Last updated on April 25th, 2023 at 02:38 pm
The plumbing industry is roughly valued at $128.7B and has an annualized growth rate of 2.3%. However, in 2022, the plumbing industry decreased by 4% according to IBIS World. Due to this, plumber advertising and marketing strategies are going to be critical to a plumbing business’s long-term growth strategy.
At WolfPack Advising, we are marketing experts. So, let’s dive into the best plumber advertising and marketing ideas.
Plumber Advertising & Marketing Categories
First, plumber advertising and marketing can be broken into different categories. Let’s start by breaking down those types.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) – Advertising and marketing strategies to show higher in search engines like Google (i.e. Search Engine Optimization SEO)
Inbound Marketing – These include marketing strategies where customers voluntarily visit/see your ad or content, like an organic social media post. Outbound marketing is your typical advertisement like a billboard where your ad is more intrusive to the consumer.
Social Media – advertising on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, & TikTok
Pay Per Click – advertisements where businesses pay for every click (i.e. Google Ads, Bing Ads)
Email & SMS – marketing and advertising through email and sms mediums
There are a few other categories like direct mail or television which we will touch on later in this post. Now, let’s get into the plumber advertising & marketing ideas!
SEM Plumber Advertising Strategies
SEM can be broken down into SEO, as well as, Local SEO. Let’s check them out!
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
For plumbers, SEO is a critical piece of your online advertising strategy. The goal here should be to increase your website traffic and keyword rankings for keywords that will convert visitors to actual business.
To start, you should research keywords people would search for in order to find your business. Here are a few keyword examples:
- Plumbers Near Me
- Top Rated Plumbers
- Plumbers in Orlando, FL (any city)
- Plumbers in Florida (any state)
- Any questions relating to the plumbing business (i.e. how to fix a running toilet)
After you have conducted some keyword research, you can begin to optimize your website and web pages for those keywords. To do this, you should optimize the following around your keyword:
- Page Title
- HTML heading tags
- Meta-description
- Image Title
- Image Alternative Tags
- Keyword in body text
There are many other strategies and SEO tactics that can also be implemented. Consider hiring a Plumber SEO agency to run a site audit, and help with your plumber advertising.
Local SEO
Next, you can focus on your Local SEO. To do this, focus on keyword rankings for local search terms as mentioned above. In addition, your business’s NAP info (name, address, and phone number) should be listed as citations across directory sites accurately.
An example of directory sites is Yelp, Google Business Profiles, Yahoo Local, and Bing Places. Ensure your business is listed on as many online directories as possible. Your information should be 100% complete and accurate. Moreover, attempt to receive as many online reviews as possible.
The most popular and critical online review platforms for plumber advertising are Google, Facebook, & Yelp so focus on those first.
In general, to rank high in Local searches your online profiles should be complete, accurate, close to the searcher(consumer), and have a lot of positive reviews. Check out our local SEO guide or a Local SEO agency for plumbers.
Inbound Plumber Advertising Strategies
Inbound marketing and advertising usually entail content writing such as within blog posts (such as this one), or within social media posts. Let’s check out how to content write for plumber advertising.
Content Writing
Content writing is most commonly completed as blog posts. It can help boost your website’s traffic from search engines, as well as, boost online website conversions or sales.
To write effectively for search engines, first complete keyword research to find what users/consumers are searching for about your business. Then, write blog posts around those questions or keywords.
Content writing is a long-term advertising strategy, but can be super effective. Check out our blog post on inbound marketing for more information, or read our article on writing blogs.
Social Media Plumber Advertising Strategies
Our next plumber advertising strategy is through social media.
Organic
First within social media is organic social media marketing. Organic is nonpaid social media posts, such as regular posts to your Facebook Page. Organic social media marketing involves posting highly engaging posts to your social media in order to get your content to spread to more users on social media.
There are many strategies you can implement to grow your social media like engaging with other users, using hashtags, posting at the right times, and focusing on the right content. Here is a list of social media you should try posting to:
- YouTube
- TikTok
To be successful on social media, companies should focus on engaging and video content. Check out our social media services for plumbers for more information.
Paid
The opposite of organic is paid. This is typically through Meta Ads, or can simply be a boosted Facebook post.
Consider boosting posts that are performing well with your regular audience (followers). This can increase social media exposure to an audience who also may be interested in your services.
In addition, consider creating a social media advertising campaign to further increase your plumber advertising and marketing strategies.
Pay Per Click Plumber Advertising Strategies
Next is Pay Per Click advertising, also known as, PPC. This most common PPC platform is Google Ads, however, there are others as well we can are going to cover.
Google Search Ads
Google Ads should be the first option most plumbing businesses test. It is really effective for your long-term growth because you can easily see where your business is advertising, control budgets, and scale your advertising budget.
Learn more about how Google Ads can advance your business goals, or how long it takes to work.
However, be careful as advertising on Google Ads can easily go through your ad budget if you are not a professional. Hiring a PPC professional for plumbers almost always pays for themselves many times over.
Google Local Ads
A close relative to Google Ads is Google Local Service Ads. Google Local Ads, also known as Google Guaranteed Ads, helps business showcase their local business to consumers searching locally for businesses/services like yours.
Local Google Ads for plumbers are one of the most effective online advertising strategies you should implement.
To be effective with Google Local Ads, use call tracking to track your return on investment (ROI), answer calls quickly, and have a high amount of Google Reviews.
Microsoft Ads (Bing Ads)
In PPC advertising, there is also Microsoft Ads which is very similar to Google Ads. Consider using Microsoft Ads to increase your exposure even more.
Yelp Ads
Finally, we have Yelp Ads. Yelp Ads tend to perform well for plumbers that have good Yelp reviews. Consider Yelp Ads alongside your Google Ad strategy to mix your marketing ideas. Oftentimes, one platform’s return on investment will be better than the other for a given time.
Email & SMS Plumber Advertising Strategies
Next to last, we have email marketing and SMS marketing. Email marketing for plumber advertising is critical to your marketing and business growth success. Many plumbing businesses send newsletters to their past customers to help retain customers and boost their customer lifetime value.
On the other hand, you can also use email marketing for prospects and consumers who have inquired about your business online or subscribed to your blog posts.
SMS marketing does come with some regulatory restrictions, however, can truly be beneficial to consumers who have opted in to receive SMS messages.
Check out our email marketing ideas or even our SMS marketing guide.
Other Plumber Advertising & Marketing Ideas
Finally, we have other plumber advertising and marketing ideas that are not listed in the categories above.
Television & Billboard Advertisements
Local TV and billboard advertising is a form of mass outbound advertising that can be highly localized to different regions.
Direct Mail
Direct mail advertising can be super beneficial for new communities, communities with common plumbing issues, or a marketing strategy to enter a new market.
Uniforms & Vehicles
Having consistent and professional uniforms, branding, and vehicles can help increase your brand recognition. Not to mention, your vehicles are free advertising on roadways while you are working!
Local Community Groups
Finally, joining local communities and network groups can help increase your marketing presence in a local area. This is a great marketing strategy for a small plumbing business or a business looking to grow in a new region.
Grow Your Plumbing Advertising & Marketing Strategies Today
There you have it! The best plumber advertising and marketing ideas and strategies! Implement a few of these strategies at a time and track your return on investment to see which campaigns are most effective for you.
Interested in plumber marketing services? Check out our marketing services for plumbers.
