Plumber SEO: 8 Strong SEO Tips to Boost Your Presence Online

 

As a plumber, you know how important it is to have a steady stream of customers. However, the internet has drastically changed the way people search for and hire plumbers. Gone are the days of flipping through the Yellow Pages.

Now, search engines like Google and Bing are the first port of call for people who are looking for plumbing services.

So if you want to attract more customers to your business, you will need to invest in SEO.

 

What Is Plumber SEO?

 

Plumber SEO is the process of using search engine optimization best practices to improve your plumbing company’s online presence. Its main goal is to have your website appear on the first page of search engine results for your target keywords (more on this later). 

The higher your website ranks in search results, the more potential customers your business will get. 

 

Why Do Plumbers Need SEO?

According to Google’s Keyword Planner, there are over 800,000 searches for “plumbers near me” every month. Other specific plumbing services like “water heater repair” and “emergency plumber near me” also get thousands of searches monthly. Without SEO, you will be missing out on so many opportunities to engage with potential customers.

Integrating SEO into your overall plumber digital marketing strategy may seem daunting, but there are quick and simple steps that you can take to nail down the SEO basics and get amazing results. 

Here’s a short summary of what we’ll go over

 

Now, let’s get into the steps.

1. Create & Optimize Your Google Business Profile

 

With more than 83% search market share, Google remains to be the most popular search engine in the world, so ranking high on their search results is crucial. The first step to achieving this goal is to create and optimize your Google Business Profile (formerly known as Google My Business). This free local listing allows your business to appear on Google Maps pack results for local queries such as “plumbers near me.” 

 

 

You can follow step-by-step guide on how to create or claim your Google Business Profile and Bing Places for Business.

 

For your GBP profile the next step is to optimize it. This means:

 

• Setting your business category.
• Setting your service areas.
• Adding the specific services you offer.
• Adding other basic information such as your phone number, address, opening hours, and website link.
• Add photos of your office/headquarters, staff, and completed plumbing. 

 

We also recommend adding photos of your office, staff and completed plumbing projects. The more complete your profile looks, the better your ranking will be. 

 

2. Request Reviews from Previous Customers

 

Reviews are an important ranking factor because they help build trust in your brand and showcase your experience. Here are a few techniques you can use to gather more reviews for your local plumbing business:

 

• Contact previous customers and ask them to leave a review on your Google Business Profile, website, or social media page
• Create a unique review link through the Google Business Profile Manager and send it to existing customers.
• Add your review link to your website and email signature.
• Turn your review link into a QR code and print it on flyers, business cards, and other marketing collateral.

 

3. Conduct Plumber SEO Keyword Research

 

When it comes to plumbing services, keywords are essential. You need to determine what words and phrases your potential customers are using when they search for plumbing industry-related services in your area.

 

Once you have identified these keywords or phrases, you can use them strategically and naturally throughout your website content, helping customers find your services quickly and easily. 

 

Here are tips to help your keyword research:

 

A. Use Google Search Console & Google Keyword Planner

 

• Both of these tools are free to use and can be extremely valuable in identifying the right keywords for your website. The Queries data found under Google Search Console’s Performance report shows you which keywords people use to find your web pages online. 

 

• To access the Keyword Planner tool, you will need to sign up for a Google Ads account. You can enter a list of plumbing-related search terms into this tool, and it will give you additional keywords you can use. It will also show you how much traffic those keywords generated. 

 

B. Know how to use transactional-intent keywords

 

• These are keywords that include the name of a city/town or the term “near me” (e.g., “plumbing service near me” or “rooter service in Atlanta”). People typically use these keywords when they intend to take action, so queries like this are often followed by a call or a visit to your website. 

 

• Since these keywords get you leads fairly quickly, it’s a good idea to include them on your website homepage and on dedicated Service pages. 

 

C. Know how to use informational-intent keywords

 

• Keywords such as “Why does my shower smell?” are generally used by searchers who are trying to learn more about a specific subject. They are not exactly looking to hire plumbers right away. 

 

• While these keywords don’t provide immediate sales or leads, they can be useful as topics for blogs or FAQs on your website. These types of content help build trust and strengthen your authority, which can ultimately boost your SEO ranking. 

 

4. Create Service Pages & a Contact Us Page

 

Each plumbing service that you provide should have a dedicated page on your website. This will not only allow customers to learn more about your business but also help boost your ranking in local search results. When creating Service Pages, be sure to:

 

• Write clear descriptions to help visitors determine if the service is right for them.
• List the specific areas you serve.
• Highlight your unique selling points.
• Inspire confidence by showcasing your reviews and accreditations.
• Provide your contact details and a web form they can use.

 

If you don’t already have one, create a Contact Us page for your website. This should have all your contact information, such as phone number, email address, and physical address. We also recommend integrating an embedded map that shows your rating, location, and a get directions button to your office.

 

5. Create Local City Service Pages

 

If you have multiple locations and service areas, it’s a good idea to create a separate webpage for each city you serve. Optimize these pages with content that features local sights, neighborhoods, and keywords (such as “drain clearing Atlanta” or “leak repair Atlanta”). We also recommend showcasing reviews from local customers and a map of the area. 

If done well, Local City Pages can help expand your reach and ensure your website ranks high in local search results.

 

6. Work on Your Off-Page SEO

 

Another essential part of a successful local SEO strategy is off-page SEO. This refers to the SEO techniques that are applied outside your website to boost its ranking.

 

Popular off-page SEO tactics include link building and directory citations.

Here’s what to do

 

A. Start link building

 

Link building is the process of obtaining links from other websites that lead back to your site. In the SEO world, these links are called “backlinks” and are one of Google’s most important ranking factors.

 

The more high-quality backlinks your site has, the higher your ranking will be in search results.

 

There are a number of link building strategies you can use, including:

 

• Guest blogging – involves writing a blog post for other relevant websites. This will not only allow you to get a backlink but also help you improve brand exposure and build relationships. Try doing a search like this, ‘plumbing blogs accepting guest submissions’

 

• Becoming an expert source – involves signing up for online services like Help a Reporter Out (HARO), where you can become a source for bloggers and journalists. By using these kinds of services, you can showcase your expertise in the plumbing industry and get high-quality backlinks. This helped our client get placement in Martha Stewart Living:

 

 

• Link reclamation – involves conducting a backlink audit to identify, fix, and replace broken or lost links with updated URLs.

 

B. Get listed in directories (also called NAP Citations)

 

Business directories like Yelp, BBB, Houzz, and Home Advisor will list your business name, address, and phone number. These listings are called NAP citations and are crucial for improving your local SEO. When applying for directory listings, make sure your NAP details are consistent with those listed on your website and Google Business Profile. 

 

7. Improve Your On-Page SEO

 

One-page SEO is about making strategic improvements to your website so it ranks higher in search results and gains more relevant traffic. Here’s how you can quickly and successfully improve your site’s on-page SEO:

 

A. Write compelling title tags and meta descriptions

 

Both title tags and meta descriptions appear in search results, so it’s crucial to ensure they are properly optimized. 

 

 

For the home page title tag (up to 57 characters), you can add your business name and your main service:

 

• example: Expert Plumbing Services | [Business Name]
• example 2: [Business Name] – Trusted Plumbing – Atlanta, GA

 

For location pages, you can add the name of the city next to the service:

 

• example: Emergency Plumbing in Atlanta | 24/7 Plumbing Repairs
• example 2: 24/7 Plumbing Repairs – Serving Atlanta, GA

 

As for meta descriptions, make sure they are informative and compelling. Provide only the necessary details about your service and business. Also, keep them short (Up to 155 characters) so Google does not truncate them. Include the phone number as a CTA, which is clickable on mobile phones from the search page. 

You can use AI tools to help you brainstorm.

 

B. Create SEO-friendly URLs

 

Instead of super long website URLs, opt for short and descriptive URLs that contain your target keywords. Below is a good example from one of our clients:

 

 

Short and descriptive URLs help people understand what your webpage is about before they click on it. This will also help search engines better index your pages and thus contribute to improved rankings. 

 

C. Create mobile-friendly pages

 

The mobile responsiveness of your website can do wonders for your overall SEO performance. After all, most local searches for businesses these days are conducted using smartphones.

 

Making your website more mobile-friendly can be as simple as switching to an updated web design. 

 

You can also make the following adjustments to ensure your site runs smoothly on mobile devices:

 

• Avoid adding large videos to a page.
• Compress all images.
• Keep your content short and simple. 
• Add click-to-call buttons in key areas.

 

D. Optimize your content

 

Creating informative, original, and engaging content will make your website more rank-worthy. Provide simple, easy-to-understand descriptions of your services and highlight how they can help your customers. Use relevant pictures and infographics to provide useful context and strengthen understanding.

 

Avoid stuffing your content with too many keywords. Instead, use them strategically to make your content helpful for users first, not just search engines.

 

Also, use a good mix of consistently posted and updated blog content, videos, FAQs, and seasonal plumbing tips to answer questions your customers might have about your services or plumbing in general. 

 

8. Start Tracking SEO Results

 

Carve out some time to monitor and measure the results of your SEO efforts. Google Analytics and Google Search Console allow you to assess your website’s performance.

 

You can check out metrics such as organic traffic, keyword performance, and conversion rate. 

 

You can also track the performance of your Google Business Profile. To do that search your business and click on the performance icon.

 

Analyze these metrics and identify which strategies worked and which need to be improved. This way, you can continue increasing your rankings and getting better results for your plumbing business.

 

Conclusion

 

By following these SEO tips, you can leverage the power of search engines to showcase your business and attract more potential customers. 

Download the full-resolution Plumber SEO 8-step cheat sheet.

 

Need Help Boosting Your Plumbing SEO? 

Find out how Hughes Media’s team of digital marketing experts can help you develop a winning SEO strategy that can help get your plumbing business stronger visibility in search results! Call us at  (404) 848-0487 or fill out our online contact form.

 

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