Local SEO for plumbers is imperative to making sure that people can find your plumbing services when they’re searching online. And if no one knows about your services, then it doesn’t matter how great they are! Let’s talk about the basics first- shall we?
Do you know that 80% of local homeowners and property managers might miss your services monthly? Research shows that 4 out of 5 prospects/clients utilize local searches before scheduling a service appointment. You will miss many potential clients if your plumbing website is not optimized for local searches.
Google is the most famous search engine in the world today. According to the search giant, there are more than 240K searches each month for plumbers in the United States. So, you need to get your plumbing company on top of google maps local pack to turn these browsers into paying clients. But how can you make your plumbing company rank on top of Google’s local 3-pack? Without further ado, let’s dive in!
What Is Google’s Local 3-Pack?
Google’s local pack is a list of three plumbing contractors/companies near a person searching online. The result is a comprehensive view of plumbing companies to help the searcher make an informed purchasing decision.
Like aggregate search sites such as Angie list or Home Advisor, getting your plumbing company on top of Google local pack gets you in front of local homeowners’ minds when conducting research online.
For most local plumbing companies, a typical Google local pack may include the following basic elements:
- Directions
- Website link
- Opening hours
- Phone number
- Ratings (based on your Google My Business profile)
- Location on the map
To run a successful plumbing business in your local area, your plumbing website must appear in Google’s local three-pack. It is the most prominent feature on Google and takes up a lot of screen space. Rather than homeowners scrolling down to find your organic listings, you can attract them by putting your plumbing company in the top three listings on SERP.
What Is Local SEO For Plumbers, And Why Is It Crucial?
Local SEO implies that you optimize your plumbing website to rank higher in the search engine result pages for location-related plumbing searches.
Simply put, it is a set of optimizations and tweaks which assist Google in understanding your plumbing company and your services and deem your business worthy of ranking in the local packs and SERPs.
It is the same as plumbing SEO with an added component of geographical location.
For instance, let’s assume your plumbing company operates in Nashville, TN.
When a homeowner /property manager searches for “Plumbers in Nashville” or “nearby plumbing contractors,” you want your plumbing website to appear on top of search results in your area. Preferably within the first three rankings on search engine result pages.
This is what is called a Local 3-pack on Google. Such results are displayed on top of organic listings in the SERPs.
Factors That Google Uses To Determine The Rank Of Your Site On The Google Local Pack
Google rewards plumbing businesses with local pack rankings based on relevance, proximity, and prominence. A combination of these three factors will help you determine your local pack rankings:
Relevance
Does your plumbing business provide services that are relevant to homeowners’ searches? For instance, your chances are higher to show up for the keyword “emergency plumbing services near me” when your Google My Business profile and plumbing website advertise emergency repair services than if they didn’t.
Relevance denotes how well a homeowner search query matches your plumbing business content, and Google will rank your business if they feel you could adequately answer the user’s query. Optimizing your Google My Business Profile would be best so that search engines have sufficient details to rank your content.
Proximity
When determining your rank in the local pack, Google considers how far from your plumbing business a user is. Sometimes homeowners can specify a location that is not near them, so we highly recommend that you include your current address in your profile.
The nearer you are to the homeowner/property manager, the higher your odds of ranking higher in the local pack. Conversely, the further your plumbing is from searchers, the fewer chances of ranking in Google’s local pack.
Prominence
Is your plumbing company well known to the communities you serve? Your business can have two kinds of prominence, both offline and online. For instance, popular landmarks are likely to appear in the local pack because of their popularity.
Online prominence is a major ranking factor, and Google considers all the information on the web about your plumbing company. The more known your business is on the Internet, the more Google will likely reward your site.
3 Proven Ways To Get Your Plumbing Business Rank Higher On Google’s Local 3-Pack
Since ranking on local 3-pack is important for your plumbing business, here are some tips on how to do local SEO and put your company on top.
Want your plumbing company in the 3-pack? Keep reading our step-by-step guide to getting started:
Step #1: On-page Optimization
If you want Google or other search engines to notice your plumbing website, you must get your on-page SEO right.
Several things are important, particularly for local SEO, if you want to rank higher in the coveted three-pack position.
Here’s what you need to optimize your plumbing website for search engines:
- Boost your plumbing website’s loading speed: Your site should load in less than three seconds to improve user experience and rank higher.
- Ensure that your site is mobile-friendly and performs optimally on mobile devices and desktops: Google favors mobile-optimized plumbing websites with higher organic rankings.
- Include a contact page on your website
- Insert a map showing your location
- Make sure your phone numbers are clickable to get more calls.
- Add schema markup to your plumbing website.
- Increase prospects/clients’ confidence with reviews or testimonials
Step #2: Optimize Your Google My Business Profile
Google My Business is a free tool that can help discover your plumbing business in Google maps, SERP, and other Google properties. It is a go-to source that helps Google to get information about your business.
The initial step to getting your plumbing company ranked higher in the local pack is to claim and optimize your Google My Business listing.
Without it, your chances of getting listed in the local pack will be slim. When homeowners search for your local plumbing company, they want more information about it, which will help them decide if you are the right fit for them.
Here are some tips to help you claim and optimize your Google search listing:
1. Create Your Google My Business Profile: Google offers a guide here, or your plumbing marketing agency can do this for you. Sign in, enter your company when prompted, and you will be good to go!
2. Verify Your Business Address: Most companies will be verified through snail mail. Google will send a postcard and verification code to the address listed in your Google My Business profile. Occasionally, you can verify your plumbing business by phone, email, or text via the Google Search Console. Still, we highly recommend using snail mail as it is a proven and tested method.
After claiming and verifying your Google My Business profile, now it’s time to optimize it:
- Ensure Your Plumbing Business Categories are Right: Your company’s secondary and primary business categories, as listed on the Google My Business profile, are used to describe your plumbing business to Google. If your primary category is “plumbing contractor,” then Google will display in local search results to homeowners who search for “plumbers,” “emergency plumbing,” and plumbing services in your area. The more explicitly you describe your services, the better.
- Make sure Your Name, Address, and Phone numbers Are Correct: Google wants to know the name of your business, where it is situated, and how people can contact you to book plumbing service appointments. Ensure that your NAP citations are accurate and correct across all your online directories.
- Request Reviews from Clients: Obtain as many positive reviews as possible. In addition, make sure that you respond to all reviews promptly to help build trust with your prospects or clients.
- Include Pictures: Add photos of your office, team, and recently completed projects on your Google My Business profile.
Stage #3: Optimize Your Online Business Citations
Congratulations! If you have already optimized your Google My Business profile and plumbing website. But the battle is not over yet. You should also list and optimize your business on primary data sources where prospects go to search for plumbers like you.
Apart from the Google My Business profile, these primary sources include:
- Yelp
- Better Business Bureau
- Angie’s list
- HomeAdvisor
- Nextdoor
If your plumbing business is listed consistently on these data sources, you have higher odds of ranking in the local pack.
Customized Local SEO Strategies & Services For Plumbers
If you are struggling to get your plumbing company on top of Google’s local pack or don’t generate sufficient leads to keep your team busy, Blackstorm Design + Marketing can help.
As a full-service internet marketing agency, we help plumbers like you grow their businesses online. We have helped hundreds of plumbers across the United States to book more jobs, outrank the competition and increase sales.
Schedule a free strategy session with one of our Growth Coaches to learn how our local SEO services for plumbers can help differentiate your brand online.