Marketing For Plumbers: Proven Strategies To Grow Your Business

One of the advantages of being a plumber is that your services are required in homes and businesses, which means anyone can be your client. However, you are also competing with more than thousands of plumbers and pipefitters in the U.S. alone, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). As a consequence of this, it is important to know the best ways to stand out.

Marketing your business by building a strong presence online using your website and social media pages is integral to being noticed by customers. The right marketing strategies can help customers find you when searching for plumbing services. 

TL;DR:

• The plumbing industry is highly competitive with nearly half a million professionals nationwide.
• Establishing a strong online presence through your website and social media is key to attracting more customers for the growth of your plumbing business. 
• Utilizing proven marketing strategies such as local SEO, PPC advertising, social media engagement, and reputation management can help your plumbing business stand out in a crowded market. 

Why Marketing Is Hard for Plumbing Businesses (And Why It Pays Off)

Marketing in the plumbing business has its own set of challenges. However, if you are able to overcome those challenges, you will witness rewarding outcomes. Here’s why it is tough to market for a plumbing business and why investing in it pays off: 

• High Local Competition: There are multiple plumbing companies in every region, which makes standing out among them quite difficult. Since many businesses offer similar services, it is important to differentiate through branding and marketing. 
• Inconsistent Lead Flow: Plumbing job requirements are often urgent or seasonal, which causes fluctuating demand. Due to this inconsistency in demand, it is tough to maintain steady revenue and staffing. 
• Low Visibility in Local Search: Most potential customers often use local search as their primary source to find plumbers. Without effective plumbing marketing strategies such as local SEO, your business may remain invisible to those who are searching for it. 
• Complex Lead Generation: In order to attract more plumbing leads, you need to follow a strategic approach across multiple marketing channels, including traditional advertising and digital marketing. 
• Long-Term Payoff: Marketing usually requires upfront investment and effort. However, it builds brand recognition, trust, and repeat business, which ultimately drives sustainable growth. 

Proven Marketing Strategies For Plumbers

As a plumber, you need to be well-informed about the needs of your clients, how users search for plumbers and the competitive advantages of other plumbers to identify the approaches that can help catch the attention of clients. Below are eight proven marketing strategies for plumbers:

Local SEO Optimization

Focusing on local search engine optimization (SEO) can help you grow your plumbing business, as it allows you to increase your brand awareness among people who are more likely to hire you. 

One of the ways to optimize local SEO is by having a Google Business Profile (GBP). With a GBP, you can rank higher on search engine result pages (SERPs) and Google Maps. Your GBP should have your business’s accurate name, address, and phone number (NAP). You can also add a brief sentence informing users about your specific services and service areas. And don’t forget to add high-quality photos of your business premises and projects.

Another strategy for local marketing for plumbers is using location-specific keywords on your website and social media pages. A keyword like “emergency plumber near you” is crucial for ranking higher on search engines, as many users usually use phrases such as “plumber near you” or “plumber in (city/neighborhood)” when looking for a plumber online. 

Improving your business’s visibility on Google Maps can help you catch the attention of clients substantially. Besides having an accurate and completed GBP, ensure your business appears in local map searches by creating a business page on YellowPages, Yelp, Angi, TrustPilot, and Checkatrade, among other online platforms that list businesses. It can also be beneficial to list your business on Apple Maps and Bing Places. 

Google Local Services Ads (Google Guaranteed)

Google Local Ads (LSAs), also known as Google Guaranteed ads, represent a specialized pay-per-lead advertising channel that is designed for local service providers, including plumbers. This is pretty dissimilar to traditional pay-per-click (PPC) ads, where you have to pay for ads no matter what the lead quality is. 

In short, LSAs charge you only when a potential customer contacts your business directly through the ad, and thereby it proves to be a cost-effective solution for generating qualified plumbing leads. 

These ads appear at the top of the Google search results, giving your plumbing business the visibility it needs when customers search for urgent services such as “emergency plumber near me.” 

Besides that, LSAs also display your Google Guaranteed badge, which helps build trust by assuring potential customers that your business has passed Google’s background checks and meets quality standards you must be looking for. 

In order to get started with Google Local Services Ads, you must create and verify your Google Business Profile along with completing the Google Guarantee application process. Once they are approved, you can set your service areas, manage your leads, as well as your budget through an intuitive dashboard. 

For more information and setup guidance, visit Google Local Services Ads Help.

PPC Advertising

With pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, plumbers pay publishers when a user clicks their ads. When a user clicks a plumber’s ad published on a search engine, such as Google or Bing, they will be directed to the plumber’s website, app, or social media page. The plumber will then pay the publisher a set amount.

Typically, businesses bid on keywords. For example, you may bid on “emergency plumbing services in (city).” When a user searches this term, the respective search engine will launch an auction, a real-time bidding system, to determine which ads appear on the results page and how to rank them. Several factors are considered when determining whether an ad should be displayed on top. These include the bid (the maximum amount you are willing to pay when a user clicks your ad), the quality of your ad, and the search context.

You need to invest in Google and Bing ads to reach your targeted audience. Create quality ads and ensure your landing pages meet the expectations a user has upon seeing your ad. 

The PPC model allows businesses to pinpoint their target audience by specifying vital characteristics, including demographics, behaviors, and interests. This means your ads will be shown to people who are actively searching for plumbers.

You should also consider using ad extensions — extra information or features you add to your PPC ad, such as a click-to-call feature, links, and location. Extensions drive immediate action, which quality users appreciate.

A PPC ad can appear on search results (search ads), websites in the form of a banner, image, or text (display ad), or social media sites or apps (social media ad).

CTV Advertising With Geofencing

Connected TV (CTV) advertising allows plumbers to show their ads on smart TVs and streaming services like Hulu, Roku, and YouTube TV. Your CTV ad will be shown when a user is watching a movie, TV show, or any other content.

With geofencing, you can specify your ads to be displayed to users in a particular location. For instance, your service areas only. In this case, information related to location on a user’s device, such as zip code or IP address, is used to create virtual boundaries for your ad. A user whose device meets your specified location criteria will see your ad.

You should create appealing CTV ads to grab a user’s attention within a few minutes before returning to their entertainment. An eye-catching CTV ad has appealing visuals, great audio, informative content (how your business can benefit the user), a sense of urgency, and a compelling call to action.

Ready to grow your plumbing business? Start with these strategies today.

Social Media Marketing

Many people use social media to find businesses to work with, including plumbing services. Thus, it’s critical for a plumber to have a strong online presence. Have pages on several social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram. 

On your pages, post before-and-after photos and videos of your plumbing projects to showcase the quality of your services, as a user can see what you started with and how your services were employed in the project. 

Offer seasonal offers to clients on your social media pages. For example, a percentage off on inspection of plumbing systems before winter hits, discounted prices for repairing frozen pipes, or a discount for cleaning and inspecting plumbing systems during spring. Moreover, you can use your social media platforms to inform users that you offer emergency services and how they can get them.

Social media marketing for plumbers also involves engaging with the local community through groups or targeted paid social campaigns. You can have a group where you discuss and promote charities that provide clean water, saving the world, or you can offer plumbing-related tips to help the community save water or avoid costly issues.

Encourage Online Reviews

Plumbing is technical, which means most clients can’t easily spot a mistake when receiving a service. Thus, most people heavily rely on reviews to find a plumber whose work is praised. That’s why online reviews are crucial for a plumber.

It’s important to encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on your website and other platforms, like Yelp, Google, and Angi. With positive reviews, you will have a positive online reputation, which can translate to more clients.

It’s essential to respond to all your reviews politely and promptly. If you receive a negative review, apologize for the customer’s experience and inform them of the solution you will implement. Responding to your reviews can help you build trust and credibility.

Content Marketing

The most effective way to showcase your expertise in plumbing is through content marketing. This is because content allows you to educate users while marketing your business. 

People usually search for the plumbing problem they are experiencing on search engines before even looking for a business to work with. For example, one may search “How to prepare your plumbing systems for winter” or “How to unclog the main sewer line.” 

If you have blogs or videos answering such questions, you may be the first website a user comes across. Therefore, you need to research common plumbing issues and publish informative content about them.

Besides long-form blogs and videos, you can also share frequently asked questions (FAQ). FAQ pages are recommended because they offer valuable content that directly answers a user’s questions. 

How-to guides also address problems directly, thereby helping to position you as an expert in the industry. Unlike FAQs, they give detailed step-by-step instructions on completing a particular task.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is a profitable approach for plumbers, as they can directly interact with their customers and send them crucial information. They can send reminders for maintenance services, promote existing and new services, send seasonal promotions, and share maintenance tips.

You can gather emails by having a sign-up form on your website. Customers who want to be part of your email list will use the form to opt in. You can also request new customers to provide their email when booking a service. After that, you can send them a link to the page with the opt-in form.

Running contests on social media that require contenders to provide their email addresses is another way to request more people to join your newsletter. For example, you can post a plumbing part and ask users to guess it by sending an email. Whoever provides the correct answer will get a prize, such as a discount on any plumbing service they need.

Consider using email automation to make your work more manageable. You can automate follow-ups for past customers or reminders for maintenance services.

Website Optimization

Your website should be easy to navigate. Users should be able to find any information they need without waiting for a slow-loading page to open or experiencing difficulties finding what they need. These website optimizations are crucial to your marketing campaigns.

Your website should have clear service pages with informative content and compelling calls to action, such as “Schedule a service now,” “Call now for a free quote,” “Schedule your drain cleaning service today,” or “Get a 24-hour emergency service.”

You should also create a fast, mobile-friendly website so that users can access your website from anywhere. Your website’s booking form can help customers get the services they want without having to go through several steps. 

Additionally, a live chat can increase customer satisfaction since it provides immediate customer support. Accordingly, a user’s concerns can be handled quickly, increasing their chances of converting into a client. 

How Much Should a Plumbing Business Spend on Marketing?

Determining the right marketing budget is important for plumbing business owners who are looking to grow their customer base and generate consistent leads. The best strategy would be to allocate between 10-15% of the annual revenue to marketing efforts. 

This much investment would ensure that you have enough resources to implement effective plumbing marketing ideas as well as digital advertising strategies. 

Here’s how you can prioritize your marketing spend: 

1. Local SEO and Plumbing Website: First of all, you must allocate some part of your budget to search engine optimization and website optimization. Doing this will help you increase your online visibility and attract plumbing customers who are actively looking for services. 
2. Google Ads and Paid Advertising: Next up, you must allocate some budget for targeted Google Ads campaigns and paid advertising to capture paying customers and immediate leads. 
3. Social Media Management and Advertising: You must also allocate some budget to social media advertising and management so as to engage with the local community and build trust around your plumbing brand. 
4. Online Reputation Management: The remaining budget should be allocated to encouraging and managing online reviews to build trust and credibility with potential clients. 

Note: No matter which business you are in, avoid underspending. It is noted that a marketing budget below 5% of sales usually yields less or minimal results. Keep a regular check on your marketing spend and adjust the budget based on performance metrics to maximize return on investment (ROI). 

How To Track Your Plumbing Marketing Results 

It is important to keep track of your plumbing marketing results so that you can understand which strategies are driving valuable leads. This, in turn, would help you gain more customers. To do so, you can monitor a few key metrics, optimize your campaigns, or opt for Conversion Rate Optimization services. This will not only help you improve conversion rates but also help maximize return on investment. 

Here’s a stepwise guide to track your plumbing marketing results: 

1. Set Up Call Tracking: You can use call tracking software to assign unique phone numbers to different advertising campaigns. This will help you identify which ads are actually generating phone calls, which can prove to be a critical lead source for plumbing businesses. 
2. Implement Lead Attribution: In addition to that, you must keep track of where each lead is originating from. Whether it is from your website, Google Business Profile (GBP), paid ads, or social media. This data helps you find out which channels are most effective. 
3. Monitor Google Business Profile Insights: It is also important to regularly review your GBP analytics to see how customers are able to find your business. Along with that, it also helps you find what actions they are taking and how your profile is performing in local searches. 
4. Measure Conversion Rates: Another key metric to track plumbing marketing results is to track how many leads convert into booked jobs or customers. For example, you can use tools such as Google Analytics and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to connect marketing efforts to actual sales. 
5. Analyze and Adjust: By using collected data, you can refine your marketing strategies, focusing on channels that deliver the best results and discontinuing ineffective campaigns. 

With effective tracking of your plumbing marketing results, a plumbing business owner can make informed decisions and ensure that the allocated budget is driving growth.

Marketing For Plumbers FAQs

Grow Your Business Today With Levy Online

Levy Online is skilled in services concerning marketing for plumbers, including SEO services, local SEO, social media marketing services, PPC, and many more. We help plumbers catch the attention of potential customers. Our team will learn more about your business and goals to help you determine the strategies that will meet your needs.