Fierce competition in the plumbing industry makes creating a local SEO strategy more necessary than ever. Local SEO refers to optimizing your website or business for specific keywords in your local area.
People in urgent need of a plumber will often make their first phone call to the top Google listing and then work their way down.
So, how can you ensure that your business is at the top of local searches?
This article will show you five proven techniques to get your business on the first page of Google’s local search results. Let’s start!
Guide to Building a Local SEO Strategy
A local SEO strategy is essential if your plumbing business wants to remain relevant. Small businesses can use local search to their advantage: 46% are searching for local information. Your business could miss out on potential customers ready to shop in your local area if it is not optimized for local searches.
We have created this comprehensive guide to help construction, plumbing, and electrician local SEO campaigns and get you first-page visibility when people search for your services.
Step 1: Research keywords that will drive your business.
Relevant keywords are the ones that drive the most business to your company. Keywords that describe your services could include “emergency plumber,” “clogged drain,” or “water heater repair.” Once you have created your service-related keywords list, sign up for Google AdWords.
Although you won’t be required to pay for any advertising for your account, it will grant you free access to the Keyword Planner tool, which is part of Google Ads. The Keyword Planner allows you to enter relevant search terms. The tool will then provide additional ideas and data about traffic generated by these keywords.
Step 2: Create and optimize your Google Business Profile.
Optimizing your Google Business Profile listing is one of the most critical steps to improving local SEO. You should ensure that all information is correct and current. Also, add as many photos as possible. These photos and videos can help you show previous work, increasing trust with potential customers. Customers are more likely to refer others to your company if they can easily see the previous work of your business. Ask your customers to leave reviews. This will help you increase visibility and show the type of services that you offer. Positive reviews can help build social proof for your business and increase leads.
Step 3: Create backlinks citations.
Local SEO is all about citations. Moz states that citations can be considered “mentions of your company on the internet, even if you don’t have a link to it.” A citation, in other words, is an online reference to your plumbing company’s NAP (Name and Address, along with Phone number).
Here are some suggestions:
- Start with directories or business listings
- Make profiles on social media
- Register on local news sites
- Ask clients and customers to leave reviews
Backlinks, in addition to citations, are essential to local SEO. A backlink is simply a link that links to another website. Search engines use backlinks to determine the relevancy and quality of your site.
Here are some ways to get high-quality backlinks.
- Ask local businesses for information and get links
- Create informative blog posts
- Send articles to local news websites
- Sponsor an event in your area
Step 4: Gather and manage reviews.
Collect reviews on your Google Business Profile page, as many customers will first see it before any other information about your business. Google Business Profile pages with positive reviews will have two benefits: your local page will rank higher in searches, and the reviews for plumbers will convince people that you are the best plumber in the area.
Excellent service will help you get great reviews. After you’ve provided a great customer experience, ask your customers for reviews. You can send a “review request” to satisfied customers and include a link to your Google Business Profile review section.
Step 5: Track your Local SEO strategy results.
After the initial SEO work, keep track of your results. Tracking and monitoring your results can help you improve your campaigns’ performance. You can start tracking these three metrics as a start:
#1. Rankings
Your page rankings can provide valuable insights into your campaign. This includes keyword performance, impressions, and the number of people who clicked through to your website. Install the Google Search Console to track your page rankings. Using the tool, you can check your page rankings up to twice per month.
#2. Traffic
Track the traffic directed to your website and the pages that get it. You will also need to track the source of traffic. Google Analytics offers comprehensive tracking and should permanently be installed on every page of your site to monitor traffic. The platform is easy to install. However, you might prefer your webmaster, especially if your website is large.
We recommend that your traffic metrics be reviewed monthly to identify long-term trends, assess how your SEO traffic is growing, and make recommendations for improvements.
#3. Conversions
Conversions are actions that prospective customers take when they visit your site. One of the most popular conversions for plumbers is to call for service. You’ll want to track how many phone calls result in service calls. Google Analytics allows you to track phone calls and converts. This will reveal which services bring in the most customers and which pages have the highest and least conversion rates.
Key Takeaway
A solid local SEO strategy is one of the best investments you can make for your plumbing business. To get the best results, follow the steps we shared until it is completed before moving on.
These steps will help establish a solid foundation for your local SEO campaign. You can build on this foundation to achieve higher rankings for your pages, more website traffic, and more customers for your plumbing business.
Local SEO for Trades and More
Although local SEO for plumbers may seem daunting, a skilled and experienced SEO team can help you capture the right traffic to your area and build a competitive brand.
What is the most effective strategy for local SEO? St Petersburg SEO specialist Advanced Digital Media Services helps plumbers get local customers through Google. Contact us and learn the tricks of the trade while leveraging it to get ahead of the competition.
