Best Ways to advertise your plumbing business at any budget in 2022 and beyond.
For plumbing contractors, competition can be cutthroat and stiff. There are tons of plumbers out there, and it can be difficult to develop the best way to outrank the competition. Besides, the way homeowners search and think about home remodeling and plumbing repair has changed over the last decade, so it is crucial that home service contractors, like roofers, plumbers, general contractors, and more understand how to grab the attention of the modern consumers.
This implies that to market your plumbing business effectively, there are multiple factors ( and marketing platforms) to consider.
To grow and survive, your plumbing company needs clients. To get those clients, you need to promote your plumbing services company. In the old days, this was only a matter of choosing between a brochure, a postcard, a flyer, or an ad in the local newspaper. But in the modern digital world, there are endless opportunities (which can be sometimes overwhelming).
So if you are struggling to decide the best ways to market your plumbing business or even what your options are, you are (a) in the right place and (b)not alone.
In this post, we are going to discuss the 25 effective ways to promote your plumbing services, whether you have a constrained budget, no budget or have some wiggle room.
20 Best Plumbing Marketing Tips to Retain and Attract Clients
1. Create a Responsive Plumbing Website
A professional plumbing website is a must-have piece of internet marketing collateral no matter how old-fashioned your plumbing company or customers may be. Your plumbing website is the go-to for prospective and existing clients. Even if they find your business on Google or social media, they will want to visit your plumbing website, and like your Google business listing, it helps promote your plumbing company 24/7 online.
A good plumbing website not only acts as a promotional tool and tells your business story, offers contact information, what you offer, and reflects your brand’s identity or personality and distinguishing features-but it is also important for improving and measuring the success of your other promotional strategies.
Once you have attracted the eyes of potential clients and persuaded them to visit your plumbing website, you want to ensure your site is built to dazzle them. Most online searches nowadays are taking place on mobile devices, so you must design a plumbing website that appears great and loads fast on mobile.
You also want to ensure that your website is clearly spelled out and that your NAP citations are at the center and front. You would be amazed by the high number of plumbing contractors that hide their phone number and address away from their site. Instead, ensure that your contact information is in the footer or header of every page so a prospect or client searching for plumbing help in a rush doesn’t experience any trouble trying to contact your business.
2. Implement Local Search Engine Optimization
It’s one thing for you to advertise your plumbing company, and it is another one for Google to promote your plumbing business. Plumbing SEO is a set of best practices that align your website with Google’s ranking algorithm.
According to our national home improvement consumer study, searching on Google is the prominent way property owners find a local plumbing services provider. And, when looking for plumbing service professionals on Google, consumers are typically using a local approach.
Searches with keywords like “plumbing near me” is a normal occurrence. After all, a plumber five states over is not going to be helpful. That’s why plumbing service professionals need to have a vibrant presence in local search results.
This implies that plumbing marketing must incorporate a local SEO strategy that helps your website get found in local search results when prospects search for your plumbing services in your service area. (attach an image of plumbing repair Oklahoma City).
Local SEO is just SEO that optimizes your online presence and website for local searches. This includes adding location-oriented plumbing keywords to your site, optimizing your content for the right plumbing keywords for the services you offer, and managing your offline local listings.
3. Promote Your Plumbing Services with Paid Search Advertising
Another way to get your plumbing services company for relevant searches is by running paid search advertising campaigns, otherwise known as Pay-Per-Click advertising. PPC ads appear at the top of search engine results as a way to instantly capture searchers.
While plumbing SEO will assist your business get to the top of result pages, it is a long-term strategy that can take some weeks or even months to see desired results. For immediate exposure, Google Ads for plumbers is the way to go if you have the budget. Google ads appear on the top of search engine result pages, just above local and organic listings.
In order to run Google Ads for your plumbing business, you select keyphrases or keywords to bid on and allocate a budget. Your advertising dollars are only spent when your plumbing ads are clicked, hence the name pay-per-click ads.
4. Use Google Local Service Ads for Plumbers
To make your plumbing PPC campaign more effective, you can simultaneously run Google Local service ads as part of your plumbing marketing strategy.
Google Local Service ads (Google Guaranteed) is a cost-effective way for plumbers to increase sales and leads from the web and gain the trust of local homeowners. Blackstorm Design + Marketing’s Local service ads management services help you focus on managing your plumbing business, while our team does its best to make your phone ring constantly off the hook.
What is included in our Google Local Ads management services?
1. Application process
Blackstorm Design + Marketing will guide your team through the whole local service ads application process from the beginning to the end, so we free your time to run your plumbing company.
2. Campaign Launch & Ad Setup
Show us the plumbing services that you want to be found by prospects online, and our team will deal with any aspect of setting up the local service ads until they are approved.
3. Reporting & ad tracking
You will obtain a comprehensive report that connects your bottom line and your data.
4. Lead disputes
Blackstorm Design + Marketing team will dispute non-leads for your business and recover your advertising dollars from Google.
Schedule a free discovery call with Blackstorm Design + Marketing to learn more about plumbers’ Google local service ads.
Manage Your Online Reputation
It’s frustrating when a homeowner searches online and posts a lousy review about your plumbing company, particularly when you go out of your way to offer the best service you can. But homeowners care much about online reviews. That’s why it’s crucial for plumbing business owners to manage their online reputation.
To achieve this, you should first claim your plumbing company on online business review sites such as Yelp! And Google My Business profile. This will help you respond to reviews and confirm that all listed plumbing business is up to date and accurate.
Homeowners want superior communication and customer service with their plumbing contractors, and you can only show your plumbing service by professionally responding to every online review:
- Appreciate people who leave positive reviews
- Respond professionally to negative and neutral reviews. Acknowledge the reviewer’s problems and if possible, request them to contact your company and give you a chance to make things right.
5. Be Active on Social Media
To market your plumbing company effectively, you need to reach prospects where they frequent most- this is where social media advertising for plumbers comes into play.
With over 2.9 billion active users every month, using Facebook as part of your plumber marketing plan will place your business in front of thousands of wallet-out potential clients.
If you are just getting started or have not created a social media account, begin by setting up your Facebook business page.
Then optimize your Facebook page to include details about your plumbing company, images of completed projects, and client reviews.
Use your social media pages to share posts that are relevant to your plumbing company like:
- After-and-before images of your completed plumbing projects
- Industry news or plumbing blogs
- Educational DIY videos
- Special offers on your plumbing services.
Once you have set your Facebook business page, use plumbing Facebook ads to target your specific target market (by neighborhood, income, or age) and reach new clients faster.
6. Use Email Marketing to Nurture Plumbing Leads
When you run a plumbing business, outranking the competition is all about becoming visible and staying in constant or close communication through the client buying journey. If you can achieve that, you can differentiate yourself from other plumbers who are struggling to maintain constant communication.
Email marketing is an effective way of doing this. You can utilize email marketing to nurture leads by sending special offers that you are running, tips for property owners, and more. This helps you remain in front of your prospects and clients so you stay on top of their minds when they may require your plumbing services in the future.
7. Utilize Videos to Level up Your Plumbing Marketing Efforts
Video marketing is an effective way to promote your plumbing services online, and YouTube allows you to do it for free. Promoting your plumbing company on YouTube is a great way to help existing clients or prospects connect with your company.
Compiling a quick overview video of your plumbing company and then uploading it to YouTube offers you an excellent sales tool that you can post on the homepage of your plumbing website or distribute in emails to potential customers. You can also post tutorials, how-tos, or informative content on your business YouTube channel to get noticed by prospects searching for what your plumbing company offers.
8. Get Listed in Major Online Business Directories
Listing your plumbing business on major review websites (like Yelp and Google reviews) increases your online visibility and is also an effective way to establish trust with potential clients. 90% of clients trust online reviews about your plumbing company just as they do with personal recommendations.
So, the more positive reviews you get, the higher your plumbing business will appear on the local search engine results and get new clients based on such referrals. Below is a list of main directories that you can list your plumbing company:
- Yelp
- Better Business Bureau
- Bing
- Yellow pages
9. Claim, Create, and Verify Your Google My Business Profile
Your plumbing Google business profile (otherwise known as Google listing) helps your company rank higher in Google Maps results. As Google becomes better at refining its results to the user’s location, this free Google listing should be prioritized.
The key to utilizing your Google Business listing to promote your plumbing company is to verify ownership of your listing through your FREE Google My Business account. Once you have verified the ownership, you can optimize your profile to rank higher in the local search results and for relevant business keywords.
If your plumbing business is appearing up in the local pack or ranking in the Google Maps (as shown above) of normal results pages, your plumbing company is basically promoting itself 24/7. Furthermore, you can publish posts directly to your listing, placing attractive promotions in front of your target audience at a time when they are ready to schedule service appointments.
10. Write Authentic Content Tailored to Potential Customers
One of the internet marketing objectives for plumbers is to generate qualified plumbing leads. However, you cannot obtain such leads without giving out information. Your potential customers and clients go online to understand their options and general information about hiring plumbers, and your website should offer everything they require.
Create pages that address specific queries and concerns. These pages should indicate your specialties, services, and other details that may appeal to a client. Make sure that you do local search engine optimization so that your plumbing content can show up in the search engines like Bing or Google. Then include a compelling call to action to encourage visitors to fill out a contact form. It should assist visitors in leaving a name, address, and email, plus an optional field for more information.
You show website visitors that your business is a reputable and trustworthy resource for addressing their concerns by offering important information. And as you increase that trust, they are more likely to contact your business.
11. Publish Testimonials on Your Plumbing Website
Reviews and testimonials also play a critical role in online marketing for plumbers. Besides, many homeowners still rely on review sites and recommendations to help them select a plumbing contractor. More than 70% of consumers trust online reviews just as they do with personal recommendations. A positive testimonial can go a long way towards building credibility for your plumbing marketing messages, so incorporate them on your plumbing website and other internet marketing channels.
After each project, request a review from customers. Ask how they feel about plumbing technicians and the pace at which they are undertaking a project, whether they are satisfied with the results, and if they could hire your plumbing business again. Great testimonials can do wonders for establishing trust with potential customers, but ensure to request permission before finally publishing them on your site or other marketing collateral.
12. Leverage the Power of Referrals
Referrals are an effective asset of any plumbing company but can be powerful in the plumbing industry. Customers are searching for a plumber they can trust to perform the work properly, so many turn to family and friends for suggestions. This implies that you should include asking for referrals in your plumbing service marketing.
13. Use Geo-Fencing Advertising to Reach New Plumbing Leads
Geo-fencing advertising is a great plumber marketing idea to assist you to find new customers. When you utilize geofencing, you create an invisible “fence.” This fence encompasses a specific area, typically surrounding property like your plumbing company.
Once prospects enter the fence, they get a notification about your plumbing company or see a social media ad related to your plumbing company. This can get them in the door of your facility or figure out about contacting your company.
As a plumber, you will want to focus on target areas like conferences, trade shows, and other events that your leads are likely to attend. It is an effective way to get the attendees to think more about your company or be exposed to your plumbing company for the first time.
14. Build a Strong Brand Identity ( Both Online and Offline)
Today, plumbers worldwide are dealing with prospects or clients who are more discerning and informed than ever. The modern homeowner is likely to hire a plumbing brand that they recognize as reliable and professional, making it easy for plumbing companies to prioritize strategies that will improve brand awareness and create a vibrant brand identity both offline and online. In this way, your business will be able to reach a large client base.
Establishing strong visibility will make sure that potential clients remember your business and are happy to be associated with it. Some of the methods you may want to use include obtaining a new plumbing company logo that will act as the face of your company online, marketing your brand through a moving vehicle, using banners to advertise your plumbing services during social meetups, placing billboards on major roads and making use of professional business cards.
No matter the branding technique you select, you must make sure that your plumbing brand image is consistent across all platforms. A good brand image will not enhance your online visibility but assist you to display the image of a legit and consistent plumbing business.
15. Integrate SMS Marketing
Text or SMS messages have a higher open rate of about 98% than 20% for email. It is a cost-effective medium to promote your plumbing projects to potential clients. Ensure you send messages only to homeowners who have already subscribed to your messaging list. Otherwise, they may report or block you from spamming them.
16. Create a Phone Call Tracking System
If you are like most plumbing contractors, your prospects and existing clients call your office to ask questions and obtain details about plumbing projects. These are your most interested and qualified prospects, and you must not lose track of them. Set a phone call tracking system on Google Ads and Google Analytics to remain on top of your leads on the phone and create a system for nurturing and following up on such leads.
17. Use Multichannel Plumbing Marketing
Any media you utilize for marketing your plumbing company or interacting with your customers is known as a marketing channel. Clients can shift from one channel to another within a blink. They might come across your post on Facebook, land on your plumbing site to know more about you, read your online reviews on another website, and contact your office utilizing their mobile phone. That’s why you need to be active on more than one marketing channel.
18. Blog About the Latest Trends in Plumbing
Create a blog on your plumbing website and write informative content about the emerging trends in the plumbing industry. This makes your plumbing business appear well-informed and smart. Approach plumbing websites that accept guest posts and publish articles regularly with them to increase your reach and get valuable backlinks.
19. Focus on Client Retention
Getting a new client is five or six times more expensive than promoting your plumbing services to an existing client. Don’t forget your former customer when marketing a new plumbing service. Pay attention to the leads you lost during your last campaigns and leave no room for something slipping through the cracks.
20. Join a Plumbing Association
Join one or more plumbing contractor’s associations to help your company appear more credible. Association memberships help you tap into plumbing industry resources and offer valuable networking opportunities. Plumbing marketing is all about building and sustaining relationships before you craft projects.
Other brilliant offline plumbing marketing ideas you can try include:
- Sponsoring a local sports team or event
- Participate in expos and competitions
- Running a direct email campaign
- Get personal with printed flyers and brochures
- Host educational webinars
- Nurture customer relationships with a plumbing CRM software
- Improve your plumbing services with emerging technologies
Plumbing Marketing Made Easy with Blackstorm Design + Marketing
Plumber marketing is not a quick fix to change the fortunes of your plumbing business and gain success. It is a journey that needs long-term consistency, view, and sustained effort. You will require to develop a plumbing advertising plan and stick to the strategy to attain your goals. Partnering with plumber marketing professionals at Blackstorm Design + Marketing will make sure that you come up with the right advertising strategies to help you make your plumbing company to the next level. Our digital marketing experts will help you track the progress of your campaigns to determine what’s working and what’s not.
At Blackstorm Design + Marketing, we offer affordable and effective plumbing marketing solutions to help your plumbing business grab opportunities available in the plumbing industry.
Schedule a free discovery call with Blackstorm Design + Marketing to learn more about our internet marketing services for plumbers today.