Neil Patel, leading web influencer, shared a joke on his website recently: “Where should you bury something that you don’t want people to find? On the second page of Google!” He admits this is a corny web-related joke, but there is validity to it. In fact, 75% of web users won’t ever scroll past the first page on a Google search. So, the question becomes, how do you ensure your site isn’t buried? 

• By taking advantage of leading website technology. 
• By providing content that solves problems and answers a searcher’s questions. 
• By having domain authority. 
• By supporting your plumber SEO efforts. 

First, it’s important to understand just how a search engine works--at least, the basics. When a customer or prospective customer is trying to find a home services provider for their plumbing needs, they’re most likely going to search online for some combination of the service they’re looking for and the city or state they’re in, or they may form it as a question: “What plumbing companies are near me?”

The web user is then going to see an ad for plumbers in their area, a local map with results of plumbing companies nearby, and then a list of website results under that. Where are they going to see all this? On the first page that pops up on Google! Let’s uncover how to make sure that’s where your plumbing site is showing up. 

Website Technology

There’s a new Google algorithm rolling out this month--the core web vitals (page experience update) that is prioritizing websites that load fast and that provide an outstanding user experience on mobile. 

In our previous blog post, we discussed in detail why mobile-first is the new standard when it comes to website design. Building a mobile site that scores high on the Google Pagespeed Insights tool is a vital factor for both SEO for plumbers and conversion, and is likely going to play a larger role in organic search rankings in 2021 and beyond. 

Google My Business (GMB) plays a huge role here, too. Remember how we mentioned that users are going to see a local map with results of plumbing companies nearby? This is thanks to GMB technology. This is a free tool that iMarket Solutions helps clients navigate in order to determine how contractors show up in organic search results.

Google uses a number of factors to determine where exactly a business should appear in local search results. How Google determines this is not public knowledge, which stresses the reason you need a knowledgeable marketing company on your side, to help you utilize this resource as optimally as possible. 

Useful Content

Having a webpage that solves the customers’ problems and answers searchers’ questions is a fundamental component of sustainable SEO for plumbers. Creating pages that are optimized for specific keywords or keyword groups, and then making sure the content on the page is organized in a way that will satisfy a searcher who landed on the page is critical. 

This means establishing trust with the user by focusing on brand values, service differentiators, awards, certifications, etc. It's also important we make it clear what service is offered and what area is served. Other best practices include adding semantically related keywords and phrases on the page, creating links to help users navigate the website and to help Google understand the website hierarchy, and encouraging users to convert via a form submission or phone call. 

Domain Authority

Domain authority and the use of backlinks continue to play a major role in organic search rankings. “Quality over quantity” applies here--getting just one high-quality backlink from a trusted manufacturer, industry partner, or reputable local company will have a much greater impact on search results than getting 500 backlinks from irrelevant and/or low-quality websites. 

Look Beyond SEO

Plumbers and other home service contractors often think that PPC and SEO are an either/or strategy. We get asked if PPC (pay-per-click) should be used instead of focusing on organic rankings through plumber SEO strategies. But the truth is, these two services go hand-in-hand. PPC will often yield faster results, while SEO will provide long-lasting results. 

There are additional factors that will support your SEO efforts, such as great website design, targeting social media and email marketing, taking advantage of local service ads by Google, and more. And iMarket Solutions is here to help! 

Dedicated to Contractor Success 

Whichever method or tools you choose, the important thing to keep in mind is that getting your plumbing business to rank on the first page of Google is an ongoing process. This involves testing, tracking, adjusting, and assessing the results. It also means looking at ways to keep you on page one, by staying on top of Google’s ever-changing algorithms. 

Fortunately, we are the industry experts, providing marketing expertise and partnership for plumbing contractors just like you, as well as HVAC and electrical contractors. We have helped more than 300 home service companies grow their leads and profits, and we look forward to welcoming you to the iMarket family! 

iMarket Solutions covers your marketing & lead generation so that you can focus on your business. Contact us today!