Website Basics for Plumbers

Today, let’s talk website basics for plumbers. Now, I realize your expertise is in things like valves, drains, and fittings, and not so much in SEO , AI , and backlinks —which is good, since you’re a plumber, not a web developer. But here’s the thing: Your website is giant part of your success (or failure) as a plumbing shop. It’s important to understand the basics so your site will help grow your business, not kill it.

These days, when people need help with anything—the name of a song, ideas for birthday gifts, or someone to come deal with a burst pipe in their basement—they turn to the internet.

In fact, some studies suggest that as many as 97% of people research local service companies online . If people aren’t finding your website, or if your website isn’t helpful to them, you’ll probably lose them as potential customers.

If you want to grow your plumbing business, you need a good website. What, exactly, does it mean to have a “good” plumber website? Potential customers have to understand it, and Google has to love it.

On any given day, we have exactly zero patience when it comes to the internet. We want easy answers, and we want them immediately.

Now, add the stress of a plumbing disaster. Do you think a homeowner with no hot water or a flooded basement is going to patiently wait for your website to load? Do you think they’ll be content to search every page until they find your phone number? Not a chance.

A customer-friendly website is:

Easy to navigate. Your potential customers don’t have time to click around every page of your website trying to figure out how to get you to come fix their problem.

• Have a “Contact Us” page. Include that page on your main navigation menu.
  
• Include your contact information on every page of your website. The fewer clicks required to connect you and your customer, the better.
  
• Display a services menu. Before they reach out for a quote, people want to know if you can fix their problem. So, include a list of services on your site. It helps to outline your geographic service area, as well.
  
• Use a clear call to action. Have an obvious “schedule a service call” button or form on every page of your site.
  
• Make your phone number and email address clickable/tappable. That way, people can reach you the moment they’re ready to talk.
  

Mobile responsive. So far this year, 52% of all internet traffic has occurred on mobile phones , a percentage that’s been steadily climbing since 2009. That means your potential customers are looking at your website on an itty bitty screen, not on their desktop computer—and your site should respond accordingly. That means regardless of the device people are using, they shouldn’t have to scroll left and right to see the entire page, the navigation menu should always be visible, and the copy should be legible without pinching and dragging to enlarge it.

Fast. People with a plumbing issue do not want to wait—and will not wait—for your website to load. Experts recommend websites to load in three seconds or fewer, and Google aims to load in half a second. (We’ll say more about Google in a moment.) Fortunately, there are all sorts of ways to speed up your website. Talk with your web developer (or us!) about:

• Implementing new image sizes/formats.
  
• Using CSS sprites.
  
• Minifying JavaScript.
  
• Caching content.
  
• Evaluating your site plug-ins (quantity and quality).
  
• Minimizing HTTP requests.
  
• Reducing service response times.
  
• Making sure your hosting package is adequate for your site traffic.

Useful. Your potential customers want to feel confident about their choice of plumber. You can help them feel like you’re the best choice by sharing some of your expertise—for free—via a blog. That shows people you aren’t just about making money (i.e., you won’t rip them off) and that you know what you’re talking about. Plus, Google loves a frequently updated website.

Full of reviews. Online reviews are as effective as in-person recommendations—which convert at nearly 1:1. Include some testimonials on your website, along with links to your Google and Yelp reviews. And if you have a BBB A+ rating, proudly display that badge.

If you have a marvelously easy-to-navigate and useful website but no one knows about it, your plumbing business will not grow. Since most people use Google for their online searches ( nearly 75% in 2017 ), your website must talk pretty to the search giant.

A Google-friendly website is:

Mobile responsive. This bears repeating. Since consumers expect websites to be mobile-friendly, Google is more likely to show them your website if it’s responsive. In fact, Google is now using the mobile version of websites to index content—so if you don’t have a mobile version, you don’t actually exist.

Optimized for search. 91.5% of all website traffic goes to sites listed on the first search engine results page (SERP). Lots of work is involved in an effective search engine optimization (SEO) strategy :

• Keywords. Do your research and use the same keywords your potential customers are entering into the search bar—but don’t “stuff” your site with them.
  
• HTML. Using keywords in your copy is important, and so is using them in your title, header, and subheader HTML tags. You should also make good use of meta description tags.
  
• Images. Google loves to find properly tagged images and videos on websites.
  
• Backlinks. When other sites link to your site , it indicates to Google that you’re trustworthy.
  

Listed on Google My Business. When a potential customer types “plumbers near me” into Google (and they will type that), your website will only appear on the SERP if you have a Google My Business page. Good news: GMB is free, AND, it can be optimized so your plumbing or HVAC company can rank better in the map pack.

Invested in AdWords and Google Local Services. The old adage is true: To make money, you have to spend money. Pay-per-click advertising (PPC) is a solid, short-term investmentthat will land you toward the top of the SERP. Translation: More business.

Developing a lead-generating, business-growing website takes time, effort, and expertise—all of which we’re happy to share. Contact us today to learn how we can help your plumbing or HVAC business thrive.