"My phone isn't ringing."
Does that sound familiar? Yet there are about 300,000 searches per month for plumbers, just in the United States alone, according to the report provided by Google's keyword planner. Altogether, there are about 4 million searches per year of people who need a plumber's service. And these searches sometimes do not even include "plumbers near me," But yet still, your phone isn't stormed with phone calls.
There are many plumbing businesses available in today's market. The plumbing business is always in demand, so even COVID-19 can't stop people from calling a plumber because it is essential to fix your issue. Since there is much demand for plumbers, many competitors are trying just as hard to generate new business, like you. For your plumbing business to scale, you need to stand out from the crowd by having a solid marketing plan that's better than your competitors and making your business visible and accessible to many potential customers.
This internet marketing for plumbers guide will focus on digital marketing that you need to know as a plumber in 2021 to scale your plumbing business.
Let's get started.
The Golden Rule: Be Visible to Potential Customers
This is one of the most important rules, and every marketing strategy should encompass this.
We live in a digital world where our life depends on mobile phones, laptops, the internet, and the usage increases as needs arise. When someone suddenly recognizes that they have issues like a sink block, burst pipe, or leak in their basement, the first thing they do is grab their phone and search for the nearest plumber available to rectify the problem immediately. While searching, your plumbing business needs to be on the first page of that search to give you the greatest chance of getting the job.
These are the tried and tested ways to boost your online presence.
Create a Functional Website
It is no longer a want but necessary to have a website that showcases your plumbing business and has your contact information easily accessible. One of our favorite examples of a website for plumbers is this:
Your plumbing business website needs to be functional in terms of how fast it can load, running smoothly without providing error feedbacks, and it must be easy to navigate through. I intentionally didn't mention your website's aesthetics, which is also essential, but its priority is functionality. The website needs to contain up-to-date information and content about your business and your business details, and you need to make it easy for your potential customers to request your services. One of the reasons why we like the above website as an example is because the homepage features a mini contact form that makes it easy to request a quote. You do not need to have a complex website before you can have a sale; when designing your website, think about the user experience, so even a simple website that provides what customers need can bring in more leads.
So, how do I get a website for my business? There are platforms such as Wix and WordPress that allow you to create and customize your website to your taste. But it's in your best interest to let your website be designed by a professional; you do not need to worry; we are here for you. We can create and design you with the website style of your choice.
If you're looking for a NJ web design agency to help design your website, get in touch! We work with plumbers, HVAC businesses, and electricians all over the country!
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Having a website doesn't mean that everyone will now see your business; you need to do much more than that to be found highly on Google. One of the surest ways of making your website more visible to potential customers is through SEO. SEO stands for search engine optimization. Most people discover what they need online by doing a Google search, so plumbers, ranking high on Google is critical!
The best way to be included in your potential clients' plumbing decisions is internet visibility, and SEO makes this possible. When someone searches online through a search engine such as Google, a list of search results appears from page one to hundreds or thousands depending on the searched keywords' data. So, it's essential to be on the first page to increase your chances of getting hired for the job.
As a plumber, you need to allocate part of your plumber internet marketing budget to SEO. As you implement and work on a solid SEO strategy, you'll begin ranking for more keywords on Google, thus generate more organic web traffic. By generating more traffic to your website, you're more than likely to convert some of that traffic into quality, ready-to-buy leads.
Pay Per Click Advertising
Many people believe that when a customer sees an "ad" word next to a result on Google that they automatically discard them. Some of the time, this is true, but there is always another side to things. When a customer urgently needs to find someone to fix their busted water pipe or a clogged sink, he/she wouldn't care if they discover your plumber advertisement; all he/she will want is to get the problem fixed ASAP.
Paid advertising is an essential and effective strategy for reaching your potential customers immediately. The only downside to PPC is that you lose the traffic instantly as soon as your turn off the campaigns. That's why all businesses that are doing internet marketing, especially plumbers, should integrate their digital marketing, emphasizing plumber SEO. This is an effective internet marketing strategy for plumbers is necessary and that it shouldn't just be one channel.
If you're a plumber looking for a growth marketing agency that can help grow your business, call us: 917-397-1655.
Use Customers' Reviews to Your Advantage
This might sound scary for some businesses. Why? It is not always pleasant when it comes to customers' feedback because, typically, people are more prone to leaving a bad review over a good one.
So the question is, how can I use this to my advantage?
First, you need to accept reality. When it comes to people's opinions on things, it's not the same, and people will always have something negative to say.
What matters in this situation is your responsibility. When you receive a positive review, be professional and thank them publicly. When it's a negative response, try to reach out to them for further assistance, handle the situation with care and be proficient in your customer service. The next time someone sees a negative review, it will give them an impression that you genuinely care for your customer's satisfaction. They will want to give it a trial. Trust is what drives your sales here. One good thing about this strategy is that it does not cost you much to engage in.
When dealing with reputation management, there are many tools out there that help. Essentially, what you want to do is set up asking your clients to review your services. And also, make a note that says, "If you have had a bad experience, please contact us first and allow us to make it right."
Having this kind of feature in place should significantly limit the number of negative reviews you receive.
Want to learn more? Here's how plumbers can benefit from reputation management.
Create Quality Blog Content for SEO
Creating good content for potential customers helps your SEO significantly. For example, if you post an article on plumbing problems and solutions and included optimized keywords, this can increase your ranking on the search result and place you on the first page because search engines look for fresh and new content. If you keep up with your content creation, you will continually be ranking for new keywords related to the content you're creating. Feel free to showcase some of the proudest work on your blog too!
Conclusion
At The Dillon Ross Group, we work with small service-based businesses on their internet marketing to generate more leads. Our primary services are web design, SEO, and PPC management. If you own a plumbing business and are looking to scale your operation, contact us today.