The plumbing industry is constantly evolving. As technology advances, the way customers find information about plumbers and how they interact with them also changes.
Consumers now search for plumbers online more than ever before. In fact, there are over 2.9 million online searches for local services each month, and 85% of these potential customers do not scroll past the first page.
This trend is only likely to continue. So to avoid losing out on leads, your plumbing company must change how it operates and market itself through result-driven Local plumbing SEO Strategies.
This guide teaches you actionable SEO strategies for plumbing contractors that will help you attract new customers and how to implement them from start to finish.
But first, let’s kickstart with understanding what SEO is for plumbers and its importance.
What is Plumber SEO?
The acronym, SEO, stands short for search engine optimization and describes improving a site’s rankings on search engine results pages like google and bing.
However, SEO for plumbing contractors goes beyond optimizing a “website” for organic search traffic. It also entails a series of processes used to increase your organic reach in your local service area through Google My Business and build an online reputation through reviews and testimonials.
Importance Of SEO To Plumbing Companies
The answer is simple: There are thousands of people searching for google for local plumbers every month, and SEO helps plumbing companies convert these leads into new clients.
If you don’t show up in your local area for searches related to your core plumbing business, you are not just missing out on leads but also an opportunity to
- Position yourself as a reputable and trustworthy plumbing contractor
- Build Credibility among your existing client base
- Show off your expertise and experience and demonstrate your ability to deliver quality plumbing work.
So, How Can You Do SEO Easily?
Local SEO for plumbers is simple. However, as you expand your SEO efforts, you’ll likely need some help with more complex strategies like local link building and technical SEO.
But, Don’t worry; we’re here to help!
SEO For Plumbing Companies is a game of two sides
- The Map Pack Results
- Regular Organic Search Engine Results
To have the best SEO for your plumbing business, you need to try to rank for both types of results.
Let’s explore how to achieve that.
8 Actionable SEO Tips For Your Plumbing Company — Rank Higher On Google And Triple Your Organic Leads
1.) Optimize Your Google Business Profile To Generate Leads In Your Local Area
Google My Business is a free platform that allows you to list your business and provide detailed information about your plumbing services. This is your best route to rank in a local map pack result and generate customer reviews online. It should always be a major part of your plumbing SEO strategy.
Here is how to boost your visibility with a google business profile
Add Your Business To GMB
If you haven’t already, create a Google My Business profile and select a correct primary business category like “Plumber” or ”Plumbing contractor.”
You should also select more specific services as your secondary categories based on your expertise.
some common examples are
- Drainage Services
- Gas Installation Service
- HVAC Contractor
Update Your NAP
Fill your GMB profile with your Name, Address, and Phone Number. Then, check that the information you provide corresponds to that on your website’s contact page and other places you have your business information listed online.
Add Comprehensive Business Information
This includes your service areas, operating hours, business description, and website URL. Google allows a description of up to 750 words on your profile; take advantage of this by detailing all of your special services.
Also, to ensure that your profile is fully optimized, use plumbing-specific keywords and follow google guidelines when listing your service.
Gather Reviews
Get and publish customer reviews and completed jobs on your GMB profile to improve your ranking.
2.) Get Listed On Directories To Build Your Brand Authority And Close More Leads
Directories are places where you can list your business name, address, and phone number. They are often called NAP citations and are an important map pack ranking factor, according to a survey by BrightLocal.
Here is how to get the best out of your NAP Citations
Get Listed On Big Names and Data Aggregators
Big names like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and Angie’s List are great ways to increase your presence online. These directories allow you to add your business details and receive traffic from people who search for your company and services using their platforms.
Data aggregators such as Foursquare and Localeze also serve as a data hub for business, and they feed information about your business to other local directories. This way, you may end up with lots of NAP citations without even moving a finger.
Focus on Core Industry Related and Local Directory Sites
look for directories specific to your plumbing business or local service area and get listed on them. This builds more relevance and helps google recognize you as a local authority.
Here are a few Industry directories you should consider
- bestplumbers.com
- buildzoom.com
- contractors.com
- findaplumber.com
Key Takeaway: Avoid inconsistencies in your NAP (Name, Address, and phone number) while building your local business citations. Inconsistencies give wrong signals to search engines that you’re not trustworthy, and you also do not want to put off potential customers with wrong information.
3.) Get Reviews and Testimonials To Help Manage And Improve Your Brand Reputation
Reviews are important for fostering customer trust. According to research, 68% of people say they are more confident in a company’s services when they see positive reviews about them online.
Google has considered this a trust signal and an important ranking factor for map packs. So, reviews should be part of your plumber SEO objectives, particularly on your Google business profile(GBP)
Here are a few tips to help manage your brand reputation through reviews
- Deliver excellent service:This is the simplest way to get positive reviews. When you satisfy your customers, they will gladly recommend you even if you do not ask them to.
- Request reviews:After each plumbing job, you can ask your clients to rate your plumbing service and leave reviews on your GMB profile, other directories, and social media platforms. Simply send an “email request” with a link to your GMB profile’s review section.
- Add testimonials to your website:As you receive more reviews, include some of the best testimonials on your website. This helps in converting organic traffic on your website to customers.
- Respond to reviews: No one wants bad reviews, but if you receive one, respond to it kindly. This goes a long way to demonstrate to your customers that you are constantly learning and striving to improve your services.
4.) Optimize For Keywords That Will Bring The Right Type Of Leads
As I mentioned earlier, Search engine optimization for plumbers is a game of the map pack and the regular search result. So you also need to focus your energy on ranking your website and not just your google business profile.
The easiest point to start is finding keywords that will drive your company’s business and using them on the website pages and your Google Business Profile.
Keyword optimization is simple, and there are several SEO tools to help with your keyword research, including Google Keyword Planner, Keyword Surfer, Ahrefs, SemRush, and Ubbersuggest. These tools are easy to use and provide information and analytics on your target keywords.
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you optimize your website for relevant keywords;
- Begin your keyword research by creating a comprehensive list of all relevant industry keywords that you can think of. Such as water heater repair, drain cleaning, tap repair, toilet installation, etc.
- Enter each keyword into your SEO tool for proper analysis. Type a keyword into the tool and select your service location to see the keyword’s search volume and competition level in your area.
- Only use keywords with a high search volume but a low ranking difficulty on your website. I recommend using relevant long-tail keywords because they are easier to rank for.
- Use keywords in your website’s headers, content, and HTML codes.
- Keyword use should be organic. While you can include multiple keywords in your content, avoid forcing them in when they are irrelevant. This is known as keyword stuffing, a black hat SEO practice that can prompt Google to penalize your website.
- Keywords that suggest commercial intent, such as “plumber in Denver,” should appear more frequently on your homepage and services pages. These are the keywords that people use when looking for plumbing services. They tend to elicit immediate hiring action from the searcher and can result in a higher conversion rate.
- Keywords with informational intent, such as “how to fix a clogged drain,” should be used as blog topics or on your website’s FAQs page. These keywords are mostly used by people looking for solutions to problems and help introduce your company to people who may become customers in the future when they need plumbing services.
- To stay ahead of the competition, conduct keyword reviews at least once a year.
5.) Create Content That Positions You As A Plumbing Expert
When it comes to SEO for plumbing companies, content is King! You establish your brand’s voice, credibility, and authority through valuable content.
Incorporating new, high-quality content into your plumbing website is a good way to rank higher on Google and outperform your competitors in your area.
Here are some content creation tips for your plumbing SEO;
Create Service Pages
You should create a separate page for each of the plumbing services you offer. This allows you to target different keywords and attract more customers searching for those specific services. Plus, it helps you appear more relevant and trustworthy to potential customers.
Create An About Page
Your about page should not be overlooked in your overall website optimization. It gives you an opportunity to demonstrate E.A.T (expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness)
A plumbing company with strong E.A.T signals has a good chance of ranking high on search engines. So, although your about page would rarely pop up on search engines, it should contain information about your business, including the year of establishment, contact details, certifications, reviews and testimonials, and any special promotions or discounts you might have available.
Create Location Pages
Creating pages specific to those locations is a good idea if you service many areas. This gives geographical signals to search engines and will help you rank high for local searches on both the map pack and regular search results.
Here is an example from XYZ Plumbing contractors
Add A Blog Section
One way to really stand out from the competition is by adding a blog section to your website. This is a great way to share your expertise with potential customers and show them that you’re the go-to source for all things plumbing.
Not sure where to start? You can write about plumbing-related topics that include
- DIY plumbing repairs,
- Preventive maintenance guides and checklists
- The Benefits of Hiring a Professional Plumber
No matter what you write about, make sure your blog posts are informative, well-written, and easy to read. Also, use high-quality images and videos to engage site visitors and keep them on your website for longer.
Use Internal Links To Connect Your Pages
When creating content for your website, use internal links to connect related pages. This will help search engines understand your site structure and index your content properly. Internal links can also help visitors navigate your site more easily.
Also, use relevant anchor text to the page you’re linking to. This will help people understand where they’re being taken and why it’s important. For example, if you’re linking to a page about your company’s history, you might use anchor text like “our story” or “learn about our company.”
6.) Tag Optimization Gives You A Competitive Advantage
Setting up your pages gets you one step closer to a successful plumbing SEO lead generation campaign. However, these pages need to be further optimized to help search engines better understand what the page is about.
Tag optimization is one of the important on-page SEO optimizations that take your plumbing website to the next level.
It involves structuring and formatting your web pages, URLs, and other HTML elements (such as title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags). This only helps to improve your online visibility, but it can also increase the click-through rate of your web pages.
These are the key aspects of your tag optimization;
- Title tags:These are the SEO titles that appear in search results. They make the first impression and have an impact on the click-through rate. An SEO title tag must contain your target keyword and be less than 60 characters long.
- Meta Description:These are brief descriptions of your web pages that appear beneath the title tags. They are snippets from a page’s content. Include relevant keywords in your meta descriptions, and keep it under 160 characters.
- Header Tags:Break up your content into headings (h1>, h2>, h3>, and so on) to make it easier for users to read. Use relevant plumbing keywords in each heading.
- Alt Tag:This is a brief description of an image on your website. It provides search engines with more information about the image and can help a webpage rank higher. Keep your alt tag under 125 characters.
- Page URL: Your URL structure is important for search engine crawlers to index your webpage. Ensure that your page URL is easy to understand for both search engines and readers. Keep your URL addresses short and focused on plumbing keywords. Example of a simple URL: domainname.com/services/water-heater-repair.
7.) Focus On Link Building To Help Build Brand Awareness And Authority
Backlinks are hyperlinks from other websites that direct a user to your website. These links increase your website traffic and help to portray your brand as an authority on a particular subject.
However, not all backlinks carry equal ranking weight. For example, high-quality links, such as those from high-profile websites related to the plumbing industry, have a more positive impact than low-quality backlinks that can sometimes hurt your website.
To get these quality backlinks, you need a good link-building strategy. The process can take some time and require effort and creativity from you.
Here are a few link-building strategies to help you get started;
Creating Content Assets
Creating high-quality content is the simplest way to attract backlinks to your website. This could be anything from blog posts and infographics to eBooks and whitepapers.
To ensure your content asset is link-worthy, focus on creating something original, valuable and informative. It should also be well-designed and easy to consume.
Guest Blogging
Offering guest posts on high-profile blogs can help you reach a new audience, get your name out there, and build relationships with other bloggers.
When pitching a guest post, ensure you have a strong angle and something unique to say. Keep your pitch short and to the point, and follow the blog’s guidelines. You’re sure to get noticed if you can provide a valuable guest post that resonates with the blog’s audience.
Industry Outreach
Do you have a good relationship with other businesses in your industry, including suppliers of plumbing materials or companies that provide complementary services, such as electricians and architects, and other contractors you have worked with? If you do, ask them to endorse your work by linking to their websites.
8.) Technical SEO Can Improve Your Vistors Experience and Increase Conversion Rates
Technical SEO is the practice of improving how your site functions across different devices. This makes search engines easily crawl, index, and rank your pages.
There are numerous activities involved in technical SEO for plumbers, some of which require an expert to implement. However, If you want to improve your conversion rates, you should consider implementing these fundamental practices.
Site Speed
Nobody likes a website that takes forever to load. According to research, 53% of mobile website visitors will leave if a page does not load within three seconds.
Google is aware of this and will always prioritize fast-loading pages. They officially announced Page experience (how fast people perceive a web page to be) as a ranking factor in 2021.
As a result, you must optimize your website speed so that your web pages load faster and provide a better user experience.
Tools like Google’s Page Speed Insights and GTmetrix allow you to monitor your website speed and improve your Core Web Vitals. These tools will diagnose and recommend solutions to speed issues on your website.
Here are a few tips for making your website load faster:
Check your hosting: If your site is hosted on a shared server, it may be loading slowly because it is sharing resources with other sites. You can improve loading times by upgrading to a VPS or a dedicated server.
Minify JavaScript and CSS: Minifying codes reduces file sizes and improves performance. Use a tool like Gruntjs to minify your code.
Optimize images: Large images can take a long time to load, so it’s important to ensure that your images are as small as possible without sacrificing quality. You can do this by using an image compression tool like TinyPNG.
Other common speed optimization measures includsse fixing redirects, clearing caches, and removing other redundant files from web pages.
Mobile Optimization
You might be surprised to learn that most customers who search for plumbing services do so on their mobile devices.
According to research, smartphones account for 96 percent of Google’s organic search traffic in the United States. That means you’re losing a lot of traffic if you’re not optimizing your website for mobile devices.
In fact, Google has stated that mobile-friendliness is one of its ranking factors, and it provides tools for running mobile-friendly tests on websites and identifying areas for improvement.
Here are some things you can do to optimize your website for mobile devices;
- Use your website on several smartphone devices to test its loading time, navigation, and readability. Then, test your site using Google’s mobile-friendly tool for a more in-depth analysis.
- Make sure that your website design is simple and not overly crowded.
- Use responsive themes and plugins that adjust to fit any device screen.
- Remove excess plugins, pop-ups, and other screen inhibitors from the mobile version of your website to improve loading time.
Need Help Improving Your Plumber SEO?
The strategies covered in this guide should get you started on your plumber SEO journey. It may take some time and effort, but with consistency and patience, your website will soon hit the top of search results for relevant plumbing search queries.
However, if this process doesn’t look like what you can handle and you need professional help, feel free to contact us! We can help you stay competitive and drive leads to your plumbing company through our proven Local Plumber SEO strategy.
