Plumbers often get clients from word of mouth or referrals based on their quality of service to their existing clients. But today every other plumbing business is adopting digital platforms to acquire new clients due to increasing competition.
Did you know? Google gets more than 3,310,00 searches for the word “plumbers” every month. Clearly, people are looking for plumbing services using the internet! But is your business ready to get found online?
Using digital marketing, plumbers can improve their visibility on the web. But when it comes down to generating clients, it all depends on having the right online marketing plan for plumbers. Targeting the right platforms and working on optimizing your website content for the users is pivotal for a plumber's digital marketing strategy.
This blog will walk you through all the important tactics plumbing businesses must work on to make your digital marketing efforts successful.
1. Understand And Define Your Targeted Audience
The first step of your plumbing digital marketing strategy should be understanding your potential clients and their behaviour. When you start implementing your marketing campaigns, it’s important that they reach the right people. Defining a target audience helps to understand your potential customer's needs, interests, behaviour, location, etc. This can help you reach the people most likely to be interested in your services. Here is how you can create and define your target customers:
- Perform research and understand your customers based on location, age, income, etc.
- Evaluate which platforms your potential customers use the most. Dig into social media platforms, business listing sites, search engines, etc.
- Analyze customer behaviour in your niche. Find out what type of services attracts them and what motivates them to hire plumbing services.
- Keep a check on what your competitors are doing. Find out what strategies they are using, who, and where they are targeting with their marketing.
2. Showcase Your Expertise With CTA On A Local-Themed Website
Website is the foundation of any business's internet marketing journey. A website acts as a physical address on the internet for your plumbing business. A well-designed and structured website can improve your brand image as well. Clients can get information about your range of services, contact information, pricing, etc. from your website.
Make sure you add the following to your website to maximize its benefits.
- Display all your previous work and what other clients have to say about your services. Having a positive image of your firm on your website creates a positive impression.
- Add crystal clear Call-To-Action buttons on your website, such as “booking an appointment”, or “call for an inquiry”. You invite users to take action using such CTAs.
- You should ensure that your website reflects the area of services you offer. A local touch could be added to your website by adding team members, mentioning local service areas, etc.
3. Match Your Strategy With That Of Your Competitors
There would be a lot of other plumbing firms that will be using digital marketing for client generation. To set yourself apart and outbid them, you must match their existing strategies. Performing competitors analysis is a crucial aspect of your plumbing digital marketing tactic because it will help you discover the methods that are already working for your rivals.
First, check on your competitor's online presence to understand how you can do better. Analyze their website design and intent, social media profiles, the type of content they feed users, marketing campaigns they use, etc.
The next step will be to find weak points in their tactics and do it in a better way for your brand. For example, if your competitors are using SEO then perform a detailed SEO competitor analysis. Find their target keywords, backlink sources, etc, and use this information and incorporate it into your SEO campaign to match with your competition.
4. Prioritize Local SEO
The primary audience of a plumbing business is locally based and is generally sought for emergency services. Therefore it is important to include Local SEO in the digital marketing plan for plumbers to earn more qualified leads. Local SEO helps to enhance the visibility of your business on search engines and maps in your service area. By optimizing your website with local keywords, your business can appear in local search results. Users who find your business on local search results have a higher chance of contacting you and converting into clients.
These are some of the best ways to improve Local SEO results for plumbers
Focus On Local Listings Sites
Users can find information about local service providers by searching local business directories, which contain a database of all the companies in a particular area. This is where most of the audiences find their required services and make a buying decision. It would be beneficial to promote your plumbing services on local marketing platforms since that is where most people are searching. Plumbing companies can use this marketing strategy to generate more leads and clients. There are several platforms that you can use such as:
- Google My Business
- Yelp
- FourSquare
- Yahoo Local
- Merchant Circle
- HotFrog
These are the most popular ones, but depending on the location of your business, you can use more platforms. Create an account on these sites and list your business with all the required information like business description, services, contact information, pricing, etc.
Google My Business Profile Optimization
Google has created this tool focusing on the needs of both users and businesses to improve the quality of results for local search intent. You can earn a position on the local search pack on Google with the right GMB optimization techniques. It improves your business visibility and enables users to contact you directly or visit your business addresses using the provided information.
Here are some of the best practices to follow for a GMB profile:
- Get your GMB listing verified
- Use correct and consistent Name, address, and phone number (NAP)
- Add the latest business updates and offers using the GMB post feature
- Add images and videos to show users more about your firm
- Write a clear description of your services
- Respond to your customer's feedback on the GMB profile
Get Reviews And Rating
Reviews can help improve customer acquisition for plumbers in multiple ways. They offer knowledge about your service quality to the customers. Authentic and positive reviews can impact your brand reputation in a positive way and align towards choosing your services.
Moreover, having positive reviews about your business can improve your search engine rankings on Google as well. Google wants to offer a good experience to its users. Positive reviews indicate your authority over your niche and that your business is relevant for respective services that could help users on Google.
Earn High-Quality Backlinks
Backlinks are important to build your website's authority and relevance on the web. High-quality backlinks can improve your Local SEO rankings to feature you on top of search results. When a search engine notices links pointing to your site from a higher relevant website, it increases your relevance. To earn backlinks to boost your local SEO you can partner with news or magazine sites, local bloggers, local business directories, etc. These websites generally have a decent number of regular visitors. Linking your business with them will also drive traffic to your website which could turn into leads or sales.
5. Create User-Oriented Content: A Blog To Help And Educate Your Audience
Helping customers should be the priority for every business. If users find their solution within you, they will always remember your brand when they need any services. Creating blogs on the queries that users could have on minor plumbing issues must be included in a plumbing business digital marketing strategy. You can create blogs around some tips on plumbing DIY, emergency plumbing fixing solutions, busting plumbing myths, plumbing equipment buying guides, etc.
Content can be used as a magnet to generate leads using SEO. For example, if a user visits your article about “How to fix a leaking tap”, you can include the link to your service page relevant to “leaking water tap” in that article. When the person reads the content, he can be redirected to your services using that link. If he needs further assistance in fixing a leaking tap, he might want to avail of your services and get in touch with you.
6. Local Social Media Marketing– Follow Groups, Posts
You need to understand that not all audiences are important for your business. Plumbers should target only a specific group of local people and are with their social media marketing.
Social media pages can impact a large number of local audiences and make them aware of your services. Be an active participant in groups and forums to answer people's queries about plumbing problems.
7. Take Advantage Of Local Paid Ads For Early Results
Paid marketing is a very effective method to drive quick results for plumbers. Many people are daily searching for plumbers online, and adding paid campaigns to a plumbing industry's digital marketing plan ensures there is a constant flow of traffic and leads.
Using paid marketing platforms such as Facebook Ads, Google Ads, Bing Ads, etc. plumbers can target local audiences who are looking for similar services. Using the specific target location and relevant service keywords, paid advertisements can drive a huge number of leads.
8. Video Marketing To Guide The Audience
While creating a digital marketing blueprint for plumbers, video marketing should be given preference because of its ability to hook users. Videos are the most consumed and engaged content today. Users prefer watching videos to find a solution to their problems. It is way faster than reading a text guide and very easy to understand.
Plumbing businesses can leverage video marketing tools to establish their brand image and generate quality leads. People face a lot of issues related to plumbing on a daily basis. By creating video guides on basic plumbing issues and solutions or repairing tips, you can win the audience's hearts. You can promote satisfied customer reviews using videos, which makes other customers trust your services. There are a lot of reasons to use videos on a plumbing online marketing campaign, such as:
- Build trust and credibility
- Reach wider audience
- Building brand reputation
- Showcase your services
- Explain your expertise
9. Provide Offers
Everyone loves discounted services. By offering services at lower prices, plumbers can attract new customers and turn old ones into repeat customers. Create catchy infographics and videos about offers at your plumbing services using clear information. Using this technique in a digital marketing strategy for a plumbing company, new leads, and conversion can be boosted. Here are some tips to get the most out of your offers campaigns
- Set a deadline for offers. It will make people react and reach out to you quickly in FOMO.
- Promote offers to local audiences using different marketing strategies like PPC, social media platforms, GMB profiles, email marketing, websites, etc
Conclusion: Use It All Together
Using the above digital marketing strategies for a plumbing agency, you can connect with potential customers and generate more sales. Although for effective results, you must use all of these techniques together. A single marketing technique can change the face of your business. It is all about implementing everything together and finding out which works best for your plumbing service in terms of conversion.
