Top 5 Reasons Your Plumber Competitors Rank Higher Than You On Google
Looking to improve your visibility on Google but facing competition from other local plumbers?
You want to be that happy plumber with a web site ranking high and getting found by local customers. On Google searches from homeowners, you want your service high on Google search not lost in a long list of results.
This means achieving a top position can significantly benefit your plumbing company. Or at least in the top 5 organic results and in the top 3 local map results.
To achieve this it's essential to invest in SEO services tailored for plumbers. Start by addressing two questions;
1. What factors contribute to your competitors higher rankings?
2. Conversely what sets you apart and attracts customers to choose your services over those of your competitors?
Understanding these aspects showcases why potential customers should opt for your plumbing services over others including those, with better search engine rankings.
Importance of Local SEO for Plumbers
Your plumbing service wants to attract local clients. So, your web site must make local SEO strategy a big part of your marketing plan. To beat your competitors, you need location specific pages, an optimised GBP profile and citations on the best business directories.
Local keywords are core to your local SEO plan. These terms help search engines understand the location and target audience of a business. Your landing pages must use relevant keywords for specific locations to:
- Increase your chances of appearing in local search results and attracting local customers e.g. plumber services in Leeds and Harrogate.
- Help search engines associate your business with a particular area, improving your visibility in local search results.
This article will look at how you can get these tasks done.
Search engines rely on location signals to provide users with location-specific results. It's essential to optimise your website for relevant location-based search queries.
Business listings on platforms like Google My Business, Bing Places, and Yelp contribute to local plumber SEO by enhancing a business's visibility in organic searches. These listings provide key business information, customer reviews, and geographical indicators. This helps search engines understand the relevance and credibility of a business in a specific location.
Research Competitors' SEO Strategies
Understand what your competitors are doing right.
- Analyse your competitors' SEO tactics. You can uncover valuable insights and tailor your strategy accordingly. Are they updating their blog regularly? Do they use automated emails to remind customers of service reminders? Do they have an edge in the market on price? We build this analysis into your SEO plan.
- Identify the keywords they're targeting.
- What is better about the quality of their content?
- What link-building strategies do they use so you can inform your own approach? The top strategy is blogging. Are you actively writing new blogs and guest posts?
Take a look at how we helped Norton Plumbing gain over 170 reviews and rank for multiple local search terms on Google.
Why Am I Ranking Lower in Organic SEO results on Google?
Organic SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) results are the non-paid, natural listings that appear on search engine result pages (SERPs) in response to a user's search query.
These results are based on the relevance and authority of web pages, as determined by search engine algorithms. Organic SEO efforts focus on optimising website content, structure, and other factors to improve visibility and organic rankings.
Your higher ranking competitors have implemented more of those plumber SEO actions to gain the better rankings usually from these activities.
The foremost action is likely to be frequent blog posts to their sites of use to homeowners that are the popular questions asked on Google. These include:
- Why does my drain clog?
- What causes a smelly drain?
- Why is my water cloudy, and how can I fix it?
Your competitors are likely doing:
- Regular blog posts to the company blog pages that answer all customer queries in short articles. More examples can be: Why Is My Faucet Leaking? Why does my toilet keep running? And each blog post explains how to easily fix the issues and offering your professional services if required.
- Regular posts to their Google Business Profile pages to update the locality on services, offers and share tips.This makes sure that their Google Business profile has all the right data including reviews from happy customers.
- Inbound links from authority sites gained from tradesman directories, guest posts and local news.These are links from sites that write about plumbing tips and issues affecting property owners. This tells Google more about your site by linking it to useful information.The sites where you gain links are usually managed by enthusiasts and parts vendors. We can help you build a plan for your content writing and link building.
- Regular social media page updates on service features/benefits and sharing new landing pages and blogs.
- Optimising all site pages for Google by taking care of all on-page SEO tasks which we will carry out for you with our SEO audit which will show all issues that our team will correct.
What Is The Local Map Pack?
The local map pack, also known as the local 3-pack, is a featured section that appears on SERPs for location-based searches at the top of the page. It typically showcases a map with three local business listings relevant to the search query.
It's our job to get you into that top 3 and the top organic results below.
Each listing in the map pack displays key information such as the business name, address, phone number, ratings, and reviews. The local map pack is an important feature for businesses aiming to gain visibility and attract local customers in specific geographic areas.
Your Higher Ranking Competitors Have An Edge... For Now
This is what can bring your plumber site pages into better ranking positions. Take care of these 5 reasons to rank higher than your competitors. Once done, you'll see a significant difference in your rankings in both the organic results and the local map pack.
Reason 1: Your Competitors Have Built A Stronger Online Presence and Branding
Establish a robust online presence and consistent branding. These are key elements that set successful plumbers apart from the pack.
Does your professional website reflect your brand identity? Does the site clearly showcase your services, and offer a seamless user experience?
Incorporate your branding elements across all online platforms to create brand recognition and trust among your target audience.
Your best starting approach is to ask us for a free website review to get you started on either a new web site design or improving your existing site.
Reason 2: Your Competitors Have A Better Optimised Website and On-Page SEO
An optimised website is the cornerstone of a successful plumber SEO strategy. We can help you get your website optimised for search engines by using relevant keywords, meta tags, and headers.
The key here is to improve your site's loading speed, mobile responsiveness, and overall user experience to enhance your visibility and ranking on Google.
These are the essential actions for a well optimised web site.
- Optimise website images by compressing them without compromising quality to reduce page load time and enhance mobile performance. Read how to optimise images.
- Implement a responsive web design that adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes, ensuring an optimal user experience for visitors accessing your site on mobile devices in Leeds. Read more on how to get your design right and increase your conversion rates.
- Enable browser caching to store static files on visitors' devices, reducing subsequent load times when they visit your site.
- Reduce server response time by choosing reliable hosting services that have servers located in or near your locality, ensuring faster response times for local users.
- Optimise your meta title tags and meta descriptions with relevant keywords and targeted messaging on service pages e.g. A Leeds based plumber would have a dedicated boiler installation page optimised for the phrase 'boiler installation in Leeds'. Use search phrases like 'plumber near me' in your text naturally as this is popular search term. This helps search engines understand the relevance of your web pages and improves click-through rates in search results.
- Craft descriptive and SEO-friendly URLs that include keywords relevant to your plumbing services in Leeds. Use hyphens to separate words and keep URLs concise and easy to read for both search engines and users.
Reason 3: Your Competitors Appear In The Local 3-Pack With A Better Optimised GBP
Google My Business or what is now Google Business Profile is a powerful tool that can significantly impact your local SEO performance. Claiming and optimising your GMB listing allows you to appear in local search results, Google Maps, and the coveted Local Pack.
Provide accurate business information, respond to customer reviews, and regularly update your listing to attract more local customers.
Add specific details like your opening hours, services offered, and a brief description of your plumbing business. Enhance your Google Business Profile by adding high-quality images of your plumbing services, your team, and your completed projects. Consider using relevant keywords in your profile description and posts to improve search visibility.
Examples of keywords are:
plumber service near me
emergency plumber service
local plumber service
And add your locality to those: local plumber service in Huddersfield.
Reason 4: Your Competitors Have More Positive Reviews and Better Reputation Management
Reviews play a critical role in shaping your online reputation and influencing potential customers. Encourage satisfied clients to leave positive reviews on platforms like Google, Yelp, and Facebook.
Everyone is on Facebook so connecting with homeowners who need a new boiler or advice on a model will be far easier than most platforms. Address negative feedback promptly and professionally to show your commitment to customer satisfaction and build trust within your community.
The trick here is to encourage reviews.
- Provide exceptional customer service: Delight your customers with outstanding service and go the extra mile to meet their needs. When people feel valued and satisfied, they're more likely to leave positive reviews.
- Make it easy for customers to leave reviews: Streamline the review process by using platforms that are convenient for customers, such as Google My Business, Yelp, or your own website. Provide direct links or QR codes to guide customers to the review pages.
- Ask for reviews at the right time: Prompt happy customers to leave reviews by strategically timing your requests. For example, do it immediately after completing a successful transaction or at the peak of customer satisfaction.
- Offer incentives or rewards: Show appreciation for customers who take the time to write a review by offering incentives like discounts, loyalty points, or exclusive content.
- Engage and respond to reviews: Monitor and respond to customer reviews, positive or negative. Show gratitude for positive feedback and address any concerns or issues raised in negative reviews. This demonstrates your commitment to customer satisfaction and can encourage more reviews.
Reason 5: Your Competitors Have Frequent High Quality and Relevant Content
Content is king, heard that. Yes, we all have in the world of SEO, and for plumbers, high-quality and relevant content can make a significant difference in your search ranking.
- Create informative blogs that answer customer top questions on plumbing.
- Add service pages for every aspect of your business.
- Add a FAQs page that addresses common plumbing questions. Answer customer questions and demonstrate your expertise in the field. On blog posts with little content, add a FAQs section that answers more questions based on the topic e.g. a blog post about unclogging a drain with only 500 words of text can use an extra FAQs section with short questions and answers. Example questions are:
What is the best thing to unblock drains liquid?
What household product will unclog a drain? - Regularly update your content as this sends signals to search engines that your website is active and authoritative, boosting your SEO performance.
When you plan content for your site, think about the pain points that affect customers. The intention is to be useful by solving common queries and in the process, offering your professional services.
The best blog posts and Facebook ads are the ones that answer popular plumbing questions. These topics will help you with ideas for blog content and bring interest to your services.
How Can I Unclog a Drain?
Where is the water shut-off valve or tap?
What should I do if I have a water leak?
Why does the toilet keep running?
Is it safe to use chemical drain cleaners?
What’s the best way to choose a plumber?
Chat with us about a digital content roadmap to success.
Implement These Strategies To Rank Higher Than Your Plumber Competitors
You can revamp your SEO approach and position your business for success. SEO is a long-term investment that requires dedication, consistency, and a deep understanding of your target audience.
Stay on top of these tasks or chat with us about managing your daily marketing efforts.
- Keep your Google Business Profile updated with any changes to your business information, such as address, phone number, or working hours.
- Monitor and respond to customer reviews and messages periodically to maintain engagement and positive customer relationships.
- Keep your landing pages updated with your services and why they are the best choice.
- Stay on top of new blog posts that answer customer questions and share out to social media.
Follow the points in this article to stay ahead of the curve, outshine your competitors, and watch your plumbing business soar to new heights on Google.
And we can help you implement all these tasks that will get results.
Contact us today to learn more and improve your conversion rates and beat your competition.
