SEO isn't just for tech giants and online stores—it's a powerful tool that the best plumbers use strategically to attract clients.
We know you're busy running your plumbing business and the thought of optimizing your website might feel like another burden.
But here's the deal: you don't need to be an SEO expert or spend a fortune to make it work. Just a few simple steps can significantly improve your online visibility and bring more clients to your business.
To help you out, we have built a free SEO checklist - also, for a full action plan, please check our pack of marketing tactics and strategies for plumbers.
Get the SEO checklist made for plumbers
The best plumbers rank first on Google. Here is a free tool to to get you started.
What is SEO for plumbers exactly?
Simply put, SEO is all about making your plumbing business’s website more attractive to search engines like Google.
When someone searches for "best plumber in [Your Town]" or "emergency plumbing services," SEO helps your plumbing business show up in the results. The goal is to get your website higher up on the search results page so more people can find and hire your services.
Why is SEO Important for Plumbers?
SEO is incredibly important for plumbers, and here’s why:
- Increased Online Visibility:
The higher your website ranks on search engines, the more people will see it. This means more potential customers discovering your plumbing services online, especially when they're in urgent need of help.
- Higher Rankings on Search Engines:
Most people don’t look past the first page of search results. By optimizing your site, you can climb those rankings and beat out the competition. Imagine someone searching for "emergency plumber near me" and finding your business right at the top!
- Attracting More Local Customers:
SEO isn't just about getting anyone to your site—it's about getting the right people. Local SEO helps ensure that when someone nearby searches for plumbing services, your business pops up. This means more local calls and more jobs for you.
Key Components of SEO
Now, let’s break down the main parts of SEO specifically for your plumbing business:
On-Page SEO
This involves making sure the content on your website is optimized. It includes things like:
- Keywords:
Using the words and phrases people are searching for in your titles, descriptions, and content. For example, if you offer 24/7 emergency services, make sure you use phrases like "24-hour plumber" or "emergency plumbing services" on your site.
- Content Quality:
Providing useful, engaging, and fresh content about your services. Share details about your services, customer testimonials, tips for maintaining plumbing systems, and stories about your team.
- Meta Tags:
Using meta titles and descriptions that are relevant and appealing to searchers. For instance, a meta description for your homepage could be "Reliable and affordable plumbing services at [Your Business Name], the top-rated plumber in [Your Town]."
Off-Page SEO
This focuses on actions taken outside your website to impact your rankings:
- Backlinks:
Getting other reputable websites to link to your site, which signals to search engines that your site is trustworthy and relevant. This could be from home improvement blogs, local news sites, or community forums.
- Social Media:
Being active on social media with your business’s page can drive traffic to your site and improve your online presence. Share your latest projects, customer reviews, and plumbing tips to engage with your audience.
Technical SEO
This ensures your website meets the technical requirements of search engines:
- Site Speed:
Making sure your website loads quickly. No one likes to wait, especially customers dealing with plumbing emergencies!
- Mobile-Friendliness:
Ensuring your site looks and works well on mobile devices. Many people search for plumbers on their phones while dealing with urgent issues.
- Secure Website (HTTPS):
Having a secure website that users (and search engines) can trust. This is especially important if you have an online booking or contact form.
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Which keywords should you target for your plumbing contracting service?
Plumbers, like you, must target specific keywords in SEO because it helps your website appear in search results when potential clients look for plumbing services. This increases the chances that people will find and hire you for their plumbing needs.
For example, if you specialize in emergency plumbing, targeting keywords like "emergency plumber" or "24-hour plumbing service near me" helps attract clients searching for those terms. This makes it easier for people in urgent need of plumbing services to find you online.
Here are some keyword ideas for you. If you want a more developed strategy with actionable steps, go check out our strategy pack for plumbers.
Keyword | Competitiveness Level | Tips and Initiatives |
---|---|---|
Best plumber in [Your City] | High | Optimize your website with high-quality images of your work, gather customer reviews, list on local directories, and use local SEO strategies. |
Emergency plumbing service | High | Create blog posts or pages on your website highlighting your emergency services, use keywords naturally in content, and ensure your contact information is easily accessible. |
Plumbing repair near me | Medium | Use detailed imagery of your repair work, gather positive customer reviews, and ensure your Google My Business profile is complete. |
Affordable plumber in [Your City] | Medium | Highlight affordable options and specials on your website, use keywords related to value, and promote deals on social media. |
24-hour plumber in [Your City] | High | Highlight your 24-hour service prominently on your website, use local SEO tactics, and promote your availability on social media. |
Top-rated plumber near me | High | Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, optimize your website for mobile, and ensure accurate information on local listings. |
Plumbing installation services | Medium | Create content around your installation services, use keywords naturally in your content, and engage with local home improvement bloggers. |
Where to find a plumber near me | Medium | Use local SEO strategies, create content around popular plumbing services, and ensure your website is optimized for mobile users searching nearby. |
Popular plumber in [Your City] | Medium | Use social media to share successful projects, engage with local influencers, and gather customer testimonials to build credibility. |
Best plumber for families in [Your City] | Low | Create family-friendly content, highlight services for family homes on your website, and host community events to generate buzz. |
What really matters when you do SEO for a plumber
Actually, we think that SEO often follows the 80/20 rule, meaning that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. For plumbers, like you, this means it's crucial to focus on the right strategies to maximise impact without feeling overwhelmed.
Action / Initiative | Why It Matters / How It Helps Bring New Customers |
---|---|
Optimize Google My Business profile | Ensures your plumbing services appear in local search results, provides essential information (hours, location, services), and collects reviews to build trust. |
Gather and respond to online reviews | Positive reviews build credibility and trust. Responding to reviews shows you value customer feedback, encouraging more people to hire your services. |
Create high-quality content with targeted keywords | Helps your website rank higher in search results for relevant queries, attracting customers looking for specific plumbing services or solutions. |
Optimize for local SEO | Ensures your plumbing business shows up in local searches (e.g., "plumbers near me"), driving calls and inquiries from nearby potential customers. |
Ensure website is mobile-friendly | Most users search for services on their phones. A mobile-friendly site provides a better user experience, leading to higher engagement and conversions. |
Use high-quality images of your work | Attractive photos of completed projects entice potential customers, showcasing your expertise and the quality of your work, which can significantly influence their decision to hire you. |
Include a detailed list of services with keywords | Allows search engines to index your services, helping you appear in searches for specific plumbing needs, and makes it easy for customers to see what you offer. |
List your business on local directories | Increases your online presence and backlinks, improving your search engine ranking and making it easier for customers to find you. |
Engage with local home improvement bloggers and influencers | Generates buzz and word-of-mouth, reaching a wider audience and attracting customers who trust these local voices. |
Promote special offers and discounts | Creates a sense of urgency and excitement, encouraging potential customers to hire your services for unique deals. |
Utilize social media to share updates and engage with customers | Builds a community around your business, keeps customers informed about new services, and drives traffic to your website. |
Ensure accurate and consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information across all platforms | Prevents confusion, helps search engines trust your business information, and improves your local SEO ranking. |
Offer online booking and emergency contact options | Makes it convenient for customers to schedule services or reach you in emergencies, leading to increased bookings and customer satisfaction. |
Create blog posts about plumbing tips and solutions | Attracts visitors to your site through informative and engaging content, improving SEO and showcasing your expertise in the field. |
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What is always useless when you do SEO for a plumber
We have studied a lot of plumbing businesses when we built our strategy pack and we saw a lot of SEO-related initiatives that don't help attract new clients. We explain here why they might be a waste of time or even counterproductive.
Action / Initiative | Why It Doesn't Matter / How It Doesn't Help Bring New Clients |
---|---|
Using meta keyword tags | Search engines no longer use meta keyword tags to rank pages, so focusing on them doesn't improve SEO for your plumbing business. |
Keyword stuffing in service descriptions | Overusing keywords in service descriptions makes them hard to read and can be penalized by search engines, turning away potential clients. |
Paying for backlinks from unrelated websites | Backlinks from non-plumbing related or low-quality websites don't improve your SEO and can even hurt your ranking if considered spammy by search engines. |
Using exact match domains like bestplumberintown.com | Having an exact match domain has minimal impact on SEO and can appear spammy, especially if it doesn't reflect your brand well. |
Creating multiple pages for the same services | Duplicate content confuses search engines and can dilute your SEO efforts. Focus on one high-quality page for each unique service or topic. |
Using Flash for service or booking pages | Flash is outdated, not supported by many devices, and negatively impacts SEO. Modern alternatives like HTML5 should be used instead. |
Focusing only on desktop optimization | Many clients search for plumbing services on mobile devices. Ignoring mobile optimization leads to poor user experience and lower search rankings. |
Using automated link-building tools | These tools often create low-quality or spammy links that can be penalized by search engines, hurting your plumbing business's SEO efforts. |
Ignoring structured data for services | Structured data helps search engines understand your services better. Ignoring it means missing out on potential SEO benefits like rich snippets. |
Not updating your service offerings regularly | Outdated service information can frustrate clients and harm your SEO. Regular updates keep content relevant and maintain search rankings. |
Using irrelevant stock photos on your site | Low-quality or irrelevant images can negatively impact user experience and SEO. Use high-quality photos of your actual work and team. |
Over-optimizing anchor text in links | Using exact match keywords for every link appears unnatural and can be penalized by search engines. Use varied, natural anchor text instead. |
Ignoring page load speed for your website | Slow-loading pages frustrate users and can lead to higher bounce rates, negatively impacting your plumbing business's SEO. Ensure your site loads quickly. |
Using too many ads above the fold on your homepage | Too many ads at the top of the page can be off-putting for users and may be penalized by search engines, impacting your SEO negatively. |
Should you pay someone for the SEO of your plumbing contracting service?
Well, we will be transparent. Here’s the thing: SEO can get pretty complex, and having some support can really make a difference. Imagine trying to juggle running your plumbing business, managing your team, keeping clients satisfied, and then on top of that, diving into the world of search engine optimization. It’s a lot, right?
Having someone handle your SEO means you can focus on what you do best—running your plumbing business. SEO experts know the ins and outs of getting your website to rank higher on search engines. They stay updated on the latest trends and algorithms, which means your site will be optimized correctly and consistently. This can lead to more people finding your plumbing services online, and ultimately, more clients calling you for their plumbing needs.
- But here’s the kicker: there are a lot of low-hanging fruits in SEO that you can tackle on your own, even if you don’t know much about it.
You will find a lot of low-hanging fruits that cost nothing, are quick to implement, and will make your plumbing business’s website much more visible in strategy pack for plumbing business owners.
Simple actions like optimizing your Google My Business profile, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly, and using relevant keywords can significantly improve your online presence. These tasks don't require deep technical knowledge but can make a big impact.
So, should you increase the marketing budget of your plumbing business and pay someone to manage your SEO? If you can do it, it’s a worthwhile investment. But don't underestimate what you can achieve on your own. Start with the basics, see the results, and then decide if you need more specialized help.
Make your plumbing contracting service more profitable
We have studied the strategies of the best plumbers in the world. All their tactics are explained in our pack!
Useful tools plumbers can use for their SEO
Here are some essential tools that our team has collected and listed, to help you improve your plumbing business's online presence and SEO.
Tool | How It's Useful |
---|---|
Google My Business | Ensures your plumbing business appears in local search results and Google Maps, provides essential information (hours, location, services), and collects customer reviews. |
SEMrush | Helps identify the best keywords for your plumbing services, analyze competitors, and track your search rankings. Provides insights to improve your content and visibility. |
Yext | Manages your plumbing business's listings across multiple directories, ensuring consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information to boost local SEO. |
Google Search Console | Monitors your plumbing website's performance, identifies issues, and provides data on search traffic and keywords to optimize your SEO strategy. |
Yelp | Collects customer reviews and ratings, which improve your plumbing business's online reputation and visibility in local search results. |
BrightLocal | Offers tools for local SEO audits, citation building, and review management, helping your plumbing business improve its local search presence. |
Moz | Provides keyword research, link building, and site audit tools to enhance your plumbing business's SEO efforts and improve search engine rankings. |
Ahrefs | Analyzes your plumbing business's backlink profile, identifies top-performing content, and tracks keyword rankings to boost your SEO strategy. |
Screaming Frog SEO Spider | Crawls your plumbing website to identify technical SEO issues, such as broken links and duplicate content, helping improve site health and rankings. |
AnswerThePublic | Generates content ideas by showing what people are searching for related to plumbing services, helping you create relevant and engaging blog posts and pages. |
Canva | Helps create visually appealing social media posts and graphics for your website, which can improve user engagement and indirectly boost SEO. |
Hotjar | Provides insights into user behavior on your plumbing website through heatmaps and session recordings, helping you optimize user experience and reduce bounce rates. |
Copy the SEO tactics of the best plumbers
We understand why many business owners might shy away from SEO and marketing.
Running a plumbing business is already a full-time job, and the concept of SEO can seem vague and foreign. The terminology can be confusing, and it often feels like marketing is a luxury only big corporations can afford.
Plus, there's the constant worry about costs and whether any marketing efforts will actually pay off. We get that you prefer to focus on immediate, tangible improvements to your plumbing services rather than dive into something that seems complicated and uncertain. No need to deteriorate your plumbing business’s budget here.
That's why we've created a "marketing pack" specifically for plumbing business owners like you.
Our pack is designed to address all these concerns head-on. It includes easy-to-follow guides that break down SEO and marketing into simple steps, so you don't need to be a tech expert to understand. We offer cost-effective strategies that fit within tight budgets, and our step-by-step plans ensure that you can implement a good marketing strategy for your plumbing business without feeling overwhelmed.
Plus, we've included real-life examples and tips that have worked for other small plumbing businesses, so you can see the tangible benefits before you even start.
Our goal is to make marketing accessible and practical, helping your plumbing business thrive without adding extra stress to your already busy life.
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