Plumbing isn’t an exciting topic for the general public. People don’t care about plumbing until they need a plumber. This means that plumbing websites need to be targeted to specific needs and your ability to address those needs, both quickly and efficiently.
Good quality plumbing websites address this need by making it easy for customers to absorb the information, be targeted to the right local area, and allow them to interact with you directly from the website. Good web design will address all the needs of your customers and provide feedback.
For those who have an emergency, getting a response promptly is the key to gaining their business. Customers need you right now, not an hour from now, or even tomorrow. Today, we’ll discuss how your website can get to the right audience, draw them into your website, win them over, and convert them into new customer leads the same day.
6 tricks for plumbing website lead generation
Strategy #1 overall design of the website.
Make sure your website has a good flow. Information should be easy to absorb, presented in an organized manner, and with pictures to pull the viewer’s eyes from topic to topic. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essential. Having a website designed professionally and developed properly is genuinely the best decision if you can afford to have it done.
SEO is an investment that will pay for itself over time. You’re a plumber, not a plumbing website designer, so hire one. It is imperative that when someone’s toilet brakes and searches “plumbing near me,” your website should be one of the first options they see. Make it easy to find a way to contact you on your website too. This can be done by having your phone number, your address, and your email posted right on the front page for them to see. That alone isn’t enough. The plumbing website design should be functional and straightforward. We’ll give you more tips as we go along.
Research is proving that people with mobile phones are the biggest fans of texting and chatting. Add a mobile chat friendly platform to your website. Podium has a great tool called WebChat that allows a lead to message you instantly from your website. This allows you or someone designated to handle these messages, to respond within moments, set up a time to get a plumber to them, and even let them know when the plumber will arrive with an ETA.
By accessing your website, getting the necessary information, and setting an appointment by just using their thumbs, you’ll find more bookings naturally happen. Nearly three-quarters of Americans are more likely to set an appointment if they don’t have to make a phone call.
Strategy #2: Optimized for local SEO.
Meta description, Google Business Profile, and more should be tailored for your state, region, or city. While there is no silver bullet to automatically get your website ranked in the number one search results, it can be done. It’s a process that often involves tweaking, regularly adding new and updated information to your website, and following a specific plan for improving your rankings.
Suppose you are not highly skilled in SEO. In that case, it is worth your marketing dollars to have your website optimized by using meta descriptions and keyword-rich content that potential leads are using to search for information in your local area.
Utilizing Google Business Profile can help boost your local leads exponentially. Having a Google Business Profile will ensure that when someone searches for a plumber in their area, your business is one that pops up in the search results. Customers don’t open the yellow pages anymore; they search for websites. Almost all searches are done digitally.
According to Google Ads, there are more than 2.8 million online searches for plumbers each month. This same site we link shows that 97% of consumers prefer to search for local products or services. You must ensure that you are visible. Open a Google Business Profile account today. Work with an SEO savvy web developer for streamlining your website and get new content added regularly.
Strategy #3 Show your competitive difference.
On your website, make yourself stand out over your competitors as a quality plumbing company. There are plenty of plumbers out there. Why are you better? Do you have many plumbers on staff that will arrive sooner? Do you have the best rates? Offer a payment plan? Do you show visibility and trust with reviews and stats found on your plumbing website? If you have fantastic plumbing testimonials on your site, they can make you more competitive with other plumbing sites. Reviews are vital to your success.
Research has shown that 72% of consumers won’t take action until they’ve read reviews. That is a staggering number of people. It should also be noted that more than that will also decline to do business with a plumbing company(or any company) that has more than four negative reviews in favor of another local business that does not.
The best way to hide negative reviews is to gain a ton of positive reviews, and then negative reviews fall to the bottom of the list. You should also respond to reviews, even the bad ones. Show potential plumbing customers that your company wants to solve problems and keep customers happy. People want exceptional service. Your willingness to address concerns shows that you care about service.
Strategy # 4 Choose original photos that serve a purpose.
When you put together your website, don’t pay for vague photos of plumbing services. Take your pictures of the work that your crews have done. Show plumbing catastrophes that you’ve saved homeowners from. Document your actual work. Visibility with all of your previous projects is an impactful way to gain credibility and help consumers choose to contact you when they see proof that you have solved the same issue for someone else.
People are skeptical because the internet is rife with scams. Show yourself, through photos, on the job and the positive outcome. Using photos in a blog posted on your website is a fantastic way to keep viewers on your webpage engaging too, which helps your page rank higher in search engines and show as an authority on the topic of plumbing. Google uses algorithms that rank high-authority websites higher than others. Studies prove that real photos are better for gaining credibility.
Strategy # 5 Include easy links to your social media pages and incorporate your website with social media.
The best digital marketing strategy is to have a presence on social media streamlined and filled with content similar to your website. Using social media is a great way to get your name in the minds of local people, allow customers to review your business, and to provide photos and content that personalize your relationship with your community.
An example of a good plumbing website that makes it easy to find their social media is Larsen Plumbing. Note, they set themselves apart immediately. Within 30 seconds, it is apparent they are in Tampa, FL. They are licensed. They can be reached via the phone number in plain sight at the top of the page.
A chat box is immediately apparent to make it easy to find and use. Larsen Plumbing has tab links to frequently asked questions located on their blog. Prominently at the bottom of the front page is a link to their social media account. You don’t want to link to lame social media accounts that hardly ever post. Show that you care in the community and show your wins on social media. Don’t forget about social media on your website.
Strategy #6 Include texting through your website.
Invest in a webchat widget, where people ask questions or need quotes for things you can text them all in one platform. Turn website traffic into customers with a feature that is offered free with Podium Starter. It’s a professional design, easy to integrate with your site, and it’s a free way to get started immediately. You don’t want to waste any time, after all of the above points, you should see this is highly effective.
Customers are more likely to reach out to you if they can do so via chat. Your customer base is getting younger. The average age of the US home buyer is 47, according to Deutsche Bank. A person who is 47 has grown up with the internet. They’ve evolved together, so to speak. Gen Xers were around to see every stage of the internet, and most of them are very tech-savvy. Gen Yers and Millennials were playing with cell phones by the age of three. Your company needs to use digital marketing, or you’re being left behind.
Wrap-Up
The goal is for your digital advertising to improve, to more than pay for itself, and bring you new leads every single day. You’ll get fresh leads in your service area when your website is appropriately set-up and streamlined with great content. Social media accounts are free advertising and will personalize your relationships with customers and the local community at large. You’re armed with tools, data, and apps like Podium. The rest is up to you. Start by Googling “plumbers in my area” and see what the results are. If you aren’t on the top of the page results, you’ve got work to do, and Podium can help.
