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Every month “plumbers near me” is searched up to 850,000 times globally.
To thrive, your plumbing business needs to be visible where most potential customers are searching, Google.
This guide will provide you with top Plumber SEO tips to enhance your plumbing business’s online visibility.
First, what is Plumber SEO?
Plumber SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the practice of affecting local search engine rankings for plumbers.
Why You Should Do Plumber SEO
Plumber SEO is crucial because it helps your plumbing service appear in search results when potential customers in your target area look for the services you offer.
A cool 54% of all clicks go to the top three organic search results.
If you’re not effective with SEO you’re invisible organically.
Can You Do Plumber SEO Yourself?
Yes, you can certainly get started with the basics of Plumber SEO, but advanced SEO, with some elements of Technical SEO, may require a specialist.
The most accessible way to stay abreast of updates is through reputable sources like Barry Schwartz and Lily Ray.
Learn useful techniques by following experienced Local SEO professionals like Joy Hawkins and Darren Shaw.

1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Google Local Map Pack
To appear in Google’s local search results, including the Map Pack, start with your Google Business Profile (GBP).
Claim and Set Up Your Google Profile. If you’re not on the map already, add your business name and category. Choose a primary category such as “Plumber” and you can add more later for more specific services like Gas Installation Service, Drainage Service, or Bathroom Remodeler.

Complete Your Profile Details

Review Darren Shaw’s Whitespark Local Search Ranking Factors to see how you should prioritize your time.
If you’re here doing pre-research before you even start a plumbing business take advantage of the knowledge that the keywords in your business name and the proximity to the location you want to rank in are top-ranking factors.
Set up your service area and you can choose up to 20 locations, but the guideline is that it must be no longer than a 2-hour drive from where your business is based.

2. Local NAP Citations

Most business directories list your business name, address, and phone number. These listings are known as NAP citations.

Local Data Aggregators

You can either use a data aggregator service like Data Axle and Foursquare to list you on multiple directories.
There’s also Whitespark who offer customizable citations and connections to large data aggregators.

Get Listed with Free Local Directories

You can also take care of some of the free ones first.
Once you’re verified for Google Business Profile you can import your business onto Bing as well with a few clicks.
Don’t forget to get listed on Yelp as well since Apple Map searches rely on data from Yelp. Facebook, X (Formerly Twitter), LinkedIn Business and Instagram also allow you to put your address.
YellowPages, Better Business Bureau, Nextdoor and Manta are some free ones to get listed on as well.

Paid Plumber Directories

Consider paid services for citations such as Angi’s List, HomeAdvisor, and your local Chamber of Commerce.

Put Your Address on Your Site

Place your address at the bottom of your footer exactly how it’s shown on Google and embed the map to help customers easily access leaving you a review.

3. Boost Your Reviews

Reviews not only enhance your credibility but also improve your SEO rankings. Here are some effective ways to gather more reviews:

• Use Google’s Business Profile Manager to manage and respond to reviews.
• Get a QR Code that uses a link from GBP to request a review and a Business Card or Fridge Magnet to leave for customers with your website on it.
• Follow-Up Contact Requesting Feedback.
• Email Signature with your website link and a link to leave a review.

4. Keyword Research

Understanding what potential customers search for helps tailor your website content to meet their needs. Effective keyword research is the foundation of successful SEO.

List Your Services

Start by making a comprehensive list of all the plumbing services you offer. Think about every specific service you provide, no matter how niche.
A detailed list might include: Drain unblocking, Burst pipe repair, Drain Cleaning, Toilet installation, Water heater repair, Sewer line inspection and repair.

Use Keyword Tools

Once you have your list of services, the next step is to use keyword research tools to find relevant keywords that potential customers are searching for.
Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner
Google’s Keyword Planner is an ultimate keyword research tool that’s free and can help you find keywords, helpful insights, and discover new keywords.

Enter Your Services

Discover New Keywords Google Keyword Planner
Input the list of services you created into the tool. For example, if you offer “drain cleaning” enter this term into the Keyword Planner Discover New Keywords followed by your target city.

Analyze Keyword Suggestions

The tool will generate a list of related keywords, showing their search volumes and competition levels. Look for keywords with a high search volume and low to medium competition. These are the sweet spots that can drive significant traffic to your site.

Include Local Geographic Modifiers

Add local modifiers to your keywords to target searches in your service area. For example, “drain cleaning near me” or “emergency plumber [your city].” This helps attract customers who are looking for services in specific locations.
Now I’ve found a low competition keyword that’s a longtail keyword (keyword phrase with 3+ words) “24 hour emergency plumber Atlanta”.
Check out Keyword Surfer from Matt Diggity to get even more keyword data for free. You can also see the estimated monthly traffic a website domain gets.

5. Website Content & Optimization

Plumber Website Example

Create Service Specific Pages

By creating dedicated, optimized pages for each service, you can attract more targeted traffic and convert visitors into customers. These pages not only improve your SEO but also provide valuable information to potential clients, helping them choose your services with confidence.

Unique Selling Points

Highlight what makes your service unique. This could be your experience, certifications, special equipment, or customer satisfaction guarantees.
Include positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers. This builds trust and credibility with potential clients.

Contact Page

Make it easy for visitors to get in touch with you. Throughout your site link to a contact page. Provide your phone number, email address, and a web form for inquiries with your address shown and your service area. Including a call-to-action (CTA) encourages potential customers to take the next step.

Craft Compelling Content

Each service page should clearly describe the service, its benefits, and why customers should choose you. Include certifications, unique selling points, and customer testimonials to build trust.
Create engaging and informative content such as blog posts, FAQs, and plumbing tips to attract and retain visitors. Demonstrate your expertise and authority with pictures from job sites and speak from first-hand knowledge.

6. Build a Strong Link Profile

Guest blogging and engaging in community participation are free ways to build high-quality backlinks and establish your authority in the plumbing industry.

Identify Target Blogs

Find blogs in the plumbing, home improvement, and DIY niches that accept guest posts. Look for blogs with a good reputation and engaged audiences. Use search queries like “plumbing blogs accepting guest posts” or “home improvement write for us.”
Reach out to the blog owners with well-crafted pitches. Propose topics that are relevant to their audience and showcase your expertise. Ensure your pitch is concise and highlights the value you can provide to their readers.
Write well-researched, informative, and engaging articles. Focus on providing valuable insights and practical advice. Include relevant keywords naturally and ensure the content aligns with the blog’s style and tone.
In your author bio, include a brief description of yourself and your plumbing business, along with a link back to your website. Some blogs may also allow you to include a link within the content itself. Ensure these links are relevant and add value to the article.

Join Relevant Communities

Participate in forums and online communities related to plumbing, home improvement, and DIY. Websites like Reddit, Quora, and specialized plumbing forums like PlumbingForums.com are great places to start.
Offer helpful and knowledgeable answers to questions. Avoid blatant self-promotion and focus on providing genuine value. Share your expertise and build a reputation as a helpful professional.

HARO (Help A Reporter Out)

HARO connects sources with journalists looking for expert quotes. This can lead to high-quality backlinks from reputable sites.
Sign up for a free HARO account as a source. You will receive daily emails with journalist requests categorized by industry. Plumbing-related requests might fall under Home & Garden.
Monitor the HARO emails for requests related to plumbing, home maintenance, or small business operations. Respond promptly with concise, informative answers. Highlight your expertise and provide useful insights.
When responding, be detailed and professional. Include your full name, title, business name, and a link to your website. Journalists are more likely to use your quotes if they are well-articulated and relevant to their article.

Replicate Competitors’ Links

Analyzing your competitors’ backlinks can help you discover new link-building opportunities.
Identify your top competitors by searching for your target keywords in Google. Note the websites that consistently appear at the top of the search results.
Use tools like SEMrush or SpyFu to analyze your competitors’ backlink profiles. Enter their domain into the tool to see a list of websites linking to them.
Assess the quality of these backlinks by looking at metrics like organic traffic. Focus on high-quality backlinks from reputable sites.
Look for backlinks that you can replicate. These might include mentions in articles. Reach out to these websites with a similar pitch to get your site linked as well.

Reclaim Lost Links

Reclaiming lost links involves identifying and fixing broken or redirected links pointing to your site.
Use tools like Ahrefs or Google Search Console to identify broken links pointing to your website. These tools can help you find 404 errors and other issues.
Identify links that are redirected to other pages or domains. Ensure that the redirects are still relevant and pointing to the correct pages.
Reach out to the webmasters of the sites linking to your broken URLs. Politely ask them to update the link to the correct page. Provide the exact URL to make it easier for them.
If you have moved content to a new URL, set up 301 redirects from the old URLs to the new ones. This ensures that any backlinks pointing to the old URL still pass on link equity to the new page.

7. Technical SEO & Website Performance

Technical SEO ensures that search engines can find, understand, and index your pages.

Plan Your Site Structure

Plumber SEO Site Structure Example
A well-organized site structure helps visitors navigate your website and allows Google to find all your pages.

Internal Links

Include relevant internal links (links on one page to another on your site) throughout pages to help users easily navigate to important pages.

Concise URL-friendly Slug

SEO Unfriendly URL Slug Example
When making slugs for URLs (characters at the end of the URL, shown above) make sure they’re short and to the point. It’s recommended to be under 70 characters total, that’s including the entire URL. However, it’s important to note that Google is known to truncate URLs depending on devices.
For instance, notice the cut-offs in the below image.
SEO Unfriendly URL Slug Example
With Yoast or Rankmath you’ll be able to see how your page will appear in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).

Write Compelling Titles

Your titles should be engaging and accurately describe the content. Use power words and numbers to make your titles more compelling. For example, “10 Easy Tips for Fixing a Leaky Faucet” or “How to Unclog Any Drain in 5 Simple Steps.”
Aim to keep your titles 50 to 55 characters (580px length to be exact, which free meta length checkers can help you with) to ensure they are fully displayed in SERPs and not cut off.
For a blog post on drain cleaning, a compelling title could be: “How to Clean a Clogged Drain: 7 Effective Methods”
Google is known to automatically change the title of your page in search results if it doesn’t match relevance. Follow best title practices to influence the result.

Keep the Meta Descriptions Concise

Clearly summarize what the page is about. Include the most important points that users should know before clicking. For a drain cleaning service page, you might write: “Get expert drain cleaning services in [City]. Our plumbers are available 24/7 to handle any blockage. Call [number] for a free quote.”
Try to keep your meta descriptions concise and within the 160-character limit (920 pixels to be precise) to ensure the full text is visible.
Include your phone number in the meta description as this is clickable on mobile.

Use Clear Headings and Subheadings

Heading Tag Structure Example
Organize your content with clear headings (H1, H2, H3) and subheadings. This not only improves readability but also helps search engines understand the structure of your content.
Break down information into bullet points and numbered lists where appropriate. This makes your content more scannable and user-friendly.

Key Pages to Make

Home Page, About Us, Contact Us
Service Pages
Service Locations (Be careful on this one and follow Google’s guidelines on Doorways)
Service Location City Page
Blogs for Informational Articles and How-To’s

Create and Upload Your Sitemap

Install a Plugin like Yoast or Rankmath to give you some useful SEO tools and create a sitemap to submit to Google and Bing.

Use HTTPS

HTTPS is a secure way for visitors to access web pages. Check if your website uses HTTPS by looking for a lock icon in the browser’s search bar.

Monitor Your SEO Health

Regularly monitor your website’s SEO health using tools like Google Search Console. These tools can help you identify and fix common SEO issues. Key metrics to track include organic traffic, keyword performance, and site health score.

Responsive Design

Responsive design refers to a web design approach that makes web pages render well on a variety of devices and window or screen sizes. It ensures that your website looks and functions correctly on desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

Optimize Images

Large images can slow down your website, leading to a poor user experience, especially on mobile devices with slower internet connections. Optimizing images ensures faster loading times, which can improve both user experience and SEO.
Use a site like TinyJPG to compress images for free.

Simple Layout

A simple, uncluttered layout improves user experience by making it easier for visitors to navigate your site and find the information they need. It also ensures that your site loads faster, as there are fewer elements to load. You can find highly optimized plumber templates that you can use with WordPress.

Click-to-Call Buttons

Click-to-call buttons are crucial for mobile users, allowing them to contact your business with a single tap. This convenience can increase conversion rates and improve customer satisfaction.

Advanced Technical SEO

If you’re savvy on the technical side you can use free diagnostic tools like webpagetest and Google’s PageSpeed Insights to get more details on how to improve your loading speed and other technical optimizations.
Another step is installing and configuring a free caching plugin like WP Super Cache.

Breadcrumbs

You can use breadcrumbs to help Google understand the hierarchy of your site and may help users on their journey through your site.

Local SEO Schema

Add Plumber schema to important pages like the home page, contact, and service pages. You can use Schemantra to create the code to place on your site for free.

8. SEO Content Marketing

Creating valuable content can attract traffic and customers from organic search.

Topic Keyword Research

Finding the right topics to write about is crucial for attracting organic traffic.
Begin with broad keywords related to plumbing, such as “leak repair,” “drain cleaning,” or “water heater maintenance.” Enter these into keyword research tools like Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, Google Keyword Planner, or SEMrush.
Use these tools to find related keywords and phrases that people are searching for. Look for questions and long-tail keywords (phrases with three or more words) that indicate specific user intents.
Instead of just “drain cleaning,” look for “how to clean a clogged drain” or “best drain cleaning services in [city].”
Evaluate the search volume and competition level for each keyword. Ideally, seek keywords with high search volume but low to medium competition. This increases the chances of ranking well without facing too much competition.
When reviewing these keywords go after transactional keywords as these will typically bring you more conversions. “Emergency plumber near me” is a transactional keyword because it has a higher likelihood of the potential customer seeking service. Compare this to an information keyword such as, “What’s the history of plumbing?”.
Analyze the search engine results pages (SERPs) for your target keywords to see what type of content is ranking.
Look for featured snippets, people also ask boxes, and top-ranking articles to understand the type of content Google favors. Keep in mind that when using standard browser settings you’ll see personalized results.
You can use tools like AnswerThePublic for free to find more of what people are asking about a given topic.

For Blogs Use Questions and Informational Keywords

Blogs focus on questions and informational keywords, such as “how-to” guides, tutorials, and tips. Good content written on this tends to attract more engagement and backlinks.

Publish Optimized Blog Posts

Analyze the top-ranking pages for your target keywords to understand the user intent behind the searches. Are people looking for how-to guides, detailed articles, or quick answers? Align your content with what users intend to find.
Ensure your content fully addresses the search query. If users are looking for a guide on fixing a leaky faucet, provide a step-by-step tutorial with images, videos, and troubleshooting tips.
Include Images and Videos
Use relevant images, infographics, and videos to enhance your content. Visual elements can help explain complex topics and keep readers engaged.
Having an embedded YouTube video with a person speaking on the topic or pointing out common plumbing parts can set you apart from many competitors.

9. Promote Your Content

Share your blog posts on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Tailor your posts to each platform’s audience and use engaging visuals and descriptions to attract attention.
Participate in relevant Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, and online communities related to plumbing and home improvement. Share your content when appropriate if it adds value to the discussion.

10. Tracking SEO Progress

Tracking your SEO efforts is essential to understanding what’s working and what needs improvement.

Google Business Profile Performance

Monitoring your Google Business Profile (GBP) performance is crucial for understanding how well your business is performing in local search results.

Check Profile Performance

Log into your Google account and search for your business name. This should bring up your Google Business Profile. Click on the “See profile performance” button to access detailed metrics about how your profile is performing.

GBP Metrics

Views: The number of times your business profile has been viewed. This gives you an idea of how visible your business is in local searches.
Search Queries: The specific queries that led users to your business profile. This helps you understand what terms potential customers are using to find your business.
Customer Actions: This includes actions like visits to your website, requests for directions, calls to your business, and bookings. Tracking these actions helps you understand how effective your profile is at converting views into interactions.
Photo Views: The number of times your business photos have been viewed. High-quality photos can attract more attention and engagement.

Search Console Metrics

This report provides an overview of your site’s performance in Google Search.
Total Clicks: The number of times users clicked on your site in search results.
Total Impressions: The number of times your site appeared in search results.
Average Click-Through Rate (CTR): The ratio of clicks to impressions, showing how effective your site is at attracting clicks.
Average Position: Your site’s average ranking position for the tracked queries.
Search Queries: This section shows the specific queries that users are entering to find your site. Analyze which keywords are driving the most traffic and consider creating more content around those terms.
Pages: Identify which pages on your site are performing best in search. This can help you understand what type of content resonates most with your audience.
Devices: Understand how users are accessing your site (desktop, mobile, tablet). This helps you ensure your site is optimized for all devices, most importantly mobile.

Optimize Based on Insights

Use the data from GSC to optimize your site’s SEO strategy. If you notice that certain pages have a high number of impressions but a low CTR, consider updating the meta descriptions and title tags to be more compelling.
If specific keywords are performing well, create supplemental content around those topics to capture additional traffic.

Not a PETA fan overall, but this may be useful to someone. Or 17 million someones. Because the shelter systems of the 6 largest cities in the US are currently following managed intake policies designed to thwart and avoid pet surrenders. And over 17 million people live in those 6 metro areas.
Shelter Refusing Animals? Here's What to Do PETA
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Is your local shelter refusing animals? Shelters are supposed to be safe havens for animals who have nowhere else to go, but in an increasing number of communities across the country, good Samaritans who find strays and desperate citizens who cannot keep their animals are hearing the same responses when they try to take animals to shelters: “Sorry—we’re full,” or “We’ll have to put you on a waiting list.” Some shelters require people to make appointments, wait for months, or pay high “surrender fees,” or they drastically reduce their hours or even encourage people to leave cats on the streets, often illegally—all in a misguided attempt to keep animals out.
Why? Shelters are under extreme pressure by laypeople who are opposed to euthanasia under virtually any circumstances and at any cost. They harass and vilify shelter workers who make the difficult but compassionate decision to euthanize some animals in order to keep their doors open to every animal in need.
In response, an alarming number of shelters—in some cases, even taxpayer-funded ones—are choosing to operate like exclusive clubs or boutiques instead of refuges for animals in need. When shelters make it difficult for people to surrender animals, closing their doors and refusing to help, they leave animals with nowhere to turn. Many are abandoned on the streets, where they starve and die in agony of untreated diseases or injuries. Others remain in the hands of people who don’t want them and who may mistreat, neglect, or even kill them.
If your local shelter has adopted this harmful practice and started implementing restrictions or turning away animals, please speak up! The basic steps are simple—documenting your experiences, gathering support, and making your case—and your involvement can make a world of difference to the animals in your community who need you the most. Read on to learn how you can help, and follow the links in each section for helpful sample statements and letters.

Document Your Experience

If a shelter has refused to accept an animal from you, required you to pay a surrender fee, put you on a waiting list, or instructed you to abandon an animal, carefully document everything that happened. Take photos and video, if you can, to help make your case when you share the evidence with elected officials and the media. Be sure to document the following:

• The name and address of the facility
• The time and date of your call or visit
• The name of the person you spoke with
• What you were told (an exact quote, if possible)
• Whether you spoke with a supervisor and, if so, what you were told
• What happened to the animal who needed help

Gather Community Support

Collecting statements and support from others who have been negatively affected by a shelter’s policies will significantly bolster your case when you meet with officials. If you know of other people who have encountered difficulties in surrendering an animal to a shelter, interview and take written statements from them, then help them take their cases to local and state elected officials as well as to the media.
Meet with local veterinarians to explain the situation at the shelter. Veterinarians may be especially sympathetic—not only because they care about animals but also because in communities where shelters restrict intakes, veterinary offices and animal hospitals often become popular places for people to abandon animals. If you find veterinarians who seem understanding, ask them for a statement and encourage them to get involved by helping you lobby for open-admission policies at the shelter. Be sure to keep your meetings brief and respectful, as most veterinarians are extremely busy, and follow up with a handwritten thank-you note. Take the time to form lasting relationships with sympathetic veterinarians, as they may be able to help if you find an animal who is turned away from the shelter.
If you know of local businesses where stray and homeless animals congregate, ask the owners if they would be willing to sign a statement and get involved. Their concerns may have significant influence with elected officials.

Make Your Case

Once you have gathered statements and evidence, request a meeting with the shelter director by writing a polite letter. Express your support of open-admission policies, including providing euthanasia services when necessary. If the director is open to revising the shelter’s policies, wonderful! Your legwork has paid off. If not, don’t worry—you have brought this important issue to his or her attention, and you can now take your case to elected officials and the media.
If the director is unresponsive to your concerns, don’t be discouraged. If the shelter is taxpayer-funded, elected officials may view the situation more objectively and be more receptive (and able to initiate change). Your next step is to request a meeting with elected officials to express your concern that the shelter is not providing needed services.
If the shelter is taxpayer-funded, it’s also important to attend city and/or county meetings on a regular basis to express your concerns about the shelter. Most meetings allow the public to speak briefly (usually for three to five minutes) on issues of concern, so prepare and practice a short statement that you can read if given the opportunity. Be sure to include your most compelling points, including examples of your own or others’ experiences with being turned away.

Keep Speaking Up!

Changing entrenched policies can take time, so be persistent and patient. There are many simple actions that you can take to keep the issue in the forefront of citizens’ and elected officials’ minds:

• Write letters to the editor and comment on online news articles that demonize open-admission shelters or glorify turn-away facilities.
• Become an animal rights photographer. Go into the community and document the suffering of homeless and neglected animals (dogs hit by cars, covered with mange, or languishing on chains, cats living under sheds trying to raise a litter of kittens, etc.). Share these photos with the shelter director, elected officials, and/or the media to help demonstrate the critical need for a shelter that accepts all animals. Please also try to help any stray animals or chained dogs you see.
• Print out PETA’s flier about the dangers of turn-away facilities and hand it out to people in front of grocery stores, or leave a stack at your dentist’s office, the gym, coffee shops, etc.fundamental need for shelters to keep their doors open to all animals (we can provide free materials).
• Ask your state lawmakers to introduce legislation that would require “rescues” to be strictly regulated and facilities operating as taxpayer-funded shelters to accept all animals surrendered to them, as well as defining facilities that turn away animals as “adoption groups” rather than as “shelters.”
• If your case is especially egregious (an animal died or was significantly injured as a result of being turned away), consider filing a lawsuit against the city/county/shelter on the grounds of dereliction of duty and/or cruelty to animals. You may be able to find an attorney willing to help in your case on a pro bono (free of charge) basis simply by calling local attorneys listed online.
• Tell your friends, neighbors, and family members about the situation at your local shelter and encourage them to get involved, too!
• Host information tables at community events. Play PETA’s videos about problems associated with turn-away policies, such as “The Betrayal of ‘No-Kill’ Sheltering,” “Turned Away: A Closer Look at ‘No-Kill,’” “How Long Do Outdoor Cats Live?” and “100 Pit Bulls in 100 Seconds,” and share PETA’s materials on these topics (we can provide them for free!).
• Ask your local library to let you set up an information display about the fundamental need for shelters to keep their doors open to all animals (we can provide free materials).

The top 6 taxpayer-funded public shelters currently doing managed intake:
Philadelphia Animal Care & Control
Animal Care Centers of New York City
Los Angeles Animal Services (which adds a threatening kicker, nice)
Maricopa County Animal Care & Control
But wait! MCACC has an additional note
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So you can't surrender a cat to MCACC at all. That's - something.
Chicago Animal Care & Control
Houston's BARC shelter

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