Learn how to claim and use a free Google Business Profile to get found by prospects and outrank your competitors online
Are you struggling to outrank other local plumbers online? If so, learn from thousands of plumbing contractors across the United States to know the surefire hacks to rank #1 on search engine results pages. Google Business Profile (previously known as Google My Business) is the primary hub for local SEO for plumbers. As a plumber, you understand that you rely on local clients to make your plumbing company a success.
Google Business listing is all about making your plumbing company more visible online. That’s why we have created a definitive guide for plumbing contractors who want to make the most out of their business profile on Google. Keep reading to see how you can use Google Business Profile to get ahead of local competitors and obtain more qualified leads.
What is Google Business Profile for Plumbers?
Formerly known as Google My Business, Google Business Profile is a free tool built by Google that helps you promote your plumbing services as well as your site on Google Maps and search results for free. By claiming a GBP listing, plumbers can showcase reviews, post updates, and rank higher in the Local Map 3-pack for keywords related to their business. This platform helps you list your plumbing company on Google Maps and regulate what details prospects will see in Google search results.
To make sure your plumbing company has a good chance of ranking higher on local search results both on traditional organic and Maps, you must optimize your Google Business Profile listing. That incorporates everything from NAP information, Google posts, and the Q&A section.
Google Business listings pop up when a homeowner conducts a local search (“plumber [city name] or “plumber near me”) or performs a search on Google Maps. Your plumbing company’s GBP listing can show up when a prospect looks for your brand, appearing on the right side of search results on laptops/desktops, and at the top of search engine result pages.
Why is Google Business Profile Crucial for Plumbers?
Why should you care about Google Business listing as a plumber? Because a large portion of the population is using Google, it implies a huge audience can access and view your profile. The more visible your plumbing company is the higher your chances of drawing prospects’ attention to your business.
Google Business listing is no longer optional-it is an important part of any plumbing company’s web presence and is typically the first place clients look for updated information about your business. If your clients want to find new opening hours or want to contact your business and inquire about something, you can bet they are not going to flip through the Yellow Pages. Here are some of the benefits of having an optimized Google Business Profile in your plumbing company:
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GBP Helps Your Plumbing Services Get Discovered for FREE in Google Maps and Search Results
While content marketing strategies (like optimizing your website copy pages and SEO blogging) can improve your search visibility, a Google Business Profile is the most effective hack.
Whether you want to boost sales, improve brand awareness or increase booked jobs, a GBP is an effective way to get your plumbing company in front of wallet-out local clients. You can get your plumbing company listing in front of high-value online browsers by claiming and optimizing your business profile with the proper address, business category, and keywords. This listing can improve your presence in the local search engine results and make it likely for prospects to discover your plumbing company.
Unlike paid Google or social media ads, a Google Business profile is ultimately FREE and offers your company priority in the search results to increase inquiries, interest, and even sales.
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Enhance Your Local SEO by Integrating Google Maps
If you offer a plumbing service in a particular local area, you want to ensure your plumbing company information pops up front and center for potential clients.
That’s why a Google Business listing can be one of the efficient ways to reach warm plumbing leads when they are ready to convert.
By claiming, verifying, and optimizing your Google Business Profile, you can make sure that your plumbing company shows up when interested clients are looking for the services you provide in your locality. Whether a client conducts a direct search on Google or even via Google Maps, your plumbing services will show up at the top of search results.
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Control Your Plumbing Company Online Presence with a GBP
On mainstream marketing platforms like social media, plumbing companies like yours should play by the rules of big brands. The algorithms decide who discovers your plumbing company online and what impression they have about your brand.
But with a Free GBP, you can curate the kind of experience prospects will have with your plumbing company. From updating your operational hours to showcasing your contact details, you can give each prospect the superior experience possible with your plumbing company.
Best of all, by knowing how to optimize your Google Business listing, you can increase the chances of your plumbing business information showing up at the top of the search engine rankings. This offers you the greatest potential to impact purchasing decisions of searchers who come across your brand.
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GBP Offers an Easy Way for Your Clients to Find Your Physical office
Your GBP listing has seamless integration with Google Maps as we stated earlier. Along with assisting your plumbing company to improve its visibility on Google, such integration also helps clients to navigate to your physical office as well.
With Google Maps integration, prospects or clients can discover directions to your physical office with a single tap. Besides, they can access your business operating hours and crucial contact details (such as your plumbing website, email address, and phone number) to make it seamless for people to contact your business.
The easier it is for your new clients to reach your plumbing service company, the more likely they will have a positive experience with your company. It is all about providing a seamless online experience that converts browsers into paying customers.
Get started Google Business Profile for Plumbers in 5 Simple Steps
Getting started with a Google Business profile is relatively easy, and the setup process takes a very short time. An important initial step in the local SEO strategy for plumbers is claiming, verifying, and optimizing your Google Business profile. You will be surprised to know that Google Business Profile is a FREE platform.
Google Business Profile doesn’t come with a paid version, and as soon as you register and confirm your plumbing company, you can access all the features and tools that the platform has to offer. While setting up is relatively simple, here are some hacks to make sure that the process goes seamless for the first time. Here are some strategies that will help you get started with plumbing Google Business listing:
The initial step towards claiming your Google business profile is to add a location. Including a public address depends on your preference, but it helps create transparency if you put your company address in the public domain.
A service area typically depicts how far your business is willing to go in order to serve a client. You can set this area as a perimeter around your physical office, or you can select the service area to be relatively small.
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Add Correct NAP citations
we cannot overemphasize this enough. Your GBP will request your plumbing website URL and phone number. Ensure that you enter these details properly or else you will lose an opportunity of booking new jobs.
After ensuring the above three crucial information is entered correctly, follow the steps outlined below to claim or register your plumbing business on Google:
- Step 1: Head over to https: //business. Google.com/ add.info/
- Step 2: Search for your plumbing company by address and name
- Step 3: If your business doesn’t appear. Click “No”, these are not my businesses
- Step 4: When prompted, enter the correct information about your plumbing company
- Step 5: Click “Submit”
Among the areas your plumbing company can show up include Google Maps, Local 3-pack, conventional organic results, and knowledge graph. Registering or claiming your plumbing business on Google Business listing is typically the initial step of a process of ranking at the top spot for plumbing keywords in your service area. But a properly optimized plumbing company GBP increases your chances of ranking #1 on Google.
How to verify Your Plumbing Google Business Profile
Your free plumbing Google Business Profile can do more than you think. When optimized properly, it can showcase your best traits and make it hassle-free for clients to discover, learn more about and even call your business. But for it to do this, you should verify your listing with Google to show that you are the plumbing company owner.
Google offers various options to help you verify your plumbing business Google Business Profile as outlined below:
Verify your GBP via Email
The most common way to verify your Google Business profile is through a regular email. However, before you request verification by email, ensure your business address complies with the address entry guidelines. To request your GBP verification by email, follow the steps below:
- Sign in to your Google Business Profile and choose the company you want to verify
- Among the options offered, choose to verify by email
- Tap to verify. When you get an email in your inbox, follow the steps outlined to complete the process.
- Remember to check whether you can access the email you want to use for the verification process.
- Verify Your GBP using a Postcard
This is the most common method. Google will send your plumbing business a physical postcard (normally via a snail mail). You will then use the code in the postcard to verify your Google Business Profile.
Verify Your GBP by Phone
If you choose this option, Google will send a verification code to your plumbing company phone number. You will then enter the code to verify your plumbing company on Google. This will be instant and will help you enjoy the benefits of your Google Business Profile faster.
Google Business Profile Optimization Tips for Plumbers to Rank Higher in Local Search
Any plumbing business today requires targeted and higher visibility on Google. Most plumbers know that this needs optimizing their Google Ads and website, but what they fail to understand is that there is a third entity that should be optimized; their Google Business Profile. When properly used, your Google Business Profile can assist your business to generate new plumbing customers and leads. Consider it this way, right now homeowners are searching Google for plumbing services, and they will either find your business or your competitors.
To improve your chances of being found by prospects or clients, this post will discuss proven tips that will boost your visibility on Google. Without further ado, let us dive in.
Use Your Legal Plumbing Company Name
Your company name is one of the most crucial aspects of Your Google Business Profile. It is highly recommended that you strictly follow Google’s guidelines when it comes to the company name that you want to use in your Google Business Profile.
There are multiple ways you can attempt and trick the system for higher visibility and rankings. Don’t do them. One thing plumbers try and do is place their geographical location in the name on the GBP. For instance, Bryan owns a plumbing business and the legal name of the company is Bryan’s Plumbing. Bryan services Murfreesboro, TN area. The name he should use in his Google Business Profile is Bryan’s Plumbing, not Bryan’s Plumbing Murfreesboro.
If the name of the region or city you serve is part of your legal company name, then go ahead and include it. But, if your legal business name doesn’t have the name of the region or city, don’t add it to the name in your Google Business Profile. This is a strategy that might give you short-term results but can also make your profile to be suspended by Google.
Choose the Right Primary and Second Categories
Selecting the right category is a must for optimizing your plumbing Google Business Profile. This is because the categories you select for your GBP can assist Google to connect your plumbing business to customers based on what they are actively looking for. There are two kinds of categories- a primary category and numerous secondary categories, and you choose your secondary categories and primary category from a predefined list.
We highly recommend that you choose the right category. In our case of a plumbing business, the primary category you choose should be “plumber.”
If you provide more services other than plumbing, for instance, electrical and or/HVAC, you can include these as secondary categories- “Electrician” and “HVAC Contractor.” You may add other categories depending on the services you provide accordingly.
Focused Plumber Marketing: Define Your Service Areas
A service area depicts a geographical area or perimeter where you can deliver your plumbing services. You can choose up to 2 service areas where you offer plumbing services. Service areas can be defined by cities, postal codes, or by provinces. It is important that you choose the right service areas because the service areas you select will determine how your business appears on the search results when prospects search a geographical location.
For example, if you provide plumbing services throughout the Middle Tennessee area, you may want to choose Murfreesboro, Franklin, Manchester, Nashville, Smyrna, and more. Choose all the areas you serve (up to 20). If you only serve five areas, then choose those five-no more.
Set Your Operating Hours Generously
Spelling out your business operating hours helps Google inform customers if you are closed or open. If your plumbing company is closed, then Google can alert customers when you shall reopen for business. Besides, setting your normal business hours, you can also indicate your special hours for public holidays like Christmas or Easter.
Give Your Correct Phone Number
One of the crucial elements of your Google Business Profile is your company’s phone number. Your number will prominently have displayed on your Google Business profile and helps customers to contact you directly from your profile without necessarily having to visit your plumbing website. This is particularly applicable if customers are accessing your GBP on a mobile device like a smartphone.
All they need to do is click on the phone number to contact your plumbing company. It is convenient and faster for customers. The reverse is also true, it can be overwhelming as a client if you are trying to contact a plumbing business but you cannot easily and quickly locate their phone number. You can give a secondary and primary phone number in your Google Business Profile.
Use Google’s Appointment Booking Function in Your Plumbing GBP
Google’s appointment booking button can help your plumbing company outrank the competition. If your plumbing company requires clients to schedule appointments and you utilize built-in scheduling software, clients can book appointments with your business right from your Google Business Profile. This can make it hassle-free even to attract new customers they don’t have to click off from Google to book an appointment with your plumbing business.
Using your appointment booking links, clients can easily book your offer anywhere can find your business. Plus, you can also share your appointment booking URL link on Yelp, Facebook pages, and Instagram Profiles. Take advantage of this feature of Google Business Profile when you hire booking providers to get new clients.
Add Attractive but Real Photos and Videos to Your Plumbing GBP
Sharing videos and photos of your plumbing company and those tagged by your clients is an effective and easy to boost engagement and traffic to your site and place of business.
To leverage the benefits of this feature, use good-quality photos, ensure high resolution, and upload new photos regularly-don’t use stock photos. Real photos help Google differentiate your plumbing company and thus represent your brand.
As one of the hacks here, we highly recommend taking quality photos of your office, photos of your staff at work, and the before and after photos of completed projects. Such photos and videos can help to increase trust and build brand awareness in your target audience.
List Your Plumbing Services
The services section of your Google Business profile helps you list all the services you provide. You can add the service name, a description, and a price for every service.
Unlike products that are shown up as part of your GBP, services are normally visible on mobile devices. On such devices, a service tab is shown along with your listing. When a client clicks on the tab, they will have a chance of viewing all the plumbing services you offer.
Including your plumbing services is an efficient way to differentiate your plumbing company from the competition and may help to skyrocket your local search rankings.
Add a Questions and Answers Section in Your Plumbing GBP
Google Business Profile help prospects or clients to answer a question about your plumbing business. It is advisable that you answer such questions preemptively on your own. Go to the knowledge tab of your Google Business Profile, and you will come across an option for “Question & Answers.” Fill it with potential questions that clients may have about your plumbing company and answer them in advance to make sure that they have accurate information about your business.
Add Attributes
Highlights or attributes help you share with the world about specific attributes or services of your plumbing company, and including them can assist you to stand out from your competitors. To know what attributes you can add to your GBP listing, click on the “info” tab in the dashboard of your listing. By clicking the pencil icon, you will know the kind of services or attributes you can add to your plumbing company.
Accurate Description of Your Plumbing Business
Your plumbing business description is one of the crucial places you can utilize to target the “business or money keywords.” But you should not overdo it- keep your customers in mind and highlight the best things about your plumbing company.
In business for more than two decades? Your clients will no doubt love this.
Veteran-owned? Make sure to include it.
Before you go ahead and write your plumbing business description, be sure to read Google’s business description guidelines.
Get Online Reviews for Your Plumbing company
Before a homeowner contacts you for a plumbing repair or service, they will first go through your reviews on Google. Even before that, they will have made up their mind on whether to choose you or your competition based on the quality and quantity of your online reviews.
One of the most crucial things you can do to help your plumbing company rank higher in local searches is to ask for more reviews on Google. Customers’ reviews are great for improving your social proof, and they make it easier for prospects or clients to trust your plumbing business. You can add as many client reviews as possible to your Google Business Profile.
Review Your NAP Information
The initial thing to do is go through the “info tab.” Make sure that you review your NAP (Name, Address, and Phone number) citations on the tab.
First, review your plumbing company name. Is your name listed correctly? Is it consistent with other review platforms such as Yelp? If you note any errors, update the information here properly. Check also that your address is entered correctly in your Google Business Profile.
Lastly, review your business phone number. Ensure everything is correct and that you are using your plumbing company’s primary phone number. If your company has multiple numbers for employees, make sure to utilize the main phone number for your office.
Use the Google Posting Feature to Grab More Eyeballs
Regular posts are like free display ads for your plumbing company. You should post promotional offers since browsers can see posts before they land on your plumbing website.
Posts display a brief description and a thumbnail image that shows up to a full-size image and more information when clicked. They are displayed at the bottom of your Google Business Profile on desktop and in a dedicated tab in the Google Maps app.
Frequently Asked Questions about Google Business Profile for Plumbers
1. Is Google Business Profile for plumbers free of charge?
Yes, Google Business Profile is absolutely FREE. This means any plumbing contractor can claim, verify and optimize any listing Free of charge.
2. How can I get my plumbing business to show up higher on Google search or Maps?
here are some steps you can take to ensure that your plumbing company shows up on Google as illustrated below:
- Step 1: Go to Google Business Profile
- Step 2: Find your plumbing company
- Step 3: Add or select your plumbing business
- Step 4: Choose your category
- Step 5: Verify your plumbing company
- Step 6: Set up a connected Google Plus Page
- Step 7: Request Google reviews
3. Does my plumbing company need an optimized Google Business Profile?
Yes, your business should be taking advantage of the power of an optimized Google Business Profile customized for your company. By offering your opening and closing hours, services, reviews, address, and latest business address, you will be able to successfully manage your online presence across Google properties from its local maps to its search engine.
Let Blackstorm Design + Marketing Team Manage and Market Your Plumbing Company on Google Business profile
A well-optimized Google Business Profile is an important component of a a winning local plumbing SEO strategy. . Knowing how to claim, verify and optimize your Google listing as a plumber can help boost Google rankings and assist you to reach potential clients on a local level.
We trust that this definitive Google Business Profile optimization guide for plumbers will assist you.
But if you are still unsure of how to claim, verify and optimize Google Business listing as a plumber, we got you covered.
At Blackstorm Design + Marketing, we specialize in helping plumbing businesses of all sizes optimize their local SEO and outrank their competitors. We achieve this by helping you claim your Google Business Profile. We are a team of internet marketing experts dedicated to helping you skyrocket the growth of your plumbing services company.
Schedule a free strategy session with Blackstorm Design + Marketing to learn more about our services and how we can help you grow your plumbing company online.