Running a successful business isn’t as simple as having a profitable product/service and selling it. Advertising is critical to running a service-based business, such as plumbing, if you want to create a loyal customer base.
Due to the broadness of this industry, a plumbing business is more straightforward to advertise than most other products or services. Simply put, everyone needs a plumber at some point. The question is: How do you convince them you have the right plumbers for them?
This is why it’s crucial to be creative with your next campaign. Look no further if you’re stuck in a marketing rut, wondering how to generate plumbing leads and turn visitors into customers. These 13 plumber advertising ideas will make your plumbing business visible to the right people in your next campaign.
1. Functional Website
The first step to increasing your plumbing business’s online visibility is to create a cohesive, functional website. This website must detail every necessary resource for your local business, building customer trust.
Your website is a crucial aspect of plumbing marketing because it provides resourceful links via ads and reviews that lead to the correct pages on your website. The primary aim of your plumbing business website is to convert visitors into customers.
You can build a responsive, mobile-friendly, and resourceful website that tells your customers everything they need to know about your business. That includes the services offered, locations covered, your plumbing business history, contact information, and other essential elements.
Here are 17 plumber website designs for inspiration to help you take the first essential step to digital marketing.
Allow Scorpion To Maximize Your Website Presence
At Scorpion, we design and build your website so you can tell the right story, generate more leads, and increase your revenue. We work to improve bounce rates, site speed, and user experience so you are free to get back to your business. With reports in your dashboard, you can stay informed on your site’s ranking, lead flow, and return on investment.
Plus, you can take advantage of features like live chat and online scheduling to improve customer experience and create a credible first impression. Pair your website with our other marketing services, and you will be ideally positioned to rise to the top of search engines with SEO, informative content, a better social media presence, and ads that drive even more traffic to your business.
2. Content Playgrounds
Digital marketing for your plumbing business through a website is only successful if your site is interactive, intuitive, and resourceful. Customers shouldn't have trouble navigating your site or leave with questions unanswered.
The best way to ensure that is by offering binge-able content, which allows the customer to trust you and your expertise. Creating a content marketing strategy that offers a playground of content to consume will help build your authority and trustworthiness. You can offer videos, guides, infographics, and blogs that help customers feel well-informed before hiring your services.
3. Search Engine Optimization
Another crucial digital marketing approach to advertising your plumbing business is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO is the practice of optimizing your content and website to rank higher in search engine results.
That includes adding relevant keywords to your content, page titles, meta tags, and image alt tags while ensuring the content remains meaningful and informative. In addition, you can utilize SEO services to determine how to make your content rank higher.
Rank Higher, Faster with Scorpion’s Ranking AI
Ranking AI is Scorpion’s SEO solution that ensures more of the right customers discover your business when they need you most. Powered by RevenueMAX, Ranking AI improves your visibility and turns visitors into customers.
Ranking AI helps you:
- Get found online: Higher search rankings mean your business shows up before your competitors.
- Know what’s working (and what’s not): AI-powered tracking shows which SEO efforts are getting you results and where you can improve.
- Attract more leads without the extra cost: SEO brings in more customers at a lower cost than traditional advertising.
- Stay ahead of search engine changes: Ranking AI continuously adapts to Google’s updates.
4. Local SEO
Focusing on local SEO is an essential way to practice SEO in your plumbing marketing campaign. When Google ads completely dominate the first page, ranking your plumbing business higher in search engine results can be difficult.
In that case, the best alternative is to opt for local SEO. This is much easier than appealing to a broader audience because plumbing businesses only cater to specific towns or cities.
First, claiming your Google Business Profile listing (previously Google My Business) is an essential local SEO practice. It allows you to easily display local service ads requiring contact information, hours of operation, photos, and reviews of your business. You may also link to blogs, videos, or infographics in this listing.
The more detailed your Google My Business listing is, the more trustworthy you appear to customers. Keeping track of Google Reviews under this listing is essential as it displays your ability to provide customer support.
5. Google Guarantee
If you’re using Google Ads to promote your plumbing business, it’s best to take advantage of its Google Guarantee feature. This feature is available to businesses once they pass the Google Local Services screening and qualification process.
This will allow you to display your Google Ads at the top of search engine results with a “Google Guaranteed” badge. This can increase customer trust significantly and allow you to generate more plumbing leads.
6. Keyword Planner
One of the essential SEO practices is keyword planning or incorporation. However, if you’re unsure which keywords are relevant to your plumbing business and content, Google Keywords Planner can help you discover which are best.
Using this keyword-generating tool is easier than you think. Follow these steps to plan keyword incorporation with the Google Keywords Planner:
- Log in to your Google account.
- Click on Tools from the main menu and select Keywords Planner.
- Under “Find new keywords and get search volume data,” select “Search for new keywords using a phrase, website, or category.”
- Enter the keyword you want to target. In this case, it should be “plumber” or “plumbing.”
- Google will display a list of popular keywords you should target with your content.
In this case, you’ll see general keywords like “plumbers near,” “local plumbers,” “plumbing services,” “emergency plumber,” and “plumbing companies.” You’ll also see keywords like “toilet repair,” “drain cleaning,” “clogged drain,” and “clogged toilet,” which are more specific to the services you offer.
If you spot a keyword related to a service you offer, include it in your content so you can show up in search results. You can reach a potential customer by posting a blog or video on a topic they’re searching for, such as fixing a clogged drain.
7. Social Media
More than half of the global population uses social media, so it’s safe to say that social media marketing is one of the first steps of digital marketing. Social media platforms are a great way to reach a bigger audience and help you build customer trust.
For example, sharing short DIY videos on TikTok for minor plumbing issues is a great way to earn customer trust. So, when they face a major plumbing issue, they’ll count on your expertise to have their back.
Here are some social media best practices to follow:
Utilize the right platform for your small business. Not all social media platforms are the same.
- LinkedIn is primarily used for business professionals to connect and network.
- Facebook is for families to keep in touch with one another.
- Instagram and TikTok are highly visual platforms that rely heavily on videos to see results.
The right platform for your plumber social media plan is a.) one your target audience uses and b.) one where you can show up authentically.
Optimize your profile
- Your profile, like your Google Business Profile, has all your basic plumber business information, including your website, contact information, and hours of operation. You can optimize it with your logo, an engaging cover image, a keyword-rich description, and a list of local services.
- Maintaining a regular posting rhythm and requesting customer reviews is a type of reputation management that demonstrates your relevance and responsiveness to potential customers looking at your profile.
Create engaging content
- The true benefit of plumber social media marketing is creating unique and engaging content targeted to your audience’s needs. While you should be consistent with how often you post, you should vary the types of content you share.
- A healthy mix of promotional and informative content can make you an industry expert. Use video marketing with customer reviews, infographics, and step-by-step instructions to keep your content from growing stale.
Use it as a communication tool
- Potential customers may prefer to ask about your plumbing services through social media platforms like Facebook Messenger. It’s essential to be able to meet them where they are.
- Tools like Scorpion’s Communication Suite integrate texts, calls, emails, and Messenger into a single inbox, so you’ll never miss a lead.
8. Facebook Ads
Facebook is the most important social media platform for promoting your plumbing business. For example, Facebook videos get twice as many clicks as images or statuses. However, Facebook ads are an investment.
These paid ads reach a bigger audience and offer high profitability, with 98% of social media marketers benefiting from increased ROI from Facebook ads. You may also use ads to recruit professional plumbers for your business.
9. Exclusive Discounts
One of the main ways you can benefit from social media marketing is by offering exclusive offers and discounts to customers who follow your social media pages. You may offer these coupons and discounts in exchange for their emails, which you can later use for email marketing purposes.
10. Cross Promotion
Social media is the perfect platform to practice cross-promotion, which allows you to tap into audiences you couldn’t access before. You can do so by collaborating with other businesses that complement your services.
11. Content Guides
Content-based promotion is the most popular way to advertise your plumbing business. This method gives you creative freedom and allows you to guide your customers through your services.
Your blog can discuss how your plumbing services eliminate specific pain points and set your business apart from other plumbing companies. In addition, you can publish how-to guides on contacting your plumbing services to diagnose a plumbing issue.
12. Whitepapers
A detailed whitepaper is one of the most crucial elements to include in your next plumbing ad. In this whitepaper, you must do more than pitch your services. This document needs to explain to the reader how your services can ease their worries.
If you’re not sure where to begin, here are a few plumbing whitepaper topics to get inspired:
- Hydronic systems vs. variable refrigerant flow (VRF)
- How we eliminate lead from water
- How to determine if water is hard
- Guidance for the disinfection of building water systems using the International Plumbing Code
13. Email Marketing
Lastly, email marketing is a step you cannot miss in your next plumbing ad campaign. After utilizing social media to gather customers’ emails, make sure your emails are worth reading. Most customers send an email to spam without even reading it, so be sure that your subject lines are compelling and eye-catching.
A great way to capture the reader’s attention with just the subject line is to include a discount in the first few words. For example, “Get 30% off your next drain cleaning!” or “Book a new service & earn reward points.”
More importantly, you must ensure the email platform doesn’t automatically send your email to spam. You can avoid this by excluding one-word subject lines, spelling errors, and multiple exclamation points from your emails.
Personalizing the email is another way to get the customer’s attention. For example, including their name in the subject line or talking about their prior experience with your company will help build customer trust and encourage the reader to read your email.
Here are some other email marketing ideas:
- Seasonal maintenance reminders: Send reminders before winter and summer to prevent frozen pipes or plumbing issues caused by extreme weather. Offer a special discount for seasonal maintenance services.
- Exclusive discounts and promotions: Reward loyal customers or first-time clients with exclusive discounts on standard plumbing services. Run holiday promotions (e.g., “New Year, New Pipes--10% Off All Services This Month”).
- Emergency plumbing services: Educate customers about what to do in a plumbing emergency and how to contact you immediately. Include a one-click emergency call button for easy access to your services.
- Customer referral program: Encourage customers to refer friends or family by offering discounts or service credits. Use an easy-to-share referral link in your email.
- Plumbing tips and DIY advice: Provide valuable content like how to avoid clogged drains, detect leaks early, or improve water efficiency. Position yourself as a trusted expert by sharing maintenance tips.
- Post-service follow-up and review requests: After completing a job, send a follow-up email to ensure customer satisfaction. Ask for a Google or Yelp review and offer a small incentive if necessary.
- Plumbing service membership plans: Introduce a subscription plan offering routine maintenance and priority service for a monthly or yearly fee. Highlight the cost savings and exclusive benefits of signing up.
- Reminder for regular plumbing maintenance: Send automated reminders for recurring services like water heater flushes or sump pump inspections. To increase conversions, offer a small discount for early bookings.
- New service announcements: Announce new plumbing services and their benefits to encourage upgrades or installations.
- Local community engagement and events: Promote your community involvement by sponsoring local events or providing free plumbing advice. Build trust by showcasing your team’s engagement with customers.
No matter what kind of email you’re sending, there are five steps you should take to create your winning plumbing email strategy:
1. Pick the marketing automation tool that best fits your plumbing business.
Before sending an email, you need a platform that can handle high-quality, large-scale email campaigns. And you have plenty of options to choose from. The most popular are MailChimp, Constant Contact, HubSpot, and more.
2. Write a Great Subject Line
A great subject line determines whether your contact opens your email. The best subject lines are about seven words (or 41 characters), include personalized information like your contact’s first name, and start with an action verb that speaks to your target audience.
3. Make Your Emails Interesting
Now that you’ve gotten your contact to open your email, you want them to read it. The only way to do that is to have content that targets their interests. Focus on eye-catching design and questions your target audience cares about.
4. Include a Call-to-Action (CTA)
You’ve seen plenty of CTAs before. “Act Now,” “Call Today,” “Watch Now,” and “Book Your Appointment” are all good examples. They can direct your users to a specific webpage, watch an educational video, or prompt them to book an appointment. However, not all CTAs are created equal. The best CTAs create urgency, set expectations, and stand out with unique design.
5. Study and Improve Your Emails
You should track the effectiveness of your email campaigns to spot messaging that resonates with your target audience, weaknesses in your approach, and other areas of concern. How? Monitor the open rate (percentage of people who open your email), click rate (percentage of people who clicked links in your email), and bounce rate (shows the quality of your email list) of your emails. These metrics are like red flares telling you when and where users aren’t engaging with your email campaign.
Grow Your Plumbing Business With These Lead-Generating Campaigns
Other than these 13 plumber marketing ideas, you may also utilize Pay-Per-Click or PPC ads. Gathering a loyal customer base for a service-based business like plumbing can be challenging, but it’s not impossible.
By implementing these plumbing marketing strategies in your next campaign, you can become the go-to option for a broad audience whenever they need a plumber.
Want to learn more? Schedule a consultation.
