The plumbing industry is incredibly competitive – that’s why every advantage you can gain over the competition is crucial. One of the best strategies to give your business an edge is to focus on your online presence and SEO.
“What’s SEO?,” you ask? It stands for Search Engine Optimization, a series of techniques you can use to prime your website to attract higher amounts of relevant traffic online. “Relevant traffic” just means that you’re getting visits from more qualified leads who already need and are looking for the services you’re offering. So, the more relevant traffic you receive, the more likely you are to convert a lead into a customer.
As you can imagine, SEO for plumbing companies is important. For many plumbers, it’s worth the investment to work with an SEO company tailored toward the plumbing industry to help you gain new customers.
If you’ve been thinking about hiring a plumbing SEO company, we’ve gathered some FAQs around the subject along with the top seven businesses that may be able to help you increase your online presence and outrank your competitors on Google. Keep reading for a full overview or navigate to the section you’d like to know more about.
Are there SEO companies that focus on plumbing?
Yes! SEO companies sometimes work within particular industry niches. One of those niches might be HVAC and plumbing. However, even if an SEO company isn’t plumbing-specific, they could still offer helpful advice and implement an SEO strategy that can elevate your site’s Google rankings. At the very least, you should make sure the SEO company you pick has experience within your industry.
Why? Because they’ll likely have a foundational knowledge of your market which they can leverage to better target keywords in your local area.
What services do SEO companies provide?
The answer to this question depends on what company you choose. Before you even think about contacting an SEO company, you should understand a little bit about their typical services.
The services below are common to many SEO businesses:
- SEO audit: Many companies that focus on SEO strategy will begin their strategy with a full audit on your current site and its opportunities for optimization. This audit evaluates the site’s architecture and the actual content on each web page to measure the effectiveness of your keywords (or lack thereof) and coding structure. Essentially, the company determines the strengths and weaknesses of your current online presence and teases out information about what’s working and what’s not.
- Audience specification: Instead of just advertising to anyone and everyone, a good SEO company will fine-tune your target audience and business goals to attract those potential customers. Of course, it’s important that you have a say here. The company you partner with should be asking you questions in addition to the data they gather on their own.
- Improve your rankings: To raise your ranking, an SEO business will use a multi-pronged approach so your site can be found more easily by Google’s crawlers and be indexed accordingly. In turn, once your SEO is dialed in, you’ll be more likely to appear on the first page of Google and therefore, more likely to capture new customers.
- Quality of website traffic: While it might not be an overnight process, SEO strategy that’s been well-thought out will help bring more relevant traffic to your business. It won’t be just any person coming to your site, it’ll be the right person – and that’s what makes all the difference when it comes to increasing your profit margins versus wasting money on ineffective marketing campaigns.
- SEO strategy and goals: There is no one-size-fits-all answers for your particular company and its goals, but an SEO company can make you a customized plan to develop online visibility and brand awareness. Your digital marketing plan will need to be flexible because as data comes in, elements of your strategy will most likely need to be tweaked here and there.
- Actionable data: The most valuable aspect of an SEO company will be getting measurable results and analytical insights so you can see exactly how your investment went toward your business success.
What should you consider when you’re looking to hire a plumbing SEO company?
- Case studies: On the SEO company’s website, there should be examples of case studies within your industry to prove the company’s experience and relevance to your particular goals.
- Reviews: A large number of happy clients is a good sign. After all, would you go to a seafood restaurant with lots of 1-star reviews? Probably (hopefully) not. Pro tip: check a company’s plumber SEO reviews on more than one site so you get the full picture. It’s suspicious if a company only has 5-star reviews, after all–that sends you a signal reviews are incentivized or may be fake. Remember, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
- Past clients: Has the company worked with other plumbers or plumbing companies in the past? If so, that’s a good sign that they’ll have the right experience in plumbing SEO basics to help you meet your goals.
- Local SEO specialization: Local SEO for plumbers should be one of your top priorities because 46% of all Google searches are local. An SEO company you partner with should have experience increasing the search visibility of local businesses.
- Measurable goals: These could include return on investment, organic search visits, branded versus non-branded search, rankings, search volume, links, and referral traffic. You need measurable goals so you can self-evaluate how effective the SEO business is for your company.
When you’re looking for a plumbing SEO company, it’s in your best interest to make sure you’re getting services that match up with your business’s goals. For example, do you want to increase your organic traffic? Then find a company with a proven history improving clients’ organic search volume. Are your efforts focused more on social media marketing? In that case, you might be better off finding a specialist in that industry.
Questions you should ask a potential plumbing SEO company:
You’ll likely have a few meetings with the plumbing SEO company before signing any contracts, so make sure you do your due diligence.
Come to each business meeting with questions so you know exactly what you’re getting and what each service will cost. Remember to keep a copy of your contract so you can refer back to it when you need to.
Sample questions:
- What number of hours per month should we anticipate for each service?
- Which pages of my website will you optimize first?
- What technical aspects of the website will you audit and fix?
- How many new landing pages will you generate monthly?
- What amount of time will go toward SEO campaign analysis and reporting?
- How many articles will you write each month and what will be the word count?
- What experience do you have working with plumbing companies?
- Do you follow webmaster guidelines from search engines?
Bonus question:
If you ask, “Can you get my website page to rank number one in Google?” and the company answers, “Yes,” that’s a red flag. While you can optimize a website, there are several unknown components that go into Google’s complex and ever-changing algorithms that help determine which website shows up in the top spot of a search. Most companies have tried and true strategies that will help raise your rankings but there is no such thing as a guaranteed top spot.
How do I track results from an SEO company?
The best way to track results is to set your business goals with the SEO company so you can evaluate a campaign’s success. Here are some other performance indicators to keep in mind as you look at month-to-month reports of your SEO campaign:
- Visit-to-lead generation: Has your website had a spike in traffic? That’s good—but unless those visitors are buying your services or products, it’s not a huge help to your bottom line. However, if you’ve seen an uptick in conversions, that’s a signal the SEO plan is working.
- Look at the long-term: SEO is not a quick process although you might see some minor improvements immediately. With SEO, you’re playing the long game. Give it at least 4-6 months to see results, but it may take up to a year to notice a significant difference in your online presence. But remember, it’s not a set-it-and-forget-it type of deal; your campaign should be actively managed as performance data comes in each month.
- Goal achievement: Has the SEO company met your goals? Have they taken a proactive role in assessing your SEO campaign’s effectiveness?
- Business relationship factors: Has the company responded to your emails and calls promptly? Have they provided you with monthly reports of your site’s progress? Do you have an account manager that handles your concerns and ongoing strategy?
How do I know if an SEO company’s strategy isn’t working for my company?
If you don’t see results immediately from your SEO investment, don’t panic. It will take some time before you see the fruits of their SEO labor. However, here are some warning signs that an SEO company isn’t working out.
- They aren’t showing you what they’re doing: If the SEO company you hired can’t show you deliverables, that’s a bad sign. Even if they can’t immediately improve your rankings within Google, they should be able to hand over metrics and reports that clearly outline their strategy.
- They don’t ask you questions: Because you are the site administrator, an SEO company will likely need the login information to your social media accounts and webmaster tools among other information. If they don’t ask for these details, it’s unlikely that they’re providing proper SEO services.
- They don’t have any advice to make your site better: Has an SEO company looked at your site and said, “All good?” Unfortunately, that’s probably not the case. You’ll want a company that takes the time to offer ways to improve your site— even if you think it’s perfect as-is.
- They’re secretive about their techniques: Have you asked why or how they choose your site’s target keywords or a similar question about their process? Was their response helpful? If they keep you in the dark about their SEO process and the techniques they use, that’s a sign the company either doesn’t know what they’re doing or that they may not be engaging in SEO best practices. Pro tip: If an SEO company informs you that they can’t tell you something due to the “sensitive nature of the industry,” run away.
What are the 7 best plumbing SEO companies that could help me with my plumbing business?
With all the information above in mind, you’re in a better position to start comparing actual SEO companies for plumbers. There are plenty of companies out there claiming to be the best, but we’ve narrowed down some of the most promising businesses in the SEO world that may help you on your quest for Google domination. 63,000 Google searches occur every second–it’s time to direct some of those searches to your very own website!
Blue Corona
Blue Corona’s strategy involves a multi-step digital marketing process that is tailored to help improve businesses rise in Google’s search ranking.
SEO services offered:
- Analysis of your competitors and your specific market conditions
a. Researching service area market
b. Investigating which competing companies outrank your company
c. Finding and evaluating relevant search terms and monthly search volumes to target in SEO strategy
2. Provide relevant website content
a. Employing keyword research
b. Writing well-written, keyword-rich copy to improve local search rankings
c. Calls to action (CTAs) to convert customers
3. Listings management
a. Adding and managing profiles on business directories
4. Google My Business account management
a. Optimizing your company’s Google My Business page
b. Claiming your Google Maps profile
c. Backlinks for Google My Business page
d. Optimize your business hours and services on Google My Business
5. Track and monitor SEO strategy
a. Monitoring any changes with keyword rankings, organic traffic, calls, and leads
b. Monitoring competitors rankings
6. Refreshes to your SEO campaign
a. As data flows in, tweaking your SEO strategy as necessary
With Blue Corona, you can expect an account manager to guide you through the SEO world and help you in a one-on-one setting. Monthly reports will be broken down for you in language you can understand – so you’ll be able to see how your SEO campaign is directly affecting your profits.
You’ll also have access to a support team that includes a copywriter, an analyst, and a developer.
Plumbing & HVAC SEO Company
As the name suggests, Plumbing & HVAC SEO focuses solely on the HVAC and plumbing industry. With such specific specialization, this company provides professionalized, unique services that reflect their service industry niche.
SEO services offered:
- Website overhaul
a. Plumbing & HVAC SEO will completely revamp your site or build you one from scratch, depending on your needs
2. Lead capture and tracking
a. Leads will be tracked, measured, and monitored each month using Google Analytics
b. Conversion rate tracking
3. Link building and content
a. Focused on building inbound links to your home page and other sub pages
i. Create quality content that can include articles, blog posts, video, etc.
ii. Link building
iii. Blog comments to industry specific blogs
iv. Claim your listing on directories such as Google Places, Bing, Yahoo, City Search, Angie’s List, Best of the Web, etc.
v. Your listing will be built out with photos, videos, special offers, etc.
4. Optimize your website
a. Build out pages for each of your company’s services
b. Optimizing your website for sub-cities in your general area, for most this is 10-15 sub-cities
5. Regularly posted content
a. Content provided on a schedule with information relevant to your business to build visibility and credibility
6. Social media marketing
a. Build, manage, and maintain your social media profiles such as Facebook and LinkedIn
7. Review Requests
a. Automated marketing follow-up after a job is complete
Thrive Agency
Thrive may be able to help your plumbing company by boosting social campaigns and utilizing specific SEO tactics fleshed out below.
SEO services offered:
- Customer focused
a. After learning about your company, Thrive will create a strategic online marketing plan that will work as the blueprint to your SEO campaign
2. No contracts-based structure
a. You don’t need to be locked in to get results
3. SEO specialist
a. You’ll have a one-on-one relationship with an SEO-dedicated team member to implement your SEO strategy
4. Data-driven
a. Google Analytics will be used for any decisions
5. Transparency
a. Custom, in-depth reporting
6. Web-design services
a. You’ll receive a website redesign or get one built from scratch
Straight North
Straight North runs its business with its motto in mind: “Make every click count.” They focus on a backlinking and a mobile-optimizing strategy to capture mobile users.
SEO services offered:
- Basic SEO services
a. Capture people who are already searching for your company’s services but aren’t aware of you as a brand
2. PPC (pay-per-click)
a. Pay-per-click advertising such as Google AdWords
b. Can complement an SEO campaign
3. Display advertising
a. Social media advertising, contextual targeting and site targeting
4. Local SEO
a. For businesses serving local markets or for bigger companies who serve regional markets
b. Especially important for mobile phone users
5. Email marketing
a. Useful email marketing campaigns that provide true value and can meet marketing goals like increasing online revenue, building your brand, generating leads, keeping customer retention high, and customer engagement
On the Map Marketing
On the Map Marketing helps plumbers and other service industry professionals capture new customers looking for local businesses. Their goal is to help you increase your chances of turning a website visitor into a loyal client.
SEO services offered:
- Online visibility
a. Finding keywords to build your presence on the web
2. Website redesign services
a. Creating a user-friendly website rich with relevant content
3. Rankings
a. Helping you increase your ranking in Google’s search results
4. Performance indicators
a. New customers, organic traffic levels, visit duration, pages per session, and keyword ranking will all be part of how On the Map Marketing evaluates the effectiveness of your SEO campaign
Housecall Pro
Another way to enhance the marketing strategy for your company is by using Housecall Pro’s plumbing business software. From booking to text notifications, Housecall Pro helps streamline every aspect of your business so you can focus on growing profits instead of pushing papers.
Features:
- Online booking: Make it easy and fast for your customers to book your services. Most customers find it more convenient to book online rather than calling in, so let Housecall Pro do the scheduling work for you. You’ll get notified immediately of your new job.
- Website Builder: Allows you to create your business website in a few minutes. Your website will be SEO friendly and have intuitive navigation to your potential customers.
- Custom text notifications: You can easily send text updates to your clients to tell them when you’re on the way. Keep customers updated with progress or let them know if you’ve suddenly gotten stuck in traffic.
- Dispatch: Send out your team member once a job has been booked. Housecall Pro will then give them the information they need to go to their next job and the details around it.
- Invoicing and estimates: By using customizable invoices you can send with just one click, you won’t have to spend precious time back at HQ on bookkeeping.
- Payment processing: Your customers can pay for services online with Housecall Pro’s secure payment system. Plus, automated receipts will be sent to the customer as soon as the payment is made.
- Follow-up marketing: Thank customers for their business or remind them of an upcoming appointment with follow-up emails and postcards in order to create loyal, informed clientele while growing your brand.
Takeaways: SEO for plumbing companies can help boost your rankings
There are always customers who will need the service of a plumber. After all, nobody can presence. predict when a plumbing emergency like a burst pipe will happen. And while there might be many potential customers out in the world looking for plumbing services, your chances of capturing those leads will be improve using the help of a hired plumbing SEO company.
SEO for plumbing companies can mean a variety of things for different companies but the overarching, universal strategy should be creating a website that attracts the attention of customers–in addition to Google’s search crawlers. With both of those elements working together, you’ll be on your way to building a well-branded online presence.
