyers expect to check coverage, service levels and account details online, so make that information easy to find.
What the website should do
- Case studies from customers you supply
- Fast mobile pages for buyers on the move
- Clear coverage and service-area pages
Services that fit: Bespoke web design, Shopify e-commerce stores and SEO.
Guides by trade: Removals Firms.
Health, care and veterinary
Health, care and veterinary makes up 5.9% of businesses in Greater Manchester (6,380 businesses), against 4.5% across the UK. Over five years the number has grown 27.9% here (UK: +16.1%).
Clinics, care providers and vets across Greater Manchester are usually chosen locally, often after a search on a phone. Clear services, prices where you can give them, real reviews and online booking help people pick you with confidence.
What the website should do
- Accessible pages that work for everyone
- Emergency and out-of-hours details easy to find
- Online booking for appointments
Services that fit: Bespoke web design, SEO and Email automation.
Guides by trade: Dentists and Dental Practices and Vets and Veterinary Practices.
Towns and built-up areas in Greater Manchester
Built-up areas that sit entirely inside Greater Manchester include Wigan, Oldham, Leigh, Urmston, Radcliffe, Cheadle Hulme, Stalybridge, Dukinfield, Swinton, Bramhall, Whitefield and Shaw. We can work with businesses in all of them, online.
Areas in Greater Manchester
- Bolton
- Bury
- Manchester
- Oldham
- Rochdale
- Stockport
- Tameside
- Trafford
- Wigan
Guides for Greater Manchester businesses
- How to Rank Higher on Google: SEO Tips for Small Businesses
- Local SEO Checklist for UK Trades: 10 Things That Get You Found
- How to Get More Google Reviews (Without Breaking the Rules)
- How to Get More Enquiries From Your Website: 10 Fixes That Work
Nearby areas
- Lancashire about 24 miles
- Merseyside about 26 miles
- South Yorkshire about 37 miles
- Staffordshire about 50 miles
Distances are straight-line miles between the centres of each area.
More areas we cover
How we work with Greater Manchester businesses
Every project starts the same simple way, whether you’re in Bury or further afield:
- Free website check. We look at your website and how you show up on Google, then tell you what we’d fix first.
- Build. A bespoke website or Shopify store, designed around how your customers buy.
- Grow. SEO, ads and AI automation, planned together with the site so they work as one.
More on our websites, SEO, paid ads and AI automation.
Quick facts: Greater Manchester compared with the UK
| Greater Manchester | UK | |
|---|---|---|
| Registered businesses | 108,685 | 2,786,985 |
| Residents | 3,017,590 | 69,483,939 |
| Businesses per 10,000 residents | 360 | 401 |
| Limited companies | 84% | 78% |
| Sole proprietors | 10% | 14% |
| Micro (0 to 9 employees) | 96,215 | 2,484,365 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 10,135 | 246,285 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 1,830 | 44,875 |
| Large (250+) | 500 | 11,460 |
Sources: ONS UK Business Counts 2026 and mid-2025 population estimates (via Nomis); built-up areas and area centres from the ONS Open Geography Portal. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Page updated 2026-10-07.
Questions about web design and marketing in Greater Manchester
How many businesses are there in Greater Manchester?
ONS counts 108,685 VAT- and/or PAYE-registered businesses in Greater Manchester for 2026, about 360 for every 10,000 residents (UK: 401). Businesses that are not registered for VAT or PAYE are not included, so the real number of trading businesses is higher.
Which industries are biggest in Greater Manchester?
By number of businesses, the three largest groups are professional and consulting services (14.8%), construction and trades (12.6%) and retail (10.5%).
Do I need a web design agency based in Greater Manchester?
No, but it helps that we’re close. We’re based in Clitheroe, around 40 minutes from Bury, so we can meet in person, or work over the phone and video calls if you prefer.
What should a professional services website in Greater Manchester include?
In Greater Manchester, including Bury, the professional services websites that win the most enquiries usually have: useful articles that show your expertise; fast, professional pages on any device; and a clear specialism and the clients you help.
How much does a website cost for a business in Greater Manchester?
A website starts from £500, and an online shop from £1,995. Ongoing marketing is monthly: from £175 a month for social media, £245 for AI automation, £295 for paid ads and £495 for SEO. Logos and branding start from £295. Ad budgets and automation running costs, such as texts and call minutes, are paid on top.
Which parts of Greater Manchester do you cover?
All ten boroughs. Bury is around 40 minutes from us and Bolton, Wigan and Manchester around 50 to 55, and we work online with businesses right across the county.
Should I have a page for each town I serve?
If you genuinely serve them, yes, with real local detail on each page. Copy-and-paste town pages can do more harm than good.
Work with us
Ready to scale?
Bespoke websites, Shopify stores, SEO, Meta & Google ads and email automation, planned together by one team, for businesses across Lancashire, the Ribble Valley and the rest of the UK.